Paper Technology International 2025 FlipBook - Journal - Page 22
PAPERTECHNOLOGYINTERNATIONAL
Understanding Biomass gasi昀椀cation
Biomass gasi昀椀cation is a highly
energy-ef昀椀cient process, already applied in the
manufacturing industry today by converting locally
generated low-value biogenic residual and waste
streams into renewable biosyngas, consisting
primarily of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO),
and methane (CH4). This makes it highly suitable for
industrial applications that require substantial thermal
energy.
Unlike fossil fuels, the CO2 released from
biomass gasi昀椀cation originates from biogenic sources
and is part of the natural carbon cycle, reabsorbed by
plants during photosynthesis as new biomass grows.
When biomass is sustainably sourced, this results in netzero carbon emissions, positioning biomass gasi昀椀cation as
a climate-effective energy solution.
During the gasi昀椀cation process a highly stable organic
carbon fraction remains, called biochar. Biochar serves as a
permanent carbon sink when incorporated into soil or used in
other carbon-sequestration applications. As a result, biochar is
recognized as one of the most effective existing technologies for
carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Both the European Commission
and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
acknowledge its potential, and biochar currently accounts for over
90% of carbon credits sold on the voluntary market. Beyond its
carbon-sequestration properties, biochar can enhance soil fertility
and improve water retention, making it valuable for sustainable
agriculture.
Case Study: Implementation of a biomass gasi昀椀cation plant at a
Tissue Mill in Sweden
An example of this technology can be found in Sweden,
at So昀椀del’s tissue mill in Kisa, which has successfully integrated a
new type of thermo-chemical biomass gasi昀椀cation technology to
replace industrial consumption of fossil gas. The tissue mill, a major
producer of tissue paper for various commercial and consumer
applications, has long been dependent of LPG consumption in its
drying hoods. While LPG is an ef昀椀cient fuel for such purposes, it is
a fossil-derived energy source that contributes to carbon emissions
and energy price volatility.
In response to these issues, So昀椀del partnered with the
Swedish company Meva Energy, a leading provider of gasi昀椀cation
technology for renewable energy production. The collaboration also
involved ANDRITZ EnviroBurner multifuel solutions, which played a
role in upgrading the mill’s burner systems to ensure compatibility
with biosyngas. ANDRITZ expertise in air and energy systems for
tissue production allowed the modi昀椀cation of the mill’s combustion
chambers and burners, ensuring they could ef昀椀ciently process
the biosyngas, which has different properties compared to LPG.
Furthermore, the Department of Energy at the University of Pisa
(UniPi) and ANDRITZ Novimpianti provided combustion research
expertise to verify the compliance with the existing drying system.
Together, they developed an integrated solution tailored to the
mill’s speci昀椀c needs. In 2023, this initiative resulted in a signi昀椀cant
breakthrough: the production of the world’s 昀椀rst batch of tissue paper
using biosyngas. The gasi昀椀cation plant, designed and operated
by Meva Energy, has a capacity of 4.5 MW, enough to supply the
thermal energy required for the mill’s drying section.
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Figure 2: Biochar - a valuable by-product from biomass
gasi昀椀cation.
Figure 3: Meva Energy’s gasi昀椀cation plant is located right
next to So昀椀dels tissue mill in Kisa, Sweden.
