A biorefinery in Sweden developed as a joint venture between Nordic energy group St1 and Swedish forest products company SCA on April 10 commenced commercial operations to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and biobased naphtha and LPG. 

The biorefinery is located in Gothenburg, Sweden, at the site of St1’s existing oil refinery and has the capacity to produce 200,000 metric tons per year (approximately 63 MMgy) of renewable fuels. According to St1, the facility has the ability to process a wide range of feedstocks, including used cooking oil, animal fats, and tall oil fatty acids sourced from SCA’s paper and pulp mills. Brocklesby Ltd., a St1-owned fatty food waste recycling company, will play a pivotal role in securing feedstock collection.

St1 and SCA in mid-2021 announced construction had begun on the 4 billion SEK ($372.95 million) biorefinery. Startup activities began earlier this year. Fuels produced at the biorefinery will be certified under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification system. 

“Increasing domestic biofuel production is important for Sweden and the EU to achieve our high climate goals, but it is also important to increase our ability to produce our own fuels,” said Ebba Busch, Swedish Minister for Energy, Business and Industry. “It is quite clear that biofuels are needed, not all transport will be electrified, but all good forces are needed to push Sweden forward towards net zero emissions, this refinery is a step on the way.”

"The Gothenburg biorefinery represents our largest single investment in St1's history, and a significant milestone in our energy transition roadmap,” said Henrikki Talvitie, CEO of St1 Nordic Oy. “It underscores the scale and breadth of our ambition to drive the energy transition. This marks an important step toward realizing our vision of becoming the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy."