Bioenergy

Professor Rozakis’s work involves the development of models to relate bioenergy to the production phase. The case study he presents is related to the biogas industry in Poland, aimed at investigating the development of its bioeconomy through an economic lens. Prof. Rozakis lays out the background and motivations that drove him to this field of research in Poland, namely map out its current situation and assess supply and demand trends to assess the competition between bioenergy and other agri-food supply chains, and to consider the environmental impact. Prof. Rozakis then proceeds to present a schematic of the Partial Equilibrium (PE) modeling framework used in this study. Two models were developed, one for agriculture and one for industry, which he presents in some detail. The professor explains the methodology of each model, along with its mathematical structure, while offering a description for each variable used. For the industry model, they used the General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS), a high-level modeling system for mathematical programming and optimization and were able to assess potential profit and return of investment, as he explains. Prof. Rozakis details the various inputs and outputs of the model. Following, he delineates the parameters and results of the Polish case study, made clear through maps and flow charts. One of the main results of the analysis was the investment appraisal, which he discusses. He also presents special distribution maps of the biomass supply, as well as graphs that contrast supply and demand trends, depending on the region of Poland in question. Closing, he discusses the various conclusions gleaned from the case study.

Dr. Atsonios begins by stressing the role of biomass in sustainable transport. He demonstrates the various advanced biofuels production pathways, in terms of different feedstocks utilized, the conversion they undergo, the medium used, upgrading, and end use. He then presents renewable synthetic fuels production through another pathway, that of carbon dioxide (CO2). He is currently involved in numerous EU-funded projects related to advanced biofuels production. One such project, BioSFerA, (concluded in March 2024) aimed to produce drop-in aviation and marine biofuels through a combined thermochemical-biochemical pathway. Kostis then demonstrates the production chain of the project along with the key results, technological advancements it brought and its added value. Following, Kostis presents the CLARA project, another research project, involving the full chain 2nd generation biofuel production based on chemical looping gasification. After delving into the production process it developed, he explains the technological advancements it entailed. Next, he goes on to detail the FlexSNG project, a research project with the goal to develop and validate a flexible and cost-effective gasification-based process for the production of pipeline-quality biomethane, high value biochar and renewable heat from a wide variety of low-quality biomass residues and biogenic waste feedstocks. He explains the goals of the project and the innovations, especially in terms of cost savings it brought. Last he introduces us to a more recent project, FUELPHORIA, aimed at demonstrating robust and cost effective technological solutions for the production of advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origins from sustainable feedstocks and renewable energy. Wrapping up, Kostis offers several interesting conclusions on the future of advanced biofuels from his expert point of view.

Ana begins by stressing the increasing importance of the issue of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the various measures the global community and the EU is taking in that direction. Ana introduces PRIO, a company that distributes and markets liquid fuels since 2006, based in Portugal. PRIO also owns a biodiesel production plant that uses vegetable oils to produce biodiesel, at a capacity of 113,000 tonnes/year. As she explains, since 2022 they only operate using residual oils, resulting at a greatly reduced carbon footprint. As Ana details, the bioethanol market is constantly expanding, so naturally PRIO exhibits increasing interest in its production. Ana offers a definition of bioethanol, along with a schematic on how it is produced. She argues that bioliquids like bioethanol will continue to play a big role in future transportation technology, as electric vehicles will coexist with hybrid vehicles, especially as the technologies around them continue to evolve. Also importantly, ethanol will play a key role in the aviation industry. She introduces us to BioFlexPor, a project that aimed at using residual biomass to produce bioethanol. It began by assessing the availability of feedstocks, namely from corn, olive groves, and indigenous forests such as eucalyptus, maritime pine, and stone pine. She elaborates on the results from the project, which were then subsequently adopted by PRIO for an industrial project. Ana closes her presentation with important messages towards the global decarbonization and the role bioethanol and biofuels by large will play in that sector, along with a more circular approach to economy in general.

Virginia begins her presentation by briefly introducing CEDER, the Centro de Desarollo de Energias Renovables. She elaborates on what kind of issues it addresses, namely management of sewage sludge inside a cadre of stringent legislation combined with high logistics and management costs. She explains the solution the DRY4GAS project proposed, offering sustainable treatment for any sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, by producing gas and energy in the process. The process involves solar drying, gasification, and energy recovery via an ORC unit, while also giving resources that can find use in agricultural applications. Ensuing, Virginia elaborates on the benefits of such technology: its circular nature, and the many products and by-products that the process produces and their end uses in various sectors. As she explains, this way they are also able to produce renewable energy and aid towards emissions reduction, along with numerous other environmental benefits.

Professor Freire begins with a short introduction of the Center for Industrial Ecology, based in Coimbra, in which he is mostly active. He goes on to offer an introduction to life cycle assessment (LCA), with a brief definition and mention of related ISO standards, along with their approach to it. Continuing, prof. Freire discusses the purpose of LCA, according to ISO 14040:2006, and offers a few practical examples. He then goes on to explain the basic differences between life cycle assessment, life cycle approach and life cycle thinking. Prof. Freire discusses sustainability approaches based on LCA, namely Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), along with Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and SLCA or Social LCA. Prof. Freire then proceeds to how a LCA analysis is set up, starting with a schematic of the different phases it assumes: scope, life cycle inventory analysis, life cycle impact assessment, and life cycle interpretation. He also stresses how the goal and scope of LCA analysis is a crucial step. Next, he offers a visual schematic example of an LCA analysis to aid in understanding in a more practical way, along with some real-world examples of the analyses they have performed across various sectors. Prof. Freire then elaborates on findings from an EU rape-seed methyl ester review they have performed using two different LCA models and the differences between their results. Closing, he uses more examples from recent analyses to demonstrate recent advances in LCA.

Vasileios starts his presentation by introducing ESEK, an energy cooperative based in Karditsa, Central Greece that utilizes residual biomass for energy production. He paints a vivid picture of the land and topography of the surrounding area and the different types of biomasses it can provide. He then elaborates on the modus operandi of ESEK, its core values and goals. He also explains how community engagement is a big part of ESEK’s activities. ESEK’s history goes back to 2010. In 2016, they were founded as an enterprise, creating a biofuel plant that can process biomass residues and produce refined solid biofuels, in the form of pellets, and have been operating since 2017. Vasileios presents a schematic of the supply chain they operate on, one using multiple feedstocks from local sources. They also formed a collaboration with the municipality of Karditsa, and continuously try to engage forest cooperatives and the wood industry for mutually beneficial collaboration. Vasileios elaborates on BECoop, an EU Horizon2020 program that aided them in expanding their activities. One of these activities was the valorization of coffee bean residues, sourced from local coffee houses. He explains how they mixed such residues with other types of biomasses to produce high quality biofuels. A big part of the effort was community engagement, to secure the coffee bean wastes thus aiding the municipality of Karditsa with waste management and providing a valuable source of renewable energy. ESEK also worked with another local municipality, as Vasileios goes on to describe, to install biomass boilers in a school, and set up a supply chain to provide for its energy need and pellet boiler upkeep. ESEK also plans to expand its area of activities in other sectors of renewable energy, namely solar, always using a democratic scheme and striving for community engagement.

The presentation begins with a brief overview of the company Juan Carlos represents, Yilkins, based in the Netherlands. Yilkins was founded in 2015, quickly upscaling its activities and production capacity in its main areas of interest, drying and carbonization technology (torrefaction, charcoal, biochar), all skid based. They also offer patented drying and torrefaction equipment. Yilkins’s success is based off the expertise of its founders, who are pioneers in the fiends of torrefaction and inventors of various patterns. Yilkins quickly increased its output capacity in the timespan of 2016 to 2020 by a factor of 10 and aims to increase it by a further factor of 4 by 2026. Juan Carlos argues that torrefaction, despite some recent criticism because of commercial or technical failures it encountered, as great potential, if its several relative parameters are optimized. To do this, Yilkins strives to improve the various factors affecting the thermochemical process. Juan Carlos elaborates on the various value chains they can build around this technology, demonstrating its broad spectrum of applications. Accordingly, a schematic of the torrefaction is presented, highlighting its advantages and wide applications for upgrading energy commodities. Various steps of the process are then discussed: drying, torrefaction and pelleting, each with their multiple technological advances and synergies with other systems. The potential benefits in terms of economic inputs are demonstrated next, as torrefaction technology can create significant savings. There are many torrefaction production chains, as discussed by Juan Carlos, each with its input, output and specific parameters; each end user must design their depending on their needs and aims. The design of a logistics chain, in terms of energy efficiency is then elaborated on. Closing, Juan Carlos goes over a few highlighted projects under Yilkin’s portfolio in various countries globally, demonstrating the increasing interest around green technologies like torrefaction.

Jorge begins his presentations with a schematic explaining the basic principles of a micro or mini-CHP unit: how it differs from a separated heat or energy production unit, its inputs and outputs, while also explaining key terminology. He explains that the main benefit of this technology is economic, as it can cover a potential client’s energy needs and give him independence from the electric grid. Jorge continues to elaborate on the various types of CHP technologies used, how they are differentiated and their main parts. He goes on to indicate the relation between thermal efficiency and electric efficiency on various technologies, including Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), Stirling Engine (SE), Internal combustion Engine, Micro Gas Turbine (MGT) and Fuel Cell (FC). Following, a detailed schematic of a typical ORC unit is presented, explaining the basic principles of its function and the biomass-fed laboratory prototype used in this case study. The main findings of the study are presented next, focusing on the relationship between electrical power output and thermal power output along with the factors that affect it.

Dimitris begins his presentation with a brief overview of CERTH and CPERI and his team’s role, activity, and capabilities. He goes on to elaborate on biogas as a gateway to high-value products, such as fertilizers, biopolymers, or more advanced fuels like biomethane. Biogas is part of all latest EU environmental plans like RED II and REPowerEU, as EU has emphasized decarbonization and energy security to combat climate change. Dimitris emphasizes how, to achieve the EU’s ambitious 2030 goals towards a greater biomethane adoption, there will have to be an upscaling of the production across it. He goes on to a critique of some of the key issues REPowerEU will have to address to achieve its goals for a more energy independent Europe, namely diversifying its feedstock sources, unlocking the potential for more localized energy production, and prioritizing sustainability throughout all steps of the biogas production chain. Dimitris then presents a few key projects associated with the themes of biogas production, sustainable energy production and circular economy. These EU-funded projects reflect its greater efforts to address climate issues in a scientific and systematic way. First, BIOMETHAVERSE, a research project involving pilot technologies set out to boost biomethane production in the EU by reducing associated costs and increase production, in a sustainable way. The project has 5 active pilots in 5 different countries: Greece, Italy, France, Sweden, and Ukraine. He goes on to present the technical characteristics of the Greek pilot project, located in Central Macedonia, Greece: inputs and outputs of biogas plant, along with its prospects and goals. Next, the ALFA project, another research project on the biogas potential of livestock farming, with a focus on designing a business portfolio and providing technical support services to parties interested in integrating biogas solutions, inside a cadre of increased community engagement and societal acceptance. Last, the CO25SMOS project: Advanced chemicals production from biogenic CO2 emissions for circular bio-based industries, aims to develop a platform of technologies to transform the emissions produced by bio-based industries into high added value chemicals to be used in conjunction with other bio-based products. It focuses on gas fermentation, electrocatalytic reduction, bio-catalyzed conversion, liquid fermentation, and catalytic conversion technologies.

Dr. Alves begins his presentation with a brief mention of the institution he is employed by, BIOREF, a private non-profit association involved in bioenergy, renewable gases, and the sustainable bioeconomy. Dr. Alves goes over biomass gasification: he provides a definition, along with a visual schematic of the process and the chemical reactions that take place during it. The products of the process are demonstrated – gas, biochar, and tar – along with their properties and applications. Next, he demonstrates schematics for five common reactor configurations and discusses their basic setup and characteristics in terms of products, requirements, and applications. Ensuing, he offers a detailed breakdown of the characteristics of the product gas from each reactor configuration and the conditions required to produce it, demonstrating the syngas’s composition in H2, CO, CO2, CH4 and its lower heating value. He then proceeds to discuss the pros and cons of gasification compared to combustion in terms of emissions, scale of application, energy efficiency, valorisation potential etc. He goes on in detail on the issue of contaminants present in the product gas and the problems they can pose such as catalyst poisoning, corrosion, formation of deposits, air pollution and health issues when inhaled by humans. To address this, he proposes an example of a gas cleanup system that utilizes various steps to capture particulates, tars, nitrogen, and sulphur components to even trace contaminants and can produce a cleaned syngas. He presents a case study, currently being developed in Portugal over a time span of 4 years, called HYFUELUP (Hybrid Biomethane Production from Integrated Biomass Conversion), and funded by Horizon Europe. The goals and innovations of the project are then presented, along with a demonstration of a site located in Tondela (Viseu), Portugal, able to produce biomethane at a rate of 50 m3/h using digestate sludges and lignocellulosic wastes. Wrapping up, Dr Alves goes over the highlights and major points of interest of his presentation, along with suggestions for future national interventions to assist the gasification sector in its growth and further uptake by the industry and economy at large.

The focus of the presentation is on biomass direct combustion heat boilers. Juliana begins by explaining the basic principles of their operation, what types of fuels they utilize, leading up to how this technology will help transition to renewable feedstocks, like biomass. She briefly goes over the advantages and area of application of each technological category: biomass, natural gas, coal and oil fired boilers, and last, municipal solid waste boilers. Juliana then makes an overview of the European biomass boiler market, which she explains is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 7.8% from 2024 until 2032, ending up at a projected market value of 20.1 billion dollars. This growth will be based on recent advances on emissions reduction, boiler efficiency and increased business and industry interest in bio-heat and electricity. An overview of the global biomass boiler market follows, based on the feedstocks, including woody biomass, agricultural waste, industrial waste, urban residues and others. She explains how increasing decarbonization efforts are expected to expand woody biomass technology uptake. Following, the challenges of such market growth are laid out: i) high initial investment costs, which can be addressed by financing schemes such as the Energy as a Service (EaaS) or other government incentives across the EU can help offset these expenses, ii) fuel availability, which is addressed by constructing more dependable and diverse supply chains to meet regional demands and ensure sustainability. Regarding the biomass value chain, Juliana makes breaks it down and elaborates on land use, biomass production, conversion, and end use. She mentions the main contributors of biomass: forestry, agriculture, marine biomass, as well as the various residues from various human activities. Then there is also mention on the role it plays in the wider bioeconomy, as well as aiding towards the creation of a circular economy. Modern biomass boilers are poised to play an important role in the wider bioeconomy cadre, so Juliana breaks down the technical characteristics and operation of a typical automatic SCIVEN biomass boiler to demonstrate its properties and capabilities compared to outdated systems. These systems are capable to replace natural gas boilers in terms of convenience due to modern automations, while offering a considerably lower cost of maintenance due to significantly less expensive feedstocks, even considering the time of the year as a factor, as demonstrated by a comparative analysis presented. The presentation closes with a virtual Q&A session where Juliana addressed some of the most commonly asked questions around biomass, bioheat, related technologies and the bio-based economy as an expert in the field, while also demonstrating SCIVEN’s principles and approach around it.

Professor Marques begins his presentation with an overview of the EU’s biomass supply. He explains that bioenergy is the largest contributor of renewable energy in the EU, simultaneously being the largest indigenous energy source. Forests also play a crucial role, that of carbon sinks; they are natural reservoirs that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas levels. Due to recent natural disasters like wildfires, storms, insect outbreaks, the aging of ecosystems, and increased wood harvesting, this role has been undermined between the time span of 2010 to 2020. Despite that, Prof. Marques points out that Portugal has great potential for solid biomass fuels production due to its vast coverage from forests and agricultural land, spanning 73% of its territory. Portugal is already producing 71% of its electricity from biomass sourced from its central regions. Prof. Marques stresses the importance of using such fuels towards the global efforts for carbon neutrality. Converting biomass into solid fuels can be done with various technologies, including pyrolysis, torrefaction and pelletization. Commonly, the raw materials used can include wood, crop residues and waste from agricultural or forestry activities. In his scientific research and laboratory trials, he has utilized various species of grasses, shrubs, or trees, along with RDF-refuse, livestock farming residues and meat processing residues, various other agricultural or food residues such as vines from grapes and kiwi, nut shells, olive pits etc., to produce biomass pellets. He mentions that the biggest restraining factor for more widespread utilization of such resources remains the prohibiting legislation around them. Next, Prof. Marques lists the production steps pellet production requires and proceeds to explain the most common problems associated with pellet production, including temperature and moisture content. To address these, he elaborates on the measures they proposed to solve them: strict temperature and moisture control, and most importantly, size distribution, as particle size greatly affects the end product’s physical properties.

Representing the Brussels-based trade organization of Bioenergy Europe, Manolis aimed to contextualize bioenergy in the European Union. He begins by addressing the usual misconception around the end uses of energy, where almost half of it is used for heating, the rest equally split between electricity and transportation. Bioenergy is present in all energy production, being most dominant in the heating sector, whilst also being the most meaningful contributor in the transport sector through biofuels. Half of the bioheat consumed yearly in the EU involves the residential sector, and another quarter is utilized by the industrial sector; the major end users in that sector are the paper, pulp and printing sector, wood and wood products, non-metallic minerals and food and beverages. These are industries that make good use of residual biomass resources. As Manolis points out, modern bioheat solutions are mostly automated. They offer on-demand, cheap, close to zero-emissions, renewable energy, a key difference between them and other RE sources. Their size depends on the required application. In terms of the biomass supply, Manolis stressed that solid biomass is the largest contributor of biomass feedstocks. In 2021, forest biomass made up 71.37% of the total energy feedstock, with agricultural biomass at 15.34% and waste biomass at 13.29%. Manolis addresses the discussion around the restraints on biomass supply around the EU, contrasting with the example of open field burning of wild overgrowth in rural areas and wildfires. He argues that there would be major benefits of making use of that energy source in an organized way rather than waste it. Biomass can also aid in energy independence and defossilization, as most feedstocks are produced within the EU, and what is imported comes from trusted partners. Additionally, since the EU is leading in the field of bioenergy technology, making use of related technologies promotes domestic EU industry. Manolis argues that bioenergy is poised to increase in consumption in the future, heading towards 2050, both relatively and in absolute terms. A key point would be to strive for a technological update on biomass appliances to improve energy efficiency. Next, Manolis discusses the criticism around bioenergy and EU legislation, and the argument that bioenergy is not sustainable; he affirms in contrast that bioenergy is the only sustainable RE source, accounting for RED II (2018) sustainability criteria. He also addresses the difficulties sometimes encountered by burgeoning bioenergy projects, which must familiarize themselves with complex and shifting legislation and regulations. Concluding, he explains the manifesto of Bioenergy Europe towards energy transition, which contains 3 steps: i) a clear fossil fuels exit strategy, ii) sustainable and efficient bioenergy that enhances energy security, and iii) a plan to unlock the potential of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, utilization and biochar.