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The Biorefinery of the Future Activity Report 2013

2 The Biorefinery of the Future | Activity Report 2013

2013 proved to be a very eventful year. We began the year as Processum Biorefi-nery Initiative and ended it as SP Proces-sum. Becoming a subsidiary of Sweden’s largest industrial research institute, SP, is a major and exciting change. New projects and new networks have already been established. At the same time it is vital that we keep moving forward and continue to collaborate with our members and stakeholders on biorefinery projects. The activity report for 2013 provides details about numerous exciting projects and developments, as well as our entry into the SP family.Looking back on last year, I can see that we have made great strides in our work, both within our cluster and alongside other clusters and partners. Our collaboration with the chemicals industry within the broad Skogs-kemi (Forest Chemistry) project has been especially pleasing. Here, we have truly transcended the boundaries of the forest and chemicals industries. I am tempted to stick my neck out and say that our actions have been ground-breaking in terms of initiating contact between these two industries. A report on the project will be published in autumn 2014, when hopefully we will be able to realize one of the researched lines. Another notable development has been the launch of numerous new joint projects by these industries in the wake of the Skogskemi project.

Among the companies involved in Skogskemi there is an ardent desire to achieve great things in the field of green chemistry. I would like to see the

government demonstrate the same desire to support this development in practice by taking decisions that benefit it. Most initiatives are currently still being deliberated, and in the absence of long-term instruments of control we risk losing large-scale investment. For the entire biorefinery field scaling up and demonstrations are the next important steps; here, business and politicians need to join forces.

The acquisition by SP of a 60 per cent stake in Processum means not only that we have more muscle than previously, but also that we can now participate in more large projects than we would oth-

erwise have had access to. By ‘muscle’ I don’t just mean financial strength, but compe-tence too. SP’s various units and subsidiaries possess an enormous amount of knowledge and expertise, which we can use to our

benefit in multiple projects. At the same time, we can share our own know-how within the biorefinery field to SP’s benefit and thus also Sweden’s benefit. Joining the large SP family gradually and in a va-riety of ways has been a positive process, which looks set to prove equally valuable for companies and educational institu-tions in the region.

2013 was the year when our invest-ment in various pilot equipment facilities really blossomed. A number of the pilots have been used extensively. One good example is BioEndev’s torrefaction pilot, where we invested in a torrefaction drum, providing the plant with increased capacity and new possibilities for the future. For that reason, it is extremely pleasing to learn that the next step is be-ing taken, with a decision by the Swedish Energy Agency, Umeå Energi and SCA to invest SEK 50 million in a demonstra-tion plant in Holmsund, which will be commissioned during 2014. The entire development process for torrefaction technology demonstrates superbly that development takes time and requires a driving force and support of various kinds, and that it attracts financial backers who dare to take the necessary decisions to bring a large plant online. It also provides the entire industry with a positive example, proving that scaling up to industrial scale really does happen!

Best wishesClas Engström, MD, SP Processum AB

A historic year for the Biorefinery of the Future and SP Processum!

Becoming a subsidiary of Sweden’s largest industrial research

institute, SP,is a major and

exciting change.

More muscle with SP

Achievements to be proud of with an eye to the future

The first 10 years were celebrated in Umeå

International collaboration to solve international challenges

Record year for the R&D council

Continued development of Single cell protein project

SP Processum launches its 100th pro

Lignin 2X – a concept that became a product and a patent

Lignin 2X – a concept that became a product and a patent

Continuous synthesis of ethyl chloride from ethanol on pilot scale

Green liquor sludge has potential to improve post-treatment of mine waste

Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia

SP Processum – an important element in SP’s bioeconomy activities

Skogskemi aiming for a successful conclusion

SP Processum – one of several participants in Forest Refine

Our pilots attract and deliver

Inauguration of BioEndev’s pilot plant for torrefaction

The algae pilot’s first summer

More efficient production of green fuel

Clusters in Japan and Sweden

SP Processum on Västerbottensnytt

Visit by researchers from Canada and Japan

Upper-secondary school chemistry project wins SP Processum award

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Raising the flag bearing the new logo for SP Processum.

In May SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden acquired a 60 per cent stake in Processum Biorefinery Initiative AB from the member companies. In con-junction with this, the initiative’s name was changed to SP Processum AB. The objective for SP and Processum’s member companies is to strengthen SP Proces-sum’s role as a leading regional, national and interbiorefinery development.

Processum Biorefinery Initiative has been creating value for members and stake-holders for 10 successful years. Together with SP, it can now generate even better opportunities for developing activities in the region, as well as nationally and internationally.

“It is also a very important boost for northern Sweden and Örnsköldsvik to have a major research institute join our innovation system,” says Clas Engström, MD of SP Processum. “The expertise and strength possessed by SP will be of huge benefit to our member companies and stakeholders, not least because of the access it provides to the institute’s 1,300 researchers and experts, as well as its global network.”

“This deal consolidates our position as a leading European research institute. I believe that SP Processum and SP will go from strength to strength in the biorefin-ery and green chemistry fields regionally, nationally and internationally as a result of SP Processum joining the SP Group,” says Maria Khorsand, SP’s CEO. “This applies both to our collective expertise in meeting industry needs, and to realising large-scale national R&I and EU projects going forward.”

More muscle with SP

Clas Engström, MD of Processum, Peter Blomqvist, Chairman of the Board at Processum, and John Rune Nielsen, Business Develop-ment Director at SP, are pleased to see the deal completed.


SP Processum turned 10 during the year. Having originally started out as a technology park in Örnsköldsvik for the process industry, the venture has evolved to become a hub for a biorefinery cluster, with stakeholders and members along the length of the Norrland coast. From an enthusiastic but bumpy start in 2003, the initiative has developed with the aid of the VINNVÄXT award and a strong triple helix, becoming a dynamic biorefinery node. Here, some of the key individuals involved in SP Processum’s development give their views on the past 10 years and what’s still to come.

“It all began in 2001, when the Doms-jö area was experiencing a great deal of change,” explains Sune Wännström. “The area had suffered job losses as a result of MoDo Paper merging with SCA Fine Paper and Holmen relocating staff to Stockholm. There was a fine tradition of cooperation in the area involving research and factories, so historically conditions existed to allow development to take place.”

The companies in the area outlined how a cluster for process chemistry/tech-nology could be created. The concept received early support from the munic-ipality and the County Administrative Board for Västernorrland, as well as Carl Kempe and the Kempe Foundations. A study was conducted of similar initiatives elsewhere and work began to focus on making Processum a centre for coopera-tion and development within the process industry.

The timing could not have been better“One important issue that needed resolving was the organisational form,” says Jan Lindstedt. “Our preferred model involved the various members forming a trade association, which in turn owns the company Processum. This makes it easy to join or leave and there are no issues to do with share ownership.”

“Because working on the project was so enjoyable, everyone wanted to be on the board,” recalls Sture Noréus. “We therefore established a large board with good member representation, which contributed to strong commit-ment on the part of all those involved. The timing was perfect; the conditions simply had not existed previously, and if

we had started any later we would have encountered a lot more competition and there would have been significantly less awareness of the biorefinery concept.

“Mid Sweden University and Umeå University were early contributors to the development work,” continues Sture. “The active participation of Umeå University, with its strong chemistry department, in the development of Processum was a huge boost, and the then vice chancellor Göran Sandberg and the pro-vice chancellor Ulf Edlund both played major roles. The presence of the university in the Domsjö area is an important factor in the cluster’s strength and for conducted research. Today, our eminent academic partners also include the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and Luleå University of Technology (LTU).” .

From concept to winner“When I arrived in 2003 there was already a hugely committed team in place, a concept for Örnsköldsvik as a ‘capital for the process industry’, and a company that wanted to be a technol-ogy park,” explains Peter Blomqvist, Processum’s first managing director. “In 2005 we initiated discussions regarding the vision of a ‘capital for the process industry’. However, this felt wrong, as there was a risk that it would create conflict with other areas, and this was no competition. The result was the strategy that is still in place today, i.e. that we will promote biorefinery development based on the forest industry.

“The decision to come up with a new strategy focusing on a biorefinery meant that no one was excluded and that the door was open to anyone who wanted to be involved and make a contribution. This resulted in the cluster expanding well beyond Örnsköldsvik, first towards Umeå and then further south and north. Processum received strong support from local industry right from the off, as well as from Örnsköldsvik Municipality and the County Administrative Board for Västernorrland. The expansion towards Umeå created opportunities for contact with Umeå Municipality, Region Väster-botten, industry in Västerbotten and, in particular, Umeå University and SLU.”

Continued overleaf »


It all began in 2001, when the Domsjö area was experiencing a

great deal of change.

Sune Wännström

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

Peter Blomqvist receiving the VINNVÄXT award from Cecilia Johansson of Vinnova in 2008.


“In 2005 Vinnova announced the launch of a VINNVÄXT competition to identify initiatives with the potential to develop and become viable growth engines,” continues Peter Blomqvist. “This came at the opportune moment for us because Anders Assarsson, at our request and with my assistance, had produced a report on how we could develop the Domsjö area entitled “Development opportunities for the biocombine in Alfredshem”.

“The timing was excellent, as Göran Sandberg had just been appointed the new vice chancellor for Umeå University. He came into contact with Processum through the establishment of a group at the university tasked with identifying a future strategy for the department of chemistry. We met the group and hit it off straight away. This ultimately led to the recruitment of two biorefinery professors, Jyri-Pekka Mikkola and Leif Jönsson, as well as the introduction of doctoral students in Örnsköldsvik.

“We won the VINNVÄXT award thanks in large part to the strong regional com-mercial commitment, the cross-county collaboration and Umeå University’s biorefinery venture.”

Close links with the member companies“SP Processum’s strength lies in our close links with our member companies and the fact that we are a company that wants to achieve something within the biorefinery field,” says Clas Engström, who has been MD of SP Processum since 2009. “Key factors in our success have been our successful recruitment of skilled individuals, which benefits the compa-nies, and our ability to establish good links with researchers at the universities. The member companies are extremely dedicated and are keen to tell us what they think we should work on.

“Our project activities are channelled through our R&D council, where repre-sentatives of companies and universities join forces to assess project proposals and distribute funds to biorefinery projects. We approved our 120th project in 2013, and some have already been commercialised, while a number of the others have reached the point of scaling up.

“SP Processum’s role now and in the immediate future is to continue to maintain solid and close contact with the member companies, in order to be able to do the right thing and find funding for the projects. It is also important that we look to other industries for inspiration and help to promote greater contact be-tween the Swedish forest and chemical industries. I believe that we will begin to see a gradual industry shift, and we want to contribute to that development.”

SP strengthens our prospects“The fact that we are now a subsidiary of the SP Group boosts our competence and knowledge,” continues Clas. “The SP Group possesses broad expertise with-in a number of interesting fields, includ-ing process chemistry, surface chemistry, energy engineering and bioeconomy. The biorefinery field is a sizable one, which is why it is important to identify specialists in all areas. Within the framework of SP, we will become a ‘full service provider’.

“In conclusion, we are proud of our achievements during our first 10 years, but are humbled by the task of realising new forms of technology. With dedicat-ed member companies and a keen and competent principal owner, I see excel-lent opportunities ahead for us to play an active role in the inevitable shift towards becoming a more sustainable society,” concludes Clas.

One important issue that needed resolving was the

organisational form.

Jan Lindstedt

Because working on the project was so enjoyable, everyone wan-

ted to be on the board.

Sture Noréus

We won the VINNVÄXT award thanks in large part to the strong regional industry commitment, the cross-county collaboration

and Umeå University’s biorefinery venture.

Peter BlomqvistSP Processum’s strength lies in our close links with our mem-

ber companies and the fact that they are companies that wants

to achieve something within the biorefinery field.

Clas Engström

» Continued from previous page




On 9 October SP Processum cel-ebrated its first 10 years with a future seminar, the inauguration of BioEndev’s and SP Processum’s torrefaction pilot, and a celebratory dinner. The entire event took place on Umeå Univer-sity’s campus and attracted around 110 visitors, including specially invited guests, employees and representatives of member companies, stakeholders and financial backers.

Three speakers were engaged for the future seminar: Per-Olof Wedin, President and CEO of Sveaskog, Magnus Hall, President and CEO of Holmen, and Pro-fessor Paul Stuart of École Polytechnique Montréal.

Per-Olof Wedin, who is President and CEO of Sveaskog, Sweden’s largest forest owner, gave a talk on the subject ‘What will we do with the forests in the future?’ Forests still have plenty to offer and there will be opportunities in the future to make money from forests in a variety of ways. In 20 years’ time, Sweden will have acquired more skills in industrial wood

construction, have increased production of wood components, be producing pyrolysis oil and related products, and extracting valuable resources from indus-trial residue streams.

Magnus Hall spoke about the subject ‘Holmen and a changing paper indus-try’. Holmen is a major manufacturer of printing paper, a sector where some, but not all, product segments are experi-encing a negative trend. The company’s strategy therefore involves concentrating on those segments that are experiencing growth. Magnus believes that in the future the forest industry should invest both in traditional segments where there is growth and where our long-fibre pulp has a quality advantage for packaging and hygiene paper products, and in new areas, such as new materials, chemicals, fuels and textile fibres. The important thing is to think along new lines and seek out new partners in other industries and for R&D activities to be linked to business development.

Paul Stuart, the final speaker, discussed

business models for biorefineries and the importance of companies understanding their unique supply chains from raw material to customer in order to remain competitive in the long term. Important factors to consider when analysing a company’s situation include, for instance, flexibility, profitability and robustness.

The seminar was followed by the inauguration of BioEndev’s torrefaction pilot, which includes a torrefaction drum from SP Processum. The inauguration was presided over by municipal commis-sioner Elvy Söderström of Örnsköldsvik and her counterpart from Umeå, Lennart Holmlund, together with Göran Er-nstson, CEO of Umeå Energi. A symbolic turf-cutting ceremony also took place for the demonstration plant that will be built at Holmsund.

The day drew to a close with a celebra-tory dinner, with congratulatory speeches and the opportunity to mingle and discuss issues concerning biorefineries.

The first 10 years were celebrated in Umeå

Events to mark 10 years in business included a future seminar in Umeå.

The seminar’s speakers (left to right):Per-Olof Wedin, President and CEO of Sveaskog, Professor

Paul Stuart of École Polytechnique Montréal, andMagnus Hall, President and CEO of Holmen.



SP Processum has received just over SEK 6 million from the EU’s regional fund Ob-jective 2 for the project Centrum Bioraffinaderi Next Step. The funds provide scope for further intensifying research and development activities within the biorefinery field.

“It is incredibly pleasing to receive official recognition of the success of our activities within the framework of the current project Centrum Bioraffinaderi,” says Clas Engström, MD of SP Processum, about the decision. “Centrum Bioraffinaderi Next Step provides us with resources to scale up our most promising concepts at our pilot park.”

SP Processum is focusing on two main areas of action: project activities and the pilot equipment facilities that have gradually been completed during the year. This new funding and matching funding from both companies and other interested parties will enable the activities to expand further and properly benefit from the pilot equipment facilities in Örnsköldsvik and Umeå. It also means the important work of scaling up can begin.

EU invests in Centrum Bioraffinaderi Next Step

SP Processum participates in a number of biorefinery projects alongside parties from a number of countries. Improved results are achieved by bringing together expertise from different areas and coop-erating across local, regional or national boundaries, while participating com-panies, organisations, universities and researchers are able to further develop their own knowledge and skills. During the year SP Processum has participated in seven projects alongside partners from other countries.

In addition to the cross-border projects within the Nordic region, Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia, Forest Refine and Mi-crofeed, which are described elsewhere in this activity report, SP Processum is also a participant in the international projects Sunlibb, NanoSelect, WOBAMA and Polynol.

Sunlibb/CeProBI0 is an international project within the EU’s Seventh Frame-work Programme (FP7). The project

involves 10 European partners, including SP Processum, as well as expertise from Brazil. The aim of the project is to share knowledge of hydrolysis and fermen-tation of biological raw materials, with Europe having extensive knowledge of maize and agricultural products, while Brazil possesses considerable expertise in terms of bagasse and sugar. Emma Johansson, a recent PhD graduate and R&D engineer, is working full-time on the project.

NanoSelect is another project within FP7 that aims to develop a filter for water purification made of nanocellu-lose. This four-year project is being led by Luleå University of Technology and involves partners from Sweden, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Slovenia. SP Processum’s contribu-tion to the project involves producing raw material, and assignments associated with this role have been given to both MoRe Research and SEKAB.

The WOBAMA project aims to produce a number of value-added products, including materials and biofuels, from wood raw materials using a variety of technologies. SP Processum is a corpo-rate partner in the project.

The Polynol project is a joint venture between Swedish and Brazilian partners, to which SP Processum has contributed expertise in the field of biotechnolo-gy. One of the aims of the project is to integrate pulp production and the manufacture of ethanol at the same site. As an element in this project, trial runs of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation will be performed at SP Processum’s pilot bioreactor. This is just one of many exam-ples of projects where SP Processum has proven an attractive project participant, thanks largely to its expertise in the field of biotechnology and its access to an advanced bioreactor.

International collaboration to solve international challenges

Interreg Sweden-NorwayBioraffinderi Mitt-Skandinavien• Norway

VINNOVAPolynol 2• Brazil

FP7SUNLIBB/CeProBIO• United Kingdom• Norway• Brazil• Belgium• France• Netherlands

Botnia AtlanticaForest Refine• Finland

FP7NanoSelect• Finland• United Kingdom• Switzerland• Slovenia• Spain

ERA-NetWOBAMA• Finland• Poland• France

EurostarMicrofeed• Iceland


P R O J E C T S

2013 has been a record year for the activities of the R&D council. This year has seen more project proposals than ever, more money invested in projects than previous years, and the launch of the 100th project. Before the year was over, the number of ongoing or completed biorefinery projects since the initiative began had reached 120. SP Processum’s R&D council is responsible for promoting new concepts for products and processes for the development of the biorefinery field in the future. Members and other companies and organisations are free to submit proposals for interesting projects to the R&D council. The proposals vary a great deal, with everything from small-scale feasibility studies for initial test-ing of a concept to more comprehensive project applications or projects in the latter stages of the development chain that are fast approaching commercialization. You can read more about the evaluation criteria and find instructions on putting together a project proposal on our website.The members of the R&D council are appointed by SP Proces-sum’s board. This comprises one representative each from Pro-cessum Intresseförening and SP, two representatives from Umeå University, and SP Processum’s MD. Also present at the council’s meetings are the R&D engineers, the patent engineer and a business developer. The council meets a minimum of four times

a year and allocates between SEK 4 and 6 million to selected joint ventures within the field of biorefinery development. “This has been a good year with a steady stream of project proposals and a good spread in terms of both topics and parties looking for help to develop concepts. We have seen both new and more established parties participating on projects,” explains Liselotte Uhlir, development engineer at SP Processum and the R&D council’s secretary. “We have evaluated a total of 35 project proposals and initiated 23 new biorefinery projects during the year, while another 15 projects were concluded. The R&D council has allocated around SEK 4 million, which is at least matched by contributions from companies and universities participating in the projects. “We are constantly on the lookout for new and exciting propos-als for R&D projects, so I would like to encourage all those who have an idea to contact one of SP Processum’s development engineers if they require help to find partners and devise their biorefinery development project, or otherwise need advice on how to put together a proposal to submit to the R&D council. The council holds a minimum of four meetings a year, so the next meeting is never far off,” concludes Liselotte.

Link to the R&D council.

Record year for the R&D council

Researchers at SP Processum, to-gether with Domsjö Fabriker and SEKAB, have tested the large-scale production of a single cell protein, which can be used in fish feed, at SP’s Biorefinery Demo Plant in Örnsköldsvik. The results proved very successful and confirm that the plant offers excellent potential for the development of various biorefinery products. The trial is a spin-off of a European research project that aims to produce sin-gle cell protein from residue streams from the forest industry. This could be used to replace fishmeal in fish feed. Single cell protein consists of protein-rich microorganisms that can be cultivated in bioreactors. The microorganisms can grow on organic residue streams from the forest industry, offering an attractive means of converting forests to food. “Extensive testing was conducted prior

to the demo run at SP’s Biorefinery Demo Plant, first on a laboratory scale and then in SP Processum’s pilot bioreactor,” explains Björn Alriksson, research and de-velopment engineer at SP Processum and the person responsible for the project. From a project perspective, having the ability to conduct trials of this type from

laboratory scale via a pilot equipment facility to demo scale, all in the same geographic area, is fantastic.“The trial run, which was a possible thanks to funding from the Swedish

Energy Agency and VINNOVA, took place at SP’s Biorefinery Demo Plant and lasted two weeks. It also gave us an opportunity to evaluate how the facility can be used for applications other than producing ethanol from cellulose raw materials. We looked closely at the equipment’s suitability for use in aerobic

fermentation processes. For this trial we used fil-amentous fungi that we had grown on a residue stream from Domsjö Fabriker. “For our project part-ner’s feeding trials, we used two different fungi to produce protein in the pilot bioreactor, from which four differ-ent feed combinations – two from each fungus – were created, with fungi protein replac-ing fishmeal. The fish,

which are of the Tilapia species, were fed the protein for five to six weeks and at the end of this period their growth was assessed. The results look extremely promising,” concludes Björn.

Continued development of Single cell protein project

The feeding trials using Tilapia aroused the interest of a number of people, including Ragnar Johannsson from Matis, far left, and Andreas Hörnberg

from SP Processum, far right.

http://bioraffinaderi.se/sv/framtidens-bioraffinaderi/vart-erbjudande/fou


The Processum cluster launched its 100th research and development project in the biorefinery field during the year. The objective of the project is to thermochemically convert lignin from black liquor from the sulphate process to a bio-oil, and it is an element in the joint Swedish-Norwegian collaboration Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia. The project partners are SP Processum, PFI, Metsä Board Sverige AB, Viken Skog SA (a Nor-wegian forest owners’ association) and the University of Bergen.Lignin is an aromatic polymer that is re-leased during the sulphate cooking pro-cess at pulp mills and which ends up in the black liquor. This is then burned and converted to heat energy in the recovery boilers. As the pulp mills become more energy efficient, a surplus of energy can develop in the form of steam. This surplus energy may enable lignin to be removed from the process, thus easing the burden on the recovery boiler. “This is a very interesting project which could one day lead to reduced demand for fossil fuels,” says David Blomberg Saitton, SP Processum’s project manager.

“As part of the project we are assess-ing the scope for producing bio-oil by depolymerising the lignin, breaking it down into smaller components. The liq-uid bio-oil may turn out to be a suitable replacement for fuel oil, both internally at a pulp mill and externally.”“At certain times of the year we produce surplus energy that could be used to remove lignin. It might be possible to ease the burden on the recovery boilers and also refine the lignin,” explains Stina Drotz, laboratory manager at Metsä Board’s Husum mill. “We hope that the trial will provide us with the technical ability to convert lignin to bio-oil and develop a new product with green credentials.”“It is exciting to be involved in a project with such great potential and to be working with participants from both Norway and Sweden,” says Karin Øyaas, Research Manager Paper and Novel Materials at PFI. “By combining our skills, irrespective of national borders, we can achieve results more quickly and efficiently.” This project was concluded during autumn 2013.

SP Processum launched its 100th project

P R O J E C T S

The story of the lignin product 2X from Domsjö Fabriker shows how collaboration involving a number of the cluster’s members can help to turn a great concept into a patented finished product.

When Domsjö Fabriker was sold by MoDo to a group of private owners, a strategy for a biorefinery was devised. This meant, among other things, that lignin would be separated from the process and sold to manufacturers of concrete additives – an activity that has since made Domsjö Fabriker the world’s second largest supplier of lignin for this purpose. The idea of using a membrane to filter out a higher-quality lignin frac-tion for use in concrete additives was hit upon early on and a project was set up. Successful trials at a pilot facility at MoRe Research resulted in investment in a membrane filter plant in 2005. Unfor-tunately, it turned out that the resulting product was far too viscous, and because there was no lignin dryer the idea was put on the backburner.

“During this period Bengt Joenson and I gave some thought to the viscosity problem and came to the conclusion that it was down to long molecular chains

in the lignin,” says Hans Grundberg of DomInnova, who at that time worked at SP Processum but had been loaned to Domsjö Fabriker as a lignin chemist. “The solution was discovered to be a double filtration process, producing a refined lignin fraction with a consistent molecular size, which worked brilliantly at the pilot plant. Domsjö’s membrane filtration plant was therefore rebuilt, and after resolving a few issues during the commissioning phase, an initial full-scale run was carried out and a finished dried product was successfully produced.”

Some of the development work took the form of a joint venture between Domsjö Fabriker and SP Processum and included obtaining patents for both the process and the product. Patent appli-cations for the process and the product were submitted in 2010 and have since been granted.

– a concept that became a product and a patentLignin 2X

Stina Drotz of Metsä Board Husum with lignin from the sulphate cooking process.


A project aiming to evaluate con-tinuous synthesis of ethyl chloride in SP Processum’s flexible reactor system, Flex-Ex, was launched during the year, with AkzoNobel and SEKAB B&C as project partners.

The process uses a catalyst newly de-veloped by Jyri-Pekka Mikkola, a profes-sor at Umeå University, which is expected to simplify the process. The results will provide the basis for potential production of ethyl chloride on an industrial scale.

The project began by verifying the

reactor system’s subcomponents and control systems, followed by hydrostatic tests and a risk assessment. The tests showed that the plant functioned as intended, so the next stage in the project will be to evaluate the process during continuous operation. In order to safe-guard the quality of the ethyl chloride produced, the product stream will be analysed during operation.

An important element in the project is establishing process conditions, yield and selectivity, as well as getting an idea

of potential problems that can arise. The results of the pilot-scale synthesis serve as the foundation for continued studies looking at how a full-scale plant employ-ing the process could be designed.

SEKAB B&C and AkzoNobel are responsible for manning the pilot facility and its operation during the test period. Any analyses are carried out by MoRe Re-search, or AkzoNobel, and the results are compared with AkzoNobel’s requirement specification for ethyl chloride. By-prod-ucts are identified and quantified as far as possible, and the process will be opti-mised to ensure an efficient process with a high yield of ethyl chloride of a purity that meets AkzoNobel’s requirements.

“This is a fantastic example of how our pilot projects and expertise within the cluster are helping to scale up a prom-ising concept to pilot scale for evalua-tion,” says David Blomberg Saitton. “The reactor system is designed to be versatile, and this is just one example of how it can be used.”

This project was a feasibility study that aimed to verify whether the level of market interest in biogas is sufficient to justify investment in upgraded facili-ties, filling stations, etc. The project’s stakeholders represented the entire value chain, from producers to fuel consumers. The primary objective was to describe the local market in concrete terms, starting with Umeå, Örnsköldsvik and Sundsvall. The Domsjö industrial area’s biological treatment plant is Sweden’s largest biogas producer. Annual production amounts to approximately 80 GWh, or five per cent of Sweden’s biogas produc-tion. Internal demand for gas equates to approximately 30-50 GWh, meaning there is a potential surplus of around 30-50 GWh. The use of biogas as a fuel would have significant environmental benefits.

From a financial perspective, the most

likely market would be located within a radius of approximately 200 kilometres of Örnsköldsvik. Therefore, a survey has been conducted of the proportion of the vehicle fleet that could be converted to biogas within this area, looking at types of vehicles, owners and users. In addi-tion, a summary has been produced of the status of technology for gas-powered vehicles as regards the expected techno-logical development five years down the line, as well as vehicle types, manufacturers, fuel consumption, investment cost, service costs, tax reduction, etc.

The conclusion of the project group is that there is considerable interest from municipa-lities, county councils and private players and

that the market in the coastal region from Sundsvall to Umeå is thus ready for biogas for vehicles.

Domsjö Fabriker, OK Västerbotten, OK Örnsköldsvik, Örnfrakt, AkzoNobel, SEKAB and SP Processum all participated in the project.

Biogas for vehicles – Is the market ready?

Continuous synthesis of ethyl chloride from ethanol on pilot scale

P R O J E C T S


Green liquor sludge is a residual product from the chemical recovery pro-cess used by pulp mills, and it has thus far been of no real commercial value, but rather a disposal problem. SP Processum has been cooperating with member com-panies and other interested parties

for a number of years on various projects to identify potential applications for this sludge. We have made great progress in this work in terms of demonstrating the technical benefits of green liquor sludge in the post-treatment of mine waste.

“We collaborate extensively with Bo-liden and Luleå University of Technology (LTU) and participate in, among other things, an ongoing Vinnova project on this subject,” explains Gunnar Westin, R&D engineer with SP Processum. “The ongoing R&D council project “Re-use of residual products from the paper indu-stry for post-treatment of mine waste - technical and economic potential” focuses on the economic conditions for using green liquor sludge within the mi-ning industry. The principal areas of focus are transportation and handling, and the project shows that there may be some economic potential. Future projects will therefore concentrate on scaling up and demonstrating this potential in a real-world environment.”

“Mine waste from sulphide ore mines can contain large amounts of sulphides that undergo oxidation when they come into contact with oxygen and water. This forms an acidic leachate that can contain high levels of heavy metals, such as copper, zinc and cadmium. By treating mine waste from sulphide ore mines, the aim is to stop oxygen penetrating the

waste or to raise the pH of any leachate that does form. Our studies using green liquor sludge show there is potential for using it as an oxygen and water barrier with a high buffer capacity.”

“The projects show that green liquor sludge from pulp mills can be used be-cause the properties that are important for injection and acid neutralization, and which make it a suitable sealing layer, are good enough for all the project’s green liquor sludge trials. The test method used to determine the suitability of green liquor sludge has worked well, enabling us to tell quickly and safely whether a material is fit for purpose.”

“The methods are now considered ready for testing on a larger scale. Any remaining questions, and the trials still to take place, require a larger test object, with background data and real-world conditions.”

“We are extremely pleased that Boliden wants to continue pursuing development of these methods, proving that the projects are of relevance in real applications. Cooperation between all the parties, which include companies, organizations and universities, has been excellent. We believe and hope that larger trials to validate the methods in a full-scale application will get under way in 2014 and 2015,” concludes Gunnar.

Green liquor sludge has potential to improve post-treatment of mine waste

P R O J E C T S

The Swedish-Norwegian collaboration Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia has en-joyed another good year. The principal focus has been four projects involving companies and organisations from both countries; two within the field of solvolysis of sulphate lignin, as well as recovery of fibres and fines, and ABS plastic.

“This is a rewarding venture and we are now looking to apply for addi-tional funding for continued projects with PFI in Trondheim,” says Yvonne Söderström, project manager for Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia. “This project contributes to increased dialogue and thus encourages greater cross-border interest in the biorefinery field. One example is Clas Engström’s participation in a meeting at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries in Oslo, at which he explained the importance of biorefineries.”

During the year a guide was produced, in association with the farmers’ federation LRF Jämtland, to provide various parties in Jämtland with infor-mation on the opportunities afforded by biorefineries. This has been handed out at various meetings and at other events attended by interested parties.

Biorefinery Mid-Scandinavia• Grön kemi

• Komposit

• Bioplast

• Lut & Grus

• Fisk & Mat

Petter och Kerstin

fyller tanken

med ny kunskap

Bioraffinaderi Mitt-Skandinavien • Bioraffinaderier i Jämtlands län?! • 2013 - 2014

• Idéer

• Piloter

• FoU-rådet

• Affärsmöjligheter

The image shows a sealing layer com-prising a mixture of green liquor sludge and fly ash. Photo: Christian Maurice, LTU


Over the last years SP Technical Re-search Institute of Sweden has invested significant sums in the bioeconomy field, which was a strong reason for SP acquir-ing 60 per cent of Processum Biorefinery Initiative in the spring of 2013. Markus Norström, Business Area Manager Energy at SP Energy, explains the reason for the investment and how SP Processum fits into SP’s organization.

“Bioeconomy is an area we truly believe in. Sweden has a large raw material base that can be used for new products with green credentials. SP is a national institute and our efforts must benefit Sweden, plus we believe in a green future. Our vision is for SP to be a cohesive force and central resource that contributes knowledge, research resourc-es, process management and test beds, and encourages coordination between bioeconomy initiatives in Sweden.

“Our investment in bioeconomy is a large collaborative project within SP and includes the eight units and subsidiaries within SP that work with bioeconomy in a variety of ways. The aim is for SP to be-come a key player in the area in Sweden and for us to put our technical skills and neutrality to good use. By combining our resources and varied expertise, we are able to identify new projects. The fact that we are neutral means we can work with anyone, on commissioned research and company-related research.

“We also have access to non-tradition-al but necessary resources, for example, a political economist and an environmental lawyer. For the Group’s management, this is an important investment in the future, and we are building a strong position within this future area.

“SP Processum’s knowledge, network, member companies and strong brand mean it has a vital role to play in our bioeconomy activities. We have access to cutting-edge expertise in the field and sound knowledge of the forest industry in Sweden and the challenges it faces. Yet another advantage is the close prox-imity of SP Processum to our Biorefinery Demo Plant, as both are situated in Örnsköldsvik.

“The results of our involvement in bioeconomy during the year have been excellent. This is an expansive area and we are well equipped to take on new projects and challenges. SP Processum

has delivered a positive performance and really shown that it wants to contribute to activities within the bioeconomy field. There has been close and natural cooper-ation within the Group and we are in an excellent position to achieve something worthwhile together. We have delivered and we look forward to the future with great confidence. Our Biorefinery Demo Plant in Örnsköldsvik has proven to be extremely versatile and it can handle an array of process stages vital to develop-ment projects within the biorefinery field.

“Looking ahead, I can see numerous lignin initiatives in the pipeline, and within the Group we are very much on track. SP is one of seven European institutes participating in the Aertos project ‘Biobased Economy’. The fact that SP Processum is now a subsidiary of the SP Group also means that we have an excellent springboard out into Europe, which benefits both SP Processum and SP,” concludes Markus Norström.

SP Processum – an important element in SP’s

bioeconomy activities

The transition to a biobased economy requires the development of products and technologies, as well as the demonstration and commercialisation of new products. The Biorefinery Demo Plant in Örnsköldsvik provides an opportunity to develop and validate processes for green chemicals, fuels and materials. SP has been conducting operations at the demo plant since 1 April 2013 as part of its involvement in bioeconomy activities. Flexible equipment has been installed for the development and scaling up of both chemical and biotechnical processes for fractioning and for upgrading various cellulose feedstock from forestry and agriculture. Projects with a variety of aims are conducted at the plant. Some examples of these are new materials, polymers, green chemicals, fuels and health-related products. The plant serves as a resource for companies, universities and institutes. Re-search and development work can be conducted openly or in complete secrecy, depending on the client’s preference. The objective is to create an international hub for biorefinery research and development.

SP Biorefinery Demo Plant

FA C T S


Skogskemi (Forest Chemistry) is exactly what its name suggests – a project in-volving the forest and chemical industries that aims to assess the scope for forestry companies to supply chemical companies with a biological raw material. The pro-ject has entered phase B, which involves a pre-FEED study to assess three lines – methanol, butanol and olefins – and two platforms – synthesis gas and a sugar platform.

The project is due to run for two years and is partially financed by Vinnova, which has allocated SEK 10 million for phase B, with a similar amount being provided by participating companies. Each line is being assessed regarding process layout, logistics issues and busi-ness models, or in short everything you need to know in order to continue or

abandon a project. The final report will be published in December 2014, but the results are proving so interesting that a presentation of some kind will be made of this year’s Almedalen Week.

“During the year we have opened a laboratory at the factory site in Igge-sund,” says David Blomberg Saitton, the project manager for the methanol line. “We are especially interested in how stripper methanol can be transformed into a raw material for the chemical in-dustry using Valmet’s patent in the field. As regards the feasibility study, this year we have taken a closer look at the chem-ical process and the technical process layout. Key issues during this work have been efficiency and quality, as well as how the methanol is to be transported.

“The stripper methanol from the

recovery process must be refined before it can be approved as a raw material for the chemicals industry. The business con-cept has therefore been evaluated based on whether the refining process will take place locally at the mill, with the refined product then being transported to a central unit for further refinement for the right application or product, or whether an alternative solution is possible. Issues such as which party does what are also important, as are end markets and the economics of the entire system.”

Continued overleaf »

Skogskemi aiming for a successful conclusion

Projektöversikt - Skogskemi Skogskemi is investigating three raw material lines and two platforms

Part 2: But anolProject manager: Perstorp Contributors: SEKAB, Domsjö, Holmen, MoRe, Bio4Energy

Part 1: Synthesis gasProject manager: Chalmers IndustriteknikContributors: Borealis, Perstorp, Domsjö, Holmen, SCA, Bioendev, Chalmers, Bio4Energy

Part 3: System analysisProject manager: SP Technical Research Institute of SwedenContributors: All

Part 2: OlefinsProject manager: Borealis Contributors: Ineos, SEKAB, Perstorp, Domsjö, SCA, MoRe, Bio4Energy

Part 2: MethanolProject manager: SP ProcessumContributors: Metso, Perstorp, Holmen, Domsjö, SCA, MoRe

Part 1: SugarProject manager: Bio4EnergyContributors: SEKAB, Borealis, Holmen, Perstorp, SCA, SP Processum, Chalmers

Part 4: Discussion platformProject manager: SP ProcessumContributors: All

Projektöversikt - Skogskemi


“The group working on the methanol line is extremely motivated and inquisi-tive,” points out David. “It is actually a fantastic subproject to project manage.”

SP Systems Analysis is responsible for a large part of the systems analysis work on this project. An LCA analysis has been conducted during the year, using the current Stenungsund cluster as a refer-ence, in order to determine what would happen if some of the raw material were to comprise biological raw material from the forest industry. The systems analysis has also looked at and studied the inno-vation system, instruments of control and market conditions.

“A model for how to view the inno-vation system has been described,” says Jonas Joelsson of SP Processum, who is involved in the project’s systems analysis

work. “A vital issue is understanding the role played by different demonstration plants in a development process. Demo plants of various sizes are important as a means of reducing the risks associated with different stages.

“The project is progressing as planned and we are now entering a phase that involves financial calculations. Issues up for discussion are how big any plant should be, where it should be located and the financial impact. It is important to know all these things so that any decisions made later on are as informed as possible.”

“Skogskemi is not just a project that explores the specific issues surrounding the three lines and the two platforms,” says Clas Engström of SP Processum and the project manager for Skogskemi. “It

has also had spin-off effects in the form of a number of additional projects that would not otherwise have existed. We can say without a doubt that our re-spective industries have developed much closer bonds as a result of the Skogskemi project.”

Within the Biorefinery of the Future cluster, potential suppliers include SEKAB, SCA, Holmen Skog and Domsjö Fabriker. When it comes to recipients, the cluster Hållbar Kemi 2030 (Sustainable Chemistry 2030) has Perstorp, INEOS, Borealis, AkzoNobel and AGA – major chemicals companies that manufacture polyethylene, PVC and specialist chem-ical products. A total of 19 parties are involved in the project, with academia represented by Bio4Energy, Chalmers and SP.

Skogskemi rullar på och närmar sig skarpt läge» Continued from previous page

It has also had spin-off effects in the form of a number of addi-tional projects that would not

otherwise have existed. We can say without a doubt that our respective industries have de-

veloped much closer bonds as a result of the Skogskemi project.

Clas Engström

During the autumn an open workshop

was arranged in Örnsköldsvik on the theme ‘Upscaling of

biotechnical routes to green chemicals’.


The aim of this Swedish-Finnish project is to analyse and develop the route taken by raw materials from the forest to biore-fineries, in order to improve the supply of raw materials for the biorefineries of the future. The biorefinery field is evolving rapidly in both countries, which explains the huge interest on both sides of the Gulf of Bothnia in how the supply of raw materials can best be secured, and knowledge is being combined from two disciplines, forestry research and biore-finery development. Communicating the analysis of how raw materials from the forest can contribute to the biorefineries of the future is considered a priority for the project.

“SP Processum is principally involved in three of the project’s ongoing activities,” says Jonas Joelsson, an R&D engineer with SP Processum. “The first of these has been mapping biorefinery develop-ment in Finland and Sweden and outlin-ing the quality requirements for the raw material for various biorefinery processes, which has now been completed and a report produced.

“Preparations are now under way for a larger trial to test new ranges from the forest on a demo scale, and we will be testing at least two ranges, chipped smallwood and stumps, at SP’s Biore-finery Demo Plant. The material will be subjected to a thermochemical pretreat-ment at the demo plant, while hydrolysis and fermentation to ethanol will be per-formed at our pilot facilities. The Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) has con-ducted storage studies on the stumps. One challenge is the stumps’ high contaminant content, e.g. sand, earth, etc. This will be reduced to an acceptable level by screening the chipped material at the BTC pilot plant at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Another presumed difficulty is the high content of extractive substances, which can cause problems for the biotechnical processes. The initial runs are scheduled to begin in early March 2014.

“An important element in the project is the systems analysis that we will be performing alongside, in the first instance, SLU,” continues Jonas. “This

looks at the studied technologies and components in a broader context. Analyses are performed of key factors throughout the supply chain, such as logging, storage and transport to biore-fineries, and the raw material require-ments of different types of biorefineries. The systems analysis focuses on design, costs and energy balance calculations for innovative supply chains of biomass from the forest to biorefineries in Sweden and Finland and compares these with conventional raw material supply chains. The overall aim of Forest Refine is to identify innovative technologies and supply systems that have the potential to achieve at least a 15 per cent reduction in a biorefinery’s raw material costs.

“It may need pointing out that raw materials often account for more than half of the costs and that this, together with the absence of any long-term policy instruments, is the foremost barrier to commercialisation.”

More information about Forest Refine is available at www.forestrefine.se.

SP Processum – one of several participants in Forest Refine

Researchers from Forest Refine visit-ing SLU’s BTC pilot plant. From left: Håkan Örberg, SLU, Jonas Joelsson, SP Processum, Jana Holm, Centria, Katri Kulki (partly hidden), Central Ostrobothnia Rural Institute, and Ulla Lassi, Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius.


The decision by SP Processum to in-vest SEK 11 million in 11 pilot equipment facilities in Örnsköldsvik and Umeå, with support from the EU’s regional develop-ment fund, has continued to bear fruit during the year, helping to further de-velop the biorefinery field. A number of the pilots have proven very popular, and interest in what can be achieved there is certainly growing.“It is true that SP Processum has become a more intriguing project partner now that we have access to a number of attractive pilot equipment facilities,” says Björn Alriksson, an R&D engineer at SP Processum. “For example, our pilot bio-reactor has enabled us to cooperate on projects with partners from around the world, which would otherwise not have been possible. The pilot has proven very popular and remains so, which just goes

to show that the decision to invest was the right one.”2013 saw the inauguration of two pilot facilities in Umeå, the dryer pilot and the torrefaction pilot. The dryer pilot, which comprises a hot-air furnace and a belt dryer, is located in a building specially constructed for the purpose at the Swed-ish University of Agricultural Sciences’ (SLU) Biofuel Technology Centre (BTC) at Röbäcksdalen in Umeå. The dryer pilot enables precise drying of biomass, includ-ing bark, logging residues, needles and stumps, energy crops, residual products from agriculture, recovered materials and industrial by-products. Damp, fresh, wet and dry raw materials are of relevance for projects that aim to further refine existing products and produce new ones. The dryer pilot incorporates a tornado dryer from Airgrinder.

SP Processum’s spinning pilot, which is based at MoRe Research, has been used regularly during the year. Together with MoRe’s pilot equipment facilities, which range from a pilot digester and bleaching to the dissolving pilot, a complete chain is achievable from wood to thread, which is not possible under one roof anywhere else in Europe. By combining and using a number of the pilots in the same project, efficient trials can be conducted without the need for time-consuming long-distance transport between units, for example. Today, SP Processum’s pilots in Örnsköldsvik and Umeå are important resources for count-less national and international research and development initiatives.

Our pilots attract and deliver

P I L O T S

BioreactorFor growing microorganisms, fermenting sugars into green chemicals, hydrolysis of various lignocelluloses and using residue streams as a growth medium.

ATEX-classified pilotsReactors for chemical synthesis.

Continuous extractionContinuous extraction between two immiscible liquids.

Decanter centrifugeContinuous separation of solid matter.

GrinderGrinding various materials, biomass or residues from other processes.

Filter pressSeparates solid matter in wa-ter-based slurry from the liquid phase.

High speed centrifugeSeparates microbial cells and/or liquids of different densities.

Viscose spinning pilotSpinning viscose thread for eval-uation of process and product properties.

P I L O T S i n Örnsköldsvik

Dryer pilotPrecision-controlled drying of materials such as bark, energy crops or industrial by-products.

Torrefaction drumFor torrefying biomass.

Algae pilotTreating leachate, residue streams or waste water using algae and then producing bio-mass from these algae.

P I L O T S i n Umeå

It is true that SP Processum has become a more intriguing pro-ject partner now that we have

access to a number of attractive pilot equipment facilities.

Björn Alriksson R&D engineer, SP Processum


SP Processum’s algae pilot has produced algae during its first summer and has attracted a lot of attention from universities, municipalities and compa-nies. Production has worked well and partnerships have been entered into with various interested parties from as far afield as Australia.

“We spent 2012 building the pilot, which includes four ponds and a unit for analysis, and conducting trial runs,” explains Francesco Gentili from the De-partment of Wildlife, Fish and Environ-mental Studies at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Umeå. “The 2013 summer season saw us tes-ting how well the pilot worked as an al-gae producer under different conditions and using different types of sewage and sewage mixtures. Generally, we can say that it works really well. Every 24 hours we can pump 2 m³ of algae suspension, containing between 0.1 and 0.4 g algae/litre, out of the ponds for sedimentation in special tanks, and then pump 2 m³ of new sewage into the algae ponds for continued algae production.”

“A pilot provides good scope for tes-ting on a larger scale and evaluating va-rious parameters, in a way that simply is not possible in a laboratory. For instance,

harvesting on a laboratory scale is pretty easy because you are only dealing with small volumes, but different solutions are required as soon as you scale up to pilot level. That is why an important activity during 2014 will be optimizing the entire system, right up to harves-ting. There are different requirements depending on how the algae produced are used, so we need to be able to adapt the harvesting methods accordingly. One example would be not needing to dry algae that will be used at the next stage to produce biogas or as a fertilizer; other applications on the other hand require dry algae.”

“Broad cooperation is vital, especially in the case of a small group like ours. We focus on treating sewage and flue gases, but the algae we produce can be used for various purposes, which is why it is a good idea to let others test it for their own ends. These algae could be converted to energy in the form of bio-gas or biodiesel, but they could also be used as a fertilizer to improve the growth of other plants. It is therefore important that we retain our focus while also keep-ing an eye open for other possibilities and alternatives,” concludes Francesco.

The algae pilot’s first summer

P I L O T E R

Inauguration of BioEndev’s pilot plant for torrefaction BioEndev’s unique pilot plant for torrefaction has opened in Umeå. A symbolic turf-cutting ceremony was also held for the demonstration torrefaction plant that will be built at Holmsund near Umeå. The torrefaction pilot has been financed by BioEndev and SP Processum and is an important step in scaling up technology for the production of ‘green coal’.

Years of research into refining biomass and gasification techniques at Umeå University led to the establishment in

2007 of BioEndev – a company that develops for commercialisation concepts associated with torrefaction. Two years later the first pilot plant began operating, with a capacity of 15 kg DS torrefied material per hour. Based on experience gained from this plant, the process has now been scaled up and the new and improved pilot will have a production capacity of 160 kg DS per hour, which equates to almost 4 tons DS torrefied material per day.

“We have taken on board lessons from

the previous pilot plant when designing this one,” explains Ingemar Olofsson, project manager and one of the owners of BioEndev. “Based on the trials con-ducted at the earlier facility, around 10 or so innovative technical solutions were patented that have all been incorporated into the new plant.

“There were also calls for a larger capacity in order to be able to realise the full potential of torrefied material with regard to compacting and subsequent gasification and combustion tests. We also needed to develop certain cooling techniques and find a cheaper reactor solution. The new pilot is therefore larger and heating takes place inside the drum and not externally. It is a great advantage to have and the ideal complement to the forthcoming full-scale demonstration plant.”

Smiles all around at the turf-cutting ceremony for the demo plant. From left: Ingemar Olofsson, BioEndev, Göran Ernstson, Umeå Energi, Lennart Holmlund, Umeå Munici-pality, Elvy Söderström, Örnsköldsvik Municipa-lity, and Anders Nordin, BioEndev.

Ulla-Britt Östman and Francesco Gentili studying algae harvested at the pilot.


At the invitation of the Japanese government, a Swedish delegation comprising representatives of various clusters, Vinnova, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications visited Japan. The aim was to exchange experiences of how people work in clusters in Japan and in Sweden. One of the five participating Swedish clusters was SP Processum, represented by Björn Alriksson.“It was an interesting trip that provided opportunities for learning how clus-ters operate in Japan and establishing contacts for future collaborative efforts,” says Björn. “I explained about our ac-tivities during a seminar at the Swedish embassy. I also had the pleasure of meeting a professor from Akita Prefec-tural University, where they have a forest cluster working on forest issues, who will be visiting us next January.”

Adnan Cavka has over the course of his PhD studies developed new innova-tive and effective techniques for con-verting wood feedstock and agricultural resides to liquid biofuel.

In order for biofuel, which is a re-newable source of energy, to compete with fossil fuels, methods and processes need to be developed that enable it to be produced in a more cost-effective manner. Adnan’s PhD project outlines

a new method that vastly improves the fermentation stage during production of cellulose-based ethanol. The method is based on the use of sodium dithionite, sodium sulphite and sodium borohy-dride, chemicals that can be obtained at relatively low cost and which are current-ly used by the pulp and paper industry and in the manufacture of textiles.

Adnan’s thesis also looks at the pos-sibility of utilizing residue streams from

pulp mills and biorefineries to produce enzymes at the same site where they are needed for production of cellulose-based ethanol. Only the heat content of residue streams is considered valuable at present.

“The effects can be achieved even at low temperatures, using a low chemical dose and without the need for separate process stages,” says Adnan Cavka. “My results show that it is possible to use res-idue streams of little value, for example, waste fibre sludge and stillage, which is a residual product from ethanol produc-tion, to produce relatively high levels of enzymes.”

Adnan Cavka was a doctoral student at the Industrial Doctoral School at Umeå University. Studies are undertaken in the research environment Bio4Energy. Adnan has worked closely with both SEKAB E-Technology and SP Processum.

You can read his thesis here.

More efficient production of green fuel

in Japan and Sweden

Sveriges Television’s (SVT) regional news programme Västerbottensnytt inter-viewed Clas Engström on 12 March for a series of reports about potential future regional enlargement, bringing Örnsköldsvik closer to Västerbotten. Reporter Anders Lindqvist and a photographer spent two days in Örnsköldsvik interview-ing people, and as the Processum cluster operates in both Västernorrland and Västerbotten, it serves as an excellent example of the regional enlargement that is already taking place.

The first part of the series included interviews with municipal commissioner Elvy Söderström and Gunnar Mehlin of Folkpartiet, who proposed during a mo-tion that there should be a referendum on joining Västerbotten, as well as with local residents from Örnsköldsvik. The second part featured the interview with Clas and another with Elvy Söderström.

SP Processum on VästerbottensnyttClusters


On 2 July SP Processum received a visit from 19 researchers from Canada and Japan, who were in Sweden to attend a seminar at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). The group listened to a pre-sentation about SP Processum and the Biorefinery of the Future and was given a tour of Domsjö Fabriker and the SP Biorefinery Demo Plant.The group was made up of 11 University of British Columbia (UBC) trainees from the Working on Walls programme, three administrators from UBC, and five stu-dents and a supervisor from a research group from WOW’s Japanese partner Nara Institute of Science and Technology. “To experience green industry and catch a glimpse of the Swedish summer is considered exotic, especially by the Japa-nese researchers, and is something we shouldn’t take for granted,” says Jennie Söderström, who coordinated the visit. Everyone enjoyed the experience and it was a happy group that continued on to Umeå afterwards.

Visit by researchers from Canada and Japan

At the annual Natur- och Teknikdagarna event in Örnsköldsvik, Elin Näsholm, a former pupil at Nolaskolans gymnasium in Örnsköldsvik, who is now studying to be an engineer in Linköping, was award-ed a scholarship by SP Processum for her upper-secondary school project on chiral molecules. The scholarship, which was for SEK 3,000, is the first of its kind to be awarded.

Each year, scholarships are awarded to students participating in BioFuel Region’s school project KNUT who produce upper-secondary school projects on sustainability. These projects are the final piece of work produced by each pupil in the last year of upper-secondary school. Among this year’s applications was a chemistry project that was extremely well written and of a higher level than the chemistry usually taught in upper-sec-ondary schools. As the project did not fall within the scope of the sustainability criteria for KNUT, it did not qualify for that particular scholarship. SP Proces-sum therefore decided to award its own scholarship of SEK 3,000 for similar projects in the field of chemistry. The

presentation was attended by teachers and pupils from upper-secondary science and technology programmes in Örn-sköldsvik.

Justification for the scholarship: “Im-mersing oneself in the complex world of chemistry is a huge challenge, and one that Elin has tackled with enthusiasm and great commitment. Elin’s school project is about chiral molecules and is impres-sive for a number of reasons, including its technical content and execution. This well-written report demonstrates a thirst for knowledge and an ability to draw conclusions from the project’s results. SP Processum would therefore like to award Elin SEK 3,000 for her school project and outstanding effort.” The scholarship was presented by Jennie Söderström, who is responsible for competence and innova-tion at SP Processum.

Upper-secondary school chemistry project wins SP Processum award

The scholarship was presented by Jen-nie Söderström, SP Processum, to Elin Näsholm.

3

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0

k

r

SPPr

oessum belönar me

k

för väl genomförtpro

jekt

Att kasta sig in i kemins komplexa värld innebär en stor utmaning.

Den utmaningen har Elin tagit sig an med entusiasm och stort engagemang.

Elins skolprojekt handlar om kirala molekyler och är imponerande i flera

avseenden, både vad gäller teknisk höjd och utförande. Den välskrivna rapporten visar på vetgirighet och en förmåga att dra egna slutsatser från projektresultaten.

Elin NäsholmSkolprojekt Kirala Molekyler

Jennie SöderströmProjektledare, SP Processum


Telephone: +46 (0)660-571 00 Fax: +46 (0)660-759 81

www.bioraffinaderi.se

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