Forest residues into sustainable fuel – the FOR-BLEND project seeks to enhance sustainability

The University of Vaasa, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, and Åbo Akademi University have received funding from the EU-Interreg Aurora Programme to develop a solution for managing forest residues and producing sustainable fuel. The project aims to develop a process that produces a blending component for fuels for internal combustion engines.

Businesses and industries rely on forests. Forest residues, such as bark and sawdust from sawmills, is typically burned. Refining these residues into fuel for machinery can help meet the European Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII) requirement of 5.5% for advanced biofuels.

The FOR-BLEND project seeks to develop a process for managing forest-based residue locally and producing a sustainable fuel blend component.

The University of Vaasa, Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and Åbo Akademi University will collaborate closely in the project. RISE will use its pilot plants to develop fuel components. The University of Vaasa will analyse the biofuel’s properties and find a blend share that will fulfil the current fuel standards. Åbo Akademi University will study process integration and evaluate the product’s supply chain.