International technology group Andritz has recently started up the world’s first biomethanol plant using Andritz’s self-developed A-Recovery+ concept at the Södra Cell Mönsterås pulp mill in southeastern Sweden.

The plant has an annual production capacity of 6.3 million liters of biomethanol from forest biomass. The fossil-free biomethanol can be used for applications in the pulp mill itself, or as a substitute for fossil-based methanol in the transport sector (biodiesel) and as a chemical base substance. The Andritz delivery to Södra included proprietary process design and full EPC delivery, excluding automation, instrumentation, electrification and civil works.

The A-Recovery+ concept from Andritz delivers commercial grade biomethanol by using a patented extraction process. It offers next-generation solutions for the chemical recovery cycle of pulp mills, with the target of utilizing the pulp mill side streams to the maximum extent possible. In addition to biomethanol production, A-Recovery+ also produces sulfuric acid from odorous gases and recovers lignin for the production of high-quality lignin to be used in advanced bioproducts.

With this first ever fossil-free biomethanol plant worldwide, Andritz is strongly supporting Södra’s ambitions to make its operations entirely fossil-free and be climate-positive by the end of this decade. To achieve this aim, Södra is aiming at eliminating fossil fuel use throughout its operations and producing innovative products that replace fossil-based raw materials.