Increasing the share of biomass for renewable energy in Europe demands conversion pathways which are economic, flexible in feedstock and energy efficient.
The project concentrates on dry and wet residual biomass and wastes as feedstock for decentralized conversion by fast pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization to the intermediate energy carriers oil, coal or slurry. Major activities include the analysis of economic efficiency of the complete production pathways, the optimization of logistic chains and the investigation of environmental compatibility. BioBoost aims at making a substantial improvement towards increasing the efficiency of the use of biomass and residues in the future.

TNO's role

TNO is leading work package 6 “Techno-economic, social and environmental assessment of complete chains”. The focus is on the assessment of the techno-economic feasibility, environmental and social sustainability of the various value chains that could emerge from the energy carrier.

• Development and testing of a market implementation scheme for the conversion products in heat and power production and oil refineries, enabling phase-in of large scale central facilities to a developed market.
• Value chain and life cycle analysis, development and optimization of an integrated model in which decentralized processes convert a variety of biomass into energy carriers for multiple uses in a cost-effective and sustainable way.
• Identification of regional biomass potentials and setup of feedstock supply concepts for de-central conversion plants of various size and feedstock demand. Focus is on residual biomass and organic wastes.

Figure shows the share of biomass (production and provision) in total conversion processes (incl. fuel distribution) impacts. GWP: Global Warming Potential; POCP: Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential; AP: Acidification Potential; EP: Eutrophication Potential; ADP: Abiotic Ressource Depletion Potential; CED: Cumulative Energy Demand. (RENEW).