Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy – Advancing Biogas Production through Farm Collaboration

Photo: At the ”Biogas in the Tank” event at Ranua’s Hillatori, experts from Demeca and Hankkija as well as shareholders of Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy: Markku Laitila (left), Oskar Vidjeskog, Johannes Linna, Oliver Karjalainen, Maija Puhakka, Lasse Puhakka, Ilpo Karjalainen, Jan-Erik Impiö, Juhani Jurmu, Kimmo Jussila, Jani Sääskilahti, Marko Pankinaho, and Mika Impiö.

Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy – Advancing Biogas Production through Farm Collaboration

The story of Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy is an example of how cooperation between farms can create significant solutions for both the environment and agriculture. Yesterday at Ranua’s Hillatori, this was truly demonstrated, as farms together with partners organized the ”Biogas in the Tank” event, which, in addition to presenting the biogas plant, highlighted the opportunities of biomethane for professional drivers. A great number of industry professionals gathered at the event, where biogas-powered vehicles were also on display.

Lapland is known for its collective strength and determination to see major projects through to completion. Demeca’s installers have been working diligently on the construction of the biogas plant under the challenging conditions of the North. Mika Impiö has served as the driving force and CEO of the company from the very beginning. The biogas plant and associated filling station being built in Ranua are a concrete demonstration of how local producers can jointly promote circular economy practices on farms, reduce emissions from their operations, develop new revenue models for agricultural enterprises, and produce low-emission fuel for transportation. Demeca is constructing the plant complex, which includes all the technology required for the production, upgrading, and distribution of biogas. The biogas plant and the compressed biogas (CBG) filling station are located in the Kolomaa industrial area in Ranua, close to the town center. As construction of the biogas plant in Ranua progresses, commissioning will take place over the summer, after which the facility will be handed over to the customer and refueling can begin.

How Did It All Start? Collaboration Initiated by 21 Farms

The project began when farms in the Ranua, Pudasjärvi, and Simo areas decided to explore the potential of biogas in their region. The farmers financed the preliminary study entirely on their own and established Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy in October 2023. Bold steps were needed to get the project off the ground. The company is owned by 21 farms, including dairy, beef, and crop farms. The main raw materials for the biogas plant are slurry and field biomass from the farms, but there are also plans to utilize lake biomass in the future. In the first phase, the biogas plant will process approximately 23,000 tonnes of raw materials annually, but the capacity can be expanded up to 60,000 tonnes (about 20 GWh). The initial goal is to produce around 7 GWh of energy per year, which corresponds to replacing approximately 600,000 liters of diesel in transportation.

Community and Responsibility

The biogas plant provides new income opportunities for the farms and reduces fertilization costs, as the digestate can be used as fertilizer on fields. At the same time, methane emissions from the farms are significantly reduced. Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu’s project has received substantial support from the Ministry of the Environment, which covers 65 percent of the investment costs. The project is unique in that it was initiated by the producers themselves, and the farms own the company one hundred percent. The power of collaboration, strong commitment, and a shared goal are evident in all activities – together, a sustainable future is being built for the entire region. The story of Pohjois-Suomen Biokaasu Oy demonstrates that by working together, great things can be achieved – for the benefit of both the farms and society as a whole.