Metsä Group, a leading forest industry company, is increasingly promoting large-scale carbon capture. The company’s production units generate around 12 million tonnes of wood-based carbon dioxide annually. Metsä Group sees immense potential in harnessing this untapped side stream as technology and markets evolve.
Bio-Based Carbon Dioxide: A Valuable Raw Material
Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, the new project director of Metsä Group’s carbon capture project, emphasizes bio-based carbon dioxide’s importance. “Bio-based carbon dioxide is an important but still untapped side stream,” says Pehu-Lehtonen. She believes companies could harness it more effectively as the technology and markets develop.
Successful carbon dioxide capture could provide the forest industry with a new high-volume wood-based raw material. This material can replace fossil-based materials, aligning with Metsä Group’s strategy. The company aims to use Nordic wood resource-efficiently and maximize production side streams’ value.
Pioneering Carbon Capture Projects
Metsä Group is undertaking pioneering work in carbon capture. This autumn, the company will complete its first survey exploring large-scale carbon capture implications. The survey will assess carbon capture’s technology and energy aspects for Metsä Group.
In the coming year, Metsä Group will collaborate with ANDRITZ, a technology company, to pilot carbon capture. The pilot project at the Rauma pulp mill will provide valuable insights into carbon capture’s feasibility and scalability.
Unlocking Opportunities for Sustainable Industries
Successful carbon capture implementation opens up significant opportunities for new industries’ development in Finland. It could boost the Finnish hydrogen economy’s growth, according to Sari Pajari-Sederholm, EVP, Strategy at Metsä Group.
“For example, companies could use renewable hydrogen and wood-based carbon dioxide to produce synthetic methane or methanol,” explains Pajari-Sederholm. These sustainable products can contribute to reducing fossil fuel dependence and transitioning towards a circular bioeconomy.
Conclusion
Metsä Group’s focus on large-scale carbon capture demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and innovation. By harnessing wood-based carbon dioxide’s potential, Metsä Group aims to create value-added products while reducing environmental impact. Successful carbon capture technology implementation could pave the way for a thriving sustainable chemical industry in Finland. It could also contribute to the hydrogen economy’s growth in the country.
Read more: WMU Receives $5M DOE Grant for Carbon Capture and Storage
