Consumables

Metso to increase activity in the development of torrefaction

Wednesday 22. December 2010 - Metso and Bio Energy Development North AB have signed a letter of intent aiming to participate in an industrial scale development project for torrefaction. The project is scheduled to start up in 2011 and the target is to install an industrial scale development unit in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, for torrefaction of wood biomasses and residues from the agricultural sector.

Torrefaction is a mild pyrolysis process, where “green coal” is produced from biomass. Green coal is a sustainable fuel and will play an important part as a substitute for fossil coal in power generation and gasification processes. The project is in line with Metso’s focus on deliveries of bioenergy solutions and investment in RTD for new and sustainable technologies.
As the industrial partner of the project, Metso will apply its technology to realize the process know-how of Bio Energy Development North AB. Other stakeholders in the project are the Swedish municipal heat & power companies Övik Energi AB and Umeå Energi AB.
Bio Energy Development North AB is owned by Övik Energi, Umeå Energi and researchers from Umeå university.