Metsä Group has launched a trial carbon capture facility at its Rauma pulp mill in western Finland, aiming to test whether the technology can be applied to the forestry sector on a broader scale. The pilot project, supplied by Austrian engineering firm Andritz, represents one of the first attempts to extract carbon dioxide directly from pulp mill flue gases.
Over the coming months, the mill will run a series of experiments to gauge the efficiency of carbon capture under different operating conditions. Engineers will track how much carbon can be collected, how much energy the process requires, and whether the captured stream is clean enough for downstream uses.
“So far, the technology appears to be working well with the pulp mill’s flue gases,” says Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, Metsä Group’s senior vice president of business development and the director of its carbon capture program.
The project initiatiated in August 2024 and alongside the Rauma test, the company is weighing whether to build a demonstration plant at another site, which could trap as much as 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Such a move would hinge on both technical refinements and financial feasibility.
Unlike many emissions-reduction projects, Metsä’s initiative would not increase timber harvesting or impair mill output. Instead, it would seek to redirect a byproduct—biogenic carbon dioxide—toward industrial applications such as chemicals and fuels, potentially replacing fossil feedstocks.
“The investments related to capture are large, and the market is underdeveloped, so we’re proceeding gradually,” Pehu-Lehtonen notes. “In addition, the value chains from raw material to finished products are often new and complex, requiring close cooperation between the participants and insight into industrial operations.”
Finland has been experimenting with carbon capture across industries ranging from energy to cement, supported by EU climate goals and national funding programs. While the policy framework remains in flux, state aid is expected to be crucial in scaling projects beyond pilot stage, with Metsä’s effort adding momentum to the country’s emerging carbon capture landscape.
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