King Carl XVI Gustaf broke ground for the BioDME plant:
"The fuels of the future combat the environmental challenges"
On September 18 His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf broke ground for the BioDME plant that will be built by Chemrec within its development unit in Piteå in northern Sweden. "The BioDME-project presents to the world the fuels of the future to combat the environmental challenges that the world is faced with,” the King said in his speech.
At the event the full concept of the BioDME project – from wood to wheel – was presented for the first time. The pilot plant is expected to begin production in July 2010 with a capacity of about 4 tons (1,600 gallons) per day.
 | | King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden breaking ground for the BioDME project in Piteå, Sweden.
“I congratulate you all to a successful cooperation,” the King said in his speech. “We are today moving from theory to reality in this important project, presenting to the world the fuels of the future to combat the environmental challenges that the world is faced with.”
|
The forest rescues a damaged world
One of the speakers, Ola Alterå, state secretary, looked back in history at how the forest brought Sweden out of poverty during the industrialization. “Now we are standing at the threshold of a new era. We have made damage to the climate of the world and would need a new globe. Again the forest comes to our rescue, giving us clean, energy efficient fuels. The BioDME project makes me proud to also represent the European Committee this year.”
 | | "Again the forest comes to our rescue", said Ola Alterå, state secretary, looking back in Swedish history. "This time giving us clean, energy efficient fuels.” |
Green house gases reduced by 95%
“Persistence is an important quality in order to realize a long-term project with such a revolutionary technology as the BioDME project,” said Jonas Rudberg, COO of Chemrec, who then proceeded to give commendations to all the participants of the project – from the original inventor of the gasification technology Jan-Erik Kignell, to the Swedish Energy Agency.
“BioDME reduces green house gases with 95%,” said Rudberg. “The potential of what we are doing in this project is to reduce the emission of green house gases in Sweden with 10% by running half of the Swedish fleet of heavy trucks on the BioDME.
The Swedish King visiting Chemrec development plant.
Participating competencies
Volvo Trucks demonstrated the first heavy-duty truck with an engine adapted for DME fuel. Volvo is coordinating the BioDME project and will put 14 DME trucks into operation. Preem is participating in the project by building four filling stations for BioDME to support the fleet test. Other consortium members include Haldor Topsøe, Total, Delphi and ETC. The project is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme. The estimated cost of the plant is around SEK 150 million (EUR 14 million, USD 20 million).
 | | Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the BioDME project, Pitå, Sweden. |