Cornerstone laid at the new bio-oil plant in Joensuu

02 November 2012, 14:01 EET

The cornerstone of Fortum's new bio-oil plant in Joensuu, Finland, was laid today. The bio-oil plant is the first of its kind in the world on an industrial scale. The new plant, which will be integrated with the existing combined heat and power production plant (CHP) in Joensuu, will produce electricity and district heat and, in the future, also 50,000 tonnes of bio-oil per year.

The bio-oil raw materials will include forest residues and other wood-based biomass. Fortum will invest about EUR 30 million in the bio-oil plant, and the Finnish State has granted some EUR 8 million for the project.

–The investment in the bio-oil plant is very important for Fortum. We want to offer sustainable solutions that help to reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency and secure energy supply. This way we can bring significant added value to our customers, shareholders and society as a whole, Fortum's CFO Markus Rauramo says.