Carrying out adaptation tests for a technology transfer in West Africa for biomass power plants
The IED group, through its subsidiary IED-Invest, has been developing and operating biomass power plants in Cambodia since 2011. In collaboration with local industrialists, IED has developed simple and robust low-power gasification systems (about 200 kW per unit).
Through this experience, IED is a partner in the Agrogazelec project led by the Urja Nishati association, Nitidae and CIRAD. This project was born from the identification of many biomass potentials at the level of agro-industries in Africa, whose quantity of waste to be recovered would make it possible to supply small and medium power plants (100 kW to 2 MW). In particular, cashew nut processing units are faced with the management of shell waste.
Financed by the French Fund for the Global Environment (FFEM), this project aims to develop a viable industrial solution and suitable assemblies for the development of such units.
With a view to transferring know-how in the manufacture and operation of operational gasifiers in Cambodia, IED conducted a series of tests on a test platform set up in one of these power plants in Cambodia, between August and December 2020. The objective was to validate the adaptations to be made (equipment and operating methods) to allow operation with cashew shells.
In addition, the implementation of an instrumentation plan has allowed a better understanding of the gasification process, and to identify areas for improvement. At the end of these tests, the modifications made to the gasifier allowed stable operation, improved efficiency and better quality gas production. The last trial phase focused on improving gas treatment, in order to limit the quantity of effluent to be treated. In view of the encouraging results on the pilot scale, work is currently being launched for the construction of equipment to process all the gas, which will be tested in the coming months.
At the end of these tests, the configuration of the gasification systems to be deployed in Africa will be validated in order to allow the start of the construction of the first pilot units.
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