Biomass low cost advanced zero emission small-to-medium scale integrated gasifier-fuel cell combined heat and power plant
BLAZE aims at developing Low cost, Advanced and Zero Emission first-of-a-kind small-to-medium Biomass CHP. This aim is reached by developing bubbling fluidised bed technology integrating high temperature cleaning & conditioning system (IBFBG, that can convert heterogeneous feedstocks in a syngas with zero particulate matter and ultra-low tar and contaminants content), an integrated high temperature gas cleaning approach for HCl and H2S removal and an innovative key component for thermal and chemical integration of solid oxide fuel cell (efficient gas recirculation of the fuel cell anode exhaust to the gasification process via a steam-driven high speed micro-compressor using gas bearing technology). The technology is developed for a CHP capacity range from small (25-100 kWe) to medium (0.1-5 MWe) scale and is characterised by the widest fuel spectrum applicable (forest, agricultural, industrial and municipal waste also with high moisture, ash and contaminants content), high efficiencies (50% electrical versus the actual 20%), low investment (< 4 k€/kWe) and operation (≈ 0.05 €/kWh) costs as well as almost zero gaseous and PM emissions, projecting electricity production cost below 0.10 €/kWh . Gasification, gas cleaning & conditioning and fuel cells will be tested at lab scale and 25 kWe SOFC will be thermally and chemically integrated in 100 kWth IBFBG demonstrating the achievement of new milestones, increasing competitiveness of European industry, energy system reliability and flexibility and biomass plants social acceptance. Process simulations, computer aided design, tests, performance evaluation, risk and safety analysis as well as a technology assessment part covering techno-economic, environmental and overall impact assessments and market studies will be carried out together with a clear dissemination, exploitation and communication plan, that can count on the involvement of the main gasifier, gas conditioning and SOFC European companies and research centres.