Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Improving the sustainability of bioenergy production with a Robot for Biomass Quality Management

Objective

Renewable energy generation and biofuels are replacing fossil-based energy sources and decarbonizing the energy system. However, one problem still limits the optimal and efficient use of biomass for energy and other applications: the varying biomass feedstock quality causes 5-10% of extra operating costs at a typical power plant. The quality fluctuation can be dealt with by optimising the feedstock mix and plant processes based on the feedstock quality. However, this is only possible when real-time information of the quality of each raw material load is available. The conventional quality measurement methods cannot provide such data.

Prometec Tools has developed an automated solution, the Q-Robot, that renews the raw material quality management at biomass power plants and biorefineries. It eliminates the error caused by conventional sampling procedures and provides information of each biomass delivery before it is unloaded from the truck. Moreover, since it makes load-specific information available also to the feedstock supplier, Prometec’s solution enables a completely new level of intelligent biomass quality management across the whole supply chain. The solution benefits the end user (plant), the feedstock supplier as well as the consumer and the society at large by improving the resource and cost efficiency (and therefore also the sustainability) of biomass supply and use.

Prometec aims at becoming the leading European service provider for feedstock quality management at biomass power plants, pulp mills and biorefineries - a global multi-billion-euro market. The novel solution is estimated to create 800 000 € of annual savings at an 800 GWh power plant and its expected payback time is less than 12 months. The net savings potential in Europe in 2020 is 0,8 B€. The solution helps reduce CO2 emissions not only in the supply chain and at the plant but also by making biomass more competitive and therefore a more favourable fuel feedstock compared to coal.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

PROMETEC TOOLS OY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
TEHDASKATU 15 C 31
87100 KAJAANI
Finland

See on map

SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Manner-Suomi Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi Kainuu
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
My booklet 0 0