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Biomass based energy intermediates boosting biofuel production

Activity Code:
Project Reference:  282873
Coordinator: KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE

Description:

Objective: Increasing the share of biomass for renewable energy in Europe demands conversion pathways which are economic, flexible in feedstock and energy efficient. The BioBoost project concentrates on dry and wet residual biomass and wastes as feedstock for de-central conversion by fast pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation to the intermediate energy carriers oil, coal or slurry. Based on straw the energy density increases from 2 to 20-31 GJ/m3, enabling central GW scale gasification plants for biofuel production. The catalytic pyrolysis reduces oxygenates in the oil to 13% enabling power and refinery applications. The fast pyrolysis and HTC processes of demo-size (0.5-1 t/h) are optimized for feedstock flexibility, yield, quality and further up-scaling is studied. A logistic model for feedstock supply and connection of de-central with central conversion is set up and validated allowing the determination of costs, the number and location of de-central and central sites. Techno/economic and environmental assessment of the value chain supports the optimisation of products and processes. Application of energy carriers is investigated in existing and coming applications of heat and power production, synthetic fuels and chemicals and as bio-crude for refineries. Promising pathways will be demonstrated over the whole chain. A market implementation scheme of ramping up energy carrier production and subsequent phase in of large scale gasification is developed regarding optimal technical and economic performance. Separation of nutrients and chemicals further increase economics. Seven industrial companies, three of which SME and six R&D institutions from 7 European countries cover expertise along the complete chain: Feedstock, conversion processes, separation and upgrading, transport & logistics, end usage and value chain assessment. Conversion plants in demonstration size will enable the proof of concept and further up-scaling to commercial size.

Project Details:

Start Date: 2012-01-01
End Date: 2015-06-30
Duration: 42 months
EU Contribution:  5088531 EURO
Total Costs:  7252194 EURO
Funding Scheme: Collaborative project (generic)
Administrative Contact Person:  Natascha WALLBURG (Ms.)
Programme Acronym: FP7-ENERGY
Programme type: Seventh Framework Programme
Subprogramme Area: Development of new or improved sustainable bio-energy carriers
Subject index: Energy Saving

Partners:

  • CHIMAR HELLAS AE, Greece
  • UNIVERSITAET STUTTGART, Germany
    CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS, Greece
  • NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK - TNO, Netherlands
  • INSTYTUT UPRAWY NAWOZENIA I GLEBOZNAWSTWA, PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY, Poland
  • ENBW ENERGIE BADEN-WURTTEMBERG AG, Germany
  • DSM CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY R & D BV, Netherlands
  • SYNCOM FORSCHUNGS- UND ENTWICKLUNGSBERATUNG GMBH, Germany
  • AVA-CO2-FORSCHUNG GMBH, Germany
  • GRACE GMBH & CO KG, Germany
  • FH OO FORSCHUNGS & ENTWICKLUNGS GMBH, Austria
  • NESTE OIL CORPORATION, Finland