Sweden-headed BKtech Group, a leading developer and supplier of modular bioenergy solutions for industrial and municipal heating purposes has announced the opening of a French subsidiary and the launch of two "Test & Learn" pilot projects with the Bel Group, a leading producer of cheese, fruit, and vegetable snacks, at its sites in Lons-le-Saunier, France, and Ulzama, Spain.
Founded in 2005 in southeastern Sweden in response to a devastating hurricane that impacted vast forest areas, BKtech initially focused on manufacturing wood pellets from residual materials.
Leveraging its expertise in wood pellet production, the company shifted its focus in 2011 to combustion techniques and enhancing the efficiency of industrial biomass boilers for the production of hot water, process steam, and/or thermal fluids.
These modular space-optimized bioenergy systems are designed to minimize resource consumption and environmental impact, and are manufactured in Blomstermåla, Sweden, ensuring rigorous quality control and operational efficiency before delivery.
As an independent company, BKtech selects components for its systems based on the optimal balance of functionality, quality, and cost.
The streamlined assembly process not only lowers project costs but also accelerates delivery times, facilitates efficient integration, and reduces assembly durations with minimal impact on ongoing operations.
Our group is committed to being a key player in Europe’s green transition by promoting sustainable and innovative energy solutions. We are excited to expand into France, a strategic market, and honored to support the Bel Group in their advanced decarbonization efforts at the Lons-le-Saunier and Ulzama sites, said Jan Vikstrom, President of BKtech.
Reduce GHG emissions
The Bel Group joined the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2017, sharpened its climate ambitions in 2022 to align with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature rise to below +1.5°C.
This commitment requires a net reduction of 75.6 percent in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from scopes 1 and 2 between 2017 and 2035.
The two Bel Group “Test & Learn” pilot projects with BKtech at the Ulzama, Spain, and Lons-le-Saunier (France) sites, set for deployment in fall 2024 and summer 2025, respectively, will introduce new biomass boiler technology – 700 kW and 2 MW, respectively.
The objective is to reduce GHG emissions from current fossil fuel use at these sites by more than 90 percent.
Wood pellets offer a local, renewable, and sustainable solution for industrial steam production. In France, we are primarily targeting industries with significant steam requirements, as fluctuating steam applications are among the most challenging to decarbonize. Our focus is particularly on the food processing, paper, and laundry sectors, said John Robinson, Director of BKtech France.
