Metso to build world’s biggest biomass gasification plant

Metso, an energy company, says it will build the world’s biggest biomass gasification plant for Vaskiluodon Voima in Finland.

The plant will provide 140MW to the grid, replacing some coal use with domestic wood-based renewable fuels and helping to cut down on CO₂ emissions.

The plant will be located in Vaasa and will be connected to a 565MW coal-fired power plant which uses mostly forest residues to create its fuel. The biogas will be combusted with the coal, allowing 25-40% of the coal to be replaced with renewable energy, reducing CO₂ emisions by about 230,000 tonnes a year.

Vaskiluodon Voima has invested about €40 million into the development and the new bio-gasification plant is due to begin operating in December 2012. Metso is to build the fuel handling system, drying plant and gasifier, as well as make the modifications needed for the existing coal-fired boiler.