For this year’s competition, a total of 342 projects were submitted. From those, a total of 30 projects were shortlisted as nominees by nine technical experts on the Technical Advisory Committee. Renewable UPM BioVerno diesel, produced from tall oil, a residue of the pulp making process, is one of the five finalists in the “Travelling” category.

UPM BioVerno diesel is a unique Finnish innovation. UPM’s renewable diesel helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly compared to fossil diesel. UPM is building the world’s first commercial scale wood-based biorefinery in the world in Lappeenranta, Finland. The biorefinery will start production in summer 2014 and will produce approximately 100,000 t of renewable UPM BioVerno diesel yearly. This production will cover a quarter of Finland’s 2020 renewable energy target in transportation.

The award winners will be published during the EU’s Sustainable Energy Week 2014 on 24 June in Brussels.