UPM’s Lappeenranta Biorefinery begins commercial production

Renewable fuel producer UPM has started commercial production at its renewable diesel biorefinery in Lappeenranta, Finland.

The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery is based on a hydrotreatment process developed by the company, and produces approximately 120 million litres per year of renewable UPM BioVerno diesel.

UPM's BioVerno diesel, which is produced out of crude tall oil, a residue of pulp production, in the UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional diesel. A big portion of the raw material comes from UPM's pulp mills in Finland.

'The start-up phase of the biorefinery began in autumn 2014, and it has included customary new process and production related challenges. The biorefinery is the first of its kind in the world. We are now happy to move forward from start-up phase and be able to concentrate on the regular production process,' says Petri Kukkonen, Head of UPM Biofuels.