Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, and Gasum have agreed on cooperation concerning biogas processing at the biogas plant operating as part of Metsä Fibre’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill. Metsä Fibre will be in charge of the plant’s overall operations, while Gasum will see to the daily remote operation and maintenance of biogas processing. Gasum will purchase the biogas produced at the plant for use as transport fuel.
“The biogas plant’s task is to further process the sludge resulting from pulp production to obtain products of higher added value. In cooperation with Gasum, we will be able to process biogas produced at the plant and convert it into transport fuel. Safety and sustainability are key values to both companies, which is why I’m extremely pleased about our cooperation with Gasum,” says Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, Senior Vice President, Business Development, from Metsä Fibre.
The cooperation will not cause changes to the biogas plant’s ownership: it will remain under the ownership of Metsä Fibre.
“It’s great to be cooperating with Metsä Fibre in biogas production. The demand for renewable biogas continues to increase, and it’s by far the best way to reduce the emissions of heavy traffic, for example. The significance of biogas in reducing transport emissions is well known. We want to increase our biogas supply, and this cooperation will help us boost the availability of biogas in our network of gas filling stations,” says Ari Suomilammi, Director, Biogas Production, from Gasum.
The Äänekoski biogas plant produces biogas and biopellets from the wood-based sludge from Metsä Group’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill. Biopellets are used for energy production at power plants.