The aim of the energy company Pohjolan Voima is a reconciliation between the increasing need for electricity and the need to restrict carbon dioxide. This it is doing by constructing biopower.

"In order for the amount of replaced carbon to be considerable, the range of fuels must be wide, including by-products and various forest and field biomasses. Because there is nothing to refer to in the rest of the world, innovations are needed," says Juha Poikola, Vice President, Communications, Bioenergy strategies.

Pohjolan Voima has implemented a major biofuel programme that includes investment of about 700 million euros in new power plants. Also included in the programme is an extensive research and development programme for increasing the use of energy from forests and fields.

In line with the programme, the company has built seven power plants in Finland, and an eighth will be completed at Rauma this year. Several new ways of increasing the use of forest and field biomass have been developed in association with co-partners.

Energy from logging residue bundles and stumps

The biopower plants are endeavouring to make good use of all the bioenergy resources in the areas nearby. Most of the possible procurement areas for fuel are covered by the plants that have been built.

"One of the success stories is the residue bundle-based fuel procurement system developed at Pietarsaari which is based on logging residue. It has become the main method for using logging residue in Finland," Poikola says.

Now stumps are also used for energy. For example, a new multi-fuel crusher at the Kuusankoski plant can be used for crushing stumps with stones and soil. "And we can now see that stumps will become a fuel almost as significant as logging waste."

Cultivation of reed canary grass

In 2001 Pohjolan Voima undertook steps to increase the cultivation of reed canary grass. An EU agricultural reform proved to be the turning point in increasing canary grass in Finland when canary grass cultivated for energy purposes received the same EU subsidies as grain cultivation from the beginning of 2006.

"An energy plant cultivated in a field increases the use of domestic renewable energy, reduces carbon dioxide emissions from incineration plants, improves the environmental friendliness of plants and keeps the countryside landscape open," Poikola adds.

>> www.pohjolanvoima.fi

There is 1 MWh of energy in a single logging residue bundle. In the picture a semi-trailer with logging residue bundles at Pohjolan Voima's Alholmens Kraft power plant at Pietarsaari.