Scandic kitchens switch to biogas

Gasum has entered into an agreement on the use of biogas with Scandic, the leading hotel chain in the Nordic countries. From now on the kitchens of the three Scandic hotels as well as Hilton Strand in Helsinki will prepare their food on biogas.

”Biogas supports the Scandic strategy very well as we seek to be a forerunner in environmental issues. In kitchen use, gas offers many advantages over traditional electric cookers. Gas burners don’t need to be on all the time, which helps reduce the temperature in the kitchen. Gas also makes the grill elements twice as hot as electricity, adding a completely different flavor and feel to grilled food,” says Scandic’s Area Chef Finland Jari Ervasti.

A total of around 175 MWh of Gasum biogas will be used to prepare food at the hotel restaurants and to fuel fireplaces. The switch to biogas will reduce the hotels’ carbon dioxide emissions by 34 tonnes a year, which corresponds to the annual emission rate of around 15 cars. Biogas will also be visible at the Scandic restaurants as the menus of those including Scandic Marski will feature the Biogas Label.

”Cooperation with Scandic is a natural development for us as we're both enterprises that have been awarded the Nordic Ecolabel. Biogas is an easy and effortless way to become even more environmentally friendly. Scandic’s switch to biogas is yet another proof of the multitude of uses of gas,” says Jani Arala, Senior Manager, Sales, Biogas Solutions, from Gasum.

Biogas is a versatile 100% Finnish energy source made from fully renewable raw materials and sold to industry, service providers, heat and power production, homes and restaurants using gas cookers, and for use as a road vehicle fuel.

Gasum produces biogas at seven biogas plants located in Turku, Vehmaa, Honkajoki, Huittinen, Kuopio, Oulu and, from late 2016, also in Riihimäki. The biogas plant under construction in Riihimäki was listed as one of the Finnish Government’s key projects in February 2016. Gasum also produces biogas with its partners in Espoo, Kouvola and Lahti. In the future Gasum will produce an annual total of more than 300 GWh of 100% Finnish biogas and process a total of 425,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year.

The Biogas Label guarantees to consumers that the product was made with 100% Finnish biogas. The label aims to promote sustainable development by providing consumers with the power to influence the production cycle of products. The right to carry the Biogas Label is only awarded to products and product groups made with biogas or services in the production of which biogas is utilized. The volume of biogas purchased by the product manufacturer must correspond to the volume of gas used to make the product or product group.

For further information please contact:

Jani Arala, Senior Manager, Sales, Biogas Solutions, Gasum Ltd
Phone: +358 44 054 8583, firstname.surname(a)gasum.fi

Jari Ervasti, Area Chef Finland, Scandic
Phone: +358 50 402 7374, firstname.surname(a)scandichotels.com