Gasum, Finland's gas company, Helsingin Energia (Helsinki energy company) and forest company Metsä-Botnia, are developing a biorefinery project in Joutseno, southeastern Finland. This project is a continuation to the letter of intent signed by Gasum and Helsingin Energia in April 2011. According to the preliminary plan, Metsä-Botnia and its parent company Metsäliitto would be responsible for wood raw material procurement and biorefinery operation. The plan is to mainly produce biogas from forest chips and bark, both of which are available as by-products of pulp mill wood procurement. The production capacity of the planned refinery would be as high as 200 MW. The planned biorefinery would gasify wood chips and refine them into at least 95% methane. The composition of the end product would therefore correspond to that of natural gas. According to the plan, Gasum would take care of biogas injection into the gas network and distribution to gas users. The investment decision is expected by 2013. The construction of the refinery will take two to three years from the go-ahead decision.
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