Gustaf Brodin
"It is inspiring to have the opportunity to contribute to the development of renewable fuels"
That's what Gustaf Brodin, Senior Consultant, says. After a number of years in another industry, Gustaf was interested in the consulting industry and also to get back to the wood industry where he had previously been working. What caught his interest was an assignment in a complex and sustainable future project for Pyrocell AB. Pyrocell AB is building Sweden's first plant for processing sawdust into renewable bio-oil at Kastets sawmill outside of Gävle - AFRY is an engineering partner and Gustaf has a central role in the project as project manager, something he enjoys very much.
In 2015, an idea was born at the wood industry company Setra to convert sawdust into bio-oil. The idea was to develop a process for better use of sawdust and thereby create a climate-smart product for stakeholders in fuels. A couple of years later, the Pyrocell Kastet project started to investigate the conditions for building a plant for the production of pyrolysis oil.
"It is of course very inspiring to be involved and contributing to the development of renewable fuels," says Gustaf, who has extensive experience as a project manager and sales manager in the process industry, including major foreign projects.
Project manager in complex projects
The project is run by Pyrocell AB, which is owned by equal parts of Setra and Preem. AFRY is an engineering partner and assists with competence to the project, where Gustaf Brodin has the assignment as the project manager in Pyrocell's project-organization and is responsible for the project.
“A project manager's main task is to run the project successfully in all aspects. I represent our customer and their interests ", says Gustaf, well aware of the great responsibility. Gustaf continues:
Of course, there are a lot of demands of a project manager in a complex project like this, but I have the privilege of being surrounded by many competent employees. It’s not as great of a concern when faced with the big challenges that inevitably arise in large projects, when you have a strong team with a wide sense of knowledge and expertise. Working as a project manager for a company the size of AFRY creates security and synergies for both customer and project, ”says Gustaf.
Participate from start to full-scale facility
At the end of 2021, the plant is expected to be completed, which means that Preem, which is both a co-owner and customer, can receive its first delivery of bio-oil and then process the raw material further for production of biofuels at Preem's own refinery in Lysekil.
With today's modern technology, we will thus within a couple of years be able to refuel our cars with a fuel partly made of sawdust - a complete value chain from forest to renewable fuel. This means, among other things, that Gustaf Brodin can proudly say that he has been involved in creating a future for the next generation.
“Being involved in a project from sketch to the finished production facility is both motivating and stimulating. I am really looking forward to experience the finished facility for Pyrocell AB ", Gustaf concludes with a smile.
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