Renewable and recyclable carbon

Global warming and circular economy are topics that focus deeply on existing material sustainable utilization to valuable end-products effectively. By nurturing this development, we are creating opportunities to respond to prevailing material breakdown and critical energy issues. In addition to this, we want to protect our biodiversity and meet the European targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030.

Biochemicals, battery chemicals, fiber-based packaging, textiles, food ingredients and cosmetics are all examples of products that can be made partly or completely from renewable carbon. In fact, this type of biorefining and value creation for circular carbon products is necessary to implement the Green Transfer for real and ensure sustainable development for real and ensure sustainable development in the bio economy.

Material breakup set challenges for the use of future materials

Material breakup will strongly guide us in our decisions, which leads to us needing to focus on which materials we can use or not. We might have limited raw materials available and new materials are under research stage. Therefore, it is essential to use existing side streams that have potential to be utilized more precisely. We must think how we are using current materials as efficiently as possible and respectively choosing new materials with the principles of the best sustainable basis. Overall, this is all changing the way we are operating, and production needs to be directed so that we are achieving permanent sustainable solutions.

Personally, I am especially fascinated by lignin as a material and the huge opportunities embedded in it. My interest in biomass processes and its utilization originates from my university studies at LUT where I also finalized my diploma work by having a deeper look in lignocellulosic wood biomass.

I firmly believe that with the help of biomass, we are building better solutions and a more sustainable future for all of us. And it is not only about biomass but these alternative raw materials as well: there is no room left for leaving, for example CO2 out of the raw material box! This means that even surprising raw materials provides us with change for green transition. To be successful in shaping the world with renewable and recyclable carbon, we need to ensure we utilize sustainably all the carbon containing feeds and increase products which including biobased carbon.

Sweco being part of the bio-economy future challenges

People at Sweco want to be part of this renewable and recyclable carbon development and provide our best knowledge to support companies in all steps always starting from conceptual studies and feasibility level to demonstration plants as well as commercial, industrial scale production. Sweco envisions that boosting bioeconomy and bio-based circular solutions is the only way forward to create a sustainable future. For me as an engineer it is a privilege to be part of this development: I feel that I am part of a meaningful and great stakeholder community. The best part is our visionary clients, who make the difference by creating sustainable solutions through renewable and recyclable biomass to lower carbon footprint. This allows the future transition to a more sustainable basis and that is the path we need to choose.

Petra Kaukonen, Design Engineer, petra.kaukonen@sweco.fi