World's first biorefinery producing wood-based renewable diesel

The UPM Lappeenranta biorefinery produces wood-based renewable diesel from forest industry residues. The raw material that is used is 100% renewable tall oil, a leftover material from pulp production. UPM is a pioneer in the transformation of the forest industry. The renewable diesel, UPM BioVerno, is produced by a hydrotreating process for advanced biofuels. This innovative production process has been developed in the UPM Biorefinery Research and Development Centre in Lappeenranta.

UPM BioVerno makes it possible to achieve over 80 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil diesel.

UPM BioVerno makes it possible to achieve over 80 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and exhaust emissions compared to traditional fossil diesel. Because the biofuel is produced from forest industry residues, the wood materials can be utilised with maximum efficiency. Unlike first generation biofuels, UPM BioVerno is derived from non-food materials instead of wasting food crops.

The biorefinery, which was completed in 2015, is located next door to the UPM Kaukas pulp and paper mills. The total investment in the mill was € 179 million. The mill employs over 200 people in total, directly and indirectly. The annual production of renewable diesel is 100,000 tons, i.e. 120 million litres.