ENTRADE Energiesysteme AG
ENTRADE Energiesysteme AG: World’s most modern wood co-generation plant comes onstream in South Tyrol

World’s most modern wood co-generation plant comes onstream in South Tyrol

Electrical efficiency of 35% – 850 kW electrical output

Bolzena. – In Auer/Bolzena, northern Italy, the world’s most modern and efficient wood co-generation plant has been connected to the grid. At the end of March it was presented to international trade visitors and the press in the course of a four-day information event. The wood co-generation plant was planned and implemented by Germany’s agnion energy GmbH in cooperation with GruenEnergy GmbH, which is based in South Tyrol. Using waste wood as fuel the plant generates both electricity and heating.

Ten per cent higher effectiveness level than comparable plants

The wood co-generation plant in Auer is a dual facility with two production lines working independently of each other. The plant generates an electrical output of 850 kW and a thermal output of 1,200 kW. It is fuelled by waste wood from local forests for which previously there had been no economically viable use. The CO2-neutral energy it generates can supply 1,400 households with electricity and 400 households with heating.

The main feature of the plant is its electrical efficiency rate of approximately 35%, which is 10% higher than comparable competing installations. The reason for this is that the plant works on the basis of a stationary fluidised-bed process. This produces high quality synthesis gas which drives the motor that generates power. The basic technology for this process was developed at the Technical University of Munich ten years ago and developed for the market as the ‘heatpipe reformer’ (HPR) by agnion energy together with Prof. Jürgen Karl, head of the Chair of Energy Process Engineering at the University of Nuremberg, and his team.

Technological cooperation between agnion energy and GEA Bischoff

“Our installations can replace conventional wood-fired power stations, because these merely produce heat for district heating networks. We go a decisive step further and generate both heat and electricity”, states Julien Uhlig, CEO of agnion energy. “As a result the use of waste wood becomes significantly more attractive both in economic and ecological terms. Currently there are concrete plans for a number of installations at locations in Germany, Switzerland and Italy.”

In view of the growing demand for commercial wood co-generation plants agnion energy GmbH is aiming at a technological cooperation with GEA Bischoff GmbH which will cover the planning, procurement and construction of installations. GEA Bischoff is a world leader in the development, engineering and construction of emissions-reducing systems for customers from a range of processing industries.

Agnion energy is a leading supplier of installations for generating electricity and heating from solid biomass. The company has its head office in Zittau, further locations in Düsseldorf and Pfaffenhofen, Bavaria, and a branch in in Bolzena, South Tyrol. Overall agnion energy has a portfolio of around 50 patents or patent applications which reinforce the company’s technological leadership. agnion energy GmbH is a subsidiary of ENTRADE Energiesysteme AG.

For more information please see www.agnion.de

Contact:
agnion energy GmbH
Hendrik van Ritter
Zimmerstraße 15a
40215 Düsseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0)2447 – 218 10 00
Fax: +49 (0)2447 – 218 10 09
Email: info@entrade.de