Norway-based biochemicals company Circa and Finnish wood processor Vataset have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to evaluate the establishment of a Circa Furacell production facility on Vataset’s Kemijarvi Biopark in Northern Finland. The Kemijarvi Biorefinery specialises in processing wood into pulp.
Circa’s Furacell technology uses lignocellulosic biomass, which consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, as feedstock for the pyrolysis process. One of the sources of lignocellulosic biomass is wood and waste from the pulp and paper industry. By establishing a Furacell production facility at the Kemijarvi Biopark, the waste of Vataset would thus become the feedstock for Circa.
“Finland has a long history in the forest-based industries and the Kemijarvi site has the necessary skills, feedstock, logistics and infrastructure to support Circa – combined importantly with a vision of circularity and low-carbon developments,” said Tony Duncan, Circa CEO. “Circa’s strategy is to identify a small number of development sites globally to serve adjacent regional markets with levoglucosenone derivatives including our green solvent Cyrene.”
The Furacell process uses the cellulose component of lignocellulosic biomass to produce platform molecule levoglucosenone (LGO), char, and water. Circa’s bio-based solvent Cyrene is derived from LGO. Although biomass pyrolysis often produces unwanted chemicals, Circa claims the Furacell process outputs minimal by-products, reducing downstream separation costs and minimising waste disposal. Cyrene offers a low-toxicity, sustainable alternative to fossil-based solvents used in paints, coatings, battery, and textile applications, amongst others.
Circa started developing its technology in 2009 and subsequently fine-tuned it over ten years across five pilot plants. Ultimately, the company aims to have 80,000 tonnes of capacity in place by 2030. This will be achieved through the development of deployable 10-15 thousand tonne per annum Furacell modules capable of operating separately or in parallel, depending on local feedstock and supporting infrastructure availability.