Swedish forest-based renewable fuel producer SunPine AB has announced that it is investing SEK 250 million (≈ EUR 24.2 million) in new production capacity at its facilities in Haraholmen, Piteå. “The market for our sustainable tall diesel fuel is growing, and we want to assume responsibility for the Swedish shift to renewable fuels,” says Magnus Edin, CEO of SunPine in a statement.
Jointly owned by Kiram, Preem, Sveaskog, Södra and Lawter, SunPine is a leading producer of second-generation renewable fuels using crude tall oil (CTO), a by-product of pulp and paper manufacturing. Raw tall diesel from SunPine is used in the production of Preem’s Evolution Diesel.
We have reached a point where we can confidently take the next step in our journey. We are already a world-leading sustainable biorefinery, with a portfolio of green products that meet strong demand in the market. Therefore, we have now decided to invest SEK 250 million to increase our tall diesel fuel capacity by 50 percent, potentially creating up to 20 new jobs right away and significantly more resulting from all the services we will need to procure. Our environmental permit application will be submitted in the spring, after which the procurement of equipment and services will begin. Our ambition is to commence production at the new plant in 2020, said Magnus Edin, CEO of SunPine.
The main aim is to increase tall diesel production capacity, which – as Sweden’s only diesel fuel carrying the Nordic Eco-label – is supplied to consumers via oil refiner Preem.
Given the right conditions, SunPine could meet 14 percent of all renewable diesel requirements in Sweden by 2030. It would be a fantastic accomplishment if Sweden could achieve this and become that role model. I am convinced that the sustainably managed Swedish forests could account for a significant share of Sweden’s renewable fuel needs, said Edin.
Working proactively to develop and grow its operation is part of SunPine’s endeavour to participate in the switch to a green economy for society at large.
By definition, SunPine’s products are sustainable – this is the very essence of our business concept: SunPine’s process and employees seek to be world leaders in the production of environmentally compatible products based on sustainable forestry. We are more than just a world-class biorefinery. We are actually reformers who deliver real climate benefits. And in 2017, our deliveries of these broke all records, concluded Edin.
