• The use of biomass is a milestone in the decarbonisation of energy generation
• The plant reduces CO₂ emissions by 33,000 tons per year for recycled paper production
• Biomass consisting of regionally available certified residual wood, with the plant generating up to 21 tons of steam per hour

Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany, 9 May, 2025 – GETEC and Schönfelder Papierfabrik have jointly inaugurated a climate-friendly biomass cogeneration plant that will produce steam and electricity for paper production. In addition to the project participants from GETEC and Schönfelder Papierfabrik, representatives from politics and authorities attended the event held to solidify such a partnership.

The new power plant is a significant milestone for the paper manufacturer: the switch from fossil fuel lignite to biomass will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of the paper mill in the Ore Mountains by around 33,000 tons per year. The additional purchase of certified green electricity will reduce the company’s CO₂ emissions by 93% overall. This step towards decarbonisation is the result of Schönfelder Papierfabrik’s sustainability strategy, which strives for maximum efficiency and sustainability in the use of energy, raw materials and other resources.

GETEC’s new biomass cogeneration plant covers the majority of the energy requirements for high-quality recycled paper production at the Annaberg-Buchholz site. Regional, certified waste wood will be utilised as an energy source, as it cannot be recycled. The plant has an output of 16 MWth and 1 MWel while supplying up to 21 tons of steam per hour.

The partnership between the medium-sized family business, Schönfelder Papierfabrik, and GETEC, the Europe-wide energy service provider from Magdeburg, has existed for many years and will be further strengthened by this new power plant. GETEC has taken over the planning, financing and realisation, and will operate, maintain and service the plant in its own portfolio.

The project was supported by funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

“Schönfelder Papierfabrik relies on a climate-friendly energy supply based on regionally available, certified waste wood that cannot be used for other materials,” said Holger Hampel, Managing Director, Schönfelder Papierfabrik GmbH. “This makes us one of the pioneers in the German paper industry.”

“We are proud to have successfully implemented this tailor-made and highly efficient energy solution together with our long-standing partner Schönfelder Papierfabrik, and to have secured the future of paper production at the site with this reliable, sustainable and cost-efficient energy supply,” said Hajo Hoops, Managing Director of GETEC heat & power GmbH.

“With the biomass cogeneration plant energy concept and the purchase of certified green electricity, Schönfelder Papierfabrik is reducing its CO₂ emissions by 93%.” 

Holger Hampel
Managing Director
Schönfelder Papierfabrik GmbH

About GETEC
GETEC is Europe's leading specialist for reliable, decarbonised energy and infrastructure solutions. With more than 3,100 dedicated employees at around 50 locations, we leverage our engineering, regulatory, and sustainability expertise to help our industrial and real estate customers navigate the complexities of the modern energy landscape while significantly reducing their carbon footprint. Operating over 11,000 plants, the company has a broad decarbonised technology offering. GETEC develops, finances, and runs critical energy infrastructure and industrial parks across Europe through its regional platforms in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Benelux, Austria and Poland.