Rottneros and RenFuel have entered into an agreement regarding delivery
of the forest product lignin. Lignin is used for production of Lignol,
RenFuel’s patented lignin oil. Lignol can be refined into renewable gasoline
and diesel. During 2018, Rottneros will initiate deliveries of lignin from the
company’s pulp plant in Vallvik outside Söderhamn to RenFuel’s test and pilot
plant in Bäckhammar, Sweden.
RenFuel has developed a patented method of refining lignin from the wood pulp
industry’s renewable rest product black liquor to lignin oil under the product
name Lignol.
Lignol can replace fossil oil and be used in the production of renewable
gasoline and diesel. By using black liquor Lignol can be produced in a larger
scaled. It also allows for an increased production capacity of pulp and thus a
possible increased profitability in the paper and pulp industry.
During the spring of 2017, RenFuel has started the production of Lignol in its
pilot plant in Bäckhammar, Värmland
County. The pilot plant
is financed by a government grant of SEK 71 million (Euro 7.5 million) from the
Swedish Energy Agency. The grant finances the development of, and testing in
the pilot plant to produce Lignol from lignin, extracted from black liquor, as
well as the development of RenFuels patented method of membrane filtering. RenFuel’s
access to lignin, which is needed to increase the production of bio oils, is
secured through the cooperation with Rottneros. RenFuel will thus be able to
meet the increasing demand for environmentally-friendly fuels.
Rottneros is an independent producer of pulp.