Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Programme 2007 - 2013 North West Europe

Date of latest update: 2021-04-06

Description

Description (EN):

The utilisation and development of environmentally friendly technologies are key factors for the achievement of the ambitious aims of EU to increase the share of renewable energies. The ener-getic utilisation of biomass has an important role. as in contrast to other renewables (wind/PV). biomass is storable and it is possible to produce storable bio-fuels. However. at present the energy production from biomass is often economically inefficient. e.g. through an insufficient utilization of waste heat in conventional biogas plants. The conventional production of biomass for biogas plants is often eco-inefficient. e.g. due to the dominance of maize and the increased risk of soil erosion and nutrient losses. The competition with food-production on fertile land and the resulting increase of prices for land and agricultural products causes ethical and socio-economic problems. Hence COMBINE aims at opening-up of abandoned urban. natural and agricultural areas for the energy production. In the 4 partner regions the COMBINE project strives for this by: • Production of a storable solid fuel with a highly energy-efficient process • Utilization of biomass from extensively used grassland areas and landscape management. which can neither be used in animal feeding nor in conventional energetic conversion technolo-gies • Increasing the efficiency of biomass supply chains. through the addition of a year-round heat sink in distributed biogas or AD plants and by new harvesting and conditioning techniques. • Creating new energy supply chains from biomasses in the project regions and beyond • Securing livelihood for small farmers and disadvantaged persons in retreated areas through the creation of new income sources and regional added values with renewable energy production • Contribution to reducing the conflict between bio-energy and food production by exploring and utilisation of new raw materials.

Achievements (EN):

The technology IFBB "Integrated Generation of Solid Fuel and Biogas from Biomass" has been demonstrated by means of the mobile plant - the blue Conrad specifically constructed to investigate the viability of using different kinds of crops (semi-natural grasslands, road side verges, rushes, etc.) often perceived as problem habitats. The aim is to find out whether these crops can be used to manufacture viable biomass fuel with a multitude of economic, environmental and social benefits. First test runs in the partners regions have been carried out in Wales, UK and at the Lake Constance, DE, where open days were organised. During these events experts took a look at the transportable IFBB plant. An adapted version of this could be used by (cooperatives of) farmers in future. Inside its blue box exterior, blue Conrad washes problematic mineral content from material before pressing it for use as fuel. This unique pre-treatment process means that carbon emissions and ash content are reduced. Two further regions across Europe (BE, FR) are trialling the technology, where roadside verges are being tested for their potential to be turned into pellets or briquettes. In addition, biomass has been harvested at all partner sites, silaged and sent to the large-scale sedentary IFBB plant in Baden-Baden for test processing. Various experiments have been performed to optimise the production process: different mixing quantities of processed biomass, different pressure levels for dewatering the silage, different mash production durations, variations of the pressure level at the briquette production to minimise abrasion. Gains in the biogas production were monitored during these experiments. Also, experiments have been performed for sand removal of the delivered biomass. The processing was scientifically supervised by experts of Uni Kassel. They will analyse the results in the coming months, incl. combustion tests for the solid fuels produced during the experiments. Uni Gent has conducted thermo-chemical experiments with the biomass. IFBB treated roadside verges and other cuttings were heated under an oxygen free atmosphere up to 600°C. The analysis of the resulting oil and char will start in September 2014. The Belgian partner Inagro has performed biogas testing on lignin content and grass quality. Field trials on logistics and mowing have been completed. The gathered data will be used to develop a regional exploration plan. The Belgian partners investigated the simulations and mass balances and transformed them to a Flemish model, estimating the biogas potential and other characteristics of Flemish grass. This will give a clearer view on the feasibility of an IFBB installation in Flanders. The Uni Kassel has continued the field experiments about the use of urban road side green. The productivity of this kind of waste biomass was analysed depending on the mowing rate. Also the contamination of the IFBB processed biomass by heavy metals was determined. In most cases this kind of possible contamination was below the detection threshold. Thus, it can be concluded that this kind of biomass is in general suitable for energetic utilisation. Two research letters were published about these topics. Therefore the current stage of research associated with COMBINE predicts that contamination of urban grass biomass by heavy metals is no serious problem. Documents: - General project information - File Download

Website: http://www.nweurope.eu/

Thematic information

Green technologies Renewable energy Agriculture and fisheries and forestry

Partners (12)

Lead Partner: Universität Kassel

Address: Mönchebergstr. 19, 34125 Kassel, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Pro Natura

Name: Pro Natura

Address: Roggemanskaai 8, 1501 Halle, Belgium

Legal status: n/a

National Trust

Name: National Trust

Address: 16 Trinity Square, LL30 2DE Llandudno, United Kingdom

Legal status: n/a

WT Burden Ltd

Name: WT Burden Ltd

Address: 3 Brook Office Park, Folly Brook Road, Emersons Green, BS16 7FL Bristol, United Kingdom

Legal status: n/a

Ghent University (Partner drop out as of 20.12.2020)

Name: Ghent University (Partner drop out as of 20.12.2020)

Address: Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25, B-9000 Gent, Belgium

Legal status: n/a

INAGRO, PROVINCIAAL EXTERN VERZELFSTANDIGD AGENTSCHAP IN PRIVAATRECHTELIJKE VORM VZW

Name: INAGRO, PROVINCIAAL EXTERN VERZELFSTANDIGD AGENTSCHAP IN PRIVAATRECHTELIJKE VORM VZW

Address: Ieperseweg 87, 8800 Rumbeke, Belgium, Belgium

Legal status: n/a

Eigenbetrieb Umwelttechnik der Stadt Baden-Baden

Name: Eigenbetrieb Umwelttechnik der Stadt Baden-Baden

Address: Briegelackerstraße 8, 76532 Baden-Baden, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Association d’Initiatives Locales pour l’Energie et l’Environnement

Name: Association d’Initiatives Locales pour l’Energie et l’Environnement

Address: 73 rue de Saint Brieuc CS56520, 35065 Rennes CEDEX, France

Legal status: n/a

Conseil Général des Cotes d'Armor (CG22)

Name: Conseil Général des Cotes d'Armor (CG22)

Address: 3 place du général de Gaulle, 22 000 Saint Brieuc, France

Legal status: n/a

Vogelsbergkreis, Amt für den ländlichen Raum

Name: Vogelsbergkreis, Amt für den ländlichen Raum

Address: Adolf Spieß Straße 34, 36341 Lauterbach, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Bildung und Projekt Netzwerk GmbH, BUPNET, Branch Kassel,

Name: Bildung und Projekt Netzwerk GmbH, BUPNET, Branch Kassel,

Address: Käthe-Kollwitz-Str. 7, 34369 Hofgeismar, Germany

Legal status: n/a

Asiantaeth Ynni Severn Wye Energy Agency

Name: Asiantaeth Ynni Severn Wye Energy Agency

Address: Unit 15, Highnam Business Centre, Highnam, Gloucester, GL2 8DN Gloucester UK, United Kingdom

Legal status: n/a

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Partners and Projects info

Pro Natura vzw

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

National Trust

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

WT Burden Ltd

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Gent University

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

INAGRO, PROVINCIAAL EXTERN VERZELFSTANDIGD AGENTSCHAP IN PRIVAATRECHTELIJKE VORM VZW

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Eigenbetrieb Umwelttechnik der Stadt Baden-Baden

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Universität Kassel

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Association d’Initiatives Locales pour l’Energie et l’Environnement (AILE)

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Conseil Général des Cotes d'Armor (CG22)

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Vogelsbergkreis, Amt für den ländlichen Raum

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Bildung und Projekt Netzwerk GmbH, BUPNET, Branch Kassel,

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Partners and Projects info

Severn Wye Energy Agency Ltd

Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Project acronym: COMBINE

Project start date: 2011-06-01

Project end date: 2015-06-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 4 497 965.75

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 248 982.87

Co-financing sources:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2007 - 2013 North West Europe

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2015-12-01

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

114 / 114 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

1 104 / 1 104 (100%)

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Converting Organic Matters from European urban and natural areas into storable bio-Energy

Description

Thematic information

Partners (12)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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