27 June 2011

During today’s sessions, the Government of Navarra has authorised the assignment of a 6,028,584 Euro subsidy to the CENER-CIEMAT Foundation for the Second Generation Biofuel Centre (CB2G), located in the Navarra town of Aoiz. This action forms part of Navarra’s measures to invest in public procurement and infrastructures, promoted by the “Plan Navarra 2012”.

The Second Generation Biofuel Centre (CB2G) is located in the Aoiz Industrial Estate and it is a semi-industrial pilot scale test facility that is able to develop 2^nd generation biofuel production processes based on raw materials that are not competitive with the food industry (especially lignocellulosic materials, such as: forest and herbaceous waste) via different channels: Thermochemical, biochemical and/or enzymatic, as well as the application of biorefinery concepts.

The project represents a total investment of 20 million Euro. Twelve million Euro have been invested in a first phase and the biomass pre-treatment unit, the offices and the laboratories have been constructed. Work on the next phase has recently been started and, in 2011, the gasification and biochemical process unit will be constructed, investing 8 million Euro, to thus complete the global project.

The Government of Navarra and the Ministry of Science and Innovation has promoted this project. CENER, owner of the centre, shares the scientific-technical management with CIEMAT (Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology).

The main goals contemplated in the design of the CB2G are: be capable of processing process a wide range of biomasses (herbaceous and woody), include a wide range of pretreatments for the different biomasses and conversion processes, have the capacity to develop production processes for a wide range of 2^nd generation biofuels, and operate continuously in long-term tests, simulating industrial conditions, so that the results obtained and the developments carried out can be applied at an industrial scale.

The main services that will be carried out at the CB2G are:

• Studies and tests on the production of solid roasted and/or densified biofuels based on different biomasses.
• Development and optimisation of biochemical processes based on biomass.
• Development and optimisation of fluidised bed gasification processes.
• Development and optimisation of syngas cleaning processes.
• Advice and studies on 2^nd generation biofuel production processes.