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HoSt Innovates with Thermal Conversion Technology: Develops Cleanest Bioenergy Plant

28 June 2021
HoSt has succeeded, after a decade of research, development, and innovation, in developing a high-tech bioenergy plant with highly innovative NO-NOx thermal energy conversion of residual wood and residual waste streams. This further development of technology results in the lowest measured emissions of the Netherlands, and a state-of-the-art product: the very welcome modular bioenergy combined heat & power plant of the 21st century.
HoSt biomass CHP - Energy as a Service - Andijk Netherlands

Innovative technology

HoSt has a large in-house R&D capacity and strong links with technical universities. As a result, the organization is well positioned to develop innovative solutions that meet the continuously changing needs of customers and the market. In addition, HoSt’s mission is to remain at the forefront of high-tech energy conversion from low-value unused residual streams that are available in abundance worldwide and for which no alternatives are available. The 15 MWt bioenergy plant in Andijk, Netherlands with NO-NOx thermal conversion technology is the product resulting from years of research and innovation.

NO-NOx technology

Independent measurements show that the plant produces energy from prunings and residual waste wood with a NOx emission reduction of >99%. This is achieved by HoSt NO-NOx technology in combination with ultra LOW-NOx innovative combustion technology, precise combustion temperature control and highly automated control. In addition to clean conversion and very high availability, the HoSt design ensures streamlined fast construction on site due to its modular and innovative construction, resulting in lower costs.

Summary

  • The innovative technology achieves NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions at less than 95% of the emission of natural gas: <2.2 mg/Nm3 well below the national emission limits of 145 mg/Nm3.
  • NH3 slip (ammonia) of <0.06 well below national emission limits of 30 mg/Nm3.
  • Particulate emissions of <0.5 mg/Nm3 well below national emission limits of 5 mg/Nm3.
  • Distinctive innovative NO-NOx thermal conversion technology through years of R&D and innovation.
  • CO2 capture for utilization, sales, or storage possible (liquid and gaseous).
  • Fuel: regionally available residual and pruning wood and other residual streams such as residual streams from sawmills, RDF, agricultural waste.
HoSt biomass CHP - Energy as a Service - Andijk Netherlands

Impact & Industry

This clean modern bioenergy plant is a solution for the fossil energy consuming industry, wood working industry, greenhouse farming, district heating, etc. Highly efficient heat and electricity distribution is an important advantage; the existing energy infrastructure is already suitable in most cases. Capture of CO2 from flue gases is possible for use in the greenhouse for crop growth, for sales or for storage in liquid or gaseous form. The residual heat and electricity can be used for industrial processes. This alternative for greenhouse horticulture is urgently needed: natural gas boilers are not sustainable.

The PhD research of Dr. Steef Hanssen of Radboud University Nijmegen shows that the use of residual streams (second generation), such as woody residual streams from forest and landscape maintenance, leads to a lower climate impact compared to fossil energy. This is the application accordingly to the HoSt high-tech bioenergy plant.

Prunings & waste

HoSt’s bioenergy plants fuel regionally available residual and pruning wood that is released in maintenance of nature and landscape and are also suitable for other low-value waste and residual flows, such as RDF and agricultural waste. The techniques are developed for the thermal conversion of residual streams that are not suitable for other applications. The waste streams are shredded and delivered to the bioenergy plants in the prescribed size. These can be pieces of up to 35cm. Thanks to continuous research and development of these techniques, HoSt ensures that low-grade woody residual flows are optimally utilized and converted into energy in a clean way.

Innovative bioenergy plant

Wouter Kok from HoSt is an expert in the field of thermal conversion technology and responsible for the sales of the innovative bioenergy plant. He explains:

“It is not the application of only a bag house filter that makes the plant exceptional. HoSt goes far beyond that. We achieve these lowest emissions through innovation in the combustion technology and inventive furnace design, which creates a perfect mixing of flue gases with combustion air resulting in a very high efficiency. Thanks to the clever configuration of the combustion zones on the grate, and the three-stage combustion in the furnace in combination with flue gas recirculation, high peak temperatures are avoided, and the formation of the amount of NOx is strongly reduced compared to conventional combustion furnace designs. The addition of the HoSt NO-NOx technology minimizes this even more. A very effective combination method that makes our bioenergy plant Andijk and every following high-tech HoSt plant with this NO-NOx technology unique”.

HoSt biomass CHP - Energy as a Service - Andijk Netherlands