Upgrading woody biomass to biocoal using a novel microwave induced plasma technology

There is a real need to de-carbonise energy production in order that Governments meet their obligations to

reduce fossil fuel derived carbon emissions and to meet renewable energy generation targets. Using

sustainable sources of wood as a fuel is one such method of reducing the CO2 emissions associated with energy

production; however, wood has a high moisture content, low energy density, has variable combustion

properties and there are considerable costs incurred in modifying existing power plants for co-firing.

Consequently, power producers are looking increasingly to torrefaction as a method of upgrading woody

biomass to produce energy dense and renewable "biocoal", but technology development has been hampered

by engineering problems and economic issues. The main aim of this proposal is two-fold: to enhance and assess

the techno-economics of using novel microwave induced plasma (MIP) technology to make biocoal; and to use

a systems approach to identify the optimum position and scale of the MIP technology within the biomass

supply chain so that the benefits of biocoal can be realised.