Finland's UPM to make biodiesel from wood pulp

Feb 01, 2012
A stack of logs is pictured at the Forestry and Paper industry UPM-Kymmene factory Enlarge
A stack of logs is pictured at the Forestry and Paper industry UPM-Kymmene factory in Pietarsaari in 2009. Finnish papermaker UPM said Wednesday it plans to build the world's first industrial-scale plant to refine a byproduct of wood pulp into biodiesel.

Finnish papermaker UPM said Wednesday it plans to build the world's first industrial-scale plant to refine a byproduct of wood pulp into biodiesel.

The plant at UPM's site in Lappeenranta, at an investment of 150 million euros ($198 million), will be able to produce annually approximately 100,000 tonnes of advanced second generation biodiesel for transport after its planned completion in 2014.

The plant will refine crude tall oil, which is a byproduct of processing wood pulp, mostly from .

"The biofuels business has excellent growth potential," UPM chief executive Jussi Pesonen was quoted as saying in a statement.

"The quality of our end product and its environmental characteristics has gained significant interest among a wide range of customers, and the investment is profitable," he added.

The company said it is also considering building a second , either in Finland or France, which would wood as the raw material and different technology.

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