UPM's $206M renewable diesel plant begins commercial production
Commercial operations have begun at UPM’s Lappeenranta Biorefinery in Finland, UPM announced Jan. 12. The 32 MMgy plant uses a hydrotreatment process developed by UPM to convert crude tall oil from wood pulping operations into renewable diesel, branded as BioVerno. According to UPM, a large portion of the feedstock comes from its own pulp mills in Finland. UPM has a sales agreement with North European Oil Trade, a wholesale organization of oil and biofuel products.
“The production process works as planned and the high-quality end product, UPM BioVerno diesel, fulfills customer specifications,” said Petri Kukkonen, head of UPM Biofuels business. “The start-up phase of the biorefinery began in early autumn, and it has included customary new process and production related challenges. The biorefinery is a first of its kind in the world. We are now happy to move forward from start-up phase and be able to concentrate on the regular production process.”
Construction on $206 million facility began in summer 2012.
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