86 A. Klitkou et al.
world’s leading supplier of lignin- based chemicals and to improve its position,
with bio- ethanol as an important by- product. Therefore, Borregaard has
bought up a high- lignin production capacity globally. The company’s strategic goal is to build and operate plants in Europe or other places in the world
and not become a technology supplier.
For several decades, Borregaard has been interested in optimising its
different processes – debarking, pre- treatment, hydrolysis, fermentation and
chemical conversion. The most recent developments have been the BALI
Pilot plant, where the pre- treatment of feedstock is central, and a plant for
producing microfibrillar cellulose (MFC).
The BALI pilot plant is a research plant and does not produce for the
market. The plant aims to ‘utilize low value biomass and convert it to various
competitive products. A goal is to utilize at least 80% of the biomass to
produce products, energy excluded’ (Rødsrud et al., 2012, p. 52f.). The BALI
Pilot is based on the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic material and
produces ethanol; lignin, specialty chemicals; single- cell protein and sugar
derivatives. The BALI process is based on chemical pre- treatment, saccharification with commercial enzymes, conventional fermentation of hexoses,
aerobic fermentation or chemical conversion of pentoses, and chemical modification of lignin.
Borregaard first installed a pilot plant for developing and testing the MFC
technology. The plant is still in operation and is used for testing and demonstrating new applications for MFC. It has a capacity of 100 dry metric tonnes.
The MFC plant started its operation in 2016 and is globally the first commercial plant for MFC. It has a capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes of 10% paste
(1000 metric tonnes dry) (Borregaard Exilva, 2018).
Borregaard has its own research centre with 70 employees and collaborates
extensively with knowledge organisations inside the region, such as the
University of Life Sciences in Ås and Østfold Research in Fredrikstad, but
also within international networks which are engaged in developing new
biorefinery technology. The company has received public funding for various
research projects in the field of biorefining, but also for big demonstration
facilities. Important national funding agencies were the Research Council of
Norway, Innovation Norway and Enova. In cooperation with other companies, Borregaard was central in the development of a national strategy for
forest- based industries (Skog 22, 2014). In this project Borregaard focused on
the development of wooden fibre and biorefining exploitation. The Fibre
Group concluded with three main goals for the fibre- based industry: increased
harvesting from Norwegian forests, increased domestic value creation and
decreased dependence on exports and, finally, innovation. The short- term
focus on export of timber and use of forest resources for stationary energy
was assessed as risky and should in the long- term be replaced with a focus on
biorefineries and production of advanced biofuels for heavy transport, aeroplanes and ships, on bio- chemicals and special lignocellulosic materials
(Rødsrud, 2014).
world’s leading supplier of lignin- based chemicals and to improve its position,
with bio- ethanol as an important by- product. Therefore, Borregaard has
bought up a high- lignin production capacity globally. The company’s strategic goal is to build and operate plants in Europe or other places in the world
and not become a technology supplier.
For several decades, Borregaard has been interested in optimising its
different processes – debarking, pre- treatment, hydrolysis, fermentation and
chemical conversion. The most recent developments have been the BALI
Pilot plant, where the pre- treatment of feedstock is central, and a plant for
producing microfibrillar cellulose (MFC).
The BALI pilot plant is a research plant and does not produce for the
market. The plant aims to ‘utilize low value biomass and convert it to various
competitive products. A goal is to utilize at least 80% of the biomass to
produce products, energy excluded’ (Rødsrud et al., 2012, p. 52f.). The BALI
Pilot is based on the biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic material and
produces ethanol; lignin, specialty chemicals; single- cell protein and sugar
derivatives. The BALI process is based on chemical pre- treatment, saccharification with commercial enzymes, conventional fermentation of hexoses,
aerobic fermentation or chemical conversion of pentoses, and chemical modification of lignin.
Borregaard first installed a pilot plant for developing and testing the MFC
technology. The plant is still in operation and is used for testing and demonstrating new applications for MFC. It has a capacity of 100 dry metric tonnes.
The MFC plant started its operation in 2016 and is globally the first commercial plant for MFC. It has a capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes of 10% paste
(1000 metric tonnes dry) (Borregaard Exilva, 2018).
Borregaard has its own research centre with 70 employees and collaborates
extensively with knowledge organisations inside the region, such as the
University of Life Sciences in Ås and Østfold Research in Fredrikstad, but
also within international networks which are engaged in developing new
biorefinery technology. The company has received public funding for various
research projects in the field of biorefining, but also for big demonstration
facilities. Important national funding agencies were the Research Council of
Norway, Innovation Norway and Enova. In cooperation with other companies, Borregaard was central in the development of a national strategy for
forest- based industries (Skog 22, 2014). In this project Borregaard focused on
the development of wooden fibre and biorefining exploitation. The Fibre
Group concluded with three main goals for the fibre- based industry: increased
harvesting from Norwegian forests, increased domestic value creation and
decreased dependence on exports and, finally, innovation. The short- term
focus on export of timber and use of forest resources for stationary energy
was assessed as risky and should in the long- term be replaced with a focus on
biorefineries and production of advanced biofuels for heavy transport, aeroplanes and ships, on bio- chemicals and special lignocellulosic materials
(Rødsrud, 2014).