Objective

Currently, UPM has a biorefinery at its Lappeenranta site in south-eastern Finland. This is the world's first bio-refinery to produce fully wood-based sustainable diesel and naphtha. UPM plans to further expand its alternative fuels production in Kotka, Finland. The innovative wood-based alternative fuels developed by the company and the production technologies used by UPM are part of a sustainable future. UPM’s goal is to become one of the leading producers of alternative fuels of the latest generation for transport purposes.

Description

UPM plans to further expand its alternative fuels production and has completed an environmental impact assessment for the possible construction of a new bio-refinery in Kotka, south-eastern Finland. It is expected to produce around 500,000 metric tonnes of modern alternative fuels per year for transport vehicles from various renewable and sustainable raw materials.

The company said it is planning to use other raw materials there than in its existing biorefinery in Lappeenranta, which has a production volume of 130,000 metric tonnes per year. The company explained that various new raw materials are to be investigated, which met sustainability criteria such as wood waste and other sustainable waste and residual materials. In Uruguay, a winter crop concept is currently being tested with brassica carinata (Ethiopian mustard) as an alternative feedstock material. Carinata oil would be one of the potential raw materials for the new biorefinery in Kotka, Finland.

The environmental impact assessment that has now been completed relates to a site in Kotka, which is the area of a dismantled power plant formerly operated by Pohjolan Voima.

Partners

​UPM

Achievements to date

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for UPM's possible Kotka Biorefinery in Finland has been completed and concluded to be environmentally feasible to be built by authorities. The biorefinery's products could also be used for replacing fossil raw materials in the chemical industry.

According to the EIA conducted by consultancy company Pöyry, the UPM Kotka Biorefinery would have substantial positive impacts such as increasing utilization of wastes and residues as well as decreases in greenhouse gas emissions. The decrease of the greenhouse gas emissions achieved by the biorefinery would be as much as 16% of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by Finnish road traffic - equivalent to three times the greenhouse gas emissions of a city the size of Helsinki. The projected aviation fuel production would be around 100 000 metric tonnes by 2025.

Contact information

Ilkka Poranen, Vice President, Biofuels Growth Program

ilkka.poranen [at] upm.com

Website: https://www.upm.com/