Metsä Group has launched the pre-engineering phase of the world’s first commercial plant for capturing biogenic CO₂ from woody biomass. The project will be developed in Rauma, Finland, at the Metsä Fibre mill, and represents a key step in transforming the pulp industry toward low-emission and circular models.
The plant is expected to have a capacity of approximately 100,000 tonnes per year of CO₂ captured from production flue gases, intended for new industrial applications in the chemical and synthetic fuels sectors, with the goal of replacing fossil raw materials and reducing emissions across value chains. The project is based on technology already tested in 2025 at the same site in collaboration with Andritz, which confirmed the feasibility of industrial scale-up.
According to Metsä Group, the overall potential for biogenic CO₂ capture could in the future reach several million tonnes per year. The initiative is supported by an authorization process already underway and by an application for access to the Finnish reverse auction system for financing the clean transition, which may cover up to 30% of the investment.
Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring, emphasized that the first commercial agreements with industrial customers have already been signed, marking the start of the market phase. The final investment decision is not expected before 2027 and will depend on permits, financing, and industrial demand. The project could open up a new biogenic carbon value chain, transforming paper mills into integrated platforms for an advanced circular economy.