Bio-FlexGen is an EU-funded Research and Innovation Action (RIA) project. 14 partners from five countries (Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Spain and Germany) will collaboratively work for a decarbonised future. Susanne Paulrud from the Swedish research organization RISE coordinates the 36 months project.
The global demand for energy is constantly increasing. That´s why renewable sources are crucial for a decarbonised future. Bio-FlexGen will develop an optimised combination of bioenergy with green hydrogen providing secure and plannable sources for power and heat. This will complement intermittent renewable sources such as wind and sun. Bio-FlexGen will also increase the efficiency and flexibility of renewable combined heat and power (CHP), playing a key role in the energy system integration. Moreover, Bio-FlexGen will combine gasification and gas turbine technology.
Due to the high efficiency, three times more power can be generated from biomass for the same heat load. Starting and operating on 100% green hydrogen, the CHP-plant can quickly achieve full load. To meet fluctuations in seasonal energy demands and prices, there will be a variant of the plant. It adapts to long periods of low electricity prices or heat demand by producing climate-positive green hydrogen.
The Bio-FlexGen approach is highly efficient – both energetically and economically. Engineers will develop a power plant with a unique combination of gasification and gas turbine technology that allows the plant to utilise hydrogen for fast dispatch and biomass for low operating costs over time. Green hydrogen is an energy carrier to stabilise electrical grids. It is generated through solar or wind energy.
Compared with thermal power stations, the Bio-FlexGen power plant will generate electricity and heat from biomass, with a much higher electricity efficiency. The Bio-FlexGen power plant will operate with up to 100% green hydrogen – thus enabling higher flexibility of renewable energy sources. Bio-FlexGen researchers will, among others, develop a novel combustion chamber. This enables the gas turbine combustion system to adjust to changing compositions of bio-syngas and the hydrogen.
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