E4tech to lead consortium on ETI project assessing the impact of biomass pre-processing options

28th May 2015

• Consultants E4tech are leading a consortium delivering ETI’s latest bioenergy project
• This techno-economic analysis will review the economic and performance benefits and trade-offs associated with pre-processing bioenergy feedstocks
• Project will run in parallel with another ETI project that is characterising UK grown feedstocks

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has selected E4tech to lead a consortium that will deliver the latest project in its bioenergy programme – a techno-economic assessment of biomass pre-processing.

This 11 month project will provide an assessment of the economic and performance trade-offs associated with pre-processing options, and the value they provide compared with more conventional technology improvement approaches.

Pre-processing technologies assessed will include drying, blending, chipping, pelleting, torrefaction and pyrolysis, amongst others. Using process modelling and sensitivity analysis, the project will compare different bioenergy system approaches with, and without, pre-processing steps between feedstock production and an energy conversion plant. The analysis will use feedstock data from a parallel ETI project that is characterising feedstocks grown in the UK.

E4tech is an independent, technologically informed, business consultancy operating in sustainable energy, providing strategy analysis and support for governments and corporate organisations. The consortium for this project includes ICON, the consulting arm of Imperial College London, PSE, a leading supplier of Advanced Process Modelling Technology, CMCL innovations, software developers and consultants for the engineering & technology sector, Black & Veatch, the global engineering, consulting and construction company, as well as bioenergy experts at the University of Sheffield.

Dr Geraint Evans, programme manager for Bioenergy at the ETI said:

“We are seeking to further develop our understanding of how to optimise bioenergy value chains at a system level and this requires an understanding of when pre-processing adds and doesn’t add value. E4tech has a strong track record of work in this area, so we feel they will add benefit to our programme understanding and help us to continue to build an evidence base for the increased use of biomass in the UK for energy production.”

Dr Ausilio Bauen, Director at E4tech added:  

“We have worked with ETI previously on their Biomass to Power with CCS and Biomass Systems Value Chain Modelling projects. This new project will make an important additional contribution to ETI’s work on understanding where future opportunities and value lie in the bioenergy system.”

Watch a video of Porgramme Manager Geraint Evans explaining the announcement here.