Industrial scale straw-to-biomethane conversion

Agricultural waste and crop residues are a major potential source of energy and fertilizers, and with the optimal technology an equally major business potential.

We have developed a new pre-treatment technology for agricultural lignocellulosic crop residues, such as cereal straw, which allow co-digestion with animal manures and achieving the full theoreti-cal biofuel potential of both biomass resources (EUDP J.nr. 64010-0423 ). The pretreatment tech-nology is available for biomethane as well as bioethanol production or any other biofuel based on lignocellulosic material. The technology will be further developed and demonstrated in full scale at Aarhus University plant where up to 10.000 tons straw annually will be pre-treated and co-digested with 50.000 tons animal manure.

A side stream of pre-treated straw will undergo enzymatic hydrolysis to demonstrate its applicability for bioethanol production.

The technology uses a minimum of water, energy, and catalyses, and achieves a near complete availability of sugars in the straw. Heat is added as kinetic energy mainly and through exothermically chemical hydrolysis reactions. The technology allows input of dry straw to the biomethane reactors, which is important for industrial scale straw-to-biofuel conversion.

The demonstration of the technology will launch a global marketing and sales campaign based on the dealership network of C. F. Nielsen A/S and BioFuelTechnology ApS. Complete straw processing lines will be marketed as well as full scale bioenergy plants, including the pre-treatment technology.