Finland's interest in biodiesel has increased. Tampere based Hermia Ltd is administrating the Biograde research program which aims to help Finnish small-scale producers to improve the quality of biofuel and ensure that EU quality standards are met.

Finland has around two dozen small producers of biodiesel. Biograde – Finnish bio-diesel from farms – is a project promoting opportunities for small biodiesel producers to bring to market high-quality bio-fuel. The project has created a domestic surveillance system on biodiesel quality.

“We wanted to find a suitable, sufficiently simple and low-cost way for small producers to ensure that only high-quality biodiesel is sold that does not cause damage to the machine,” says the project steering group leader, Senior Inspector Veli-Pekka Reskola of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

“It is important that the quality of the biodiesel is uniform. The study was useful because it gave practical information and resources on how to improve the product,” says CEO Pertteli Niemistö of Bel Oy in Urjala, Finland. Bel Air was one of several participants in the research program.

Pertteli Niemistö says that control must be increased; for example, in monitoring the water content in oil and glycerol filtration.

Bel Oy has been manufacturing biodiesel from cold-pressed rapeseed oil for over two years. Biodiesel is sold directly from the farm, mainly for private use in cars. It is also used as an energy source for heating and in machinery.

“Demand is greater than our ability to supply. More and more customers are now environmentally aware and want to save energy”, says Pertteli Niemistö.

Bel Oy produces about 40 tonnes of biodiesel annually. Production has fallen recently due to the high price of rapeseed. Pertteli Niemistö cultivates rapeseed, but the majority is purchased from elsewhere. Biodiesel can also be made from fish oil as well as recycled oils. The largest manufacturer of biodiesel in Finland is Neste Oil.