Mikko Rahtola from Finland is currently (until Christmas) participating in a researcher exchange at our institute. He is working as a manager and research project expert at the joint campus of LUT University and LAB University of Applied Sciences in Lahti, approximately 100 km north of the capital, Helsinki.

He holds a master's degree in agricultural and forestry sciences and is an agronomist. A significant portion of his previous work experience was in the private sector, particularly in consulting for agriculture, horticulture, and organic food production. His research expertise lies in the processing, utilization, and recycling of biomass from various organic materials in agriculture, industry, and society. Currently, he is leading projects that focus on the quality and utilization of forest industry by-products, such as fibrous sludge, sawdust, and ashes, for purposes like energy, fertilizers, or even in the production of industrial acids.

In addition, he is involved in several projects related to manure treatment and biogas technology, where biogas plants serve as central points for regional nutrient recycling. The Lahti campus, where he primarily works, is relatively new, equipped with modern laboratory and pilot facilities for pyrolysis and biogas research, as well as for conducting recycling and separation tests of plastics, construction waste, and textiles.

During his time at TU Wien, his main objective is to enhance his proficiency in using the STAN mass flow modeling program, particularly in the context of his 5R refinery-research project. Simultaneously, the broader goal of this researcher exchange is to facilitate information exchange in both directions and explore opportunities for new collaborative international research projects.

In this context, there also exists the opportunity to reciprocally invite a researcher from Austria to Finland for a few weeks in the spring. Potential topics could include sludge or ash analytics (fiber and chemical analytics, separation of heavy metals) or expertise related to technical solutions in dewatering of sludges, pelletizing, as well as fertilizers.