Bioenergy retrofitting may be a short-term strategy to promote the transition from first-generation to advanced bioethanol, as it could improve the cost-competitiveness of the latter. In addition, this strategy could also extend the operational lifetime of first-generation ethanol plants, whose production is restricted by the current European renewable energy regulations. Therefore, this work evaluates two retrofitting scenarios of an existing corn-based first-generation ethanol facility located in Spain from an economic and environmental perspective. In the first case (scenario 1), advanced bioethanol was produced using industrial waste streams included in the Renewable Energy Directive II. The second approach (scenario 2) involves the integration of second-generation technology into the existing first-generation facility. The economic analysis shows that scenario 1 presents a low capital expenditure (CAPEX, €100,000), as it only requires the installation of an industrial waste storage tank. Although, in terms of net present value (NPV), the CAPEX of scenario 2 is higher. It obtains better profitability reaching an NPV of approximately €25,610,000. The environmental assessment identified natural gas consumption as the main contributor to the overall score of the global warming impact category. Consequently, the increased energy demand of the retrofit scenarios, mainly linked to second-generation technology, has a negative impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a key aspect to improve the environmental performance of these scenarios would be the replacement of natural gas with a more sustainable alternative, such as bio-based gases.

Dieses Fact-Sheet ist ein Produkt des ACRP-Projektes „Strategien für die optimale
Bioenergienutzung in Österreich aus gesellschaftlicher Sicht – Szenarien bis 2050“ (BIOSTRAT).
Das Fact-Sheet soll aufzeigen, was der österreichische Wald zur Bindung von Kohlenstoff
beitragen kann und gleichzeitig Denkanstöße für die Waldbewirtschaftung und den Umgang mit
der Ressource Holz geben.

Bioeconomy strategies promote higher shares of biomass products in material and energy sectors. Deploying by-products from sawmills is therefore of major interest. This study aims at analyzing market characteristics and implications of bioeconomy strategies by combining three methods: First, an econometric supply and demand model for sawmill by-products (SBP) was estimated based on data from 2001 to 2020. Second, the model was used to analyze a reference and a bioeconomy scenario. Third, a use case was analyzed dealing with the integration of wood gasification and BioSNG (Synthetic Natural Gas) production into Austrian flows of SBP. The results indicate that SBP supply reacts unit-elastic to sawnwood exports, while both supply and demand respond inelastic to SBP prices. Demand is positively inelastic related to SBP as input in panel and pellet production. In a bioeconomy scenario, long-term supply would exceed demand, resulting in additional SBP to be used for gasification. A 100 MW BioSNG plant converting these SBP could provide 528 MWh BioSNG per year. This is a 11 % share of the Austrian target value of 5 TWh green gas.

Torf ist ein breit etablierter und quantitativ wichtiger Inhaltsstoff von Substratmischungen für den
Gartenbau. Den guten gartenbaulichen Eigenschaften stehen allerdings ökologische Bedenken
gegenüber. Torf entsteht in Moorgebieten, welche als Kohlenstoffsenken fungieren. Das
bedeutet, dass Kohlendioxid (CO2) über tausende Jahre aus der Atmosphäre gebunden und als
Torf langfristig im Boden gespeichert wird. Beim Abbau von Torf sowie bei dessen Nutzung wird
dieses CO2 freigesetzt, wodurch Torfabbau und -nutzung einen relevanten Einfluss auf das Klima
haben können (ähnlich wie bei der Verwendung fossiler Energieträger). Global betrachtet
speichern Moore etwa doppelt so viel Kohlenstoff wie die gesamte Biomasse der Wälder (Global
2000 2023). In Österreich spielt der Torfabbau eine relativ geringe Rolle, jedoch werden jährlich
mehr als 100.000 t Torf für den Gartenbau importiert (Statistik Austria 2023). Durch den Verzicht
von Torfprodukten und die Umstellung auf Torfersatzstoffe im Gartenbau sollen Treibhausgas-
Emissionen aus dem Abbau des Torfes, aber auch aus dessen gartenbaulicher Nutzung,
reduziert und Moorgebiete bewahrt werden (BMLRT 2022).

Green Carbon Liquids - staged condensation from lab-scale pyrolysis; Green Gas - Green Heat for Industrie from Biogenic Waste; Biohydrogen - Implementation of Dark Fermentation for Industrial Wastewater Treatment; Effects of the climate crisis and pesticide use on fatty acida in the food web; Syngas production from biogenic residues and waste via advanced dual fluidized bed gasification; New developments in gas cleaning for the production of C-based products and fuels via gasification; Advancements in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis using a slurry bubble column reactor; Biofuels - a crucial part of decarbinisation; Speed-Up Algorithms for advanced simulations; Multiscale modeling of metal oxide and biomass conversion for chemical looping processes; Multiscale modeling of metal oxide and biomass conversion for chemical looping processes; Model-Based Control of the Generated Steam Mass Flow in a Fluidized-Bed Waste Incineration Plant; Modular, predictive, optimization-based supervisory control of multi-energy systems; Monitoring of a Renewable Flow Battery; Use cases of optimally planned multi-energy systems with OptEnGrid: hotel resort and renewable energy communities; Optimal Design of Multi-Energy Systems using OptEnGrid; Sustainability assessment: mere obligation or a key to success; 

Biofuels are crucial for reducing emissions in the transport sector, contributing significantly to the objectives of the Fit for 55 package and climate neutrality goals. This role is anticipated to grow in the future as advanced biofuels become increasingly accessible. This expansion will be driven by the full commercial-scale development of technologies, processes, and value chains, supported by ambitious policies and sector-specific targets that will encourage their deployment.

Bioenergy retrofitting may be a short-term strategy to promote the transition from first-generation to advanced bioethanol, as it could improve the cost-competitiveness of the latter. In addition, this strategy could also extend the operational lifetime of first-generation ethanol plants, whose production is restricted by the current European renewable energy regulations. Therefore, this work evaluates two retrofitting scenarios of an existing corn-based first-generation ethanol facility located in Spain from an economic and environmental perspective. In the first case (scenario 1), advanced bioethanol was produced using industrial waste streams included in the Renewable Energy Directive II. The second approach (scenario 2) involves the integration of second-generation technology into the existing first-generation facility. The economic analysis shows that scenario 1 presents a low capital expenditure (CAPEX, €100,000), as it only requires the installation of an industrial waste storage tank. Although, in terms of net present value (NPV), the CAPEX of scenario 2 is higher. It obtains better profitability reaching an NPV of approximately €25,610,000. The environmental assessment identified natural gas consumption as the main contributor to the overall score of the global warming impact category. Consequently, the increased energy demand of the retrofit scenarios, mainly linked to second-generation technology, has a negative impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a key aspect to improve the environmental performance of these scenarios would be the replacement of natural gas with a more sustainable alternative, such as bio-based gases.

Bioenergy retrofitting may be a short-term strategy to promote the transition from first-generation to advanced bioethanol, as it could improve the cost-competitiveness of the latter. In addition, this strategy could also extend the operational lifetime of first-generation ethanol plants, whose production is restricted by the current European renewable energy regulations. Therefore, this work evaluates two retrofitting scenarios of an existing corn-based first-generation ethanol facility located in Spain from an economic and environmental perspective. In the first case (scenario 1), advanced bioethanol was produced using industrial waste streams included in the Renewable Energy Directive II. The second approach (scenario 2) involves the integration of second-generation technology into the existing first-generation facility. The economic analysis shows that scenario 1 presents a low capital expenditure (CAPEX, €100,000), as it only requires the installation of an industrial waste storage tank. Although, in terms of net present value (NPV), the CAPEX of scenario 2 is higher. It obtains better profitability reaching an NPV of approximately €25,610,000. The environmental assessment identified natural gas consumption as the main contributor to the overall score of the global warming impact category. Consequently, the increased energy demand of the retrofit scenarios, mainly linked to second-generation technology, has a negative impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, a key aspect to improve the environmental performance of these scenarios would be the replacement of natural gas with a more sustainable alternative, such as bio-based gases.

Sustainable liquid biofuels are fundamental for decarbonizing the transportation
sector. Biofuels offer a viable, economical, and environmentally sustainable alternative
to fossil fuels, serving as a bridge to future mobility solutions like electromobility and
hydrogen, which have longer development timelines. They improve air quality, public
health, and contribute to agricultural and economic development, enhancing energy
diversification, security, and leveraging each country's comparative advantages. The
main challenges for the continued development of biofuels are the absence of an
international standard, coordination and certification methodologies, lack of regulations
in some countries and the subsidies to fossil fuels. The authors of this policy brief
recommend that the G20 and the international community strengthen regulatory
frameworks for sustainable biofuel use in land transportation, standardize and harmonize
GHG reduction standards and certification mechanisms, and develop common regional
and national policies to advance the production and consumption of new biofuels for
sectors such as aviation and maritime transportation. An analysis1 of biofuels
implementation in emerging markets of Africa, Asia, and Latin America shows that
meeting 25% blending targets requires only 1–7.8% of their total land area, achieving
substantial GHG reductions. Favorable climatic conditions for biomass production in
these countries and the low greenhouse gas impact of international freight underscore the
benefits of global biofuel trade, highlighting the urgent need for widespread adoption to
accelerate decarbonization efforts.

Bioenergy is the largest source of renewable energy today. It is versatile and can provide heat, power and transport services, and biomass can also serve as a raw material for the production of chemicals and materials. If done responsibly, and wherever it substitutes for fossil fuels, bioenergy provides substantial GHG emission savings, diversifies energy sources, improves energy supply security and provides income through regional biomass supply chains.

List of presentations:

Biorefineries

• Learnings from biomass combustion towards future bioenergy applications (M. Schwabl)
• Green Carbon perspectives for regional sourcing and decarbonization (E. Wopienka)
• Bioconversion processes for renewable energy and/or biological carbon capture and utilisation (B. Drosg)
• Second generation biomass gasification: The Syngas Platform Vienna – current status and outlook (M. Kuba)
• Utilization of syngas for the production of fuel and chemicals – recent developments and outlook (G. Weber)

Digital methods, tools and sustainability

• Evaluation of different numerical models for the prediction of NOx emissions of small-scale biomass boilers (M. Eßl)
• Digitalization as the basis for the efficient and flexible operation of renewable energy technologies (M. Gölles)
• Smart Control for Coupled District Heating Networks (V. Kaisermayer)
• Integrated energy solutions for a decentral energy future - challenges and solutions (P. Liedtke)
• Wood-Value-Tool: Techno-economic assessment of the forest-based sector in Austria (M. Fuhrmann)

A better understanding of the underlying motives of consumers considering a new RESS (heating,
cooling and electricity) can contribute to create favorable conditions for an energy transition.
Therefore, the main objectives of this research project are to:
▪ Identify motives of consumers interested in ordeciding for a certain RESS
▪ Assess the impact of gender and intersectingaspects, such as age, income and education on these motives.

„Welche Heizung passt zu mir/uns? Vielleicht auch Kühlen oder selber Strom erzeugen?“ – Diese
Fragen stellen sich oft, wenn der Traum von den eigenen vier Wänden näher rückt. Egal ob bei Neubau
oder Sanierung, die Wahl eines passenden Energiebereitstellungssystems (EBS) sollte wohl überlegt
sein. Neben den technologischen Fragen sind es auch persönliche Motive, welche die Entscheidung
der Nutzer*innen beeinflussen.

Biochar is attracting attention as an alternative carbon/fuel source to coal in the process industry and energy sector. However, it is prone to self-heating and often leads to spontaneous ignition and thermal runaway during storage, resulting in production loss and health risks. This study investigates biochar self-heating upon its contact with O2 at low temperatures, i.e., 50–300 °C. First, kinetic parameters of O2 adsorption and CO2 release were measured in a thermogravimetric analyzer using biochar produced from a pilot-scale pyrolysis process. Then, specific heat capacity and heat of reactions were measured in a differential scanning calorimeter. Finally, a one-dimensional transient model was developed to simulate self-heating in containers and gain insight into the influences of major parameters. The model showed a good agreement with experimental measurement in a closed metal container. It was observed that char temperature slowly increased from the initial temperature due to heat released during O2 adsorption. Thermal runaway, i.e., self-ignition, was observed in some cases even at the initial biochar temperature of ca. 200 °C. However, if O2 is not permeable through the container materials, the temperature starts decreasing after the consumption of O2 in the container. The simulation model was also applied to examine important factors related to self-heating. The results suggested that self-heating can be somewhat mitigated by decreasing the void fraction, reducing storage volume, and lowering the initial char temperature. This study demonstrated a robust way to estimate the cooling demands required in the biochar production process.

Woody biomass is a raw material and cost factor for a range of industries in Austria. The aim of this article is to assess impacts of price developments on operating costs of particleboard, combined heat and power (CHP) and synthetic natural gas (BioSNG) production. Three price scenarios have been developed for pulpwood, industrial wood chips and forest wood chips for the period 2021 - 2026. Results show that the share of raw material costs on total operating costs ranges between 24 - 64% for particleboard, 45 - 82% for CHP, and 24 - 63% for BioSNG production.

Empirical analyses of interlinkages and price dependencies in the forest-based sector support the forecast of market developments and the design of efficient utilization pathways. This article aims at analysing price cointegration between roundwood (sawlogs, pulpwood), sawmill by-products (sawdust, wood chips) and wood products (pellets, particle board) in the forest-based sector in Austria. Monthly price data for the period 2005–2019 were used for the following statistical tests: (1) The Augmented-Dickey-Fuller and Zivot-Andrews unit root tests were conducted to investigate stationarity of the data; (2) The Johansen Cointegration test was pairwise applied to price time series; (3) The Granger Causality test was used for cointegrated time series to examine which one is price leading. Furthermore, sawmill by-product prices were modelled as Vector Error Correction Models (VECM) to analyse their common behaviour. The dataset was divided to a training (2005–2017) and test (2018–2019) subset to assess the prediction accuracy of the models. The training data were used to estimate a VAR model as basis for forecasts, which were compared to the test data. Results show that sawdust prices are cointegrated and thus modelled with pellet and particle board prices. In contrast, wood chips are used for several applications and thus prices are cointegrated and modelled with prices of sawlogs, pulpwood, pellets and particle board. The comparison with the test data showed that forecasts were able to predict data from 2018 to 2019 well. However, a decrease in prices, starting in 2019 and intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic, could not be fully captured by these forecasts.

Ample interest for more efficient utilization of bio-based residues has emerged in the Nordic pulp and paper (P&P) industry, which uses virgin wood as feedstock. Although different bioenergy retrofit technologies for production of liquid, solid, and gaseous bioenergy products have been applied in the existing P&P mills, the number of installations remains small. The lack of profound knowledge of existing bioenergy retrofits hinders the replication and market uptake of potential technologies. This review synthesises the existing knowledge of European installations and identifies the key drivers and barriers for implementation to foster the market uptake of potential technologies. The bioenergy retrofits were reviewed in terms of technical maturity, drivers, barriers and market potential. Based on this evaluation, common drivers and barriers towards wider market uptake were outlined from political, economic, social, technical, environmental, and legal perspective. Technologies already commercially applied include anaerobic fermentation of sludge, bark gasification, tall oil diesel and bioethanol production, whereas lignin extraction, biomethanol production, hydrothermal liquefaction and hydrothermal carbonization are being demonstrated or first applications are under construction. The findings of this review show that a stable flow of residues at P&P mills creates a solid base for retrofitting. New innovative bio-based products would allow widening the companies' product portfolios and creating new businesses. Also, European Union's (EU) legislation drives towards advanced biofuels production. Wider uptake of the retrofitting technologies requires overcoming the barriers related to uncertainty of economic feasibility and unestablished markets for new products rather than technical immaturity. 

Iron production via blast furnace utilizes coal and coke to reduce iron oxides which results in high greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass-based reducing agents may reduce its fossil carbon footprint. Charcoal as bioreducer has been since the beginning of steelmaking. In order to obtain a reducing agent which is appropriately fluidizable for pulverized coal injection (PCI), the most influential powder characteristics must be named and the influence of thermal pre-treatment and comminution technique on particle properties have to be examined. The aim is to show that particle shape design of a grinding product is feasible to a certain extent by varying mill types and how pyrolyzed wood powder properties technically relevant for powder conveying processes can be influenced .

This abstract gives a glimpse of the output revealed in a project focusing on recycling used medium from algae cultivation. In close cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, the Institute of Microbiology - The Czech Academy of Sciences as well as the algae biomass production company Ecoduna GmbH, it was possible to target industrial needs with scientific research approaches.

Due to a variety of applications and complex requirements in specific fields of use, the number of different materials is increasing. Thereof, the majority fails at the stage of market introduction, because the focus of material development is mostly on technical aspects, while market aspects are often neglected. One possible way of market introduction is material substitution. Thereby, requirements a material needs to meet are well known. However, a certain market focus on material development would be helpful regarding the final goal of the customer satisfaction. Therefore, this study presents an approach, which aims at guiding the technical material development and thus starts one stage earlier than most other studies, which focus on market introduction. A multi-stage approach helps integrating market aspects into material development, using the following methods: (1) method of Ashby to compare materials from a technical point of view and identify theoretically substitutable material groups and potential applications, (2) market data research and comparison for the identification of attractive markets, (3) method of Kano to classify material requirements and prioritize the optimization of material properties to satisfy the customers in selected markets. This approach is showcased and discussed using the example of an innovative wood composite under development, where it represented an aiding tool for guiding the further material development. An adaptation to any other material is possible at each of the three stages, although there are some limitations, which have to be considered, for example the selection of technical properties for the material comparison.

The aim of this paper is to test the applicability of upgraded agricultural biomass feedstock such as torrefied sunflower husks during combustion in small and medium heating applications. Sunflower husk is formed in large quantities at enterprises producing sunflower oil and can be used as biofuel. However, big problems arise due to the low bulk density of husks and the rapid growth of ash deposits on the heating surfaces of boilers. In order to solve these problems, it was proposed to produce pellets from husks, and to subject these pellets to torrefaction. After torrefaction, net calorific value was increased by 29% while the risk of high temperature corrosion of boilers was reduced. Signs of ash softening neither occurred in combustion of raw nor in combustion of torrefied sunflower husk pellets. High aerosol emissions, already present in raw sunflower husk pellets, could not be mitigated by torrefaction. First combustion results at medium scale furnaces indicated that sunflower husk pellets (both raw and torrefied) in a commercial boiler < 400 kW, operated in a mode with low primary zone temperatures (< 850 °C), meet current emission limits. Regarding the future upcoming emission limits according to the European Medium Combustion Plant Directive, additional measures are required in order to comply with the dust limits.

Decarbonising the transport sector is one of the key goals of national and international climate change mitigation policies. Rapid and effective market introduction of alternative fuels and vehicles is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the existing vehicle fleet as soon as possible and as extensively as possible.

However, experience with various attempts to introduce alternative fuels and vehicles to the market has shown that this is not always successful. Several participants in the Advanced Motor Fuels Technology Collaboration Program (AMF TCP) have therefore proposed an annex on lessons learned from market launch attempts.

The circumstances of the introduction of advanced motor fuels and the factors influencing their commercialization (resource, transport infrastructure, economic situation, etc.) in each country are different, and it is difficult to universally evaluate an advanced motor fuels policy.

For this reason, this annex clarifies the background and objective of the central government and local governments’ introduction policy and specific measures on advanced motor fuels in the past, and summarizes the effectiveness, successes, and lessons learned regarding the promotion of advanced motor fuels in each individual case of introduction and commercialization.

The participating countries Austria, China, Finland, Japan, Sweden and the USA conduct analyses of their own case studies on past market introductions taking into account specific framework conditions for each country:

Austria: low blend biofuels, CNG-driven cars, prevented introduction of E10

China: Ethanol

Finland: E10, E85, drop-in components for diesel, biogas

Japan: FAME, natural gas

Sweden: reduction obligation, high blend biofuels and biogas, E85

USA: low and high level blends of ethanol, methanol and FFVs, natural gas

The sum of the case studies is analysed and key drivers of successes and key barriers of failures are identified. Preliminary results from this work will be discussed in an expert workshop in 2020, and then the final lessons learned and recommendations will be derived. Policy briefs including key messages, best practices, lessons learned and avoided mistakes related to advanced motor fuels covering both fuels and related vehicle technologies will be developed and provided as recommendations for political decision makers.

In the context of Austria´s and the EU´s ambitious goals to combat climate change by reducing the demand for fossil fuels in all sectors, many industries plan to increase the share of renewable energy in their production processes. Furthermore greenhouse gases shall be reduced by 36 % until 2030 (compared to 2005), which means another 14 Mio. tons CO2eq will have to be reduced per year in comparison to data from 2016. In doing so, some industries find it sufficient to use green electricity or green gas from the grid, but for some industries the use of biomass is particularly interesting. In particular, the wood-based economy as an essential part of the Austrian bio-based economy is needed to promote the development of sustainable production and sustainable energy generation. Besides the increasing demand for woody biomass, the supply side will also undergo substantial changes since increasing calamities (such as bark beetle infestation and windthrow) caused by climate change will affect the wood supply to a varying extend. Hence, within the project “BioEcon” the BIOENERGY 2020+ team together with industry partners analyses the effects of these developments on the wood-based economy and the corresponding supply chains in terms of economic and technological perspectives including econometric models to evaluate woody biomass supply and demand.
 

In the light of climate change, there is an urgent need to decarbonize our societies. The transport sector is specifically challenging, as transport demand is still growing, and so are the sector´s GHG emissions. Several countries have set ambitious national targets for GHG reduction in the transport sector. These are often backed with policy measures for implementation of both advanced renewable transport fuels and electrification.
In a project set up jointly by two Technology Collaboration Programmes of the International Energy Agency, namely the IEA Bioenergy TCP and the Advanced Motor Fuels TCP, the contribution that advanced renewable transport fuels should make to the decarbonisation of the transport sector is assessed by means of country-specific assessments.

Im Rahmen dieser zusammenfassenden Machbarkeitsstudie werden Untersuchungen zum Biomassepotential in Österreich im Jahr 2050 sowie der Synthese von BioSNG auf Basis der Biomassewirbelschichtvergasung durchgeführt. Dabei werden verschiedene Vergasungsverfahren, welche durch den Reaktortyp charakterisiert sind, dargestellt. Bedingt durch das homogene Temperaturprofil, welches in einem Wirbelschichtvergaser gegeben ist und die dadurch gegebene einfache Regelbarkeit des Prozesses, stellt sich die Wirbelschicht als vorteilhaft im Vergleich zu Flugstromvergasern dar, welche durch das hohe Temperaturniveau einen höheren technischen Aufwand mit sich bringen und daher für Anlagen mit großen Brennstoffwärmeleistungen zu bevorzugen sind. In weiterer Folge wird auf den DFB Prozess und dessen Weiterentwicklung, den G-Volution Vergaser eingegangen, welcher den Vorteil eines größeren einzusetzenden Brennstoffspektrums aufweist.

The aim of this work is to analyze biogenic residues and to test
them for their suitability as feedstocks for hydrothermal
liquefaction (HTL). Green waste, sewage sludge, micelles,
leftovers and organic waste were analyzed and tested. All
experiments were carried out in an autoclave at 350 °C with a
holding time of 15 minutes under an inert argon atmosphere. After
the experiments the yields of the gas, aqueous, biocrude and solid
phase were determined together with lipid contents, heating values
and elemental composition of the raw materials and biocrude
samples. Biocrude yields are of specific interest for a future
commercial use of the HTL-process. In this study we achieved
biocrude yields between 9.43% (green waste) and 34.28%
(leftovers).