Project description
Turning agriculture waste into renewable energy
In efforts to bolster the resilience and sustainability of remote regions, it’s important to consider the efficient management of agricultural and forest residues and waste. In this context, the EU-funded PYRAGRAF project aims to develop a mobile, solar-assisted unit, showcasing pyrolytic conversion technology that turns crop residues and waste into valuable products while reducing carbon footprints. This mobile unit comprises a solar-assisted gasifier burner, biomass dryer and integrated pyrolysis reactor. This system harnesses renewable sources like solar energy and biomass to produce valuable products. Overall, the project’s multifaceted approach yields biochar, wood vinegar ecosystems services, upgraded pyrogas and bio-oil. Field demonstrations across Germany, Portugal and Turkey involve local stakeholders and will showcase the unit’s potential.
Objective
Optimising agricultural and forest residues and waste management to increase renewable energy incorporation and reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural and forestry systems is currently essential and goes hand in hand with improving the resilience and sustainability of remote regions.
The PYRAGRAF project will develop a mobile and integrated unit to demonstrate the pyrolytic conversion of forestry and agriculture crops residues and wastes into added-value products. The concept for this mobile demonstration system at TRL 7 is composed of 3 main modules: 1) a solar-assisted gasifier burner, 2) a biomass dryer, and 3) an integrated pyrolysis reactor thus producing sustainable products using renewable sources (solar energy and biomass).
This multi-product approach includes two main product categories - biochar and wood vinegar ecosystems services; and energy applications of upgraded pyrogas and bio-oil – that can be integrated with different agriculture applications, thus enabling to reduce GHG emissions and the use of fossil resources and in agricultural practices; improve the development of rural areas, among other benefits.
Field demonstrations with the involvement of local stakeholders inside and outside of the project will be conducted in 3 countries (PT, DE and TR) to demonstrate the operation of the mobile pyrolysis unit and evaluate the fertilisation and biopesticide potential of biochars and wood vinegar in different soils/crops and climate conditions. The pyrogas and bio-oil will also be evaluated as energy carriers for dual-fuel engine sand fuel cells as biofuel to be used in local agriculture or forestry practices.
Because of its potential impact, the project will work towards reaching the outcomes of the work programme and lead to relevant changes in practice via three well-defined impact pathways that will ultimately contribute to producing low-carbon products that fit the ambitious requirements of the policies and strategies defined by the EU.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste management
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculture
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation ActionsCoordinator
7300-901 Portalegre
Portugal
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Participants (12)
4466-901 S. MAMEDE INFESTA, MATOSINHOS
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76131 Karlsruhe
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06100 Ankara
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100 44 Stockholm
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7000 803 Evora
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70599 Stuttgart
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06100 Tandogan Ankara
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4466-901 S.Mamede De Infesta
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61-755 POZNAN
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90018 Termini Imerese Pa
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
3700-121 SAO JOAO DA MADEIRA
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
81369 Muenchen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Partners (7)
89537 Giengen a.d. Brenz
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
97616 Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
2800 Kongens Lyngby
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6110-174 Vila De Rei
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27700 NIZIP/GAZIANTEP
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79000 KILIS
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