Joint workshop with task 40 on the development of Torrefaction technologies and the possible impacts on global bioenergy use and international bioenergy trade

International workshop on 


Development of torrefaction technologies and
impacts on global bioenergy use and
international bioenergy trade

Friday , 28 January 2011,
13.30
– 18.00


Central European Biomass Conference (CEBC), Stadhalle, Graz, Austria

Task 32:
Biomass combustion and co-firing

Task 40:
Sustainable International Bioenergy trade


Workshop rationale and aim


Torrefaction is an interesting pre-treatment technology for biomass before pelletisation and/or combustion. It is a thermo-chemical process for the upgrading of biomass that is usually run at temperatures ranging from 200 to more than 300°C under the exclusion of oxygen and at ambient pressure.

This workshop gave a comprehensive overview of fundamentals of torrefaction, the main advantages of and the challenges in producing torrefied biomass. Ongoing R&D activities were shown, demonstration plants under construction or already in operation were presented and the latest state-of-science in torrefaction was discussed.

A major focus of the workshop was on logistic aspects of torrefied biomass and the possible impacts on global international bioenergy trade. International biomass trade of e.g. wood pellets, ethanol or biodiesel has been growing strongly in the past decade, but is still relatively small compared to other commodities. While the technical biomass potential would in theory allow for much larger quantities to be utilized, in practice the use is hampered by a geographical mismatch of supply and demand, and associated high logistical costs. Torrefaction is a pre-treatment technology that may help to overcome this barrier as it might enable the use of so-far unutilized biomass potentials, and may thus play a pivotal role for the future growth of bioenergy trade.

This workshop was attended by approx 250 participants from industry, policy makers, NGOs and academia. The event took place as a parallel session within the Central European Biomass Conference 2011 in Graz, Austria.


Programme

Time

Lecture /
speaker

13:30

Welcome address
Martina Ammer, Federal Ministry for
Transport, Innovation and Technology, Vienna, Austria

13:35


Introduction
Chairman: Jaap Koppejan, IEA
Bioenergy Task 32, Enschede, The Netherlands

13:40


Task 40 overview
of international developments in torrefaction
Chris Kleinschmidt, KEMA, Arnhem,
The Netherlands


Paper of the presentation

13:50

The ratio behind
torrefaction: trade-off between additional investment & energy
use vs. logistical & end-use advantages
Michael Wild, EBES AG, Vienna,
Austria

14:10


Fundamentals and
basic principles of torrefaction
Martin Englisch, ÖFI, Vienna,
Austria

14:30

Pilot-scale
biomass torrefaction – an extensive parametric study
Anders Nordin, Umea University,
Umea, Sweden

14:50

ECN’s
torrefaction-based BO2-technology – from pilot to demo
Jaap Kiel, ECN, Petten, The
Netherlands

15:10


Presentation of
the Torrbed process
Robin Post van der Burg, Topell,
The Hague, The Netherlands

15:30


Presentation of
the Torr Coal process
Jan Brouwers, Torr Coal, Sittard,
The Netherlands

15:50


Presentation of
the ACB process
Klaus Trattner, Andritz AG, Graz,
Austria

16:10

Coffee break

16:30

Regional/global
biomass potentials that are currently unutilized and that may be
accessed through torrefaction
Hubert Röder, Pöyry,
Freising, Germany

16:50


Possibilities and
bottlenecks for long-distance transport and storage of torrefied
material
Ger Ostermeijer, Peterson Control
Union Group, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

17:10

Case study:
exports of torrefied and non-torrefied biomass from a Latin
American country to Rotterdam Comparison of costs and GHG
emissions
Andre Faaij, Utrecht University,
Utrecht, The Netherlands

17:30


The technical
aspects of the firing and co-firing of torrefied biomass in
large pulverised fuel-fired boilers.
William Livingston, Doosan Babcock
Energy Limited
, Renfrew, UK

17:50

Closing
Chairman: Martin Junginger, IEA
Bioenergy Task 40, Utrecht, The Netherlands