Gasum and Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, have agreed on cooperation in biogas processing at the biogas part operating as part of Metsä Fibre’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill. Metsä Fibre will be responsible for the plant’s overall operations, whereas Gasum will be responsible for the daily remote operation and maintenance of biogas processing. Gasum will buy the biogas produced at Metsä Fibre’s plant for use as a road transport fuel in the company’s filling station network.

The Äänekoski biogas plant is owned by Metsä Fibre and will use wood-based sludge from the bioproduct mill to produce biogas and biopellets. The biopellets will be used in energy production at Metsä Fibre’s power plant. Gasum will process the biogas from the plant, manage the plant’s operation and maintenance, and sell the biogas for road transport through its filling station network.

“It’s great to work with Metsä Fibre in biogas production. Demand for renewable biogas is constantly growing and it’s currently by far the best way to reduce emissions in heavy-duty transport, for example. The significance of biogas in reducing transport emissions is well known. We want to increase biogas supplies and cooperation with Metsä Fibre will enable us to boost biogas availability in our network of gas filling stations,” says Ari Suomilammi, Director, Biogas Production, at Gasum.

“Our biogas plant further processes the sludge originating in pulp production into products of higher added value. Together with Gasum, we will be able to process biogas produced at the plant into a transport fuel. Safety and sustainability are key values for both companies, which is why I’m extremely pleased about our cooperation with Gasum,” says Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, Senior Vice President, Business Development, at Metsä Fibre.