Solutions for competitive pellet production in
medium size enterprises
North Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Project Information
•
Project duration 1.1.2008 – 31.12.2010
•
Priority 1: Promoting innovation and competitiveness in remote and
peripheral area
•
Target areas: Finland, Sweden, Scotland and Iceland
•
Budget 1.77 MEUR
•
9 main partners, 7 associate partners
•
Product: Tool package for SMEs to start small-scale pellet production
Partnership
Lead partner: North Karelia University of Applied Sciences (NKUAS
Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla)
Joensuu Regional Development Company, Josek Ltd.
University of Kuopio,
The Fine Particle and Aerosol Technology Laboratory
Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Highland Birchwoods
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Partnership
Herads- and Austurlandsskogar
Iceland Forest Service
Associate partners:
Vapo Corporation Ltd.
Biottori Ltd.
Pakaslahti Ltd.
M. Pappinen Ltd.
National Farmers Union Scotland
JPK-Tuote Ltd
Konepaja Antti Ranta Ltd.
Justifications
•
Security of energy supply and preventing the climate change
•
Need to broaden the raw material base:
•
•
•
•
•
Rising domestic and export demand of pellets
Economic fluctuations and shortage of current materials
Preventing delays in market development
Meeting both fuel and non-fuel demand of pellets
Rural business development, innovativeness
Objectives
•
The overall objective:
Developing a package of tools to facilitate establishment of
SMEs in small scale pellet production, support existing pellet
production, and, enhance energy availability throughout the NPP
region
•
Market analysis
•
Identification of current and future raw materials
•
GIS based ID of the bottlenecks of the raw materials supply
•
Investigating material handling and logistics
•
Development of new raw materials and mixtures
•
•
Pelletizing trials and fuel analysis
Potential of short rotational coppices/forestry crops
Broadening of the raw material base
PELLETime will identify current and future potential
availability of both existing raw materials and alternative
raw materials.
GIS analysis will identify any bottlenecks arising from
fluctuations in existing raw material supply over time and
regional markets will also be analysed to highlight areas
where these bottlenecks could become a significant
constraint on market development.
In these areas development of new raw materials will be
vital and the project will examine the potential of a range
of agricultural and short rotation forestry crops,
developing best practice guidance on the landscape,
biodiversity and hydrological dimensions of management.
Material handling and logistics
Handling, logistics and innovative techniques for matching
variable raw materials to different end user requirements
will be modelled and a cost-calculator will be developed to
allow SMEs to assess the feasibility of local pellet
production.
In Iceland, PELLETime will provide expertise for developing
local forest inventories and management plans.
Pelletizing trials and fuel analysis
Potential new raw materials and mixtures of raw materials will
be pelletized and tested in terms of fuel quality, calorific value
and emissions and the results will form the basis for a best
practice guidance document on utilisation of different raw
materials and mixtures in small and medium scale pellet
production.
PELLETime will carry out two rounds of pelletizing trials and
test 12 samples of alternative raw materials, such as short
rotational coppices, whole tree chips and logging residues
from final fellings.
Advisory, consultation and study tours
PELLETime will organise open days for end users of pellets.
Project will also carry out a range of advisory and
consultation services, including business and technical
advisory.
Study tours will be organised for exchanging experiences
and transferring best practices to the northern peripheral
areas.
Outcomes
The SME tool package will comprise:
– Pellet market report and contact network
– Inventory of regionally available resources
– Best practice guideline on landscape, biodiversity and hydrology of raw materials
– Cost-calculator on handling and logistics of raw materials and pellets
– Best practice guideline on logistics and quality assurance
(in terms of fuel supply)
– Best practice guideline on fuel quality and technology, and
– Internet based user’s guide
Contact PELLETime project
Lasse Okkonen
Project Manager, PELLETime project
North Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Yliopistokatu 6, FIN-80100 Joensuu
FINLAND
GSM (office) +358 50 342 3582
lasse.okkonen@pkamk.fi
pelletime@pkamk.fi
www.pelletime.fi