Metsä Group was the first in the world to launch a pilot project for wood-based carbon dioxide capture in Rauma. The recovery of wood-derived, or biogenic, carbon dioxide opens up a major opportunity for the forest industry.
In Finland, around 24 million tonnes of wood-derived carbon dioxide are produced annually and released into the atmosphere as emissions. Most of this is produced by paper and pulp mills in South Karelia and eastern Finland. Carbon dioxide capture converts emissions into resources that are needed, for example, in the green hydrogen economy, where hydrogen is used to make chemicals and synthetic fuels.
According to a study by VTT last summer, the value of products made from carbon dioxide could be as high as EUR 7 billion by 2040.
Jami Hotlar's opinion piece on the subject was published alongside the news about the closure of the Kauka paper mill in Etelä-Saimaa magazine on 5 August, the article can be read at the following link: https://www.esaimaa.fi/paakirjoitus-mielipide/8738534
Metsä Group's experiment is a great head start in the right direction and an inspiring example for the entire forest industry.
