EERA Bioenergy – Thermochemical Processing

EERA Bioenergy coordination team:

Jaap Kiel

Presented at Supergen Bioenergy II Researchers’ Meeting, Solihull, United Kingdom, 13-15 April 2011

ECN-M--11-051 APRIL 2011

2 ECN-M--11-051

EERA Bioenergy – Thermochemical Processing

Jaap KielECN

EERA Bioenergy coordination team: Kai Sipilä (VTT), Jaap Kiel (ECN), Francisco Gírio (LNEG), Kim Pilegaard (Risø),

Benoît Gabrielle (INRA) and Carl Wilén (VTT)Bas van Bree (ECN)

SUPERGEN Bioenergy II Researchers’ Meeting, Solihull, UK13 April 2011

www.eera-set.eu

Background

• SET-plan− The technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy− Aimed at accelerating innovation in cutting edge European low

carbon technologies to achieve the EU 2020 targets and 2050 vision (80-95% GHG reduction)

− Two main instruments:EII’s: European Industrial InitiativesEERA: European Energy Research Alliance

• EII’s− Enable commercial availability of advanced and sustainable low

carbon technologies at large scale by 2020 and strengthen EU world technology leadership, through

Demonstration plantsFirst commercial-scale units (Flagship plants)

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EERA

• Initiative by 10(+5) leading European R&D institutes

• Aim: accelerate development of new energy technologies− Strengthen, expand and optimise research capabilities− Decrease fragmentation, harmonise national and EC programmes− Draw on results from fundamental research− Hand over mature technologies to industry driven research

(industry groupings)

• Participation in EERA open to all research organisations, but:− Not just a membership; need to bring in significant R&D capacity

• Based on own resources (not: additional budgets EC)

• Between fundamental and industry driven research

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EERA Structure

Annual Congress

Executive Committee15 members, 3 observers

Joint Programme A Joint Programme B Joint Programme C Joint Programme …

Secretariat5 members

Joint Programmes:

BioenergyCCSCSPGeothermalMarineMaterials for NuclearPhotovoltaicSmart CitiesSmart GridsWind

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EERA Membership types• Partners

− Have a seat in the Executive Committee

− Collective responsibility to ensure good overall functioning of EERA

− Fee: 10k€/year

• Participants− Take part with at least 5 py/y in at least one Joint Programme

− Have a seat in the Joint Programme Steering Committee

− Collective responsibility to ensure good functioning of JP

− Fee: determined per JP

• Associated Participants− Take part with less than 5 py/y in at least one Joint Programme

− Contributes to Joint Programme via a Participant

− Fee: determined per JP

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Joint Programming

What kind of cooperation can be foreseen?• Harmonisation of research programmes

− Exchange of information− Exchange of personnel− Common strategy to tackle (new) research questions

Too many topics for a single instituteAvoid duplication, ensure complementary of programmesAgree on who does what (and share results)

• Facilities− Sharing of facilities− Building new facilities

Owned by multiple institutes

Insufficient for EERA

A breakthrough

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Joint Programming (cont’d)• EERA is not a toy of the EC, it should primarily address

your interest− Cooperation you should have done (or wanted) anyway

Optimising the use of your scarce resources− EERA only facilitates− But: EERA offers the opportunity of higher budgets and influence

EC programmes as soon as it has proven itself (not before)

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EERA: The prospect

time

€

“own” resources

aligned EC-funded projects

Other sources (e.g. MS-programmes)

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EERA Bioenergy

• Bioenergy currently plays a large role− Represents 60% of renewable energy sources in Europe− Used in heat and electricity generation and as biofuels for transport

• European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP) played a major role in defining the bioenergy part in the SET-plan− Strategic Research Agenda & Strategy Deployment Document

• The current focus of EERA Bioenergy is on biofuels− Imperative in reaching 2020 RES transport goal (10%)− Based on the 7 value chains defined by the EBTP− Other topics (e.g. electricity generation) may be added later

• Close alignment with the EIBI (e.g. EERA representative in EIBI team)

Advanced conversion paths based on thermochemical processes

Selected bioenergy value chains (1)

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Advanced conversion paths based on biological and chemical processes

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Selected bioenergy value chains (2)

EERA Bioenergy structure

• The Joint Programme comprises four sub-programmes• Each sub-programme includes 2-4 work packages• The work packages are further divided into research themes

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EERA Bioenergy history

• 12/13 April 2010: 1st EERA workshop on Bioenergy

• April-October 2010: Drafting of Joint Programme

• 15/16 November 2010: Official launch at SET-plan Conference (Brussels)

• 18 January 2011: Kick-off meeting (Amsterdam)

• 8/9 and 22/23 March 2011: Workshops (Amsterdam and Karlsruhe) to define work programme Thermochemicalprocessing

Partnership and Resources

• 19 institutes are involved• 11 countries are represented• >6 institutes have expressed interest in joining, e.g.

− CIRAD (FR), CERTH (GR), IMP (PL), OFI (AT), CUT (PL), SLU (SE)www.eera-set.eu

Sub-programme Thermochemical Processing

• Work packages (WPs)

www.eera-set.eu

WP2Conversion processes

WP3Downstream

processes

WP1Upgrading

BiomassProduction

and collectionsystems

Bioenergycarriers

BiofuelsBiopowerBioheat

Co-products

WP4 Generic issues

Activities WP1

• WP1 – Biomass upgrading into bioenergy carriers

− Support technology development for the upgrading of biomass feedstock into solid or liquid bioenergy carriers with superior properties in terms of logistics and end-use

− Research themes:RT 1.1 – Torrefaction (+ densification)RT 1.2 – PyrolysisRT 1.3 – Hydrothermal processing

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Activities WP2

• WP2 – Conversion processes – gasification and gas cleaning

− Optimise gasification and gas cleaning process concepts with regard to efficiency, gas quality and costs, and to gain general understanding regarding intermediate and product formation in different process steps, influence of different feedstock, process conditions and catalysts on syngas quality

− Research themes:RT 2.1 – Fuels, handling and feedingRT 2.2 – Gasification technologiesRT 2.3 – Gasification reactor and process modellingRT 2.4 – Syngas cleaning and conditioningRT 2.5 – Intelligent combinations of (syngas cleaning) process steps

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Activities WP3

• WP3 – Downstream processing

− Develop catalysts with better performance and improved process concepts for the conversion of clean syngas into transport fuels and chemicals through testing at lab, PDU and pilot scale

− Research themes:RT 3.1 – Catalyst development and testingRT 3.2 – Optimising reactor technology and process conceptsRT 3.3 – Product specification and testing

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Activities WP4

• WP4 – Generic issues of thermo-chemical processing

− Support the research in the other work packages by developing and agreeing upon tools and methodologies and by contributing to the development of standards

− Research themes:RT 4.1 – Biomass properties database BIODATRT 4.2 – Product classification and standardisationRT 4.3 – Analytical and test methods and protocols

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Project ideas Torrefaction

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• Torrefaction fundamentals: Complement on going applied projects with more fundamental, exhaustive and long term approach to understand torrefaction process (CEA, AU, KIT, ECN, RISØ)

• Comprehensive approach of torrefied material behaviour: including handling and storage / weathering of torrefied pellets, combustion and gasification (in particular injection of torrefied product) , and safety issues (ECN, CENER, VTT, CEA, LNEG)

• Char formation from biomass: Improve the fundamental understanding of char formation under a broad range of experimental conditions corresponding to torrefaction, pyrolysis, hydrothermal conversion… (KIT, AU, VTT, CEA, LNEG, ECN)

• Chemicals recovery: Evaluate the potential for valorisation of side products of torrefaction (such as phenols…) (AU, CEA, ECN)

• Combination of torrefaction and densification: Characterize and optimize the densification of torrefied materials (including both fundamental and more applied work) (RISØ, ECN, CENER)

• Suitability of various feedstock / pretreatment and applications: adapt torrefaction and pelletizing processes to non-woody feedstock regarding specific application (combustion, gasification) (CENER, CEA, RISØ, VTT, ECN, LNEG)

• Parametric study of torrefaction process: Examine the effect of different process conditions on the performance of torrefaction processes and on the quality of the torrefied product with particular reference to feedstock size and moisture content, temperature control and residence time (AU, RISØ, KIT, CEA)

• Normalisation and standardisation activities for torrefaction (link with WP4 - relevant if project IEEE not accepted) (ECN, KIT, RISØ, CENER, VTT, AU, LNEG, CEA)

Project ideas Pyrolysis and Hydrothermal treatment

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• Upgrading of biooils: Catalytic cracking systems / in-situ catalysts, Fractionation, control of chemicals content in dependence on processing parameters for conditioning towards transportation and storage, Prepare for set-up an academic „Biooil upgrading“ network (AU, ECN, IMDEA, KIT, VTT)

• Biomass screening: Biomass screening in microreactor scale (AU), Round robin on reactors with selected types of biomass (max.2) (KIT), Data collection (data base) (VTT), Process design considerations by pyrolysis in different scale (lab, bench, pilot) and reactor type based on the data collection (VTT) (VTT, AU, ECN, KIT, LNEG)

• Mild hydrothermal processing as pre-treatment to improve pyrolysis oil quality: Experimental study on the effect of hydrothermal pre-treatment on pyrolysis oil quality (micro and lab scale) (LNEG, ECN, IMDEA)

• Treatment and use of effluent water from hydrothermal processing: Analysis of organic and inorganic components, hetero-atoms, ageing, potential for bio-gas production, requirements and conditioning for fertilizer recovery and waste water treatment (ECN, AU (Leeds), CEA, KIT)

• HTC solid product dewatering/conditioning: Identify and test suitable techniques for dewatering (ECN, CEA, KIT)

• Hydrothermal processing for post-treatment: Experimental study on hydrothermal treatment applied to bio-oils (AU, ECN, KIT)

• Biomass screening: Identification of relevant „wet“ feedstocks (IMDEA), Biomass screening in batch autoclaves (ECN), Data collection (data base) (CEA), Process design considerations (KIT) (KIT, AU (Leeds), CEA, ECN, IMDEA, KIT, LNEG)

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Summary conclusion

• EERA Bioenergy started January 2011, aimed at aligning European R&D activities− EERA is based on ‘own resources’− But EERA offers the opportunity of higher budgets and influence

EC programmes

• For the Thermochemical Processing (TP) sub-programme, concrete project ideas have been identified and will be developed in the coming months, with first projects to start in June

• Supergen is a participant in the TP sub-programme with ample opportunities of the Supergen partners to participate in the various projects and to develop new project ideas (and apply for additional funding)