Valmet Automotive has signed an agreement to build a biogas terminal on the Uusikaupunki plant site. The terminal is an important part of the company’s strategic sustainability program and it plays a decisive role in realizing CO2 neutrality of the Uusikaupunki site by eliminating CO2 emissions, reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency.
Valmet Automotive’s goal is carbon neutral production at the Uusikaupunki plant by the end of 2021. The current emissions are caused by using light fuel oil in the paint shop furnaces, and these emissions will be eliminated through the introduction of biogas. For the time being, the few remaining CO2 emissions from the plant will be compensated with certified projects.
In the biogas project, the light fuel oil used for heating the furnaces of the car plant’s paint shop will be completely replaced by natural gas and biogas. The biogas terminal will initially use liquefied natural gas (LNG), but as soon as biogas is available in volumes required for the paint shop operations, the aim is to switch to using only biogas.
In addition, the heating system of the paint shop’s furnaces will be renewed, which will further contribute to improving the energy efficiency of car plant operations. The biogas project is estimated to reduce the Uusikaupunki site’s energy consumption by 5–10 percent from the current level.
– The biogas terminal further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability. At the Uusikaupunki plant, we have switched to fossil-free electricity in 2019 and to district heating from renewable sources in 2020. With the biogas terminal, we will make this plant carbon neutral, says Pasi Rannus, SVP Manufacturing, Valmet Automotive.
Earthworks on the biogas terminal site will begin as soon as possible. The planned construction will be a 120 cubic meter storage and evaporation terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biogas that produces energy for the Uusikaupunki plant. Deployment is scheduled for the second half of 2022.
Additional information:
Mikael Mäki, Manager, Corporate Communications, Valmet Automotive
+358 50 317 4308
mikael.maki@valmet-automotive.com
Image bank available at https://www.valmet-automotive.com/media/
www.valmet-automotive.com
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The Valmet Automotive Group is one of the largest vehicle contract manufacturers in the world, Tier 1 systems supplier for convertible roof systems and for battery systems. In its strategic development, Valmet Automotive Group focuses on electromobility with the development and manufacturing of battery modules as well as packs for electrified vehicles. The activities in the group are organized in three business lines: Manufacturing, EV Systems and Roof & Kinematic Systems. Since its founding in 1968, Valmet Automotive has produced more than 1.7 million vehicles at the Uusikaupunki, Finland plant. Valmet Automotive operates two battery factories in Salo and Uusikaupunki. A third battery plant in Kirchardt, Germany, will start production in 2022. The company has locations in Finland, Germany and Poland. Valmet Automotive’s largest shareholders are state-owned Finnish investment company Tesi and the Pontos Group, each with a stake of 38.46 %. 23.08 % is held by the Chinese Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), the world leading manufacturer of battery cells for electric vehicles.