Background
In this project, a research platform will be investigated, designed, and planned to enable the development of second-generation technologies for flexible carbon capture and utilization (CCU) in combination with bioenergy. New CCU technologies must be integrated into an energy system characterized by increasingly larger fluctuations. Currently, combined heat- and power plants are operated following heat demand (seasonal variation) or participate in grid balancing (daily variation) and do not have an economical incentive to convert CO₂ to energy carriers or materials.

Flexibility in operation is key to applying bioenergy with CCUS (BECCUS) in a PtX framework. Access to renewable electricity at low prices and CO₂ from biomass-fired combined heat and power plants is essential for the economic success of BECCUS. New BECCUS technologies should be designed specifically to make use of peak production electricity and variable CO₂ amounts from biomass-fired combined heat and power plants.

Objectives
The research and development platform designed in the project will reduce the costs of CCU, primarily by process improvements. It will help to leverage economy of scale and therefore create an economically viable and attractive set of BECCUS technologies. These next-generation CCU technologies will integrate better with fluctuating energy and CO₂ availability.

Expected results

1. Design and plan a test platform for BECCUS technologies on pilot scale (50 kW biomass heat output).
2. Upscale electrolyzer cells for ethylene production.
3. Create a digital twin of the flexible BECCUS process. Digitally optimize and scale up BECCUS processes.
4. Optimize process economics given fluctuating conditions e.g. heat demand (varies seasonally) and electric grid balancing (varies hourly/daily).