Imagine turning oily sludge and algae-filled wastewater into high-quality fuel for planes and ships. Instead of using expensive hydrogen from fossil fuels, this process uses microwaves to break down waste and a clever chemical trick to remove oxygen. It's like a high-tech recycling plant that turns industrial grime into green energy.
Heavy transport sectors like aviation and shipping struggle to decarbonize because traditional biofuels often compete with food crops and rely on expensive, high-emission fossil hydrogen for production.
A microwave-assisted pyrolysis and hydrogen-free hydrodeoxygenation process. It converts oily sludge and microalgae into bio-liquid (jet/diesel/marine fuels), pyro-gas (bio-hydrogen), and bio-char.
If you are a fuel producer dealing with high carbon emissions and expensive hydrogen costs — this project developed a hydrogen-free hydrodeoxygenation process that transforms waste into jet bio-fuel. This allows for a more cost-effective path to decarbonizing flight.
If you are a shipping company dealing with strict emission regulations for heavy vessels — this project developed a way to produce marine bio-fuels from industrial oily sludge. This provides a sustainable alternative to heavy fuel oil.
If you are a plant operator dealing with costly disposal of oily sludge and microalgae — this project developed a microwave pyrolysis system that converts these waste streams into bio-liquid, gas, and char. This turns a waste liability into a revenue stream.
Based on available project data, specific price points per liter are not provided, but the project focuses on creating a 'cost-efficient' process by removing the need for fossil-based hydrogen.
The project is advancing the technology from TRL 3 to TRL 5, meaning it is moving from lab-scale validation toward prototype upscaling.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the consortium includes 5 industrial partners and 4 SMEs who are developing the technology.
The project runs from May 2024 to April 2030, with the goal of reaching TRL 5 by the end of the period.
The project aims to produce biofuels that are compatible with existing transport infrastructures, specifically for aviation, maritime, and heavy road transport.
The consortium is heavily industry-weighted with a 50% industry ratio (5 partners), including 4 SMEs. This balance suggests a strong focus on commercial viability rather than just academic research. With 10 partners across 5 European countries (BE, DE, ES, IT, PT), the project has a broad geographic base for testing different waste streams and regulatory environments.
Contact IDENER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AIE in Spain
Contact us to connect with the FLEXBY consortium for early adoption or licensing discussions.
