Chemical Technology April 2016

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Research and piloting centre, Bioruukki

VTT opened its research and new pilot plant, Bioruukki, in Espoo, Finland, a year ago. The first stage comprised gasification and pyrolysis research activities. At the moment the biomass centre is under construction and will be opened this year. The Green Chemistry Centre of Bioruukki will follow in 2017-2019 and the Solar Centre in 2018-2019.

V TT’s new piloting centre, Bioruukki, provides a unique collaboration platform for developing products for the bioeconomy and for creating new competitive edge. It is also an innovation and demonstration platform for bio- and circular economy businesses. The centre is one of VTT’s most significant investments this decade, and the largest bioeconomy- related research environment in the Nordic countries. Bioruukki enables studying and assessing both the technological and economic feasibility of biotechnological development concepts and ideas. This applies particularly to the development of production methods for biofuels and valuable chemicals. At the same time, Bioruukki provides companies with an opportunity to speed up the launching of innovations onto the global markets. As mentioned earlier, the pilot centre promotes commer- cialisation and production of solutions based on the bio- and circular economy. The entire value chain from rawmaterials to final products can be piloted in the same environment, which combines biomass processing, thermochemistry and chemical synthesis. The markets are already there The global goals of sustainable development and associated regulatory frameworks within the EU and elsewhere created a need for products developed in Bioruukki. There is now

no other choice but to look for alternative power sources to replace fossil fuels. Markets for biofuels and other products based on bioeconomy-enabling technologies have already been established, according to Principal Scientist from VTT, Yrjö Solantausta. “This environment will open up new possibilities, because we now have more space. We have assembled gasification and pyrolysis research equipment here, which can be easily modified to accommodate any customer needs. Previously, space constraints restricted potential technological solutions, however, the new premises are flexible, including a development environment for our cus- tomers where they can demonstrate solutions to their own customers. Smaller companies can even use the premises for production purposes,” says Solantausta. Tangible tool for promoting bioeconomy Apart from symbolising faith in the future, the Bioruukki piloting environment is also tangible proof of the efforts to create new business activities and opportunities on the basis of bio-based and circular economies. Bioeconomy based on sustainable use of renewable natural resources is a global trend. Finland is in a good position to benefit from such growth, so that one of Bioruukki’s missions is to develop new technologies which enable bioeconomy based on forest biomass and to speed

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Chemical Technology • April 2016