The Valio and St1 joint venture Suomen Lantakaasu is exploring the implementation of new biogas plant complexes in several areas.
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The construction of possible new plant complexes is now being explored in the Kokkola-Pietarsaari, Nivala-Haapavesi and South Ostrobothnia regions.
Along with the existing planned plant complexes, Suomen Lantakaasu Oy is progressing towards its production target of one terawatt-hour by 2030.
Suomen Lantakaasu Oy’s investment in the industrial-scale, centralised biogas plant in Kiuruvesi and its satellite plants in Upper Savo and North Karelia is progressing on schedule.
In August, Suomen Lantakaasu and the city of Kiuruvesi agreed on the future site acquisition process and on the siting of the biogas plant complex. In October, Suomen Lantakaasu announced that it is planning complex-related satellite facilities in Varpaisjärvi, Nurmes and Sonkajärvi.
“Thanks to the good progress in the planning and zoning process for the Upper Savo plant, we can start planning the next biogas plant complexes. We are currently looking into biogas plant complexes in the Kokkola-Pietarsaari and Nivala-Haapavesi regions and we are also exploring opportunities in the South Ostrobothnia region.
"The aim is to have the biogas plants planned for Kiuruvesi and North, Central and South Ostrobothnia up and running by 2030. Among other things, the availability of sites zoned for the plants would give momentum to the biogas plant investments,†notes Matti Oksanen, Director, Gas Business at St1.
The preparation of Suomen Lantakaasu Oy’s first plant complex is currently moving forward in Upper Savo and North Karelia. The site in Kiuruvesi has already been selected, and the site selections for the satellite plants were confirmed in October. The progression of the preparatory work will also speed up the planning of the new plant complexes.
“We have been very pleased with the cooperation with the Upper Savo municipalities during the preparation of the biogas plant complex. Good experiences encourage rapid progression also with the new areas and new plant complexes. Good cooperation with regional municipalities or authorities has been very important for Suomen Lantakaasu’s investment in the Upper Savo area,†says Janika Keinänen, Valio’s Project Manager in charge of biogas business development.
The biogas plant complexes will produce biogas and hygienised biofertilisers from the manure and other agricultural by-products of local farms.
Suomen Lantakaasu Oy will collect manure from farms and will provide the farms with the biofertiliser generated in the production of the biogas.
The fertiliser treated in the plant is less odorous, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than untreated manure. With the new biofertiliser, farm nitrogen fertiliser costs will decrease because the amount of soluble nitrogen in biofertiliser is as much as 20-30% higher than in manure. ■