Biomass to Gas | Current Projects
Renewable Energy for Greenhouses
Renewable Energy for Greenhouses was initiated in 2005 by Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY in partnership with the greenhouse industry, to assist the industry in utilizing biomass as a fuel for heating and powering greenhouses across Canada. The objective of the project is to asses the supply and conversion of biomass residues for energy in greenhouses. The focus will be on biomass residues as these are the fuels which are likely to be lowest in cost.
The project will be completed in 3 phases and will help with the development of protocols, guidelines, standards and regulations for biomass production and combustion.
Phase 1 will focus on the supply, storage and handling of biomass. Specifically, finding milling facilities in areas near the greenhouse industry which produce agricultural residues on a regular basis that are of a consistent quality, and analysing regional processing facilities for drying, densifying, pelletizing and storing biomass. The first phase will also generate a protocol for evaluating biomass residue’s properties, combustor performance and emissions.
Phase 2 will focus on characterizing combustion performance and tracing emissions, such as: dioxins and furans, volatile organic compounds and fine particulate, from the combustion of biomass residues. An evaluation of air pollution control equipment, such as cyclones, baghouses, and electrostatic precipitators, will also be used to compare the efficiency of particulate removal.
Phase 3 will focus on the future of the biomass industry by setting guidelines for fuel drying and densification, to increase system efficiency. Techniques for flue gas scrubbing and CO2 enrichment will be explored in this phase of the project with the objective to create a “trigeneration” system that produces heat, power and CO2 for use in greenhouses. Finally, a model that integrates elements of availability, quality, price and security of supply will assist in creating a framework of energy co-operatives to establish a biomass supply infrastructure to feed the Canadian greenhouse industry.
Short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC) of willow or hybrid poplar
CanmetENERGY partnered with Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and “Institut de recherche en biologie végétale de Montréal” (Plant Biology Research Institute of Montreal) on a project to develop short-rotation plantation and agro-forestry systems for energy production and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC) is a relatively recent form of silviculture that uses fast-growing species such as willow or hybrid poplar. It is characterized by a high planting density, a very short harvesting cycle and a high post-harvest stump sprout density.
Testing has been carried out at the CanmetENERGY laboratories in Ottawa to evaluate the energy conversion potential of woody crops, specifically clones of poplar and willow. Research has been performed to evaluate the handling/feeding of baled woody crops and combustion testing in a 1 MWth (100 bhp) moving grate furnace. Combustion testing has been done at 800 – 900 C with 60 - 80% excess air. The data collected includes combustion performance and characteristics, particulates and on-line flue gas analysis of O2, CO, CO2, NOx, and SO2.
All fuels were analyzed for composition and energy content. It was found that on a mass basis (per kg), purpose grown woody biomass fuels have similar energy content to conventional wood fuels. Purpose grown woody biomass fuels have slightly higher ash (and alkali) content than wood and may require a little more “attention” during combustion but should not pose any significant clinkering and fouling problems.
“Fresh” woody crop fuels have high moisture content and require drying for efficient combustion. In addition, hybrid poplar/willow fuels have specific needs for fuel handling and feeding especially when handling bales/bundles for “smaller” systems. Once these issues are addressed, purpose grown woody biomass fuels can perform as well as traditional wood fuels in terms of both emissions and efficiency.