Value chain opportunities in urban carbon cycle

In the focus of the project are local industrial ecosystems created for the utilization of biogenic carbon dioxide (BioCO2). The two case-study regions are: the capital region and Lahti-Lappeenranta region. In these case-study areas, BioCO2 sources and users are mapped, recovery, purification, storage and logistics are solved, value chains are created, and business potential and environmental impacts are assessed. Special attention is paid to BioCO2 quality requirements by each utilization site and how this degree of purity is achieved, considering both the BioCO2 source and the cleaning method.

Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) is coordinating the project and the other research partners are VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, LAB University of Applied Sciences and LUT University. The cities of Espoo, Vantaa, Lahti, and Lappeenranta are involved in the project, as well as several companies operating within the cities from all different stages of the value chain. Project is funded by Business Finland, participating research organizations, universities, and companies.

The aim of the project for the cities is both updating their carbon neutrality strategies as well as creating regionally new business, including start-ups. Companies aim is to develop their own business and to create internationally replicable business models based on selected value chains. Companies and BioCO2 application have been selected according to different purity requirements so that the project can create a demand for a wide variety of recovered gas. In addition, the project also makes proposals for policy measures that support BioCO2 utilization and new business.