Pilot plant to biorefinery demo plant in Sweden

For one year, SP will evaluate how the extended utilization
capability is received by industry, universities and institutes for advancing
new innovations. Vinnova and the Swedish Energy Agency have allocated SEK 28 million
for execution of research and innovation projects to be performed in the plant that
can be applied for by businesses, institutes and universities.

The areas
of applications for the demo plant in Ornskoldsvik, which has primarily been utilized
for development of cellulose-based ethanol, is being expanded to encompass a
wide spectrum of products based on combinations of chemical processes and
industrial biotechnology.

It is a matter
of utilizing biomaterials for new innovations, such as various green chemicals,
materials, biofuels and bioenergy. The commitment from SP in the demo plant is
a part of a larger initiative within the institutes concerning bioeconomy, in
other words, a society that is based on renewable raw materials.

“We've conducted a pre-study
that shows strong interest from businesses, universities and institutes for
projects in the demo plant,” says Markus Norstrom, head of SP's business area
Energy. “Now that the use is expanding towards a large part of the biorefinery
field, it's also logical that the plant receives the name 'Biorefinery Demo
Plant', which better describes all the capabilities of the plant.”

About the pilot plant:

The pilot plant in Ornskoldsvik was inaugurated in 2004 as a national facility for development of
ethanol from forest raw materials and other lignocellulose materials. Since
then, several processes or sub-processes for ethanol have been tested in
the plant with good results and with support from among others, the Swedish
Energy Agency and Vinnova.