Fraunhofer Chile and DBFZ intensify cooperation on organic waste to energy research

Leipzig, Germany - Several delegates from the Fraunhofer Chile Research Centre for Systems Biotechnology (FCR-CSB) and Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum (DBFZ) seek for intensified cooperation in issues related to energetic use of organic waste. Special interest of the Chilean experts is on knowledge transfer in the fields of biogas and the process of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC).

Since 2012 the DBFZ operates a research biogas plant on the site of the research centre. The knowledge generated there may help Chilean biogas plant operators to improve the efficiency of their operations. In addition, a new technology for the conversion of green biowaste, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has been developed by DBFZ in collaboration with the public energy supplier of the City of Halle. This technology can offer municipalities sustainable ways of dealing with green biowaste. FCR-CSB is now looking for partners for demonstration plants of this technology in Chile.

Lately, the delegates from FCR-CSB and scientists from DBFZ held a series of meetings in Leipzig, Germany, as part of the concluding activities under the common project entitled "Development of a biorefinery concept for Chile". This project started in 2011, and its goal was to identify possibilities for collaboration in the fields of energetic use of residues and sustainable biofuel production. The project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Chilean National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research agency, CONICYT.

During the execution of the project, the team from both institutions actively exchanged knowledge about bioenergy and biorefinery issues in both countries and leveraged information through a series of site visits in Chile and Germany, which included visits to companies and representatives from the Chilean productive sector, and different German R&D institutions.

Source: IWR Online, 08 Aug 2014