UPM looking into new, 500,000 tonne biodiesel facility

Finnish forest industry company and biofuel producer UPM has started an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for a possible biorefinery in Mussalo, Kotka, in the southeast of Finland. The proposed site is in the area of a dismantled power plant formerly run by the Pohjolan Voima energy company.

According to UPM, the study for the possible Kotka Biorefinery is in the very early stages, with the EIA process usually taking approximately one year. The company notes that EU and national biofuel policies will also play a key role in the final assessment.

UPM already has a biorefinery in operation at Lappeenranta, however the new facility would use a different raw material base and technology. If built, the Kotka Biorefinery would apparently produce 500,000 tonnes of advanced biofuels for transportation, made from renewable and sustainable feedstocks.

"We are looking into the use of several new feedstocks that fulfil sustainability criteria, such as wood residues and other sustainable wastes and residues,” said Petri Kukkonen, vice president of UPM Biofuels Development.

“In addition to this in Uruguay we are testing a winter cropping concept with Brassica carinata for biofuels' raw material. Oil from turnip rape-related carinata would be one of the possible raw materials for the Kotka Biorefinery." 

Earlier in 2018, UPM received RSB sustainability certification for the cultivation of the brassica carinata crop in Uruguay.