Integrated oxy-combustion solutions for flexible, bio-based combined heat and power: A Negative Emissions Technology for a net-zero Europe

Project Information

BioNETzero

Grant agreement ID: 101146616

DOI

10.3030/101146616

EC signature date 8 April 2024

Start date 1 May 2024

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 3 999 782,50

EU contribution

€ 3 999 782,50

Coordinated by

SINTEF ENERGI AS
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BioNETzero (Integrated oxy-combustion solutions for flexible, bio-based combined heat and power: A Negative Emissions Technology for a net-zero Europe)

Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2025-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Achieving net‑zero emissions—aligned with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal—requires deep industrial decarbonization, large‑scale renewable integration, and solutions for hard‑to‑abate sectors, while managing socio‑economic impacts. The project advances innovative CCUS technologies, focusing on BECCS and chemical looping, which can substantially cut emissions and deliver the negative emissions needed for climate neutrality. The overarching aim of the project is to develop, demonstrate, and scale cutting-edge solutions for carbon management.
Objectives include:
1) Advancing oxy-combustion and chemical looping combustion (CLC) technologies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
2) Enhancing the integration of bioenergy systems with CCUS to maximize environmental and economic benefits.
3) Leveraging "waste oxygen" from hydrogen electrolyzers to create synergies and lower costs compared to conventional CO2 capture methods.
4) Establishing the project as a leading research and innovation hub for BECCS technologies.
Key impacts:
-Environmental: Significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-negative emissions through BECCS and CCUS technologies.
-Economic: Reducing costs and enhancing the efficiency of carbon capture and bioenergy systems, thereby improving their economic feasibility.
-Strategic Alignment: Contributing to EU climate goals and national strategies for achieving climate neutrality.
-Knowledge Transfer: Developing best practices and insights for scaling CCUS and BECCS technologies, which can be adopted globally.
The project will also focus on integrating the social sciences and humanities to ensure societal acceptance and alignment with social values.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

1. Biomass residue characterization and pre-treatment: Sustainable biomass residues suitable for oxy-combustion-based bio-CHP were identified and assessed across the Nordic, V4, and Iberian regions. Harmonised mapping and detailed characterization datasets were established for key residues, including pellets, olive pomace, forestry residues, and seaweed blends. Pre-treatment studies confirmed that pelletization and torrefaction improve feedstock versatility and energy density. Biomass reactivity under dry and wet oxy-combustion conditions was quantified, delivering validated kinetic sub-models for CFD.
2. Experimental advancements in oxy-combustion technologies: For oxy-MILD, upgraded lab-scale facilities enabled systematic biomass testing under air and oxy-fuel conditions, generating validated burnout and NOₓ datasets. For CLC, the 150 kW pilot was upgraded and operated with multiple biomass fuels, demonstrating stable operation, first CO2 capture performance data, and feasibility of low-pre-treatment feeding. For oxy-CFB, industrial-scale experimental data were analysed to support CFD validation.
3. Digital modeling and simulation tools: Validated CFD frameworks were established for oxy-MILD, CLC, and oxy-CFB combustion. Oxy-MILD models showed strong agreement with experiments, CLC reactive simulations were re-enabled following solver corrections, and an industrial-scale oxy-CFB base model firing biomass residues was validated.
4. Case studies for real-world implementation: Three regional showcase cases were fully defined, each including a baseline CHP system and a retrofit or new-build concept. Key technical and infrastructural data were collected, and initial process modelling was initiated to support techno-economic and environmental assessments in RP2.
5. Advancements in carbon capture and negative emission technologies (NET): Integrated flue gas cleaning and CO2 compression and purification concepts were developed for all oxy-combustion pathways. Process modelling showed that low-temperature CO2 distillation is required to meet transport purity specifications. Suitable commercial solutions for impurity removal were identified, supporting bio-CHP deployment as a NET.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Key innovations on the following dimensions:
- Next-generation oxy-combustion technologies: The project significantly enhances three key oxy-combustion approaches—oxy-MILD, Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC), and oxy-Circulating Fluidized Bed (oxy-CFB), that improve combustion efficiency while reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx), minimizing air pollution​.
- Advanced digital modeling for process optimization: High-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models for full-scale industrial applications are developed, to help optimize combustion processes, predict emissions, and improve system designs for real-world implementation​. The results of these simulations will lead to surrogate models that can be utilized in the process modelling and TEA/LCA assessments.
- Integration with carbon capture & negative emissions technologies: Unlike conventional CHP plants, BioNETzero integrates flue gas cleaning and CO2 conditioning and exploring synergies with the hydrogen economy and alternative oxygen supply solutions​.
- Regional case studies for scalable solutions: Solutions in various European regions undergoing energy transitions are assessed to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of modernizing existing CHP plants, ensuring that advancements are tailored to real-world conditions​.
- Sustainability & social acceptance: Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), Social-LCA, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) evaluations are incorporated to ensure that its solutions are both environmentally and socially sustainable​.
- Public impact & future prospects: The outcomes will provide industry stakeholders with practical transition pathways while demonstrating that bioenergy can be a viable tool for decarbonization and would be shared through publications, regional workshops, and digital platforms to maximize awareness and adoption

The BioNETzero project concept