Preem, RenFuel and Rottneros assess the construction of the world's first lignin plant for biofuels
Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.
Last September, the Blog reported that Rottneros and RenFuel
had entered into an agreement to initiate deliveries of lignin from Rottneros’s
pulp plant in Vallvik (Söderhamn, Sweden) to a RenFuel pilot plant in
Bäckhammar (region of Värmland, Sweden). This facility is focused on generating
Lignol® (lignin oil), a product that can replace fossil oil and be used as raw
material in the production of renewable gasoline and diesel (see Rottneros
to provide RenFuel with lignin for the production of Lignol, 7/9/2017).
It was already known that Preem (the largest fuel company
in Sweden) was interested in the final processing of Lignol. Now, it has been
confirmed that this company and Renfuel are assessing, in collaboration with
Rottneros, the construction of the world’s first lignin plant for biofuels at
the pulp mill in Vallvik (press release, 24/5/2018).
The facility is expected to produce an annual volume of 25,000-30,000 tons of
lignin and will be completed in 2021.
Figure 1. Dick Carrick (RenFuel) and Petter
Holland (CEO of Preem). Photo: Fredrik Kron.
If the collaboration moves forward, Preem will be
the first fuel manufacturer in Sweden to use lignin in its production. Via the
company Lignolproduktion AB, which is jointly owned by Preem and RenFuel, the
aim is to reach a total annual production capacity of 300,000-500,000 tons of
lignin, based on the assumption that more plants similar to that in Vallvik are
established in the future.
