BIOGAS 2PEM-FC

ABSTRACT

Biogas2PEM-FC is an industrial research project that aims to develop, according to participating SMEs needs, the technologies that compose a novel and integrated solution for biogas valorisation through proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEM). Such a solution will provide a modular, reliable, cost-effective and efficient combined heat & power (CHP) system suitable for a distributed, on-site power generation from agricultural wastes. The project objectives are:

• Research for the increase of biogas production yield, using physic-chemical and biological pre-treatment technologies at laboratory scale for enhancing anaerobic digestion effectiveness. After optimization of pre-treatment  technologies, different inoculates and co-substrates will be investigated and used in laboratory experiments for maximization of biogas production: high methane and hydrogen content with minimum CO2 and CO production ratio.
• Development and optimization of current biogas reforming technologies: new catalysts for an efficient conversion of biogas to hydrogen.
• Research for the integration of PEM technologies using hydrogen produced from biogas.
• Construction and field tests of a pilot plant located in a selected olive oil mill exploitation.
• Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of power generation using integrated  Biogas2PEM-FC
  technology.
• Dissemination of Biogas2PEM-FC project results for the feasibility demonstration of low cost biogas reforming and power generation