EQTEC PLC (AIM:EQT) has announced the successful completion of steam-oxygen gasification tests that confirm the suitability of the company's synthesis gas (syngas) technology for advanced biofuels production.
The company said the tests were undertaken at EQTEC's technology innovation facility in France, in partnership with the Energy from Biomass and Wastes (ERBE) team, part of the Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Matériau Bois (LERMAB) at Université de Lorraine (UL) in Epinal, France.
Two series of tests were conducted in the first half of October 2022: one using established air-blown gasification configuration with refuse-derived fuel (RDF), based on equipment and an approach previously applied by EQTEC at LERMAB; the other test applying steam-oxygen capability made possible by equipment upgrades by EQTEC at the facility.
In a statement, Yoel Alemán, CTO of EQTEC, commented: "These tests are another important milestone for us in our technology innovation roadmap. As the demand increases for highly efficient and clean conversion facilities for hydrogen, RNG and advanced biofuels, and as industrial clients, utility companies and municipalities look for scalable, local-to-local solutions, EQTEC's capabilities with both air-blown and steam-oxygen gasification will allow us to offer a range of solutions that fit a range of business models."
He added: "There are few, successful steam-oxygen gasification facilities in the world, and we believe our success with these tests puts us at the forefront of clean, waste-to-value capabilities. From a technical perspective, we were pleased at how smoothly the technology performed throughout. The data we gathered will allow us to fine-tune our proprietary process capabilities and we can look forward to applying the new knowledge to future testing for prospective customers."
Air-blown gasification supports electrical power and thermal energy applications, where the mix of hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide in the syngas is less critical for the offtake application. Steam-oxygen gasification supports hydrogen, renewable natural gas (RNG) and other advanced biofuel applications, where optimisation of the hydrogen, methane and carbon dioxide mix is critical for efficiency and productivity of the offtake.
The upgrade to the LERMAB facility and both tests were implemented as part of EQTEC's technology innovation programme. An independent report with detailed and definitive conclusions from the test results is expected to be issued by UL before the end of 2022.
The company said it expects the upgrade for steam-oxygen gasification to continue attracting the attention of strategic and technology partners with interest in conducting trials of new energy infrastructure for hydrogen, RNG and other advanced biofuels, based on EQTEC technology. Such tests are already scheduled for the first half of 2023.
Yann Rogaume, professor and head of the ERBE Team, commented: "Hydrogen is the future of energy, and these most recent augmentations to the technology and automation will help us optimise hydrogen and advanced biofuels for a range of interesting tests and results. The syngas produced through EQTEC's technology can be used directly or easily transformed into hydrogen, methane or other biofuels, and from a wide range of fuels including biomass, RDF, plastics and others."