New project to control particle emissions from urban biomass facilities

The Spanish Association for the Energy Valorization of Biomass (Avebiom ) believes it is essential to advance in the measurement, control, and improvement of particulate emissions from biomass heating plants. Therefore, the Association has committed to the development of the 'Digital Biomass' technology project, whose main purpose is the design and implementation of digital systems for monitoring emissions in small and medium-sized biomass combustion plants in urban environments.

The objective of this project is to carry out an analysis of the possibilities, difficulties and challenges of implementing innovative emission monitoring systems using a panel of chemical and environmental sensors in biomass combustion facilities from 100 kW to 5 MW.

As explained by Javier Díaz, president of AVEBIOM, one of the challenges of the sustainable commercial development of biomass for thermal use is "its use as heating fuel in large cities," where "there may be limitations on the emission levels of combustion equipment related to high levels of air pollution.".

In this regard, he added, the 'Digital Biomass' project will contribute to improving the manufacturing processes of biomass boilers and solid biofuels used as fuels.

'Digital Biomass' is an initiative supported by the Ministry of Economy and co-financed by the EurRegional Development Fund (ERDF), through the 2017 call for aid to support Innovative Business Groups (AEIs).

This funding program has supported 1,603 projects with over eur63 million in its ten years of existence. The one hundred registered Business Incubators (BIAs) represent more than 8,000 companies (75% SMEs), generate 245,000 jobs, and have a turnover of eur28.9 billion, according to data from the National Federation of Clusters (Fenaeic), whose last national congress renewed Avebiom's participation as a member of its board of directors.