Valmet to deliver BioPower heat and power plant to ORLEN Poludnie S.A

The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) delivery includes a pretreatment BioTrac system with a capacity to process approximately 400 tons of dry straw per day, a BioPower 48MWth lignin fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant and a Valmet DNA Automation system. 

The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the first quarter 2022. The value of the order will not be disclosed.  

The plant will start its operation in 2024. Through this project ORLEN Południe S.A. will increase its share in the biofuels market. In addition, the project will support ORLEN’s ambition to reach the EU target for bio-additives in the liquid fuels market. Bioethanol will be produced from non-food agricultural feedstocks (predominantly cereal straw) sourced mainly from Polish farmers.

Ethanol process byproduct, lignin, is used as fuel in the BioPower CHP plant, producing all steam for the ethanol plant and power.

“Valmet has a natural role to support its customers in the global transition from fossil fuels to renewable resources. The second-generation bioethanol is a very good example of Valmet utilizing the decades of experience in biomass processing for developing solutions that can be used for other applications outside its traditional pulp, paper and energy field. We see great potential in this field and are very happy to have been selected by ORLEN Południe S.A. as a key technology partner in this very important project”, said Bertel Karlstedt, Business Line President, Pulp and Energy, Valmet.

Technical information about the delivery

The delivery includes a Valmet Pretreatment BioTrac system and a Valmet BioPower heat and power plant. Both installations are controlled by a Valmet DNA automation system with embedded information management and cyber security solutions. The BioTrac pretreatment enables an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons of bioethanol. 

Valmet BioPower plant is based on proven bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) combustion technology and flue gas cleaning combined with factory manufactured modules enabling faster project implementation, shorter site time and completion with better quality and lower implementation risks. The fuel capacity of the plant is 48MWth.