Neste Oil, Stora Enso JV Selects Foster Wheeler Gasifier for Biomass-to-Diesel Project

13 May 2008

NSE Biofuels Oy Ltd., the 50-50 joint venture between Stora Enso Oyj and Neste Oil Corporation focused on the production of synthetic diesel from wood residues (earlier post)—has awarded a contract to Foster Wheeler Energia Oy for a circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) biomass gasifier.

Foster Wheeler Energia Oy is the Finnish subsidiary of Foster Wheeler.

Foster Wheeler’s scope includes an oxygen/steam gasifier and gas treatment equipment. The plant utilizes Foster Wheeler’s fuel-flexible circulating fluidized-bed gasification technology to convert a wide spectrum of biomass into a clean syngas to be used in a gas to liquids (Fischer-Tropsch) process to produce feedstock for renewable diesel from biomass/wood residue-based gas.

The gasification and syngas cleaning system will be part of NSE’s new-generation renewable diesel demonstration plant at Stora Enso’s Varkaus Mill in Finland. The plant is expected to start up in early 2009 and will be integrated into the energy infrastructure of the Stora Enso Varkaus Mill.

Foster Wheeler and the JV partners have also agreed in principle for further co-operation, aiming for delivery of a commercial-scale production plant to be located at one of Stora Enso’s mills.

NSE Biofuels’ work is separate from Neste’s NExBTL hydrogenation process for renewable diesel. (Earlier post.)