Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH (BEST) products

The second major research field is the development of next generation combustion systems with the central aim to further increase efficiencies and decrease emissions, moving towards near zero emission operation. The R&D strategy focuses on the development of modular concepts of biomass furnaces and boilers.

BIOENERGY 2020+ undertakes a variety of activities in order to estimate the resource potential of solid biofuels as well as to assess the fuel with respect to technological, ecological and economic aspects. In the field of raw material supply and logistics, BE2020+ deals with the assessment, development and optimisation of the entire resource chain from the field or forest, to the storage of raw material or the end-user. The respective harvesting technology is evaluated particularly with respect to quality relevant aspects whereby new solutions are gathered for transport logistics.

The conversion of product gas from biomass gasification [Link] in Fischer Tropsch fuels for transportation applications is the focal point of this field of activity. BIOENERGY 2020+ works on the continuous development and market implementation of Fischer Tropsch synthesis for 2nd generation biofuels.

Thermochemical conversion of biomass enables the production of energy (heat and electricity) as well as the co-production of renewable carbon products (biochar, bio-oils and gases) for a wide range of applications (e.g. agriculture, plastics production or metallurgy). Sub-Area 1.1 Thermochemical Technologies focuses on the development, optimization and demonstration of pyrolysis, gasification and combustion technologies as integral parts in renewable and distributed energy systems. A wide range of organic raw materials and residues are used as feedstocks, preferably at the end of cascading utilization concepts, creating additional value through the utilization of residues.

Our work on biotechnological conversion follows the principle of cascading utilization. We develop biotechnological processes for the conversion of biomass, residues and CO2 to various products (gaseous or liquid energy carriers, basic chemicals, higher value products for the chemical industry, biofertilizers).

The utilization of biomass, residues and waste by thermo-chemical gasification is the core of this competence area. Through the gasification process we convert biomass, residues and waste into syngas; this is the basis of synthetic fuels (FT diesel, FT kerosene, methanol), gaseous energy carriers (hydrogen and synthetic natural gas) or chemicals. Using renewable raw materials (biomass, sewage sludge, ...), the production and use of these products are CO2 neutral. In our vision of a future-proof and sustainable energy supply, this conversion of biomass, residues and waste into storable energy carriers plays an important role. (Surplus) electricity from wind and solar power plants can also be used in the form of additional hydrogen for the syntheses and thus be stored in carbonhydrates.

In the Sub-Area 2.3 we deal with the development of standardized, holistic tools for the planning and control of decentralized energy systems (energy communities, cellular energy systems) and microgrids.

The conversion of biomass into fuels for transportation is the focal issue within our competence field of biofuels. Within this field, we strive to develop applications for novel biomass resources as well as innovative conversion technologies through biological, biotechnological and thermo-chemical processes.