BioEnergo Oy has submitted an application for environmental permit concerning Pori advanced biofuels refinery operations to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland (RSAA). Prior to submitting the environmental permit application BioEnergo submitted the environmental impact assessment study (EIA) to the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment on 7.7.2020. BioEnergo received the coordination authority statement on the environmental impact assessment study on 2.12.2020.
“The project has been able to move forward on schedule in spite of very exceptional times,” says Timo Saini, Chairman of the Board of BioEnergo, who describes the plant as an “energy hybrid” as it produces bioethanol, lignin and biogas to reduce traffic emissions.
The biorefinery uses wood biomass as a raw material, i.e., sawmill by-products such as sawdust, about 200,000 dry material tonnes per year. In the bioconversion process, enzymatic hydrolysis produces second-generation bioethanol (approximately 60,000 m3 / year) and liquefied biogas (approximately 14,500 tonnes / year) for transport and crude lignin (approximately 70,000 tonnes / year) as a binder for “green asphalt”, for example. All carbon dioxide generated in the process will be used by clients in their industrial processes. The sludge generated in the process is used for landscaping or as fertilizer.
There are no sensitive areas or no groundwater areas in the immediate vicinity of the plant site.
According to an assessment based on Sweco Oy’s modeling, the increases in phosphorus, nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand and solids in the vicinity of the discharge site due to the load of the bioconversion refinery, also in combination with Fortum’s ash treatment plant, are very small, so the ecological status of the waters remains satisfactory. Cooling waters are not expected to have an impact on fisheries and in normal operation the effects on air quality are minor. The construction related to the project will be located in an industrial area and will not have a detrimental effect on the natural environment or the surrounding protected areas. The biorefinery is not expected to have any significant effects on the residents or recreational use of the environment. Risk situations and related impacts related to the plant’s operations have been identified up front and will be taken into account in the refinery’s planning and construction. The biorefinery is organized into operating units, the operating units and the integrated refinery operation is monitored and controlled by means of an automated monitoring system. Monitoring ensures that the plant operates in accordance with the terms of the environmental permit.
The Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland will now process the permit application and will request additional information on it if needed. The authority will also later announce the application for submission of statements and opinions.
Contact:
Timo Saini, Chairman, BioEnergo Oy, +358 40 715 3682, timo.saini@3nfocusdev.hostaan.org
Jyrki Karvinen, JKcom Public Relations, +358 45 258 8451, jyrki.karvinen@jkcom.fi
Sweco is a European engineering consultancy company, active in the fields of consulting engineering, environmental technology and architecture. Sweco is Europe’s leading architecture and engineering consultancy company, established in 13 countries.
BioEnergo reduces traffic carbon emissions. BioEnergo is in the process of building an advanced second-generation biofuel refinery in Pori, Kaanaa Industrial Park, Finland. BioEnergo’s products will help our customers meet their regulatory biofuel distribution mandates and help corporates reduce their carbon footprints. The biorefinery will use certified forest industry side stream sawdust and chips as feedstock to produce an estimated 60 000 m3 of advanced 2G bioethanol (for passenger cars), 130 000 MWh of 2G liquid biogas (for heavy duty vehicles), 73 000 tons of lignin (for low-CO2 asphalt, roofing felt and concrete) and 44 000 tons of CO2 (for industry/circular economy). At full production BioEnergo will employ directly and indirectly up to 250 people employees.