Metso and LignolMetso recently joined Lignol's consortium which is in the process of getting its first commercial biofuel plant into production.
This is quite significant, as Metso has considerable expertise and full scope solutions in biomass processing and holds a large portfolio of patents many of which are in the pulp.paper and forest wastes niche.
Late in 2010 , Metso delivered a turnkey 124 MWe biomass power plant in France.The source fuels were bark, sawdust, wood chips, sludge, forest residue, recycled wood .
The overall capacity of the bioenergy boilers Metso has sold since 2000 corresponds to approximately six average nuclear reactors and replaces more than 140,000 railway cars of coal annually.
The technology under development also improves biomass utilization .
This is from their web site,,,,,,,,
"There are several ways of using biomass in energy production. In addition to combustion solutions, the biomass handling processes that are being developed can help generate products with greater added value. They can be used either as fuels in energy production or as raw materials in various chemical processes. The expansion of biomass end uses creates demand for new technologies.
Metso is involved in the development of new technologies. A sorted-waste gasification plant is being built for Lahti Energy. In that project, the replacement of coal with biofuels will reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions corresponding to the carbon footprint of 260,000 cars. Bio-oil production is underway as part of a cooperation project between Metso, the VTT research centre, the Fortum energy company and the forest industry company UPM. The project involves the production of bio-oil in Metso’s R&D pilot plant and test combustion at Fortum’s Masala thermal power plant. "
It seems obvious that Metso is very interested in Lignol's lignin patents,as it would fill a gap in their suite of services involving the full utilization of forest and pulp and paper wastes.
With its strong expertise in biofuel plant construction, its environmental bent towards " green " solutions and its patents in the pulp and paper waste industry, its a fair bet that the proposed biofuel refinery would involve not only Metso .but perhaps also one of the several large pulp and paper companies, for whom the benefits of waste utlliizatin would be substantial.
Metso would also be the one-stop provider for all aspects of the new refinery.