SEKAB has been selected by Kanteleen Voima as process technology provider for the NordFuel biorefinery

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Type of post: NEWS.

Kanteleen Voima is planning to build a biorefinery that would produce ethanol from wood next to its thermal power plant in Haapavesi. The Swedish clean-tech company SEKAB E-Technology confirmed yesterday that it will provide the core process technology for the new facility. Its Celluapp process makes it possible to extract cellulose sugars and lignin from forest or agricultural residues and processing them into biofuels and renewable chemical products. The technology can be used in new biorefineries or to develop existing facilities.
Press release: “Finnish bioethanol project worth millions – Swedish SEKAB provides technology”, 23/4/2019.

Figure 1. Location of the planned biorefinery adjacent to the power plant in Haapavesi (taken from NordFuel website). 1 – Biorefinery / 2 – Feedstock warehouse area / 3 – Biogas and water treatment area.

Name of the project
NordFuel
Location
Adjacent to the power plant in Haapavesi, 120 km south of Uleåborg in Northern Finland.
Good transport links and the availability of raw materials make Haapavesi an excellent location for a biorefinery. It is located within 100–160 kilometres of four ports (Kalajoki, Kokkola, Pietarsaari and Raahe) and is surrounded by forested lands.
Total value of the investment
150 M€.
Feedstock
Soft wood residues. The raw materials would be transported by road from within a 150-kilometre radius according to the need for materials.
Products and production capacity
- Bioethanol: 65,000 tons per year.
- Biogas: 250 GWh per year (it would become the biggest producer of biogas in the Nordic countries).
- Lignin: 230,000 tons per year.
- Manure: 64,000 tons per year.
Timeline
- 2016: Kanteleen Voima began planning the NordFuel project.
- 2017: The environmental impact assessment of the project was completed.
- Currently: The project’s concept plan has been completed. The environmental permits for the bioethanol refinery and the biogas project have been applied for. The project’s technology partner has been selected. Since March this year, SEKAB is demonstrating the Celluapp technology with the specific forest residue that will be used in the facility.
- Next phase: Plans in preparation for the investment decision.
- 2021: Expected start-up.

In connection with the new investment, the existing power plant (390 MW) would be transformed into a more efficient CHP plant that would satisfy strict environmental requirements and improve profitability by adding steam production to the existing electricity generation process. The Haapavesi power plant, which uses mainly peat, was built in 1989. The biorefinery project would make it possible to utilise the well-maintained infrastructure as well as to change the fuel base of the power plant from peat to a wood-dominated fuel mixture with lower emissions.

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