National Activities - Belgium SRC-GAZEL: A Pilot Process to Generate Electricity by Gasifying Short Rotation Coppice (SRC)

Contacts




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Economics : Electricity : Enviromental Aspects : National Activities - Belgium : Process Engineering : Solid Biofuels : Thermochemical Conversion : Wood (Lignocellulose)

SUMMARY

Today, recovering the energy from biomass is part of the Environmental Plan for Sustainable Development in the Walloon region.

A pilot process was set up at the initiative of the Walloon region and Electrabel. The aim is to generate electricity using low-capacity generators by gasifying Short Rotation Coppice. Throught this project the Walloon region also aims to exploit Walloonia's potential for agricultural diversification.

Upon termination of the project the technical, economic and environmental conclusions will be used as a base for determining the development prospects in the Walloon region and other regions in Europe and around the world.

OBJECTIVES

1. Studying the technical feasibility of the entire process, comprising:
   • fully-controlled production of short rotation coppice: choice of varieties, crop husbandry, the impact on neighbouring crops
   • harvest of short-rotation coppice and conditioning it into fuel
   • gasification of this fuel in small-capacity units and processing of gas into electricity according to demand

2. Analysing the impact of the process on the environment
   • crop aspects: inputs, biodiversity, landscape
   • characterisation, analysis and use of processing discharges - solids, liquids and gases
   • any other aspects

3. Assessing the socio-economic impact of the process
   • at operator level
   • at regional level

Contacts

Coordinator

• Direction Générale des Technologies de la Recherche et de l 'Energie / BELGIUM
• Direction générale de l 'Agriculture BELGIUM
• Direction générale des Ressources naturelles et de l 'Environnement / BELGIUM
• Electrabel BELGIUM

Participant

• Facultés Universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix / BELGIUM
• Universite Catholique de Louvain Laboratoire ECOP Grandes Cultures / BELGIUM
• Université Catholique de Louvain Unité Thermodynamique et Turbomachines / BELGIUM
• Cathy DELAUNOIS / VALBIOM asbl c/o Centre de Recherche Agronomiques de L'Etat Departement de Genie rural / BELGIUM