Funding secured for Finland’s first large-scale biogas plant in Nurmo

A long-awaited biogas plant in Nurmo, Finland, has officially secured its funding, with Suomen Lantakaasu Oy and Atria Suomi Oy investing over 60 million euros. This facility marks Finland’s first large-scale liquefied biogas production plant. A new renewable biofuel plant with an approximate production capacity of 100 GWh of liquefied biogas will be constructed near Atria’s production facility in Nurmo, with construction commencing immediately. The plant is expected to be completed in 2026, and preparatory earthworks and foundation work are already underway. The project has received necessary environmental and construction permits, along with investment support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Suomen Lantakaasu Oy is a joint venture between dairy company Valio and Nordic biogas firm 1Vision Biogas AB. “It’s great to advance the long-prepared Nurmo biogas plant project we acquired this spring, with the support from the Ministry being critical to its realization,” said Leena Helminen, Valio’s Director of Sustainable Business Development.

The biogas plant will generate renewable domestic energy and various types of biofertilizers from the manure of farms in the South Ostrobothnia region, as well as from agricultural and food industry byproducts. According to Helminen, the initiative will improve Finland’s fertilizer self-sufficiency, reduce nutrient runoff into waterways, and lower emissions in both the food and energy sectors.

Completion of the Nurmo biogas plant will enhance the availability of renewable fuels for heavy transport. St1 has begun constructing its own liquefied biogas refueling network, recently opening two refueling points for heavy traffic in Mäntsälä and Iittala. St1 will oversee the distribution and sale of the biogas produced by Suomen Lantakaasu.

Atria’s industrial operations director, Tauno Perälä, believes the Nurmo biogas facility will create new opportunities for local farms, enhancing their profitability. Suomen Lantakaasu aims to establish a liquefied biogas production network with a capacity of one terawatt-hour by 2030. Other biogas projects in Kiuruvesi and surrounding areas are progressing as scheduled.