NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTRE Biomass Department Activities David Sanchez EURICLIMA project 13 th March 2013, Santiago de Chile

Content 1. Introduction: CENER 2. Resources and facilities: Biomass Laboratory & CB2G 3. Activities & Strategic research lines

1. Introduction: CENER

Vision & Mision 1. Introduction: CENER Vision Mission To be a research centre of excellence in the renewable energies field with international outreach. To generate knowledge in the renewable energy field and to transfer it to the industry in order to boost sustainable energy development.

Science-Technology –Enterprise System- 1. Introduction: CENER Basic research Applied research Technological development Technological services Engineering Industrial Production R&D Projects Certification Tests

Activities and Research Areas 1. Introduction: CENER Activities Areas Applied research, technology transfer…. Assessment, approval, accreditation and certification services. Wind Biomass Solar Photovoltaic Solar Thermal Energy Grid Integration Energy in Building

CENER in numbers 1. Introduction: CENER 21,2 M€ M€ The annual 2012 budget is € 21,2 million. 60% self-financing 200 employees researchers, technical staff and support personnel Total investments ( ): >€100 million More than 200 customers in all five continents

Infraestructures 1. Introduction: CENER Headquarters Sarriguren Biofuels plant Aoiz Wind Test Laboratory Sangüesa Offices: Sevilla Experimental Wind Farm Alaiz Microgrid, Sangüesa

2. Resources & Facilities

Biomass Laboratory: Biomass characterisation Microbiology area Process area Analysis: Chromatography: HPLC, GC_FID, GC_MS. Biomass characterisation Biofuel (blends) characterisation Research Team 2. Resources & Facilities

Solid Biofuels characterisation: Moisture Ashes Volatiles & fixed Carbon Calorific Value Elemmental Analysis(CHN). Particle size distribution Pelets durability Apparent Density Laboratory 2. Resources & Facilities

Laboratory 2. Resources & Facilities Process Development Area - Reactors - Bio-reactors - Ancillary Equip.

CB2G 2. Resources & Facilities The Second generation Biofuel Centre is a Process Development Units (PDUs) to produce 2 nd generation biofuels on a pilot scale level as an intermediate step towards the industrial scale-up of these technologies and as a biorefinery test platform. The CB2G constitutes an integrated trial and demonstration platform designed to develop process, equipment and specific components, new biofuels and to apply bio- refinery concepts to biofuels production processes. Sugar Platform Biochemical processes Waste Lignin BIOMASS BioFuels BioProducts BioPolymers BioMaterials Synthesis gas platform Thermochemical processes Gasification Synthesis gas preparation Raw Material Sugars Cogeneration (CHP) Energy and heat The CB2G is a R&D infrastructure managed by CENER with the collaboration of CIEMAT in the definition, design and scientific and technological management.

CB2G – Process Units: General overview 2. Resources & Facilities

Pretreatment Unit: Capacity: 2MWt Kg Biomass/h Chipping for woody biomass. Chopping for herbaceous biomass Drying Torrefaction Milling. Pelletizing  In operation from 2008 Thermo-Chemical Unit: Gasification unit: Capacity 2 MWt-500 Kg Biomass/h Gasification Island Thermal Oxidizer and Flue gases treatment  In operation from Q Biochemical Process Unit: Capacity: Up to kg biomass / week Pretreatment. Solid / Liquid Fractionation Biological Processes (Enzymatic Hydrolysis & fermentation).  In operation from Q CB2G – Process Units 2. Resources & Facilities

CB2G – Pretreatment Unit 2. Resources & Facilities Pelletizing unit

CB2G - Gasification Unit 2. Resources & Facilities

CB2G – Biochemical Unit 2. Resources & Facilities This unit includes enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation reactors

3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Biomass Resources Assessment, Production and Sustainable Management: Biomass resources assessment. Supply & logistics studies, GHG & Energy balances, Sustainability studies Biofuels: Solid Biofuels: Densification & Energetic characterisation Liquid Biofuels: Bioethanol: & Biodiesel : Process Development; Production Technologies Assessment, Lignocellulosic ethanol pretreatment, Microalgae extraction & valorisation. Thermal chemical processes: Solid Bioenergy carriers by means of Torrefaction Gasification and gas-cleaning technologies. Development of second-generation biofuels via thermo chemical process. Main Activities 3. Activities & Strategic research lines

1.Solid Bioenergy Carriers Development:  Torrefaction process Development  Alternative Raw Materials Pellets Development 2. Sustainability Studies  Development and Application of Sustainability Schemes to Advanced Bioenergy Carriers 3. Bio-alcohols from alternative feed-stocks  Optimization of pre-treatment process for lignocellulosic materials  Development of anaerobic fermentative processes 4. Microalgae  Development of valorisation (extraction and conversion) of microalgae 5. Gasification of biomass process optimization  Syngas cleaning process development  Analysis of ashes and inorganic compounds behaviour  BFB gasification process optimization Strategic Research Lines 3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Continuous stirred horizontal reactor  High flexibility in feedstocks: lignocellulosic feedstocks such herbaceous and woody, considering as well the OFMSW  Particle size: from 6 up to 12 mm  Feed flow: up to 5 kg/h (dry matter)  Temperature: up to 200ºC  Pressure: from 2 bars up to 14,5 bars  Catalyst: acid, alkalis  Residence time at Maximum rate: 5 min  Hot supply: boiler steam  Processes developed: Liquid hot water // Diluted acid hydrolysis // Hydrothermal Figure: Bench unit under construction Example of activities: Optimization of pretratament 3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Example of activities: Optimization of pretratament 3. Activities & Strategic research lines Objetivo Biorefinería: Aprovechamiento integral de la biomasa lignocelulósica (lignina, celulosa, hemicelulosa, proteínas, productos de degradación…) Optimizar la producción de azúcares y convertir éstos en otros bioproductos (alcoholes, hidrocarburos, etc.) Kamm y Kamm (2004). Biorefinery- Systems. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly,

The core of the process equipment is the torrefaction reactor of special design manufactured by LIST AG ( It is a cylindrical horizontal reactor with an agitator shaft and attached elements of special design procuring axial transport characteristic for all kind of biomass, radial product homogenisation inside the reactor and excellent heat transfer conditions. Reactor heating is carried out indirectly through the hot reactor walls, the actively heated shaft tube and the actively heated internal shaft elements using thermal oil as heat transfer fluid. Example of activities: Torrefaction (1) 3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Example: torrefied beech wood pellet (low-medium torrefaction degree, % daf basis) Example of activities: Torrefaction (2) 3. Activities & Strategic research lines ParameterUnitsValue Hardgrove grindability indexNA22-26 Bulk Densitykg/m 3 (ar) Pellet durability% Moisture Content% (ar) Higher Heating ValueGJ/t (daf) Lower Heating ValueGJ/t (daf) C% (daf) H% (daf)~6.0 N% (daf) Ash Content% (db) Volatile matter content% (db)

ENERGREEN project :The evaluation of alternative extraction and biodiesel conversion systems. Biodiesel production from Chlorella lipid 1. Saponification: Lipids+ ethanol+ KOH 2. Methylation: reaction with acetyl chloride( 5:95) v/v INSAPONIFIABLE FRACTION Example of activities: Microalgae 3. Activities & Strategic research lines SAPONIFIABLE FRACTION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank so much for your attention The construction of the plant has been financed by the Government of Navarre (Navarre Plan 2012) and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (National Programme for Scientific- Technological Infrastructures).

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!