Efficiently using bioenergy through a modular fuel and load flexible combined heat and power system based on a modern steam engine

Efficiently using biowaste to meet electricity and heat demands in farms is becoming critical for achieving future fossil free agriculture. The project aims to develop, test and validate a modular fuel and load flexible combined heat and power (CHP) system that is based on an innovative modern steam engine to decarbonize the agricultural and industrial sectors. By integrating a dual-fuel burner with the steam engine, almost all forms of biofuel can be simply used to meet the heat and power demands in the farms at lower costs than other solutions. The CHP system will be developed based on a close collaboration between KTH, Ranotor, Maston, and two end-users. The goal is to demonstrate the system that can provide required electricity and heat in a typical Swedish farm with a total thermal efficiency above 80% and an electrical efficiency above 30%. A techno-economic analysis will be conducted to assess the market potential of the CHP system all over the world.

Photo: Anton Savinov, Unsplash