As the debate over the use of biofuels continues across Europe, green energy developer Greenpower NV is moving forward to develop a combined heat and power plant using a liquid biofuel derived from the jatropha plant.
The company, a joint venture between Thenergo, four agricultural companies and a private investor, has commissioned Wärtsilä to supply the power plant, which will be the first in the world to produce both power and heat using crude jatropha oil as fuel.
The use of biofuels in the energy sector has generated controversy as they can be derived from crops grown in developing countries where food shortages exist, or in areas where rainforests have been cleared to make way for crop production. Jatropha oil avoids this conflict, say the developers.
“Jatropha oli is a liquid biofuel that has great potential since jatropha can also be harvested outside the world’s rainforest areas, even near deserts. It is a step towards using CO2-neutral fuels that do not compete with other valuable food crops,” says Ronald Westerdijk, Business Development Manager, Wärtsilä Benelux countries.
Thenergo has been researching the sustainable potential of the jatropha plant for five years. The oil is extracted from the plant’s seeds, which are pressed to produce a vegetable oil.
The pressed residue of the seeds is a good fertilizer and can also be used for electricity and heat production.
The seeds are a non-edible, high-energy fruit grown on semi-arid or wasteland. As it is not a food or forage crop, it plays an important role in deterring cattle, protecting other valuable food or cash crops.
Under a turnkey contract valued at EUR7 million, Wärtsilä will deliver the CHP plant consisting of a 20V32 engine with an electrical output of 9 MW. The scope of supply also includes exhaust gas cleaning equipment and heat recovery systems.
The plant, which will be built in an agricultural area in Merksplas, Belgium, will have a gross electrical efficiency of 44.2 per cent and an overall efficiency of more than 85 per cent. Commercial operation of the CHP plant is scheduled to begin in February 2009.
Heat from the plant will be used primarily for farming processes, in nearby greenhouses. It will also be used in a drying process, which is part of a livestock farming manure digester plant that processes biogas and dry fertilizer material. Electricity will be sold to the grid.
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