The interest for biorefineries is rapidly increasing in Sweden and internationally. There are several reasons for this growing interest. There is an increasing competition from mills in e.g. South America and Asia and from other types of wood-based industry which have both a low cost for raw material and production. Furthermore the market price for pulp has decreased over several years. Other important factors, partly related to the above ones, are:
- The pulp and paper industry is striving at more valuable products
- The energy efficiency and hence the excess of biomass, is increasing/can be considerably increased in pulp mills
- Increased energy prices and new policy instruments The products from a biorefinery are environmentally important (e.g. non petroleum based materials, renewable, biodegradable chemicals, CO2-neutral fuels and electricity, chemicals). These issues are discussed in the report.