Algal culture can provide environmental benefits and new business opportunities for the country's pulp and paper mills. This is the belief of The Energy Square together with, among others Nordic Paper Bäckhammar who are now doing a feasibility study on how micro-algae can be used to make bio fuels using mill bi products. The pilot study is being led by the SP Technical Research Institute and is financed with about SEK 750 000 from Vinnova.
“This is a very exciting project where we link together different parties. In time, the project will hopefully contribute to increased profitability at the mills as waste products are converted into a resource. It is also good for the environment” says Magnus Persson, Head of The Energy Square, which is The Paper Province owned centre for energy efficiency in the pulp and paper industry.
New sources of income for the mills. Algae takes care of the nutrients in the waste water from the mill and captures carbon dioxide from flue gases. Oil can then be extracted from the algae and what’s left can, for example, be digested into biogas or pelleted.
The process will reduce eutrophication and carbon emissions and create new revenue streams for mills.
Another advantage is being able to replace non-renewable materials for renewable ones.
The feasibility study will show how the process might look and identify potential partners along the entire chain, from plant to end users. If the feasibility study shows that the process is feasible, pilot studies will be made at Nordic Paper Bäckhammar
“This is a very innovative idea and we were very curious when we heard about the project. It can help to strengthen our revenues on the energy side, which makes us less sensitive to economic fluctuations. It would also help to reduce our environmental impact” said Tarjei Svensen, Lab and Environmental Manager at Nordic Paper Bäckhammar.
Broad coalition Apart from Energy Square, Nordic Paper Bäckhammar and SP Technical Research Institute, a number of other parties are involved in the project, both companies and Karlstad University and Region Värmland.
“This shows the strength of The Paper Province, where nearly one hundred companies with different specialties and competence interact with academia and public actors. It creates opportunities for innovative solutions and is one of the reasons that The Paper Province ranks as a world-class cluster” says Magnus Persson. The feasibility study is primarily focused on the pulp and paper industry, but may eventually also be useful for other industries and uses. The pilot study led by SP, Swedish National Testing and Research Institute and financed with about SEK 750 000 from Vinnova.
source: The paper province