Project justification
The EC has set a target to increase the share of CHP in the European energy supply from the current 10% to 18% in 2010. One of the objectives is to develop energy systems for remote regions with a special emphasis on the integration of renewable energy. So far, the implementation of small-scale (50 to 1000 kWe), direct biomass-to-electricity CHP-systems has been rather limited. The main reasons are:
· Relatively high investment costs for small-scale systems
· High running costs
· Poor reliability and availability
· Low acceptance by end-users
The reasons causing these intrinsic problems are manifold, but main causes are:
· The presence of contaminants in the biomass (apart from ash, oxygen and water can also be considered this way)
· The limited availability of uniform types of biomass
· The non-uniform appearance of biomass
· Its general low energetic density (especially in terms of GJ/m3), requiring huge volumes of biomass stocks to be stored near the electricity production unit
Converting biomass into bioliquids increases its acceptance by end-users, as they are uniform and easier to use. The Bioliquids-CHP project was set up to break down the technical barriers preventing the use of bioliquids in engines and turbines by following a double approach. On the one hand, the project will develop and modify engines and turbines so that these can run efficiently on bioliquids such as biodiesel, vegetable oil and pyrolysis oil. On the other hand, in the project bioliquids will be upgraded and blended in order to facilitate their use in engines and turbines. Thus, the most economic and reliable engine/turbine-bioliquids combinations will be developed in order to make the system attractive.
· Relatively high investment costs for small-scale systems
· High running costs
· Poor reliability and availability
· Low acceptance by end-users
The reasons causing these intrinsic problems are manifold, but main causes are:
· The presence of contaminants in the biomass (apart from ash, oxygen and water can also be considered this way)
· The limited availability of uniform types of biomass
· The non-uniform appearance of biomass
· Its general low energetic density (especially in terms of GJ/m3), requiring huge volumes of biomass stocks to be stored near the electricity production unit
Converting biomass into bioliquids increases its acceptance by end-users, as they are uniform and easier to use. The Bioliquids-CHP project was set up to break down the technical barriers preventing the use of bioliquids in engines and turbines by following a double approach. On the one hand, the project will develop and modify engines and turbines so that these can run efficiently on bioliquids such as biodiesel, vegetable oil and pyrolysis oil. On the other hand, in the project bioliquids will be upgraded and blended in order to facilitate their use in engines and turbines. Thus, the most economic and reliable engine/turbine-bioliquids combinations will be developed in order to make the system attractive.