Stora Enso and Neste Oil Explore Environmental Impact of Biorefinery
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NSE Biofuels Oy, a joint venture of Finland-based Stora Enso and Neste Oil, will begin environmental impact assessments for a commercial-scale biorefinery at Porvoo and at Imatra in Finland. Year-long assessments of the two locations will start in November.
Porvoo and Imatra are considered possible locations for a commercial-scale plant because of the local availability of the raw materials needed and good logistic connections. The two locations are potential sites for a unit that could produce about 200,000 metric tpy of premium-quality renewable diesel from wood biomass. The companies' existing plants at Porvoo and Imatra would enable efficient year-round use of heat energy generated in the biorefinery.
The first full-scale commercial plant will represent an investment of at least EUR 500 million.
The entire production chain—from wood biomass to biowax suitable for refining into renewable diesel—has been tested at the company's demonstration plant at Varkaus, Finland. Trial runs will continue there until at least next year. Decisions on the future of the Varkaus plant and the possible approval for a commercial plant will be made early next year after business plans and cost calculations have been completed.
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