The biorefinery-a new forest industry is emerging

摘要

This article was submitted by Nils Lindstrand on behalf of STFI -Packforsk, and summarises outcomes from the Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference, NWBC 2008, which was organised by leading research centres in Sweden and Finland. NWBC 2008 gathered more than 200 representatives of industry and R&D centres in five continents. Most participants came from Sweden, Finland, Germany and USA. NWBC 2008 also served as a conference for presenting results from the EU project WaCheUp, carried out within the EU Framework program 6.rnMajor companies like BASF and the American energy giant Chevron are forming strategic alliances together with forest industry partners. More alliances are emerging, and the time for action is now. Biorefineries are no longer for the future; they are already beginning to be a part of industries getting ready for sustainable production. The goal is clear: an industrial infrastructure allowing for energy and chemicals to be produced from sustainable raw materials. The future also holds possibilities to produce new construction materials and a large number of speciality chemicals and Pharmaceuticals.