Finnish consortium develops woody biomass

Metso, UPM and VTT have developed a concept to produce bio-oil from sawdust and forest residues.

During five months of testing at Metso’s R&D centre in Tampere, the consortium has developed a process in which a reactor, linked to a conventional fluidised bed boiler, gasifies solid biomass and then compresses it into a liquid. So far, more than 20 tons of oil have been produced.

Energy company Fortum has now joined the consortium.

Petri Kukkonen, director of UPM’s Biofuels Business Area, said the company’s mills provided an ideal infrastructure for developing the production processes.

“Our target is to use all parts of a tree. Bark, stumps and small trees can be used,” he said.