BioCarb+ (Enabling the biocarbon value chain for energy) was a broad competence buildings project, focussing both on energy applications and biocarbon as a reductant in metallurgical processes. Now a new competence building project, Optimising the biocarbon value chain for a sustainable metallurgical industry (BioCarbUp), is starting and will run for 4 years. This time the focus is entirely on biocarbon as reductant in metallurgical industries.
The overall objective of this project is to optimise the biocarbon value chain for the metallurgical industry through:
- Production of biocarbon with sufficient quality satisfying the end user quality requirements while ensuring optimum utilisation of the by-products.
- Optimised sourcing of Norwegian forest resources for biocarbon production towards the specific metallurgical processes.
- Maximising the energy and cost efficiency of the biocarbon value chain for the metallurgical industry.
The sub-objectives are:
- Identifying optimum forest resources for the specific metallurgical processes.
- Identifying and optimizing carbonisation processes and conditions to produce optimum yields and qualities.
- Developing methods for upgrading and tuning biocarbon quality to increase its suitability for the specific metallurgical processes, and methods for upgrading the by-product tar to higher value products.
- Developing fundamental knowledge of biocarbon behaviour in and influence on the specific metallurgical processes and biocarbon impact on product quality.
- Increasing expertise throughout the biocarbon value chain for the metallurgical industry.
- Educating highly skilled candidates within this area and training of industry partners.
- Monitoring activities and state-of-the-art practice within this area and disseminating knowledge to industry partners, and other interested parties where applicable.
Duration and financing
BioCarbUp is led by SINTEF Energy Research and will run for four years (2019-2022) and has a total budget of 25 million NOK. The project is 80% financed by the Research Council of Norway and 20% financed by the industrial partners.