Gasum is working with HKScan on plans to switch to manure-based feedstock at the Huittinen biogas plant. The plant would use mainly local pig and cattle manure to produce biogas. As one of HKScan’s contract partners, contract pig meat producer Emomylly Oy has also committed to the project.
Gasum and HKScan are together planning to convert Gasum’s existing biogas plant in Huittinen to an industrial-scale manure plant. The proposed plant would be Finland’s first industrial scale biogas plant using manure as its main feedstock. The plant would utilize 60,000 tonnes of various feedstock of which 50,000 tonnes would consist of various manures and agricultural side streams. Basic planning of the plant will be completed at the turn of the year and the plant would be ready to receive manure-based feedstocks in autumn 2021.
In the regional circular economy project, Gasum will be responsible for the investment in and opera-tion of the Huittinen biogas plant and HKScan is involved in planning the availability of manure-based feedstocks with its contract farms. As one of HKScan’s contract partners, Emomylly Oy, HKScan’s contract pig meat producer, is also committed to the project. When completed, the biogas plant will produce renewable biogas and local organic recycled fertilizer for agriculture in the region.
”Our biogas plant project is an important regional circular economy project and aims at improving the regional nutrient balance and reducing nutrient runoff into the Baltic Sea. With a properly targeted supply of fertilizer, agriculture can reduce the use of mineral and fossil fertilizers. The investment de-cision can be made once the basic planning has been completed. Cooperation with HKScan and re-gional operator is important,” says Ari Suomilammi, Director, Circular Economy Finland, Gasum.
”The biogas plant project is a concrete example of the circular economy and protection of the Baltic Sea and will enable the valuable nutrients in pig manure to be recovered and supplied to crop farms with nutrient deficiency. Manure processing at the biogas plant will directly reduce the carbon footprint of pig meat production by more than 12%. We want to be part of developing future solutions in meat production. It’s great to continue planning work on our manure pilot with Gasum,” says Ulf Jahnsson, VP, Strategic development production at HKScan.
"It’s good that planning work on our large-scale manure pilot continues with Gasum and HKScan and that together we can further promote the more efficient recycling of nutrients. The project will help us among other things to find out whether it is economically sustainable to take recycled nutrients from a livestock intensive area to a crop farming intensive one. This is a concrete example of work to protect the Baltic Sea. We want to address minimizing the environmental impacts of pig meat production and to also be part of developing future solutions going forward,” says Heikki Sampolahti at Emomylly.
Business Finland has granted energy support of EUR 537,350 to the biogas plant project.
For more information, please contact:
Ari Suomilammi, Director, Circular Economy Finland, Gasum
phone +358 400 653 351, firstname.surname(a)gasum.com
Ulf Jahnsson, VP, Strategic development production, HKScan
phone. +358 400 784 193, ulf.jahnsson@hkscan.com
Heikki Sampolahti, Emomylly
Phone +358 040 8617799, heikki.sampolahti@gmail.com
The energy company Gasum is a Nordic gas sector and energy market expert. Gasum offers cleaner energy and energy market expert services for industry and for combined heat and power production as well as cleaner fuel solutions for road and maritime transport. The company helps its customers to reduce their own carbon footprint as well as that of their customers. Together with its partners, Gasum promotes development towards a carbon-neutral future on land and at sea.
HKScan's target is to grow into a versatile food company. With over 100 years of experience, we make tasty, healthy and responsibly produced food responding to the needs of consumers and customers. For us at HKScan, responsibility includes the development of food production throughout the value chain, from farms to consumers. Our home markets cover Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Baltics. Our nearly 7,000 HKScan professionals ensure tastier life - today and tomorrow. Our diverse product portfolio includes poul-try, pork and beef, as well as meat products and meals. Our strong brands are HK®, Kariniemen®, Via®, Scan®, Pärsons®, Rak-vere®, Tallegg® and Rose®. In 2019, net sales of the publicly listed HKScan totalled EUR 1.7 billion. www.hkscan.com