by Aino Siirala (Advanced Biofuels USA) Aalto University School of Chemical Technology, Finland, organized a biofuel seminar February 2,2013, where Finland’s leading companies in this field introduced their expertise and recent projects.
The EU has set a directive of reducing greenhouse gases. All of the three biodiesel producers in the seminar, UPM, VAPO and ST1 claim that their biofuels reduce GHG by 80%.
Professor Juha Lehtonen from the School of Chemical Technology also mentioned that the reduction of GHG is the most important aim in producing biofuels. This research aims to develop processes that are worth implementing. He maintains their research of “single cell oil (microbial oil) as a raw material for biofuels” and development of producing biobutanol produces better results than second generation biofuels.
It is practical for the School of Chemical Technology to collaborate with VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland), as VTT has their branch on the campus. VTT’s project involves looking for options for microbial lipid production for green biodiesel. Their representative, Marilyn Wiebe, introduced using algae as a feedstock for biofuels.
Both of the researchers pointed out that Neste Oil, a Finnish refining company and the world’s leading producer of biodiesel, will make use of these studies in their production.
ST1 is the only one already producing and selling their RE85 biofuel, which is up to 85% ethanol made from waste and industrial side streams. In addition to having production and gas stations all over Finland, they also have refineries and gas stations in Sweden and Norway. It is important for them to operate locally so they have built small plants placing them near to the feedstock sources. Their biofuel is only for flexifuel cars. Nonetheless, approximately 5000 cars are using it in Finland already.
UPM and VAPO, on their part, are currently constructing their biorefineries.
UPM uses wood as raw material for several products, mainly paper. Their objective is to make use of every part of the raw material, so it makes sense for them to use the residue of chemical pulp production, crude tall oil, as a raw material for the biofuel called BioVerno. BioVerno seems to be a real product of sustainable development as all the waste streams resulting from the biofuel production will be used to provide energy for the factory. This EN 590 fuel has the same qualities as normal fossil fuels, which makes it a drop in fuel. In addition, it will function in low temperatures (as ST1’s biofuel) which is important in Finland where the cold winter lasts for months. BioVerno will be used as a 30% mix.
VAPO had two speakers. First we heard some facts about peat and later about their plans to produce biofuel.
The business areas of VAPO are peat products, wood energy, and heat and power. It is a company owned by the Finnish government and energy companies.
Finland is a leader in peat technology. It is no wonder as 1/3 of Finland’s land surface is marshland. Fortyfive percent of this is untouched and only 1% is used for peat production, mainly for heating energy. Peat is biomass being created in marshlands but so slowly that it is not recognised as renewable nor fossil but as peat. However, the emissions of peat are considered fossil fuel emissions.
Forest BtL, a company owned by VAPO, is constructing a biorefinery for biodiesel. Its feedstocks are mainly wood from young forests – not peat, because EU is not defining peat as a renewable biosource.
As UPM’s representative specified, the emissions from burning any fuel are always the same, but how we produce the fuel is the key. So, is growing wood in fields for providing biofuels really sustainable? The speaker from Forest BtL maintained that the GHG reduction of their product is 83%.
All the speakers stressed the importance of producing energy locally. In Finland, most of the energy is imported, so these three companies are making an important contribution providing local green biofuel. READ MORE (St1) and MORE (St1)and MORE (St1) and MORE (UPM) and MORE (VTT) and MORE (VAPO) and MORE (Neste Oil)