Finalizing the improved BIOmasud® Certification System

During this last year of BIOMASUD PLUS project execution, the consortium dedicated most of its effort to improve the BIOmasud® Quality and Sustainability certification system. The works carried on were included on the Working Package 6 that included three main tasks:

  • Reviewing the certification’s handbook with the improvements
  • Establishing the structure of the system in the countries
  • Carry on pilot audits on the relevant countries to test the handbook in the field

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Guidelines to optimize the use of Mediterranean solid biofuels in combustion appliances

A significant market of solid biofuels for heating applications in the residential sector exists in most of the Mediterranean countries. In addition to wood pellets and chips a number of solid biofuels derived from typical Mediterranean biomasses are utilised. Within the framework of the H2020 Biomasud Plus project “Developing the sustainable market of residential Mediterranean solid biofuels,” a study about solid biofuels marketed in seven countries of southern Europe (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey) has been carried out. This study shows that olive stones are the most important Mediterranean biofuel in the residential sector. Moreover, agricultural pruning from olive trees and vineyards are reported as biomasses with high potential for solid biofuels production in that sector.

Taking into account their widespread production in the Mediterranean area and the actual and potential markets as fuels in residential sector, three biofuels were selected to be tested in different combustion small appliances in order to provide recommendations for manufacturers, installers and end users. Considering the results obtained in this study, the document “Guidelines for assessment of appropriate performance conditions of small domestic heating appliances with relevant Mediterranean solid biofuels has been published.

These guidelines show a review of European standards and legislation on solid biofuels and domestic combustion appliances. The results obtained in a market study about domestic heating systems in southern Europe are also shown. Three biofuels (olive stones, olive tree pruning pellets and vineyard pruning pellets) and six combustion appliances (three stoves and three boilers) were selected to perform combustion tests in three different laboratories (BIOS in Austria, CERTH in Greece and CIEMAT in Spain) following common testing procedures. Taking into account the obtained results, recommendations have been provided to use the selected Mediterranean biofuels.

Some combustion appliances present in the market can use olive stones without fuel feeding or operating problems, with the possibility of fulfilling the emission limits established by the Eco-design Directive through the Commission Regulations (EU) 2015/1185 and (EU) 2015/1189. To avoid problems related to the fuel quality, the acquisition of biofuels with quality label (i.e. Biomasud quality label) is especially important. Moreover, users should obtain the guarantee (from manufacturer and/or installer) that the appliances they are acquiring can use olive stones as fuel.

Considering the behaviour of the olive tree pruning and vineyard pruning pellets during the combustion tests, it must be concluded that they are not appropriate fuels for the stoves and small boilers used in the project, mainly due to their high ash and nitrogen contents. Even so, guidelines provide some recommendations for biofuels production and manufacturing and operation of heating appliances in order to use these biofuels with emissions fulfilling the Eco-design Directive.

 

First pilot audits of BIOmasud® in Croatia

Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ) organized the first pilot audit in Croatia within the project Biomasud Plus from the program Horizon 2020. The overall goal of the project Biomasud Plus is to develop the market of mediterranean solid biofuels with implementing the label of quality and sustainability BIOmasud® for at least two companies producing and /or distributing residential heating solid biofuels within Mediterranean countries.Continue reading

First company certified with BIOmasud® scheme in Slovenia

One of the most important BIOmasud Plus project’s goals is to certify 2 different companies with BIOmasud® certificate within every included partner country and ensure quality of Mediterranean biomass/biofuels for domestic use.

To get the certificate, a company must accomplish 3 conditions: quality, sustainability and traceability of biomass. Certification get companies which produce solid biofuels or trade with them and are committed to obey the rules and conditions of certification system BIOmasud®.Continue reading

First Pilot Audit of BIOmasud® Certification in Turkey

In the scope of the project, each partner involved in the project will implement the certification system in at least two companies producing and /or distributing residential heating solid biofuels within their respective countries. For this purpose, they will initially conduct appropriate dissemination activities among stakeholders identified in WP2 (at least one workshop per country) and will implement auditing systems to be applied to the biofuel producers showing interest to join the label, according the procedures described in the label Handbook.

In Turkey, has been given serious efforts to select companies potentially interested to solid biofuel certification system. Focus group meeting was organized in February 2017. Furthermore, a workshop was organized in October 2017. There were different participants from universities, ministries, solid biofuel producers, societies. TUBITAK contacted a lot of solid fuel producers and explained the project. The most suitable ones were selected from these companies which have ISO 9001 certification system.Continue reading

First Pilot Audit of BIOmasud® in Greece

On July 13th 2018, CERTH organised the first BIOmasud® pilot audit in Greece at the BioAlten pellet production plant in the framework of the Biomasud Plus project.

The scope of the audit was to check whether olive tree pruning pellets could comply with the quality requirements of the revised BIOmasud® Handbook.

The production of olive tree pruning pellets is a demonstration activity within the framework of the AGROinLOG (Horizon 2020-Grant Agreement No 727961) focusing on Integrated Biomass Logistics Centres (IBLCs). The raw material was collected in spring 2018 in the area of Agios Konstantinos, Fthiotida by the local agricultural cooperative.Continue reading

La planta de Greenalia en Sigüeiro (A Coruña) obtiene la certificación BIOMASUD para astillas de calidad

La empresa Greenalia Woodchips S.L.U., ubicada en Sigüeiro (A Coruña), acaba de obtener la certificación de biocombustibles sólidos BIOMASUD para astillas de calidad, gestionada en España por la Asociación Española de Valorización Energética de la Biomasa, AVEBIOM, que lleva en funcionamiento en el país desde 2014.

El objetivo de este sello, que también reconoce la sostenibilidad, es garantizar la calidad de la biomasa de uso doméstico en la región mediterránea de acuerdo a los estándares internacionales (astilla, ISO 17225-4), nacionales (hueso, UNE 164003; y de cáscaras de frutos secos, UNE 164004).Continue reading

Quality assessment of Mediterranean solid biofuels

Within the BIOMASUD PLUS Project there is an special chapter (WP3) dedicated to define the quality requirements of residential solid biofuels that will be integrated into the BIOMASUD certification scheme. Besides to the existing solid biofuels, the scheme will be extended to new solid biofuels produced in the Mediterranenan countries.

Nowadays, there are no international (ISO) quality standards to grade important commercial Mediterranean solid biofuels like olive stones and dry fruit shells. Two Spanish national standards are available since 2014 to grade olive stones (UNE 164003:2014) and fruit shells (UNE 164004:2014) for residential use. Continue reading