What is Bioenergy?

William RobinsonB9 Solutions Limited

Contents

• Introduction

• Defining Bioenergy

• Biomass Fuels

• Energy Conversion Technologies

• Conclusion

Introduction

• William Robinson

• B9 employee for nearly seven years

• Lead Consultant

• Core projects are bioenergy

– Anaerobic digestion

– Landfill gas

– Biomass

• Company branches involved in other areas of renewables

– Onshore/Offshore wind

– Solar PV

– Tidal

What is Bioenergy?

• Bioenergy is energy derived from biomass and includes many biological materials

• 'Biomass' shall mean the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agriculture (including vegetal and

animal substances), forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste.• EU Directive 2001/77/EC (RES-E) - promotion of electricity produced from

renewable energy sources

• Utilisation of solar energy that has been bound up in biomass during the process of photosynthesis

• Renewable/sustainable as the fuel can be regrown

What is Bioenergy?

• Sunlight is converted into stored chemical energy i.e. glucose• Utilise this chemical energy in biomass to generate other types of energy

such as electricity and heat

Biomass Fuels

Energy Conversion Technology

SunlightChemical

Energy

Heat Energy

Kinetic Energy

Electricity

Steam Electricity

Hot Air

Hot Water

Mechanical Motion

Photosynthesis Biomass

Energy Conversion

Technology

Energy Conversion Technology

• Biomass combustion (woody materials)

• Biofuel combustion (biodiesel, bioethanol)

• Landfill Gas (methane)

• Anaerobic digestion

– Biogas (methane)

– Biomethane

• Utilisation of fuels in direct heating, combined heat and power (CHP), transportation.

Biomass Combustion

Biomass Combustion

Wood ChipsWood Pellets

Torrefied Biomass / Biocoal

• Wood pellets manufactured from dried sawdust

• European standards for wood pellet and wood chip grades

• Torrifaction involves heating the biomass to 220-300oC

• Main difference is energy content

Fuel Comparison TableProperty Woodchip Wood Pellet Steam Exploded

Pellet

Torrefied

Briquette

Coal

Moisture (%) 30% 8% 3% 3% 5-10%

Net Calorific Value (GJ/tonne) 12.5 17.5 18.5 21.5 27

Bulk Density (kg/m3) 250 650 700 800 850

Energy Density (MJ/m3) 3,100 11,000 13,000 17,000 23,000

Hydroscopic Nature Wets Wets Water resistant Hydrophobic Hydrophobic

Storage Behaviour -Spontaneous

combustion

-Dry matter loss

-Mould

-Can be stored

outdoors

-Some mould, but

generally good

-Must be stored

under cover

-Resistant to mould

-outdoor storage

capability untested

-Stable, but

untested in real

world environment

Stable

Sulphur Content (%wt DB) <<1% <<1% <<1% <<1% <1%

Ash Content (%wt) <3% <3% <3% <3% 3-10%

Thermal Treatments

• Key difference is the amount of oxygen supplied to the thermal reactor

• Pyrolysis – absence of oxygen

• Gasification – limited supply of oxygen

• Therefore, complete combustion does not take place, combustible gases (CO & H2) and tars/oils are produced.

• Combustion involves the oxidation of the material in excess of oxygen to produce CO2, Water & Ash

Thermal Treatments

Biomass

Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis

Heat, Flue Gas

and Ash

Syn Gas & Ash

and Tar

Syn Gas, Oil and

Char

Full

Oxygen Limited Oxygen

No Air

Biofuels

• Fuels derived from biomass crops which are suitable for use in vehicle engines or heating systems

• Biodiesel – Produced from pure plant oil, recovered vegetable oil or

tallow

– Mainly rapeseed oil

– Transesterification and methanol

– Blended with mineral diesel up to 5%

• Bioethanol – Produced from sugar beet and wheat

– Hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation

– Blended with petrol up to 5%

Landfill Gas

• Organic material within

the landfill is broken

down by bacteria

• Bacteria excrete gas

containing methane

(landfill gas)

• Wells are drilled and

pipes inserted into the

landfill to capture and

extract the landfill gas

• Gas used to fuel a CHP

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

Landfill Gas

Kyletalesha LFS - 0.8MW

Derryclure LFS – 0.8MW Ballydonagh LFS – 0.5MW

B9 Gas Utilisation Sites

North Kerry LFS – 0.3MW

Culmore LFS – 0.635MW

Craigahulliar LFS – 0.8MW

Craigmore LFS – 0.8MW

Ballymacvea LFS – 0.8MW

Green Road LFS – 0.8MW

Drumanakelly LFS – 0.635MW

Operational Sites

In Construction

Anaerobic Digestion

Methane: CH4 (60%)

Carbon Dioxide: CO2 (40%)

Anaerobic Digestion

• Granville Eco-Parks (GECO) based

outside Dungannon

• 75,000 tonnes per year capacity

• Feedstocks from commercial &

industrial sector, and from

municipal (includes CAT 2 & 3)

• Most advanced system in UK,

combining Enhanced Anaerobic

Digestion

• Operational from April 2014

Adjoining Abattoir

By-Products

Food Waste &

Green WasteEnhanced

Anaerobic

Digestion Process

CHP Engine

Renewable

Electricity & Heat

Biogas

Digestate –

organic fertiliser

Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic Digestion

GECO Plant

GECO Plant

Biomethane

• Energy content in biogas is dictated by the concentration of methane (CH4)

• Energy content can be improved by removing other contaminants

– Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

– Water

– Hydrogen Sulphides (H2S)

– Particulates

• Goal is to increase methane concentration from 60% to 97% or above (natural gas)

• Fuel is termed “biomethane”

Biomethane

• Technologies – Water Scrubbing, Pressure Swing Adsorption, Chemical Adsorption

• Increase calorific value and improve fuel quality

• Compressed to 200 bar

• Odorised

• Injected into the gas grid or transported via compressed tanker

• Biomethane is a good store of energy

• Can be used as a transport fuel or as a substitute for natural gas

Conclusion

• Bioenergy is defined by biomass fuel usage

• Biomass is biodegradable fraction of plants and animals

• Utilisation of stored chemical energy from solar energy (photosynthesis products)

• Bioenergy projects convert this stored chemical energy into other forms such as electricity and heat

• Typical conversion technologies include; – Biomass combustion

– Biofuel combustion

– Landfill Gas

– Anaerobic Digestion

Contact Details

William Robinson

Tel: 028 2826 8273

E-mail: w.robinson@b9solutions.co.uk

Web: www.b9energy.co.uk

Biodiesel

Methyl Ester

Trans-esterification

Catalyst Mixing

PurificationMethanol Recovery

Crude Biodiesel

NeutralisationPhase

SeparationRe-

neutralisationMethanol Recovery

Crude Glycerin

Recycled Methanol

Neutralising

Acid

Vegetable

Oils

Methanol

Catalyst

Bioethanol

Biomass Handling

Biomass Pre-treatment

Enzyme Production

Cellulose Hydrolysis

Ethanol Recovery

Glucose Fermentation

Bioethanol

Lignin Utilisation

Pentose Fermentation