NNE5-1999-00489 EU-Brazilian Industrial Demonstration of gasification to Electricity - EU-BRIDGE

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EESD (Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development) : Electricity : Thermochemical Conversion

Proposal No:	NNE5-1999-00489
Date Prepared:	February 2004
Source:	European Bio-Energy Projects (EUR 20808)

Introduction

The main aim of this project is to prove the technical and commercial potential of BIG-GT technology when applied to woody biomass and agricultural residues such as sugar cane trash and bagasse. The major advantage of BIG-GT technology is its high conversion efficiency to electricity of more than 40%. Estimates made by USAID indicate that the use of BIG-GT technology will permit 50,000 MW power to be generated from cane residues worldwide.

The use of advanced conversion technology in the sugar cane industry also has the advantage that emissions harmful to the atmosphere can be significantly reduced as a result of a change in traditional harvesting of cane which normally consists of setting huge areas of cane fields ablaze during the harvesting season. By harvesting the cane trash for energy production, the production of local air pollutants can be avoided, as can those hydrocarbons contributing to climatic impact, during the fires following the harvest.

Progress

As of July 2003, despite a number of delays in the design and construction of the demonstration plant, many hurdles have been overcome. SER has not yet been able to finalise the structure of the project organisation and the financing necessary to start construction of the plant. However, it has recently been confirmed that the GEF grant allocated for the plant is still available and the World Bank has also reconfirmed their interest in the technology. The World Bank has also expressed a wish to expand the scope of the demonstration plant to include changing the main feedstock from eucalyptus wood to sugar cane trash and bagasse. The implications of this change are now being considered.

The research work conducted (including the development and evaluation of sugar cane trash recovery systems, gasification tests at up to 2 MW_th scale, and prototype feeder tests) as part of achieving the second objective of the project has been completed. The individual task objectives have been met in all the work areas.

Impact and exploitation

Agricultural residues from sugar manufacturing from cane comprise a biofuel of immense potential in developing countries. Estimates made by USAID indicate that about 50,000 MWe could be generated by BIG-GT technology from cane residues available worldwide, amounting to 2,800 TWh/year that could be generated in the 80 developing countries where sugar cane is grown, representing 170% of the current generating capacity in these countries.