Submitted by Remigio Berruto on
Acronym:
STOVER4VALUE
project title:
Technology and logistics solutions for the production of biofuels and biobased materials from corn stalks
project program:
project summary:
The project focuses on the use of stumps (primary agricultural residues), for their use for the production of bioenergy, biodiesel and proteins, fully integrating into the circular bioeconomy. The last two activities refer to insect rearing for the purpose.
The use of residues for the production of bioenergy and biofuels is well recognised by the European Union as there is no competition with the FOOD chain for the production of biomass as the residues are produced on the same ground where FOOD is produced. Using residues helps achieve the goals of using renewable energy (20-20-20 vision) for 2020 without competing on land use. The incentives for the production of biogas electricity (DM June 23, 2016) guarantee plants below 300 kW of electric power using residues and by-products a tariff of 233 € / MWhe while providing 170 € / MWhe if main products are used ( Example sifted corn silo). The 233 € / MWhe rate allows fast return times (6-7 years), which creates an interesting market for stumps, a residue with a decent amount of energy to use.
In the Piedmont region, 176,000 ha are grown for the production of cornstarch. Indicatively, 4.5 t / ha of dry substance can easily be collected from the remains (stumps) left on the ground with the first prototype. This means, on a regional basis, the availability of 800,000 t / year of dry biomass for energy uses or for the production of biofuels.
The aim of the project is to implement a bioenergetic chain based on the use of corn residues (stumps) to produce energy, biogas and mobilise residual biomass for the production of biodiesel and proteins by exploiting the resulting heat produced by biogas plants And often unused, for insect breeding.
The first objective is to reduce the costs of harvesting corn (corn stover) through the development of a corn grain harvester head, which in addition to the traditional ear tag separation from the rest of the plant, The shredding/trimming of the same. A first working prototype was implemented under the Agrores2value project, but prototype engineering operations are required to increase the amount of crop and crop harvested. A new prototype and related test runs will be carried out within WP2 and WP3.
The second objective of the project is to fine-tune the harvesting, trimming and silting of the residues to be used for the production of biogas, by evaluating the appropriate lengths of trimming. This goal will be achieved with the activities of WP4.
The third objective concerns the exploitation of minced and ground soils as a substrate for insect rearing, from which it is possible to extract the proteins to be used for animal feeding and the fats to be subsequently destined for biodiesel production, using the heat of the plants Biogas for insect breeding. This goal will be achieved with WP5 activities.
The fourth goal is to verify for a farm the technical-economic and environmental feasibility of the LCA verification of its sustainability. This activity will be carried out under WP6.
Among the parties involved in the partnership, OLIMAC will work on refining the modified header for harvesting, while STAEGINEERING will focus on harvesting and trim for one part of the biomass used for biogas plants while on the other will be breeding Insects to be used to produce protein on the one hand and fat that can potentially be used for the production of biodiesel. Qualitative aspects, especially related to potential use for biodiesel production, will be investigated in collaboration with DISAFA.
The partnership includes those involved in the production of the head, the testing of the supply chain and the energy enhancement of the by-products. It guarantees a strong impact of the design proposal on the stakeholders involved in the project and on other non-investigated projects in the present project (anaerobic fermentation of residues).
project duration:
24months
country:
project begin date:
Tuesday, 1 August, 2017 to Tuesday, 30 July, 2019
project partner:
UNITO-Italy
project coordinator:
UNITO-Italy
project contact person:
Remigio Berruto
