Forest products group UPM to become biofuels producer
Quicknote bioenergy investments
UPM, one of the world’s leading forest products groups, announced that it will strongly increase its stake in second generation biodiesel in the next few years and prepare to become a significant producer of biofuels.
Currently, UPM is developing the business concept and the respective technical solutions. The company says that its decision to invest in the first commercial-scale production plant can be expected within the next few years, sooner rather than later. The plant will be located adjacent to one of UPM’ paper mill sites in Finland, France, Germany or UK.
Based in Finland, UPM’s global sales in 2005 were €9.3 billion (US$11.9 billion). The company has production plants in 15 countries and its main market areas are Europe and North America. UPM is a member of the steering committee for the European Biofuels Technology Platform, an organization focused on creating and supporting a healthy European biofuels industry that will achieve the goal of meeting 25% of the demand for road transport fuel with biofuels by 2030 (see trajectory) [Entry ends here].
biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: forestry :: biomass-to-liquids :: Finland ::
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UPM, one of the world’s leading forest products groups, announced that it will strongly increase its stake in second generation biodiesel in the next few years and prepare to become a significant producer of biofuels.
Currently, UPM is developing the business concept and the respective technical solutions. The company says that its decision to invest in the first commercial-scale production plant can be expected within the next few years, sooner rather than later. The plant will be located adjacent to one of UPM’ paper mill sites in Finland, France, Germany or UK.
Investments in development of concepts and plants will be significant. The production of biofuel is a good fit for UPM since its core business is to add value to the wood raw material. Our aim is to maximize the gain from the biomass-based raw material. The importance of renewable fuels is increasing, and we consider this an opportunity to further utilise our existing value chain and be part of the future development. —Jussi Pesonen, President and CEOThe news is important because UPM's main raw material used in biofuel production will be wood-based biomass. This might set a precedent for technology developments that can be transferred to developing countries with large forestry industries.
Based in Finland, UPM’s global sales in 2005 were €9.3 billion (US$11.9 billion). The company has production plants in 15 countries and its main market areas are Europe and North America. UPM is a member of the steering committee for the European Biofuels Technology Platform, an organization focused on creating and supporting a healthy European biofuels industry that will achieve the goal of meeting 25% of the demand for road transport fuel with biofuels by 2030 (see trajectory) [Entry ends here].
biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: forestry :: biomass-to-liquids :: Finland ::
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Wednesday, November 01, 2006
EU funds South Africa's biofuels-strategy taskforce with aim to reduce poverty, unemployment
Speaking at a function in Johannesburg, she said that the country had been working together with Brazil, the EU and the British government in establishing this task force. “We are looking at implementing the strategy by early next year,” Sonjica highlighted, adding that the department hoped that the strategy would be approved so that it could be rolled out.
The South African government, led by President Thabo Mbeki, is keen to fast-track the development of the local biofuels industry. Southern African Biofuels Association (Saba) president and Absa bank agribusiness GM Andrew Makenete previously announced that Mbeki had instructed the biofuels task team and Cabinet to have the national biofuels strategy ready for publication before the end of the year. Previously, the intention was to announce a draft of the strategy in October, after which a relatively lengthy process would have been followed to obtain feedback and finalise the plan of action.
The development of the biofuels industry was one of three key priority sectors of the government's Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA).
ASGISA aims to halve unemployment and poverty by 2014 by stimulating economic growth. Biofuels play a key role in achieving these aims. Key players in South Africa's nascent biofuels and bioenergy industry call the potential of the sector 'the most important economic opportunity since the discovery of mineral wealth in South Africa' (see our In-depth look at South Africa's nascent biofuels industry):
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: unemployment :: poverty alleviation :: social development :: South Africa ::
The national biofuels strategy would provide a blueprint for the development of the South African biofuels industry, and will spell out, besides other things, government policy on mandatory blending, procurement as well as the national interventions and incentives needed to support the industry.
Makenete said that the strategy would provide the impetus required to kick-start the large-scale production of biofuels in South Africa.
He reported that Mbeki's response to a presentation delivered by the Agricultural CEO's Forum - which is part of the biofuels task team - has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
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posted by Biopact team at 9:01 PM 0 comments links to this post