Biomass Feasibility Project Final Report - Xcel Energy

Table V-4: Bio-Power Generation Research Areas
Process 0-3 Years 4-10 Years 10+ Years
Demonstrate co-firing systems that
CO-FIRING
Research to improve efficiency of technologies for co-firing have 40% or greater efficiency than
current systems
DIRECT COMBUSTION
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
Research to improve the efficiency of direct combustion systems.
Research methods to reduce water content of feedstock for direct
combustion systems
Conduct research to increase
rate of decay of resources for
anaerobic fermentation.
Begin research to reduce capital
costs of anaerobic fermenation
systems
Deign technologies to handle
low quality gas
Perform research to reduce
capital costs of biomasss
gasification systems
Test and demonstrate anaerobic
fermentation systems with
improved operating efficiencies
Test and implement
technologies to convert low
quality gas into useful energy.
Demonstrate and deploy
biomass (forest and agricultural
residue) gasification combinedcycle
power generation at
capacities up to 1,000 dry TPD
Enable commercial deployment of
direct combustion systems that are
cost-competitive with competing
systems.
Enable commercial deployment of
anaerobic fermenation systems that
are cost-competitive with competing
systems
Enable biomass gasification systems
that are cost-competitve with
competing commercial systems.
GASIFICATION
Conduct technology
demonstrations
Demonstrate and deploy forest
products black liquor gasification
combined cycle at capacities of
2 million pounds of black liquor
solids per day and larger.
Demonstrate advanced gasification and biosynthesis gas
technology suitable for integrated use for power generation on
large scale and in distributed systems, in a biorefinery, and for the
production of chemicals, matericals, and other products.
Develop and field-test gasification,
fermentation, and pyrolysis
technologies to produce hydrogen
from biomass.
MODULAR SYSTEMS
Evaluate industry standards for
grid connection.
Establish standards for modular
biomass systems that enable
them to connect to the grid.
Continue research to improve
performance of modular
systems.
Enable deployment of modular
systems that can operate in a
regulated, grid-based system.
Conduct testing of modular
systems.
Demonstrate stand-alone power
facilities with 5 - 50 MW capacity
producing electricity from energy
crops at an average costs of
$0.05 / kWh or less
Improve biobased power generation
efficiencies through wider application
in technologies such as fuel cells,
microturbines, and other distributed
systems.
Adapted with modifications from BRDTAC, 2002
Identifying Effective Biomass Strategies: Page 67
Quantifying Minnesota’s Resources and Evaluating Future Opportunities