Belgian-Dutch partnership to develop 5MW biocoal project
Belgium's Thenergo, a leading European combined heat-and-power (CHP) clean energy company, announces [*.pdf] that it is developing a 5MW electricity and biocoal plant, or 'E-park', in northern Holland. In partnership with Eclair-E, a Dutch CHP sustainable energy supplier and Venture Kapitaalfonds III BV a 100% subsidiary of NV NOM, the investment and development agency for the Northern Netherlands, the E-park will generate annually up to 42,800MWh of power and 75,000 tons of biocoal pellets.
Biocoal pellets are made from thermally processed biomass either from dedicated energy crops or from wood debris, forest residue and chippings. In pellet form it is a multipurpose clean burning fuel, easy to store and handle. This green 'designer coal' can be obtained by carbonizing biomass, with new techniques under development (previous post). Compared to wood, coal and biomass pellets, biocoal contains a far lower amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), no water, and is fully carbon neutral (graph, click to enlarge).
Since biocoal pellets are water resistant they can be stored for many years without decay. The higher energy density allows for up to 25% savings on transport and storage compared to ordinary biomass pellets. Biocoal pellets enable large scale co-firing of biomass in existing coal-fired power stations, with virtually no additional investment or handling.
Located on the Dutch-German border near Coevorden, the project will begin construction in April 2008 and is expected to be fully operational within 18 months. The development and building costs will require an investment of €30 million (US$41 million). Thenergo will have a majority interest in the project.
In this first truly cross-border bioenergy project, electricity will be sold to German grid operators, while biocoal pellets will supply Dutch and German coal fired power stations. The E-park will generate average annual sales of up to €13 million (US$17.7 million). The E-park’s primary fuel will come from regionally sourced forest debris and pruned wood from public land (225,000 tons per year):
energy :: sustainability :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: biomass :: wood :: residues :: biocoal :: co-firing :: Netherands :: Belgium ::
The announcement of Thenergo’s first E-park comes shortly after Thenergo revealed that it has begun work on a 3.2 MW CHP agri-waste to electricity facility, or E-farm, in West Flanders (Belgium) (earlier post).
Founded in 2002 and based in Antwerp, Belgium, Thenergo is one of Europe’s leading independent developers and operators of sustainable energy projects using biomass, biogas and natural gas. Thenergo designs, builds, finances, operates and sells energy from Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects for its own account and on behalf of its clients. It has proven expertise in European energy trading markets as well as in green power and CHP certificates. To date, Thenergo has a gross installed capacity of 33MW for an annual electricity production capacity of 135 GWh. Since 14 June 2007, Thenergo has been listed on Alternext, Paris.
Eclair-E Energie NV is a Dutch independent power producer and supplier, dedicated to production of 100% sustainable power and heat. This differentiates Eclair-E from other power companies in The Netherlands. Eclair-E develops sustainable power and heat from decentralised biomass CHP units, fired with forest residues, herbaceous biofuels and energy crops.
The Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands, N.V. NOM, is the active promoter of economic development in the Northern Netherlands. NOM has a wide range of activities and objectives: it participates in companies in the Dutch provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, it provides backing in investments, locations, and initiates projects that enhance the competitive edge of regional trade and industry.
Graph: basic comparison of water, volatile organic compounds and carbon content of coal, wood, wood pellets and biocoal. Credit: Biocoal.net.
Biocoal pellets are made from thermally processed biomass either from dedicated energy crops or from wood debris, forest residue and chippings. In pellet form it is a multipurpose clean burning fuel, easy to store and handle. This green 'designer coal' can be obtained by carbonizing biomass, with new techniques under development (previous post). Compared to wood, coal and biomass pellets, biocoal contains a far lower amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), no water, and is fully carbon neutral (graph, click to enlarge).
Since biocoal pellets are water resistant they can be stored for many years without decay. The higher energy density allows for up to 25% savings on transport and storage compared to ordinary biomass pellets. Biocoal pellets enable large scale co-firing of biomass in existing coal-fired power stations, with virtually no additional investment or handling.
Located on the Dutch-German border near Coevorden, the project will begin construction in April 2008 and is expected to be fully operational within 18 months. The development and building costs will require an investment of €30 million (US$41 million). Thenergo will have a majority interest in the project.
In this first truly cross-border bioenergy project, electricity will be sold to German grid operators, while biocoal pellets will supply Dutch and German coal fired power stations. The E-park will generate average annual sales of up to €13 million (US$17.7 million). The E-park’s primary fuel will come from regionally sourced forest debris and pruned wood from public land (225,000 tons per year):
energy :: sustainability :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: biomass :: wood :: residues :: biocoal :: co-firing :: Netherands :: Belgium ::
The announcement of Thenergo’s first E-park comes shortly after Thenergo revealed that it has begun work on a 3.2 MW CHP agri-waste to electricity facility, or E-farm, in West Flanders (Belgium) (earlier post).
Founded in 2002 and based in Antwerp, Belgium, Thenergo is one of Europe’s leading independent developers and operators of sustainable energy projects using biomass, biogas and natural gas. Thenergo designs, builds, finances, operates and sells energy from Combined Heat and Power (CHP) projects for its own account and on behalf of its clients. It has proven expertise in European energy trading markets as well as in green power and CHP certificates. To date, Thenergo has a gross installed capacity of 33MW for an annual electricity production capacity of 135 GWh. Since 14 June 2007, Thenergo has been listed on Alternext, Paris.
Eclair-E Energie NV is a Dutch independent power producer and supplier, dedicated to production of 100% sustainable power and heat. This differentiates Eclair-E from other power companies in The Netherlands. Eclair-E develops sustainable power and heat from decentralised biomass CHP units, fired with forest residues, herbaceous biofuels and energy crops.
The Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands, N.V. NOM, is the active promoter of economic development in the Northern Netherlands. NOM has a wide range of activities and objectives: it participates in companies in the Dutch provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe, it provides backing in investments, locations, and initiates projects that enhance the competitive edge of regional trade and industry.
Graph: basic comparison of water, volatile organic compounds and carbon content of coal, wood, wood pellets and biocoal. Credit: Biocoal.net.
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