The builder of the Puolanka biogas plant has been chosen

Submitted by outi.laatikain… on
Vehmaan biokaasulaitos (Doranova)

The REMAC - Renewing Sludge Management Concepts project, funded by the Karelia CBC program, brings biogas production in Kainuu to modern times. The project will invest in a small-scale biogas reactor for the treatment of sewage sludge in Puolanka, which will serve the needs of Puolanka and neighboring municipalities in the future. The plant produces biogas, which will then be used at the municipal heating plant to replace some of the used fossil fuels. Biogas production for transport use has been strongly developed in Finland in recent years, but the size class of the plant to be invested in is now more suitable for local use.

As a result of a tender, the Finnish company Doranova Ltd. Was chosen to build the biogas plant. Doranova has been in the business for more than twenty years, garnering much praise and honor for its circular economy solutions for soil and groundwater maintenance, and biogas production and utilization. Doranova carries out cleaning projects using its own in situ methods, which do not require a change of masses and do not interfere with the other use of the location. The biogas business, on the other hand, has focused on the development of technical solutions and project deliveries for biogas plants.

"The Puolanka biogas plant is a very interesting contract from all angles," says Antti Myllärinen, Chairman of Doranova Ltd. “Although our biogas solutions would’ve provided a suitable technical package for the needs of the project, we still spent a lot of time investigating the site. The opportunity to get to know the site and interview, for example, those responsible for the operation of the wastewater treatment plant helped a lot here. ”

Heikki Kanniainen, the Environmental Manager of the Municipality of Puolanka, is also satisfied with the competition the end result.

"After several years of determined development work, the selection of the biogas plant supplier concretized", Kanniainen states. "We believe that the investment which is now underway will act as a driving force for new circular economy investments in the Puolanka biocentre area."

REMAC is a Karelia CBC co-operation project led by Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, in which, in addition to the Municipality of Puolanka and KAMK, MACON Oy from Finland participates. The same project is also developing the environmental efficiency of sludge treatment in Russian Karelia. Further treatment and drying of sludge is being developed in Kostomuksha. In addition, sludge storaging solutions are being developed in the villages of the Kondopoga area to reduce harmful runoff into Lake Äänisjärvi.

"It is great to see that the REMAC project is progressing according to plan and visible reforms will be achieved! In addition to the Puolanka biogas reactor, there are currently plans in place for technology demonstrations to improve existing wastewater processes and their environmental safety. These will be announced later this year, "commented Outi Laatikainen, project manager of the REMAC project.