IMDEA Energy hosted the final CASCATBEL project meeting and review in Móstoles (Spain) last 24th and 25th October 2017, with the active participation of 23 representatives of the consortium. The objective of the meeting was twofold: (i) the assessment of the final project milestone, with the decision on the process feasibility at commercial scale; (ii) the presentation to the project monitor of the work performed in all project work packages, the main results achieved and the main innovations delivered in the project.
On one side, the commercial feasibility of the process was confirmed through the design and optimization of a large-scale plant co-producing advanced biofuels and renewable electricity with an overall energy efficiency over 50%, while the reduction in GHG emissions was determined to be higher than 90% in the most favorable cases, compliant with the RED European Directive mandate and the REDII revised target.
On the other side, the main innovations delivered in the project include new and efficient catalysts for the catalytic pyrolysis of a variety of feedstocks and bio-oil upgrading via hydrodeoxygenation, as well as the development of a multitechnique-based assessment of critical catalyst properties evolution like acidity/ basicity and coke formation. In addition, the project team developed strong scientific, engineering and environmental capabilities that will enable them to act as expert consultants in the advanced biofuels production, increasing the overall energy efficiency of the process, reducing the investment and minimizing the process impacts.
