Biomass, a step towards a more sustainable production.

The operation of our factory requires large amounts of energy every day. Sant Dalmai looks for energy efficiency from the planning of processes and machinery. In addition, our electricity supplier uses 100% electricity from renewable sources, and we have begun the installation of photovoltaic panels to generate sustainably part of the energy that we consume.

In the meat industry we also need to generate steam to be able to cook the products we make, apart from sanitizing the installations every day. For many years now, as a fuel for steam generating boilers, we have been prioritizing the consumption of biomass over fossil fuels.

The biomass we consume is wood chips: wood from the clearing of forests, which is cut into small pieces and used as boiler fuel.

Our supplier has PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certification, which guarantees that the raw material used comes from sustainably managed forests close to our area.

In the whole of Europe, the forest area continues to grow (and in Catalonia, forest covers 2/3 of the total surface). Taking advantage of this forest biomass, we are moving towards a more sustainable management of the natural environment and the territory. The impact is positive at different levels:

• The forest clearing tasks to remove biomass help prevent fires: the 1,300 tons per year used by Sant Dalmai allow the management of about 75 hectares of forest.

• It contributes to the development of a new sustainable energy model: we increase the use of renewable energy, generated close to the place of consumption.

• It creates jobs and helps to fix population in rural areas, while revaluing forest products and takes care of their biodiversity.

Another example of our commitment to sustainability and respect for the planet.