BioVerno: a wood-based renewable diesel

The world´s first biorefinery for production of wood-based advanced biofuel has a capacity of 100,000 tonnes, which corresponds to approximately 250,000 tonnes of CO2 emission reductions in the transport sector

UPM Biofuels has innovated and developed a production process to transform a wood-based residue of its pulp production into a unique, high-quality renewable diesel that can be used in any of today’s diesel engines – car, bus, truck or boat – without modification. UPM BioVerno reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil diesel, and does not compete with food production. There is no additional demand for biomass or extension of the area of forest harvesting, because to make BioVerno we take advantage of established production processes, using a residue as feedstock. Based on sustainable innovation and a five-year development phase at UPM’s Lappeenranta R&D centre in Finland, the results from the pilot production and testing led UPM to build a commercial-scale biorefinery in February 2012. The final investment of €179 million was entirely financed by the company, without any public subsidies. Commercial production started in January 2015. The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery produces 100,000 tonnes of renewable diesel and renewable naphtha each year.