Andritz has recently started up the world’s first biomethanol plant using its self-developed A-Recovery+ concept at the Södra Cell Mönsterås pulp mill in south eastern Sweden.

The plant has an annual production capacity of 6.3 million litres of biomethanol from forest biomass.

The fossil-free biomethanol can be used for applications in the pulp mill itself, or as a substitute for fossil-based methanol in the transport sector (biodiesel) and as a chemical base substance.

Scope of supply included proprietary process design and full EPC delivery, excluding automation, instrumentation, electrification and civil works.

Andritz said the A-Recovery+ concept delivers commercial grade biomethanol by using a patented extraction process.

It offers next-generation solutions for the chemical recovery cycle of pulp mills, with the target of utilising the pulp mill side streams to the maximum extent possible.

In addition to biomethanol production, A-Recovery+ also produces sulfuric acid from odorous gases and recovers lignin for the production of high-quality lignin to be used in advanced bioproducts.

The project supports Södra’s ambitions to make its operations entirely fossil-free and be climate-positive by the end of this decade.

The company is aiming to eliminate fossil fuel use throughout its operations and producing innovative products that replace fossil-based raw materials.