INDUSTRIAL BIOENERGY SYSTEMS: STATE OF THE ART AND PERSPECTIVES

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1 INDUSTRIAL BIOENERGY SYSTEMS: STATE OF THE ART AND PERSPECTIVES Dr Jean-Bernard Michel Professor, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, Head, Industrial Bioenergy Systems unit

2 My home city: Fribourg, Switzerland 2

3 Campus Yverdon-les-Bains Cheseaux St. Roch Y-Parc HEIG-VD: the largest university of applied science campus 1600 students 3

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5 THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ISSUES 5

6 World energy statistics (IEA 2014) 6

7 World Energy Outlook Extract (Released on 12 November 2014) The share of renewables in total power generation rises from 21% in 2012 to 33% in 2040, as they supply nearly half of the growth in global electricity generation. Renewable electricity generation, including hydropower, nearly triples over , overtaking gas as the second-largest source of generation in the next couple of years and surpassing coal as the top source after China sees the biggest absolute increase in generation from renewable sources, more than the gains in the European Union, United States and Japan combined. 7

8 Biomass potential in Europe (source: EEA) Note: The effect of a CO2 permit price of up to 65 EUR/ton by 2030 was estimated for agriculture in Germany and France only. Source: How much biomass can Europe use without harming the environment? EEA Briefing, 2005/02, ISSN WGC

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10 Types of biomass Sugar type Ligno-cellulosic Wastes Oil type 10

11 Biomass pros and cons Difficult fuel Long term supply contract needed Variable feedstock (ash, moisture, heavy metals ) Low energy density complicated and expensive logistics Not stable: fermentation, degradation if not stored/dried properly Unsuited to large power plants Distributed resource Limited land productivity Cheap fuel As long as it is produced naturally Suitable to many uses Food Chemicals Energy Local use by local people Distributed power generation Job creation Good energy storage medium Renewable energy transition Power to fuel concepts Low CO 2 impact 11

12 Bioenergy pathways Production/harvesting/ preparation v Thermochemical Physicochemical combustion torrefaction pyrolysis gasification Press/ extraction Esterification Solid fuel liquid fuel F-.T gaseous fuel boiler Hot air turbine Motor/ Gas turbine Fuel cell Heat steam Power Biological Fermentation/ hydrolysis Methanisation transport biofuel 12

13 Question What is the conversion efficiency of solar energy to ethanol? Ex. Brazil: 6000 litres/ha 1 litre provides 5,9 kwh Average yearly solar radiation: 2300 kwh/m 2 /y Result: 0,15%! Result similar to biomass yield from a forest in Switzerland: 0,13% energy conversion efficiency Microalgae: up to 5% energy conversion efficiency (oil) 13

14 THERMOCHEMICAL BIOENERGY SYSTEMS 14

15 Typical moving grid furnace and boiler for ligneous biomass 15

16 Cogeneration of Heat and Power (CHP) with biomass CHP most efficient in terms of energy utilization Suitable for ligno-cellulosic biomass and wastes Conventional steam boiler: scaling-down necessary High investment cost and low/no ROI New boiler systems: not mature enough (steam piston or screw) Externally fired hot air turbine (Brayton cycle) : very promising but still in demonstration phase Gasification: Lots of demo plants no commercial breakthrough 16

17 Hot-air turbine for CHP from Schmid (CH) Wood chips input (50% moisture): 240 kg/h, 600 kw Heat production: 300 kw Power (gross): 95 kw Own consumption: 15 kw Total efficiency: 77%

18 How to store biomass wastes? One simple way: torrefaction Reference site: International Biomass Torrefaction Council 18

19 Torrefaction process Principle Raw biomass Drying (< 20% moisture) Gas recycling/ postcombustion (LCV 2 to 3 MJ/kg) Torgas Torrefaction Anaerobic heating 240 C-280 C Autothermal process Mass yield ~70% Energy yield ~90% 10% left is partly recovered LCV increase by 20% Torrefied biomass 19

20 Torrefied chips and pellets 20

21 Comparison with normal pellets Torrefied pellets Market advantages Energy density increase by 50% Calorific value increase by 30% Lower transport & strorage costs Better combustion characteristics Hydrophobic No bacterial activity Grinding energy reduction by 90% Outside storage Lower grinding costs Variety of input Availabilty and price of feedstock 21

22 Swelling and disintegration of pellets in water (60 seconds) 22

23 Small scale pilot torrefactor 20 kg/h 23

24 PHYSICOCHEMICAL BIOENERGY SYSTEMS (ENERGY FARMING) 24

25 Energy crops Second generation biofuels no longer supported in many countries Land productivity very low compared to PV systems Third generation biofuels may be the answer: Microalgae Integrated biorefinery systems But the future will certainly beyond our thinking! Genetic engineering Robototics 25

26 Microalgae and the issue of land use Open pond: tons/ha/year 40-50% oil Tubular systems: tons/ha/year Photobioreactors: tons/ha/year potential biodiesel cost of 0.8 $/litre to 1.5 $/litre 80 t/ha oil = 27 times Jatropha yield = 1/5 of PV systems 26

27 Example of photobioreactor (Valcent products, El Paso Interrupted devpt.) 27

28 BIOLOGICAL ENERGY SYSTEMS The world of enzymes and bacteries Unknown to classical engineering 28

29 Example: ORION project SME agro-food industries produce large quantities of organic waste (OW) 2006 figures: 240 Million tons of OW in the EU Biowaste: 30 % to 45 % of municipal solid waste High costs of waste treatment: 50 to 200 Euros per ton storage costs in cool areas specific transportation costs incineration or recovery. Examples: Dairy processing industry: spends 100 Million Euros in OW disposal in Europe 29

30 The case of restaurant wastes in Switzerland e.g. : 1200 meals/day 110 tons/year Total cost ~ $/year Ecological and sanitary impact due to storage, transport and incineration. 30

31 How to get rid of agro-food waste economically? 31

32 Project challenges Serial production of a new type of machine Keep disposal costs below 50 /ton Produce and make use of biogas locally Keep bacterial activity/populations in good health to prevent process breakdown Prevent fouling and blockage Develop an automated process control system 12 industrial/sme partners + 9 RTD partners. 32

33 Manure wastes 33

34 Food preparation wastes 34

35 Agro-food wastes Example: Irish salmon producer with 1000 tons/year of waste - Cost about Euros/year 35

36 Types of biological systems Temperature range: psychrophilic C in lakes Mesophilic C farm digesters, landfills Thermophilic C better for food wastes Systems: Natural biogas production: ponds, stockpiles of wet biomass, landfills Industrial biogas systems: Dry or wet processes Horizontal (plug flow) or vertical (stirred) 36

37 Orion project: 650 l prototype biphasic system 37

38 ISO 20 Container Before assembly Transportability Every module inside the container Simple deployment, easy to assemble. During operation Accessibility Maintenance 38

39 Body of digester Sieving grid, Filters the overflow. Retains particles of insoluble matter. Jabot, Substrate distribution unit. Feeds the methanation tank regularly. Initiates first step of the digestion. Methanation tank, Biogas production from a biological methanogenic process. Hot water tank Geneva, Thursday 30 th October 2014

40 My dream project: cow robots for waste recycling 40

41 «There is no energy crisis, only a crisis of ignorance" Richard Buckminster Fuller ( ) 41

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