Infrastructures and Technical Resources

• Biomass Laboratory, which carries out analyses and assessment of biofuels and the determination of tar and particles in gasification gas.

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• The Experimental Centre for Biomass Pre-treatment has a pilot facility with capacity for 500 kilos of biomass per hour, which permits the physical modification (chipping, chopping, drying, grinding and pelletisation) as well as the advanced thermochemical modification (torrefaction) of a wide range of biomasses to produce solid biofuels.
  • Torrefaction of the Experimental Centre for Biomass Pre-treatment (PDF, 569 KB)

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• On 12 January 2007, the Ministry of Education and Science published the list of new Singular Scientific and Technological Infrastructures (ICTS) in Spain, approved during the III Conference of Presidents at the suggestion of the Autonomous Communities. The map of ICTS, based on the political agreement between the Government and the Autonomous Communities, is a programme of the MESc within the INGENIO 2010 initiative of the Government whose aim is to improve the competitiveness of science and technology in Spain. The “Biofuel ICTS” located in the Foral Community of Navarra was one of the ICTS approved. The Government of Navarra and the Ministry of Education and Science have entrusted the design, execution and management of the ICTS to CENER.
  
  The goals of the Centre include the development of 2^nd generation biofuel production processes as an intermediate step towards industrial upscaling with different biomasses as well as pre-treatment and conversion process options, including both biochemical and thermochemical channels. An integrated testing and demonstration platform at pilot level will be constituted, aimed at developing new specific components or equipment, biofuels and biorefinery concepts.
  
  It will be located in the Industrial Zone of Aoiz in Navarra and it will be progressively put into service between 2010 and 2011.