EU project puts the 'bio' in refineries
Adapting existing mineral oil refineries for use as biorefineries is the goal of the newly launched BIOCOUP project. One of the main energy policy targets of the EU is to accelerate the use of biofuel - any fuel that is derived from biomass (recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as manure from cows). Other ideal candidates for producing biofuel include feedstocks such as sugar, wheat and corn. Biofuel is also produced from wood using a gasification technology (second generation biofuel). Unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal and nuclear fuels, biofuels are environmentally-friendly renewable energy sources. To produce biofuel, however, requires the development of biorefineries capable of processing the biomass. Funded under the 'Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems' thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), the BIOCOUP project consortium aims to develop a chain of process steps to allow a range of different biomass feedstocks to be fed into conventional oil refineries in order to produce energy and oxygenated chemicals. The project will target industries with existing refineries such as energy, paper and pulp and food. It is hoped that the project's efforts will lead to a greater choice of products such as transport fuels and chemicals for consumers, as well as an acceptance of biomass as a sustainable source of energy. Project partners also expect that their work will lead to further technological development of biomass production processes. 'We believe there are good opportunities for both new companies because of new technologies being developed, and existing companies, because eventually the biorefinery will be integrated to existing industries,' says Yrjö Solantausta, coordinator of the project.