[Gasification] Cost and Performance of Small Scale Gasifiers

[Tanja Groth]

Hi all,

Back when Stirling.DK was still running, I did the following comparison of one of our gasification CHP systems against a selection of other RE and natural gas technologies, as seen below;

[cid:image003.png at 01CFD33C.8E979130]

These were based on 2012 technical data (for our 200kW gasifier with a 35 kWe Stirling engine, we managed 60% availability a gross electricity efficiency of 15%, before we were forced to throw in the towel). The case was based on Denmark, with applicable subsidies for all the RE technologies, but no taxes on the natural gas (so an indirect subsidy for them as well).

Most of the data used is freely available;

Techno-economic data per plant here: http://www.ens.dk/en/info/facts-figures/scenarios-analyses-models/technology-data

Fuel costs here: http://www.ens.dk/en/info/facts-figures/scenarios-analyses-models/socio-economic-method-analyses

Cheers,
Tanja Groth

tgroth at londoneconomics.co.uk<mailto:tgroth at londoneconomics.co.uk>


From: Gasification [mailto:gasification-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Koch
Sent: 17 September 2014 22:21
To: Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Cost and Performance of Small Scale Gasifiers

Dear Tom

TK energi delivered a 50 KW biomass gasifier to a holiday hotel. It operated approx. 14000 hours in 5 years. The total cost of the electricity produced was in the order of 1,2-1,5 dollars pr. KWh which was approx. 20-30 times higher than the market price.

20 years ago a Martezo gasifier was inatalled in western Denmark. The real figures are not all that easy to get but the rumors told that the electrity price was in the order of 10 dollars pr. KWh. One of the reasons for the very high is that the gasifier only operated for less than 1000 hours before it was scrapped.

At conference concerning small scale biomass gasification a young economist presented a study about how much investment support was needed for the Vølund 2 MWel updraft gasifier (that as far as I am aware is the best working small scale gasifier in the world!) . The study concluded that the gasifier needed 146 % of CAPEX in investment support??  Yes the project had to start with money in the bank to cover the losses.

Best regards

Thomas Koch
tk at tke.dk<mailto:tk at tke.dk>
phone + 45 22611047



Fra: Gasification [mailto:gasification-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] På vegne af Tom Miles
Sendt: 17. september 2014 22:58
Til: 'Discussion of biomass pyrolysis and gasification'
Emne: [Gasification] Cost and Performance of Small Scale Gasifiers

Has anyone done a recent analysis of the cost and performance of small scale (<100 kWe, <200 kWe) gasifiers? We have seen several gasifiers on the market in the last several years but it is not clear how long they actually operate during the year (hours/year), how much heat or power (kWh/yr) they produce, what their average load factor is (40% of nameplate?), or what it actually costs or own and operate them.

Do we have any data for Borealis/Spanner Re2, Superior Gasification, All Power Labs, Ankur Scientific, Victory Gasworks, CarboConsult, Biosynergi, Community Power Corporation, Thompson Spaven, Planet Green, BETEL (India), 3i Energy Systems, Husk Power, Arbor Electrogen, Volter?

What about the next scale of  >200kWe<2000kWe? Cogebio, Xylowatt, Biogen, Advanced Gasification Technologies,  Evergreen Energy, Guascor, Milena, Proton Power, PRMEnergy, Primenergy, Zeropoint Cleantech. Mothermik, Dall Energy, Babcock Volund, Biomass Engineering, BETEL (India), Diversified Renewable Technology, Synkraft,Xylogas, CleanSTGas, Gussing Renewable Energy,Weiss, Agnion, MEVA, Xylopower, Pyrofoce

How many of these systems can document 2,000, 4,000, or 8,000 hours total or per year? What is a typical capacity factor for these systems. Are any of them run in commercial conditions?

Thanks

Tom


T R Miles Technical Consultants Inc.
tmiles at trmiles.com<mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com>
www.trmiles.com<http://www.trmiles.com>
www.gasifiers.bioenergylists.org<http://www.gasifiers.bioenergylists.org>




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