St1 - News Releases

St1 introduces 120 Service Masters at Shell stations

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +0300

The St1 energy company has introduced a unique service refueling to its consolidated yellow fuel station network. The first trained Service Masters started serving customers at 16 Shell stations in the Helsinki metropolitan area on Monday. The service will be expanded nationwide later this year.

St1 has, in co-operation with its station managers, developed a personal service that is based on company traditions, the best of station service in different countries and, above all, on the wishes and needs of drivers. St1 brings Service Refueling to nearly 60 Shell stations in four stages this year. Station managers will hire about 120 new Service Masters altogether. Trained Service Masters will check and replenish the things that keep everyday driving smooth, like washing liquid and oil levels for example, while refueling the car. A satisfied customer may pay one euro for the service received, should he or she so wish.

“Following the development of the field, St1 has the largest unmanned station network in the Nordic Countries. The large number of unmanned stations does not reduce the need for different services related to cars and driving. Quality of service has been further emphasized in the customer experience, and we meet this need with our new Service Refueling concept”, says Retailing Director Mikko Reinekari of St1 Oy. “Service Refueling is a strong, customer based competitive advantage, and we expect that more and more drivers will choose a station with Service Refueling in the future", Reinekari goes on.

Customers of the St1 chain will also be able to enjoy the new service, because St1 cards will be valid at all Shell chain stations by the end of the year. By the summer of next year, cards of both yellow chains of stations will be fully interchangeable - it will be possible to refuel with them at all of the company’s stations in Finland. The combined number of St1 and Shell refueling sites in Finland comes close to 600.

The first Shell Service Refueling stations September 19, 2011:

Espoo: Haukilahti, Suomenoja, Vallikallio

Helsinki: Etel�-Haaga, Herttoniemi, It�keskus, Konala, Kruununhaka, K�pyl�, Lauttasaari, Myllypuro, Pukinm�ki, Tullinpuomi

Vantaa: Ala-Tikkurila, Mikkola, Ruskeasanta

St1 Oy, Retailing Director Mikko Reinekari, 010 557 4713, firstname.lastname@st1.fi
St1 Oy, Communications Manager Liisa Joenpolvi, 010 557 2419, firstname.lastname@st1.fi
Tamoils Oy, Managing Director Henri Leinonen, 040 734 4034, firstname.lastname@tamoils.fi

St1 In brief

St1 is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1’s energy services and products cover everything from wind power to high-concentration ethanol Refuel RE85 produced from biowaste. The company has seven bioethanol production facilities in Finland, an oil refinery in Gothenburg and St1 and Shell fuel stations in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The head office is situated in Helsinki. Further information at www.st1.fi

Mika Wiljanen is the new Managing Director of St1 Oy

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:01:00 +0200

Mika Wiljanen has been appointed as the new Managing Director of St1 Oy from December 1, 2010. At the same time the company’s current Managing Director Kim Wiio will assume the position of Managing Director of St1 Group Oy. Kim Wiio will be based in Stockholm.

Mika Wiljanen has worked for a long time in international management duties at oy Shell ab, and he joins St1 in Finland as Managing Director from the post of General Manager of network operations in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe at Shell International Ltd.

St1 Group Oy has been established to provide centralized guidance to the common operations of the dynamic St1 Group in the Nordic countries. Some employees of the St1 companies in Finland and Sweden will also act in St1 Group duties.

“As the company is growing, we are in a situation where it makes sense to align operations that support our common business operations, such as human resources management, brand development, and IT systems. The country organizations can focus more effectively on business development, and the skills and experience in our companies can be better harnessed for the benefit of the entire Group,” states Mika Anttonen, Chairman of the Board of St1. “I am very pleased with the fact that Mika Wiljanen has decided to join us”, says Anttonen. “His solid experience in the development of business operations will be the basis for our growth in Finland. Correspondingly, we will have Kim Wiio, with his strong competence and long experience, speed up the development of St1 Group.”

More information:
Mika Anttonen, Chairman of the Board of St1 , 358 40 5009798, mika.anttonen(at)st1.fi
Kim Wiio, St1 Oy, Managing Director, 358 44 5678964, kim.wiio(at)st1.fi
Liisa Joenpolvi, St1 Oy, Communications Manager, 358 50 4110025, liisa.joenpolvi(at)st1.fi
Mika Wiljanen, 358 40 1946784

St1�s Refuel RE85 high blend ethanol works well even in cold northern conditions

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:18:00 +0300

Press release, 20.04.10

The results of the TransEco research programme confirm:

St1’s Refuel RE85 high blend ethanol works well even in cold northern conditions

According to results from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, alcohol fuel can be made to work well even in low temperatures by optimizing the proportions of the fuel blend, one element of which is ethanol. The research forms part of the fuel project carried out under the TransEco programme, and no equivalent optimization of ethanol fuel for cold conditions has been carried out elsewhere. Depending on the time of year, St1’s Refuel RE85, which was introduced onto the market a year ago, contains up to 85% ethanol which the company manufactures from biowaste, ensuring extremely low fossil CO2 emissions for the fuel. This biofuel, which is suited to so-called flexifuel car models, is currently available at seven St1 distribution stations in the Helsinki region. Next year the distribution network for Refuel RE85 will be extended beyond the Helsinki region according to demand.

Coordinated by VTT, the TransEco research programme is developing innovations such as cost-effective alternative fuels suited to Finnish conditions, with a view to running Finnish cars on fuel with a biocomponent of as much as 20 per cent by 2020 and thereby achieving Finland’s climate goals. St1 is focused on optimizing to Finnish conditions high blend ethanol fuels which could be used to replace fossil gasoline, and on minimizing the environmental impact of their use.

Finnish fuel innovation brings biofuel targets within reach

St1’s high blend ethanol Refuel RE85 has been researched in laboratory conditions at VTT, with a primary focus on how well it functions as far as -25 �C below freezing point. The test results for the biofuel, developed for northern climate conditions, confirm that it functions well even in low temperatures. Verification of the results with leading experts in the field also gives the project significant international visibility, since nowhere else in the world have such extensive ethanol tests been carried out. The results of the study will also be utilized by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), which is currently finetuning its specifications for engine fuels containing bioalcohol.

In addition to VTT, car importers play an important role in the project. Ford, Volvo and Saab have considerable experience in various parts of the globe with flexifuel model cars that run on high blend ethanol. - “We’re very pleased that they chose to partner with us as pioneers in Finland in reducing fossil CO2 emissions in Finnish transport. Of all the environmentally friendlier driving alternatives, running a car on bioethanol is the most cost-effective solution available. The minimal additional cost burden will not hinder its adoption on a larger scale,” says St1’s Renewable Energy Director Jari Suominen.

The EU has set a target of 10% renewable energy in transport by the year 2020. In Finland, the oil industry proposes meeting that target with biofuels as early as 2015, which means that the target for 2020 could be as high as 20 per cent. “By choosing a flexifuel model car and using Refuel RE85 biofuel in place of fossil gasoline, both individual and business motorists can considerably reduce their own transport fossil CO2 emissions. In order to meet our tough but important climate targets, we need concrete alternatives. We hope that tax treatment of flexifuel model vehicles will be standardized quickly to reflect their emission levels. At the moment they are still taxed like ordinary gasoline-run cars,” adds St1’s Jari Suominen.

A car bought today must also be designed to run on the biofuels of the future

Launched a year ago, Refuel RE85 saw flexifuel car models introduced onto the Finnish market. They can be flexibly refueled with both high blend ethanol and ordinary gasoline. The vehicle’s automatic control engineering takes care of the rest. Leading car importers are utilizing the possibilities offered by Finnish high blend ethanol: there are already a thousand flexifuel cars on Finnish roads today, and demand is constantly growing. St1’s project partners Ford, Volvo and Saab no longer sell purely gasoline-run vehicles, rather, they have renewed their range of gasoline-run vehicles with flexifuel models, which are practically the same price.

”In ordinary gasoline-run cars, the gasoline can only be supplemented with ethanol in limited amounts – 5 per cent of volume according to current standards. From next year this will rise to a maximum 10%, which only represents 6% of total energy, however. When EU targets alone require 10% renewable energy in transport by the year 2020, clearly there is a need for alternatives. In flexifuel car models, the proportion of ethanol in fuel can be as high as 85%. In practice, however, the flexifuel model is no more expensive than an ordinary gasoline car. So with marginal additional investment, we can lay the foundations for the future and ensure that gasoline car equipment is also capable of taking high blend ethanol fuel," explains VTT Research Professor Nils-Olof Nylund, who heads the TransEco project.

Motiva also wants to draw attention to the significance of car purchases, since around a fifth of Finland’s CO2 emissions are produced by transport. “Individual decisions in buying a new car, whether made by government, businesses or consumers, decide the shape of our car stock for this decade and beyond. That is why every decision should be weighted in favor of the car model’s future usability and cost-efficiency,” says Motiva’s CEO Jouko Kinnunen.
Legislative reforms are under preparation in Finland which will see taxation of fuels adjusted in favor of environmentally friendlier choices. The aim is incentivize choices and consumption that are energy-efficient and reduce CO2 emissions. According to a preliminary proposal, waste-based biofuels with low CO2 emissions would receive special treatment by the tax regime.

For more information, please contact:

Jari Suominen, Director, Renewable Energy, St1 Oy, tel. 010 557 2371, jari.suominen(at)st1.fi

Nils-Olof Nylund, VTT, Research Professor, Traffic Energy Use and Engine Technology, tel. 0400 703 715, nils-olof.nylund(at)vtt.fi

The fuel project forms part of VTT’s five-year TransEco research programme, whose key aims are to achieve energy savings and increase the use of renewable energy in transport. The primary source of funding for the fuel research part of the project is the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. The research programme is developing technologies and commercializing the results of development work. TransEco’s subprojects also cooperate closely to exchange information.�
St1 in brief.
St1 is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1’s energy services and products cover everything from wind power to high-concentration ethanol Refuel RE85 produced from biowaste. The company received the Motiva Renewable Energy Award for 2009.
�
St1 stays true to its vision by turning waste into bioethanol with the help of the company's own award-winning dispersed Etanolix� production concept. The company is building its sixth bioethanol production facility in Finland. St1 has a total of around 640 gas stations in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Poland. The company has its headquarters in Helsinki and offices in Stockholm and Warsaw. www.st1.fi

TuuliWatti Oy to begin wind power production at Tahkoluoto in Pori

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:28:00 +0200

PRESS RELEASE JANUARY 11, 2010

TuuliWatti Oy to begin wind power production at Tahkoluoto in Pori

Established in spring 2009 as a joint venture by energy company St1 and SOK, wind power company TuuliWatti Oy is set to begin the production of wind power at Tahkoluoto in Pori. With an output of three megawatts, the large power station delivered by WinWinD will form the first part of TuuliWatti�s wind park project in Tahkoluoto.

Industrial wind power is a sector of clean energy with a great deal of potential in Finland.

� TuuliWatti focuses on building wind parks on land. This enables us to minimise line loss and grid investments, says the newly-appointed Managing Director of TuuliWatti Oy, St1�s Renewable Energy Director Jari Suominen.

In the next few years the company is aiming at building significant wind power capacity across Finland.

- TuuliWatti allows us to reach a significant volume in the construction and operation of industrial wind power, which will have an impact on the cost-efficiency of operations, Jari Suominen says.

� With more than 1,600 places of business, the S Group is among the top ten electricity consumers in Finland. In addition to achieving maximal energy-efficiency in our operations, our objectives include significantly increasing the amount of electricity produced through renewable energy forms. TuuliWatti provides us with a great opportunity for achieving this, says Jari Annala, CFO of SOK.

The wind park projects of TuuliWatti Oy were launched last year with project development and wind measurement concerning five sites. This year the number of sites under development will grow to eight, the first of which will be taken under construction in 2011.

Begun before the establishment of TuuliWatti, the power plant project in Pori was completed by St1 in the autumn. With electricity production now set to begin, the plant was transferred under the ownership of TuuliWatti. Operated by TuuliWatti, the Tahkoluoto production plant is the highest wind power plant built in Finland to date, producing around 8,000 MWh of renewable wind power per year.

� The experiences from the commissioning at Tahkoluoto this autumn are extremely promising. In November we already reached an excellent 43 per cent utilisation rate, which means 930 MWh of clean wind power per month. With production at the power plant reaching full swing, we also expect to hit high production figures going forward, Jari Suominen says.

The Pori region is an excellent example of how an existing infrastructure, such as the Tahkoluoto harbour area, can provide a suitable site for industrial wind power production. In this way Pori has created one of the best land-based industrial wind power production areas in Finland.

TuuliWatti Oy is a new type of player in the Finnish energy market. Wind power projects are typically lengthy, and the need for resources depends largely on the progress of permit issues. TuuliWatti�s operations are built on a cost-efficient model where the input of the part-owners can be flexibly targeted to projects as necessary. The company�s administration is comprised of representatives of both part-owners. Jari Suominen was appointed as the Managing Director of TuuliWatti Oy on 11 January 2010. Suominen also acts as the Director of St1�s Renewable Energy.

For further information, please contact:

TuuliWatti Oy, Managing Director Jari Suominen, tel. +358 50 595 6780, e-mail: jari.suominen(at)tuuliwatti.fi

SOK, CFO Jari Annala, tel. +358 10 76 82040, e-mail: jari.annala(at)sok.fi

www.tuuliwatti.fi

The Association of Environmental Enterprises Media Release: The European Business Awards for the Environment � Winners of the Finnish National Competition: St1 Biofuels wins first prize in Product Category with Refuel RE85 biofuel

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:17:00 +0200

THE EUROPEAN BUSINESS AWARDS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT WINNERS OF THE FINNISH NATIONAL COMPETITION

The jury for the Finnish National European Business Awards for the Environment competition 2009 has selected the winners for each of the 4 categories: Product, Process, Management and International co-operation. The Finnish winners and runners up will participate in the European competition organized by the European Commission, for which the award ceremony will take place in Brussels in June 2010.

The award ceremony was held in Helsinki on the 25th of November. Finnish Environmental minister Ms. Paula Lehtom�ki presented the awards to the winners.

The European Business Awards for the Environment recognize and promote today’s pioneers in green innovation. The bi-annual awards were established by the European Commission Environment Directorate-General in 1987 to identify and reward European companies that set an example by combining innovation, economic viability and environmental concern. The Association of Environmental Enterprises is a Finnish national coordinator for the competition.

Product Category

1st prize

ST1 BIOFUELS OY
Refuel RE85 - sustainable ethanol biofuel for flexifuel cars

St1 Biofuels Oy has developed a locally produced, waste based, sustainable ethanol biofuel that is used as a biocomponent in the first domestic traffic biofuel product for consumers in Finland. Refuel RE85 has been in the market in Finland since April 2009.

Refuel RE85 meets the technical requirements of the E85 fuel quality standard and it contains 80-85% of bioethanol produced from local biowaste using St1’s patented Etanolix� technology. RE85 is suitable for flexifuel cars.

Refuel RE85 ethanol biofuel cuts transport-related fossil CO2 emissions up to 80 %. St1’s RE85 Refuel is cutting down emissions in every corner – less CO2 emissions from traffic, less CO2 from the production process and less waste to landfills. Local fuel production also increases energy self sufficiency while decreasing the need for imported fuels.

The jury considers the environmental benefits of RE85 very clear. It is made from biowaste from bakeries and other sources, which might otherwise be difficult to utilize. The production units can also be located close to the facilities which produce the biowaste, and this reduces the need for transportation quite dramatically, which also reduces CO2 emissions. The fact that waste derived ethanol is a fuel of Finnish origin, unlike traditional fuels, is an additional bonus. The jury sees a vast market potential, and RE85 biofuel has already created a lot of interest
internationally.

Contact information:

Managing Director Mr. Mika Aho
tel. +358 50 500 2072
e-mail: mika.aho@st1.fi

Project Coordinator Ms. Lotta Gr�nlund
tel +358 10 557 4733
e-mail: lotta.gronlund@st1.fi

www.st1.fi

2nd prize

PRESECO OY
Preseco biocarbon to substitute the use of fossil coal

Biocarbon™ is an emissions-neutral biofuel with a superior energy value and very low emissions. The end product is fully compatible with traditional coal systems. The energy value of the Biocarbon™ is equal to high-quality fossil coal. Biocarbon™ is made from a variety of organic waste materials.

Biocarbon™ is fully compatible with fossil coal and can be produced near the source of the raw material. Biocarbon™ is also very water resistant. The transportation and storage are easy and much more cost efficient than of the biomasses.

Biocarbon can also be used as Carbon Capture when used as soil improvement.

The jury sees that Preseco biocarbon is very innovative and flexible due to the fact that almost all kinds of biological raw material can be used, depending on the availability. The environmental benefits are also clear, as the process uses biological raw materials, which might otherwise be difficult to recycle and reuse. Biocarbon is also a locally produced and utilized fuel, which reduces the need for transportation and reduces the CO2 emissions.

Contact information:

Member of the Board Mr. Mikko Kantero
tel. +358 50 2247
mikko.kantero@preseco.eu

Marketing and Communications Manager Ms. Paula Vainio-Paananen
tel +358 50 364 5861
e-mail: paula.vainio-paananen@preseco.eu

www.preseco.eu

3rd prize
BIO-TEHO LTD
Ecological solutions for the future

Bio-Teho Ltd markets and distributes ecological wood preservatives. The main customer segments are sawmills, impregnation plants and construction companies. Most BT Wood� chemicals are meant to be used by industrial treatment methods such as vacuum, pressure
impregnation or immersion. Bio-Teho also offers wood treatment solutions for home use which are safe and easy to apply.

BT Wood products do not contain heavy metals, and various tests prove their efficacy against termite attack, fungi, decay, fire and other wood degrading factors. The inhibition of biological decay of wood and the improvement of fire resistance and water resistance of wood as well as maintaining dimensional stability of wood are key factors for increased use of wood-based materials as construction material.

The jury sees the environmental and health impacts of these products to be considerably smaller compared to other similar products in the market, which contain biocides and heavy metals. These products have a clear market potential.

Contact information:

Financial Director Mr. Juha Estakari
tel. +358 50 575 1214
e-mail: juha.estakari@btwood.com
www.btwood.com

Process Category

1st prize

BIOLAN OY
Novarbo, closed greenhouse management system

Biolan has developed novel components for a greenhouse cooling system and connected them with the existing technology to develop an energy efficient system that allows maintaining of a closed greenhouse environment.

Closing the greenhouse has many essential reasons: only in a closed greenhouse, all growing factors can be kept optimal, especially the high CO2 content. A closed greenhouse is also essential in protecting the plants from outside pathogens and pests, and also in preventing heat loss in cooler climates. Novarbo system increases the crop by up to 40 %.

The jury sees Novarbo as an innovative and clearly effective way to increase crop and save energy in greenhouses. There is a great market potential for this system especially in hot climates where most of the vegetables are produced. This system is versatile and works well in different types of climates and conditions.

Contact information:

Business Area Director Mr. Teppo Rantanen
tel. +358 40 501 0589
e-mail: teppo.rantanen@biolan.fi
http://www.novarbo.fi

Management Category

1st prize

SITRA -The Finnish Innovation Fund
Natural resources strategy for Finland

The strategy, published in April 2009, is a global pioneer in developing a dynamic and holistic approach to natural resource management. The preparation of the strategy has been a nongovernmental bottom-up process, and a public-private effort. In the strategy process, a wide range of individuals and organisations representing the society has come together to vision a new future, including developing the bioeconomy and an efficient material cycle, and relevant first steps towards them.

The jury states that this strategy is unique and also very important and up-to-date, as the importance of natural resource issues for global development is growing. The interest this strategy has already claimed clearly shows there is a need for strategic natural resource planning, and other countries can learn and benefit from the Finnish strategy.

Contact information:

Project Manager Ms. Eeva Hellstr�m
tel. +358 50 351 2412
e-mail: eeva.hellstrom@sitra.fi

Chairman of the strategy work group Ms. Sirkka Hautoj�rvi
tel. +358 50 590 6809

http://www.sitra.fi/julkaisut/muut/A%20Natural%20Resource%20Strategy
%20for%20Finland.pdf

International Co-operation Category

1st prize

NOKIA, WWF and IUCN
connect2earth online community

Connect2earth is a green online community provided by WWF, IUCN and Nokia for people who want to make a difference for a more sustainable future. The community provides environmental expert briefings, possibilities for people all over the world to share their ideas (images, videos, texts), discuss and learn from each other. Connect2earth increases people’s environmental awareness and gives them a channel to voice their opinions on sustainability related issues.

Young people are heavy users of different kind of online communities and find communication through them natural. The community is accessible on the web, but also from a mobile device, which often represents the only point of internet access in developing countries. Connect2earth has had so far close to 4 million visits from all over the world, and an active community of over 10,000 members regularly visits the site and contributes to the debate.

The jury claims that the popularity of this online community shows that there is a need for this type of activity and environmental awareness raising tools especially amongst young people, who are used to using internet and mobile tools.

Contact information:

VP, Head of Sustainability Ms. Kirsi Sormunen
tel: +358 400 409 129
kirsi.sormunen@nokia.com

Director, Environmental Affairs
Corporate Relations & Responsibility Ms. Outi Mikkonen
tel. +358 7180 3870
e-mail: outi.mikkonen@nokia.com

http://www.connect2earth.org/

Information about the competition:

Chairman of the jury Ms. Katri Penttinen
tel. +358 40 5600 330
katri.penttinen@chemind.fi

Competition coordinator Ms. Pia Vilenius
tel. +358 40 413 6340
pia.vilenius@chemind.fi

http://www.ymparistoyritykset.fi/ebaeenglish

www.ebae.eu

St1 Oy�s purchase of distribution station network in Sweden and Norway finalised

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:32:00 +0300

Energy company St1 Oy signed on June 1st a contract to buy 198 unmanned stations in Sweden and Norway from StatoilHydro ASA. The transaction agreed in April has now been given the mandatory local regulatory approvals and final EU buyer approval.

Under this agreement, St1 purchased 158 fuel distribution stations in Sweden (118 Hydro/Uno-X stations and 40 JET stations) and 40 Jet fuel distribution stations in Norway.

With the new acquisitions, St1�s network in Sweden covers now the entire country, with 200 fuel distribution stations nationwide. The acquired distribution stations in Norway are located in the Oslo region. All the distribution stations will continue their operations as before. With the present transaction, St1�s market share in fuel sales will reach approximately 8% in Sweden and just under 5% in Norway.

Further information:
www.st1.eu

Kim Wiio, St1 Oy, Managing Director
+ 358 44 5678964 kim.wiio@st1.fi

St1 is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1's energy services cover everything from energy consultancy to heat production solutions and from wind power to high-concentration bioethanol Refuel RE85 produced from biowaste. In total, St1 has 650 petrol stations in Finland, Sweden Norway and Poland. The St1 Group employs 170 people, and its turnover will be in excess of 1.2 billion Euros this year.

St1 stays true to its vision by turning waste into bioethanol with the help of the company's own dispersed Etanolix� production concept, which has won�Finnish Chemical Industry Innovation Award, the national INNOFINLAND 2008 award patronised by the President of the Republic of Finland, and second place in the European Environmental Press Award 2008 contest.

St1 Oy buys part of StatoilHydro ASA�s fuel distribution station network in Sweden and Norway

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0300

Energy company St1 Oy signed an agreement on April the 1st concerning the purchase of 198 unmanned stations in Sweden and Norway from StatoilHydro ASA. The transaction, subject to local regulatory approvals and final EU buyer approval, is intended to be completed by summer 2009.

Under this agreement, St1 is purchasing 158 fuel distribution stations in Sweden (118 Hydro/Uno-X stations and 40 JET stations) and 40 Jet service stations in Norway.

With the new acquisitions, St1 will enlarge its existing network in Sweden to cover the entire country, with more than 200 fuel distribution stations nationwide. This network expansion supports the launch of St1�s waste-to-ethanol concept beyond Finland. St1 introduced Refuel, a high-concentration ethanol, on the Finnish market at the beginning of April, and a strong network of fuel distribution stations will help St1 to later introduce the product on the Swedish market as well. Refuel RE85 contains 80% to 85% of bioethanol produced by St1 from Finnish food industry biowaste using its Etanolix� concept.

E85 ethanol has been on the market in Sweden for quite some time now, following the introduction of ethanol-powered flex-fuel cars. St1 aims to begin production of biowaste ethanol in Sweden as quickly as possible to replace imported ethanol. The first such projects are currently being
negotiated.

The fuel distribution stations acquired in the Oslo region mark an important bridgehead for St1 on the Norwegian fuel market. The company is exploring potential for expansion in Norway.

The fuel distribution stations now acquired are state-of-the-art and thus well suited to St1�s practice of cost-efficient remote operations. Expanding the network will also further improve the company�s cost-efficiency in Finland. With the present transaction, St1�s market share in fuel sales will reach approximately 8% in Sweden and just under 5% in Norway. Also, the net sales of the St1 Group will increase to about 1.5 billion euros.

Further information:
www.st1.eu

Kim Wiio, St1 Oy, Managing Director
+ 358 44 5678964, kim.wiio(a)st1.fi

St1 is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1's energy services cover everything from energy consultancy to heat production solutions and from wind power to high-concentration bioethanol Refuel RE85 produced from biowaste. In total, St1 has more than 450 petrol stations in Finland, Sweden and Poland. The St1 Group employs just over 160 people, and its turnover will be in excess of 1 billion euros this year.

St1 stays true to its vision by turning waste into bioethanol with the help of the company's own dispersed Etanolix� production concept, which has won this year's Finnish Chemical Industry Innovation Award, the national INNOFINLAND 2008 award patronised by the President of the Republic of Finland, and second place in the European Environmental Press Award 2008 contest.

St1�s new Refuel ethanol biofuel cuts transport-related fossil CO2 emissions by up to 80%

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:00:00 +0300

Finnish energy company St1 is the first distributor to start sales of the new domestic biofuel product Refuel. The biofuel meets the technical requirements of the E85 fuel quality standard and it will contain 80�85% of bioethanol produced by St1 from Finnish biowaste using the company�s Etanolix� concept. Using the new Refuel requires flex-fuel cars which are simultaneously introduced by several car makers in Finland.

Refuel marks a breakthrough in the development of environmentally friendly fuels � the bioethanol in the fuel blend is produced from local industrial waste and sidestreams with highly energy efficient concept and it can lead up to 80% less fossil CO2 emissions from transport.

The launched new product in Finland is tailored to Finnish conditions and, thanks to carefully selected special petrol components, improved cold start properties. St1 has also launched an extensive testing programme with the VTT Finnish Technical Research Centre of Finland, aimed at optimising the consistency of the new high blend ethanol to ensure best possible usability in Finnish conditions.�
Refuel high blend ethanol increasingly widely available as the project progresses The distribution stage of the two-year development project will begin on 1 April 2009 when Refuel will hit the fuel pumps at three of St1�s petrol stations in greater Helsinki. The code used to denote the new product on the price boards and fuel pumps will be RE85. The price of RE85 in Finland will be at least 30 euro cents lower than that of 95E petrol. This saves motorists from spending extra on the lower energy content of the new high blend ethanol fuel.

�We can all influence the climate change by our everyday choices. Motorists now have a tangible means of significantly helping to cut fossil carbon dioxide emissions that accelerate global warming,� says Mika Aho, Managing Director of St1 Biofuels Oy.

In the future, the distribution network of RE85 will expand according to demand. St1 is continuously developing its network of petrol stations and laying down foundations for enabling wider distribution of the new product in the years to come. Ultimately, the company hopes to make the product a permanent feature on the Finnish market.�
RE85 enables imports of environmentally friendly flex-fuel cars
St1�s RE85 meets the technical requirements of the E85 fuel quality standard, which means that it can be used in car manufacturers� existing flex-fuel models. As the name suggests, flex-fuel cars can run on both high blend ethanol and conventional petrol, and both fuels can be pumped flexibly into the same tank. GM, Volvo and Ford have already started to prepare for the imminent launch of the new high blend ethanol on the Finnish market by importing these models, which are already in use around the world. Flex-fuel models are expected to appeal to both ecological Finnish consumers and businesses � especially as the use of environmentally friendly bioethanol is possible at no extra cost.
Finnish fuel innovation on the cutting edge of development
The objective set out in the European Biofuels Directive is for biological components to account for 5.75% of the energy content of transport fuels next year, including fuels sold in Finland. The current Finnish law on the promotion of the use of biofuels in transport stipulates a target of 4% to be reached this year. The amount of biocomponents is set to increase rapidly in the future � the targets set for the year 2020 in the European climate action and renewable energy package already suggest a significantly stricter approach to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the use of renewable energy sources and their status in transport.
St1 uses its own Etanolix� concept of dispersed biofuels production and turns waste and side-streams of the food processing industry into bioethanol; in other words, the production units are located next to source of feedstock and the produced bioethanol then taken to the centralized dehydration plant in Hamina for further processing. St1 is the only bioethanol producer in the world using waste as feedstock. The method to produce bioethanol from waste and sidestreams of the food processing industry meets all sustainability criteria without any doubt. High quality animal feed is also produced with same equipment and energy.
In-house bioethanol production has allowed St1 to launch various development projects, such as the current initiative to develop a new kind of waste-based high blend ethanol in collaboration with VTT. The role of VTT is especially important as regards life cycle assessments and optimising the product for the Finnish climate as well as field testing. The Finnish Ministry of Finance has granted tax relief for the high blend ethanol that the project generates. Together St1 and VTT hope to introduce new, competitively priced and highly environmentally friendly transport biofuels that are based on renewable energy sources.�
�The objectives of the European climate action and renewable energy package set immense challenges on energy use in transport as well. This calls for new, innovative energy sources and solutions for growing transport not just in Finland but all over the world. New products that are the most advanced in Europe have now become available for the production of second-generation biofuels. The new fuel ethanol applications developed by St1 open up genuinely new possibilities for reaching both the current 4% target set out in Finnish law on the promotion of biofuels and the 10% target set on renewable energy sources in transport in 2020,� explains Kai Sipil�, Vice-President of Energy, VTT. ��
St1�s concept for turning biowaste into ethanol continues to evolve and grow
St1s distributed ethanol production network has three Etanolix� plants and one centralized dehydration plant in production in Finland. The next Etanolix� units will be built in Vantaa and Lahti. This year also sees St1 introducing a brand new bioethanol production plant concept in H�meenlinna, Finland. The new BionolixTM plants will be using domestic and commercial biowaste as feedstock. These feedstock will multiply the possibilities and the volume of St1�s dispersed biofuels production. Followed by next-generation bioethanol plants, which are currently under development by St1 Biofuels, will run on consumer, industrial and commercial packaging and straw, for example.
St1 has plans to build ethanol-plants in Sweden and Poland and distribute the Refuel through its own petrol stations. For other countries the aim is to develop Etanolix� networks together with local partners. With these co operations and licensing domestic and sustainable Refuel will be also available in other countries round the world.
For more information, please contact:
www.st1.eu
Mika Aho, Managing Director, St1 Biofuels Oy, + 358 50�500 2072, mika.aho(a)st1.fi

St1 is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2-aware energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1's energy services cover everything from energy consultancy to heat production solutions and from wind power to high-concentration bioethanol Refuel RE85 produced from biowaste. In total, St1 has more than 450 petrol stations in Finland, Sweden and Poland. The St1 Group employs just over 160 people, and its turnover will be in excess of 1 billion euros this year.
St1 stays true to its vision by turning waste into bioethanol with the help of the company's own dispersed Etanolix� production concept, which has won this year's Finnish Chemical Industry Innovation Award, the national INNOFINLAND 2008 award patronised by the President of the Republic of Finland, and second place in the European Environmental Press Award 2008 contest.

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finlandis one of Europe�s leading experts in bioenergy and biofuels for transport. The Technical Research Centre of Finland develops production chains for new, efficient biofuels and assesses the environmental impact and overall economy of transport not just from a fuel but also from a logistics perspective. As regards traffic flow and safety, VTT develops telematics applications, new technology and solutions. In terms of alternative transport fuels, VTT specialises in optimising biofuel technologies for cold climates, minimising exhaust gas emissions and ensuring the functionality of vehicles. The equipment that VTT uses for research of both cars and heavy goods vehicles is unique across the research world. VTT �is an important networker for transport biofuel research as regards the EU and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

St1 opens its fifth Etanolix� bioethanol plant

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:20:00 +0200

The Finnish energy company St1 is getting ready to start building an Etanolix� bioethanol plant next door to the Hartwall brewery in Lahti, Finland. The bioethanol plant will use the by-products of local bakeries, breweries and mills as its feedstock. Hartwall will forward any yeast and liquids left over from its drinks production to the bioethanol plant.��
� St1’s Etanolix� concept is based on dispersed production where the production and dehydration of bioethanol are separated. Etanolix� units turn bio-waste and by-products from the food processing industry into 85% ethanol. The ethanol is then shipped to St1’s dehydration unit in Hamina, Finland. The 99.8% bioethanol produced at the dehydration plant can be mixed with petrol without any additional processing.

St1 already has fully functional Etanolix� plants in Lappeenranta, N�rpi� and Hamina, Finland. The construction of the fourth Etanolix� plant began towards the end of last year in Vantaa, Finland. The Lahti plant is expected to be ready for production in early June. All in all, the company plans to build between 10 and 15 Etanolix� plants in Finland.

The Etanolix� production units are built near feedstock sources that produce the right kind of fermentable waste. The Lahti plant will take its feedstock from the biodegradable by-products of bakeries, breweries and mills operating in the P�ij�nne Tavastia region. Multilateral collaboration will ensure that the bioethanol plant has access to sufficient volumes of feedstock and is able to operate efficiently and cost-effectively. The bakeries, breweries and mills that will be supplying the feedstock include the Lahti bakery of Fazer Bakeries, Fazer Mill & Mixes, Hartwall, Hollolan Hirvi, Lammin Sahti, Teerenpeli Group, Polttimo Group, Sinuhe and the V��ksy Mill.

”The Lahti Etanolix� plant is a great real-life example of both dispersed energy production and multilateral collaboration. The plant will be integrated into the production process of the Hartwall brewery, but it will also receive feedstock shipments from other sources nearby. This is an efficient way to maximise access to feedstock and to minimise transportation,” explains Mika Aho, Managing Director of St1 Biofuels Oy.

"Hartwall’s goal is to be the most responsible supplier in the drinks business. Every aspect of the Lahti brewery has been designed with environmental considerations in mind. The machinery and processes have been chosen on the basis of their water and energy consumption in particular, and our primary source of energy is natural gas. We also recycle a significant percentage of our packaging materials. The bioethanol plant will allow us to make even more efficient use of organic waste," says Timo Sepp�, who is in charge of the production and delivery chain at Hartwall.

"At the moment, the yeast left over from the Lahti brewery ends up in the animal feed industry. The Etanolix� process will separate the ethanol from the yeast, after which the remaining dry yeast matter can still be used to make animal feed. All sugary liquids left over from our drinks production process will be led to the Etanolix� fermentation tank where the sugar will be turned into carbon dioxide and ethanol. Alcoholic waste liquids can be processed the same way as yeast," explains Jorma Rasi, Research and Development Manager at Hartwall.

Thanks to its patented process, St1 is able to refine the biocomponent of petrol in the purest way in the world. The low carbon dioxide balance of the Etanolix� process will be even better in Lahti than in the other plants, as the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation will be collected and refined in the carbon dioxide collection plant of Hartwall’s Lahti brewery. The refined carbon dioxide can then be re-used in the drinks production process.

This year also sees St1 introducing a brand new bioethanol production plant concept. The new BionolixTM plants will use domestic and commercial bio-waste as their feedstock. These next generation bioethanol plants, which are currently under development, will run on consumer, industrial and commercial packaging and straw, for example. These new sources of feedstock will multiply the possibilities of St1’s dispersed biofuels production concept.�

�For more information:
www.st1.fi
�
Mika Aho, Managing director, St1 Biofuels Oy
+ 358 50�500 2072, mika.aho@st1.fi
�
Jorma Rasi, Research and Development Manager, Oy Hartwall Ab
+358 20 717 6235, jorma.rasi@hartwall.fi
�
St1is a Finnish energy company whose vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2 good energy. The company researches and develops economically viable, environmentally sustainable energy solutions. St1’s energy services cover everything from energy consultancy to heat production solutions and wind power. As regards petrol sourcing, the company has a joint venture with the Finnish retail cooperative S Group, called North European Oil Trade Oy. The company has a total of more than 450 petrol stations in Finland, Sweden and Poland. The St1 Group employs just over 150 people, and its turnover will be in excess of 1 billion euros this year.

St1 realises its vision by turning waste into bioethanol with the help of its dispersed Etanolix� production concept, which has won the Finnish Chemical Industry Innovation Award, the national INNOFINLAND 2008 award patronised by the President of the Republic of Finland, and second place in the European Environmental Press Award 2008 contest.

Hartwall is an innovative trendsetter amongst Finnish drinks producers, and its brands enjoy strong loyalty in the market. Hartwall’s products include beer, cider and pre-mixed long drinks, bottled water, soft drinks and novelty drinks, and hundreds of wines and other alcoholic beverages through its subsidiary Hartwa-Trade. The company’s most recognised brands are Hartwall Jaffa, Hartwall Novelle, Upcider as well as Lapin Kulta, Karjala and Foster’s lagers. Hartwall employs around 1,000 people. Hartwall is part of Heineken, the world’s most international brewery corporation.

St1 opens bioethanol dehydration plant in Finland

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:10:00 +0300

St1�s unique Etanolix� concept of dispersed production of ethanol is supplemented now with a central dehydration plant at the port of Hamina town. The plant will be inaugurated today by Minister of the Environment, Ms. Paula Lehtom�ki. The ethanol produced from waste in the dispersed Etanolix� units will be dehydrated in Hamina.

The dehydration plant is situated at the port of Hamina. Its yearly capacity is now 44 million liters of 99.8 % bioethanol, which will be blended with gasoline. Preparations have already been made to double the capacity.
The opening of the dehydration plant is also a springboard to new motor fuel projects. St1 is working at the moment on high concentration biofuel, in which the main component will be ethanol produced from domestic waste.

St1 produces bioethanol from waste with a new innovative concept of dispersed production, where the production and dehydration of bioethanol are separated. St1 brings small Etanolix� production units close to the waste raw material supplier and the product is concentrated centrally. The company already operates units in Lappeenranta and N�rpi�. St1 has plans to build twenty units in Finland in the next two years. In the Etanolix� units the waste feedstock is used to produce 85 % bioethanol, which will be dehydrated in the Hamina plant from now on. After the dehydration the 99.8 % bioethanol is ready to be blended with gasoline. The waste based bioethanol will end up in to the tanks of Finnish drivers already this summer.

St1�s concept of dispersed production is superior in reducing fossil carbon dioxide emissions and re-using waste. The heating needed in the process is either residual heat energy from a factory which is integrated in the Etanolix� unit or renewable energy. The dispersed production of ethanol will also reduce the need for transportation of feedstock. When using biowaste as the feedstock, St1 is able to refine the biocomponent of gasoline in the purest way in the world. The Finnish Chemical Industry Association granted an Innovation Award for St1�s Etanolix� concept.

Waste sorting is the corner stone of efficient re-use of wastes in the production of energy. The technology St1 is already using will be able to re-use also different kinds of waste in the future when making ethanol. The production units of the next generation will use separately collected biowaste, domestic, industrial and trade packaging material and straw. These kinds of feedstock will multiply the potential the dispersed production concept has.

St1�s Etanolix� concept also has global appeal. St1 and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding CO., LTD - MES have signed a letter of intent to establish a joint venture in Japan. The new company will create bioethanol production capacity in Japan to re-use food industry waste using St1�s Etanolix� technology. This is a significant opening of business for St1 in the demanding market of Japan.

St1�s vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2 good energy. In the spirit of its vision the company is also investing considerably in building and selling wind power. The company started to sell pellets in June, which will strengthen its position in the market of renewable energy.

Further information, www.st1.fi
Patrick Pitk�nen, St1 Biofuels Oy, Sales Manager
+358 40 7756200 , patrick.pitkanen@st1.fi
Risto Savolainen, St1 Biofuels Oy, Sales Director
+358 50 5238628, risto.savolainen@st1.fi

Energy company St1�s vision is to be the leading producer and seller of CO2 good energy. The company has 400 petrol stations in Finland, 44 in Sweden and 6 in Poland. St1�s energy offering portfolio includes also electricity, heating oil and pellets. The company has business operations assisting aviation. St1 has a joint venture with S Group, a fuels supply company North European Trade Oy (NEOT). The turnover of St1 Group this year surpasses 1 billion euros. The company employs 130 people.

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding CO., LTD � MES is a Japan-based manufacturing company engaged in many industry sectors: environment-related recycling, construction of social infrastructure, machinery, IT-related activities, ship building, plant construction, logistic and energy systems among others. Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MES Consolidated Sales Total was 622,800 million Yen (FY 2006). The company employees consolidated 9,434 persons (As of March 31, 2007).