EU funded project NEWAPP, organized its 1st Workshop on the valorization of wet biomass residues by hydrotermal carbonization (HTC) treatment and their use in different sectors such as bioenergy. The event, that took place in Valencia, hosted policy makers, researchers and representatives of the industry. NEWAPP is an initiative funded by the Research for SME associations instrument within the 7th Framework Programme, in which EUBIA participates as its general coordinator. Its aim is to develop new value chains and high value products by treating wet biomass residues such as municipal solid waste, sewage sludge or manure. In order to obtain these results, the project shall test the best HTC technology options and explore the different applications of the new products.
The event was opened by the Valencia region General Director of Environment Quality, Vicente Tejedo Tormo who described the regional Waste Management Plan and linked it to the need of developing new technologies for the valorization of wet biomass residues. The workshop hosted speakers from different sectors such as academia, industry or consulting services, who gave a more complete image of the issue. Marisa Hernández, director of Ingelia, a HTC specialized technology company, described its new industrial design which will be able to be adapted to several kinds of wet biomass residues and the dimensions of new plants. Michael Renz, researcher of the Chemical Technology Institute of the University of Valencia, described how HTC technology can be adapted to biorefineries and the products it can generate such as biochar, fertilized water and essential oils to be used in the cosmetics industry, agriculture or for energy. Massimo Manobianco, managing director of SMARTY Agency consultancy, described waste management sector in Italy and the big opportunities that the wide use of HTC technology could create. Finally, Jason Stutton representing CPL Industries, European leading company in the distribution of solid fuel, depicted the firm’s strategic plans to increase the use of biocoal and how HTC technology could serve to dramatically increase the amount of bioenergy consummed in the United Kingdom.
Click in the following link to have more information on the NEWAPP project: http://www.newapp-project.eu/en/
More information (in Spanish) about the workshop in the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B6ZadBdAgk