Abstract:

The application of fuel cells is gaining an icreasing interest in the world of energy production. The advantages of fuel cells are clear: the energy conversion is more efficient as compared to traditional energy conversion systems, and emission is zero. However, the feedstock for fuel cells, hydrogen, is derived from fossil fuels and as such contributes to the increase in carbon dioxide. Gasification of biomass is currently being studied as a method of producing hydrogen from renewable resources, but is still hampered by high investment and operational costs. This project is aimed at the biological production of hydrogen from biomass employing (hyper)thermophilic microorganisms in combination with photoheterotrophic microorganisms. This alternative approach offers several advantages: it can be operated with fairly low technology, it can handle 'wet biomass', the produced hydrogen is free from contaminants and, above all, the theoretical production of hydrogen cellulose is higher than that produced by gasification.

Objectives:

The main objective of this proposal is the development of a system for the production of hydrogen from renewable resources that meets the specifications for application in fuel cells. In this way the advantages of fuel cells, i.e. higher energy conversion and zero emission, will become exploitable without the traditional carbon dioxide emission associated with the utilisation of fossil fuels. This goal will be achieved through integration of the work on processing biomass from energy crops and waste streams, the development of a microbial hydrogen producing ‘factory’, and the recovery and application of the product. The pan-European involvement of scientists and industrialists will support the objective of the knowledge spreading and the potential introduction of biological hydrogen production across Europe.

Contacts

Coordinator

• Pieternel AM CLAASSEN / Agrotechnology & Food Innovations B.V. NETHERLANDS

EC Scientific Officer

• Ciarán MANGAN / European Commission - DG Research Quality of Life Programme - Unit B1.2 / BELGIUM

Participant

• Patrick SANGLAN / Air Liquide Division des Techniques Avancees / FRANCE
• Kati RECZEY / Budapest University of Technology and Economics Agricultural Chemical Technology Dept / HUNGARY
• Kornel KOVACS / Hungarian Academy of Sciences Biological Research Centre / HUNGARY
• Emmanuel G KOUKIOS / National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Dept of Chemical Engineering / GREECE
• A J M STAMS / Wageningen Agricultural University Department of Microbiology / NETHERLANDS
• Wageningen Agricultural University Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences / NETHERLANDS
• Ed van NIEL / Wageningen University NETHERLANDS