Greenalia and the University of Vigo collaborate in a research project on the heat value and quality of biomass

• The Forestry Engineering School of the University of Vigo, in collaboration with Greenalia, has conducted a series of research projects and lab studies with forestry biomass samples from different areas in Galicia

The main purpose of these studies, that are ongoing since 2016, has been to analyze the properties of the biomass that will be sourced to Greenalia’s Biomass Plant in Curtis-Teixeiro and specifically its energetic value. The Plant will use around 500.000 annual tons of forestry residue from local sources. “It is important to collect this residue that comes exclusively from forestry activities and wood cutting surplus to mitigate the risk of plagues and wildfires in the region” – the company stated.

In addition to its environmental benefits, the use of biomass as a source of renewable energy creates wealth and jobs in the fields and in the Plant. The construction work of the Plant generated more than 1.000 jobs (indirect and direct) about 100 of these jobs will be stable and permanent once the Plant starts its operation (35 in the facilities and the rest in the sourcing of the biomass).

The results of the study indicate that the biomass material holds the right properties for its energy generation use in big scale projects such as this one and include recommendations regarding the humidity percentage, thermal treatment, optimal drying times, packaging and transportation.

Greenalia trusts the research team from the Forestry School of the University of Vigo and the work they have done strongly supports technical decisions made in the Biomass Plant project from the earlier stages of planning. For example, the information that the University of Vigo provided was key to selecting the right type of boiler that will be used in the Curtis-Teixeiro Biomass Plant that uses a bubbling fluidized bed system that generates heat very efficiently, with very high performance of materials and considerably reducing environmental emissions.

University-Corporation collaborations are considered by Greenalia as a uniting bridge between the corporate sector, scientific research and quality higher education standards, and in the last few years the company has conducted several of these collaborative projects with the University of Vigo and the University of Santiago de Compostela.