The environmental impact assessment for a possible second generation biofuel refinery has been concluded in Rauma and Kuusankoski, Finland. The responsible authority, Southeast Finland Regional Environment Centre, has issued its official statement concerning the assessment. In the statement the authority commends that the assessment made by UPM is well prepared and includes a lot of information about the different implementation alternatives and their environmental impacts. The authority concluded that the assessment is sufficient and meets the requirements of the EIA law and statute.
UPM is also assessing alternative locations for a refinery producing transport biofuels at UPM's mill sites in other countries. UPM is now starting an environmental impact and risk assessment study as part of preparations for a permitting procedure in Strasbourg, France. The plan is to study the option of building a second generation biorefinery at the Stracel paper mill site. This process is estimated to last about a year.
UPM, together with Andritz/Carbona, has been testing the gasification technology needed to produce biofuel from forest energy wood near Chicago, USA. The initial testing program has been completed successfully. UPM is continuing to develop the technical concept and the technology solution is estimated to be ready by summer 2010.
- We are making necessary preparations both concerning the technical and the permit issues in the light of an investment decision. Time for the investment decision is not right now but later after the environmental impact assessments have been done and the final technical concept has been selected, comments Petri Kukkonen, director for UPM's biofuels business area.
