The project is being developed by Wega Group Oy and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) in cooperation with the City of Nivala and NIHAK.
Founded in 2012, Wega Group Oy is a company specializing in renewable fuel production and distribution services and supply chain construction.
The project is funded by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, which is the world’s largest fund manager focusing on renewable energy investments.
Nivala has identified great potential for feedstocks, which enables the implementation of a large-scale biogas plant. Nivala also has active support for the project locally.
The Kurunpuhto industrial area, where the plant is planned, acts as an industrial area. A site of 20 hectares is reserved for the plant.
The area has been used for forestry and there are no settlements in its immediate vicinity.
The design of the plant will be carried out using modern technology and the principle of best available technology (BAT), which is required in the environmental permit. Odour and noise problems can be minimized in the technical design of the plant.
All the feedstock that may cause odours is treated in under-pressurised halls, from where odorous gases are recovered and treated with appropriate technology. The implementation of the manure logistics considers the management of odour problems by using appropriate equipment.
Regionally, the use of digestate instead of manure in fertilization significantly reduces odours caused by the spreading.
The project area is not located near waters. As a rule, the plant’s processes do not produce wastewater, and any dirty stormwater generated is utilized at the plant or treated appropriately.
The plant will mainly utilize side streams from agriculture, such as slurry, dry manure and field biomasses. Clean industrial side streams can also be utilized.
The plant is responsible for transporting feedstock and digestate, and it is professionally managed with modern equipment. Logistics are optimized, which means that only full loads are driven.
The investment amount of the project depends on the final size of the biogas plant, but based on the current LOI’s, the estimated amount is up to EUR 100 million.
During construction, the employment impact of the project is estimated to be 350-700 person-years. During operation, approximately 10-20 plant personnel will be needed, as well as plant support services, such as logistics and maintenance.
All the digestate is hygienizated at the plant with heat treatment which kills all the possible pathogens and prevents spreading of possible diseases. Animal safety is also considered in manure and digestate logistics.
Biogas production has many regional benefits. Capturing methane from manure reduces greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and odours caused by manure application. The nutrient cycle and improved fertilizer properties of digestate compared to manure bring benefits to local plant cultivation.
The plant project will bring a large-scale investment and jobs to Nivala both during construction and operation.