Biomass Power Generation

Abstract

This document summarizes the findings of Project BRA/96/G31 – Biomass Power Generation – Sugarcane Bagasse and Trash, conducted during the period of 1997 to 2005, with the purpose of evaluating and developing the technology for using sugar cane residues, bagasse and trash as fuel for the advanced cogeneration system of biomass integrated gasification gas turbine (BIG-GT), integrated with sugar/ethanol mills. The Project funded by the Global Environment Facility – GEF (www.gefweb.org) and Copersucar further received the partnership of the Swedish National Energy Administration and the European Commission. The project, developed under the focal area of Climate Change, was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme – UNDP having the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil – MCT (www.mct.gov.br) as coordinator. Project development was undertaken by CTC, the Copersucar Technology Center, which belonged to a cooperative of 32 sugarcane mills and, in 2004, evolved into CTC – Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira (www.ctc.com.br), a research center with more than a hundred associates (including sugar cane mills and sugar cane growers associations). Gasification development, on its turn, was carried out by TPS – Termiska Processer AB (www.tps. se). The project’s relevance was recognized by several institutions, sugar cane mills and equipment manufacturers, a number of which assisted in various phases of the development (see acknowledgements in the following page). During project execution 98 reports were issued by CTC and 11 issued by TPS, describing all the activities performed and results attained. The process of information dissemination was one of the most successful activities of the project, with several results already being applied by the sugar cane sector. Project development indicated four main issues, namely: (i) trash recovery, processing and use, (ii) gasification of bagasse and trash, (iii) integration of the gasification and gas turbine to sugar cane mill and (iv) environmental impacts assessment and mitigation measures. Challenges, either technical or economic, are described and dealt with and trends and alternatives for implementation of the technology are indicated.