Electricity from biomass: a renewable energy source for the future

When it comes to renewable energy solutions, using biomass to generate electricity from local resources has great potential. The versatility of biomass (either agricultural waste or by-products, or a dedicated plantation) has the potential to significantly impact the local economy through biomass management and use. IED has developed a great deal of expertise in carrying out studies and managing projects relating to biomass conversion, thereby demonstrating its commitment to offering sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions for accessing electricity.

 Cogeneration: Cogeneration is the simultaneous generation of electricity and heat. This technique is commonly used in energy-intensive agro-industries such as sugar refineries or oil factories;

 Biogas: Biogas is the gas produced by the fermentation of organic animal or plant matter. This process is more commonly used for liquid waste;

 Gasification: Wood and waste gasification is another way to generate electricity in small-sized plants (up to 500 kW or even 1 MW). The wood or waste that has been converted to gas can be used as a full or partial substitute for diesel fuel in generators. This significantly reduces the cost of electricity generation.

Charchuk project – gasifier power plant and gas engine, one of the first power plants in the world to operate continuously and in a rural context

In Cambodia, IED identified, studied and oversaw the project management and financial engineering for the development, construction and operation of a 200 kW gasifier to supply electricity to a rural community of some 4,000 households, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This project utilises rice hulls, an agricultural waste material which farmers disposed of until now.

This gas fuels two engines. One of the engines operates on 100% gas and runs for 16 hours per day. The other engine is a hybrid gas/diesel engine used in the evenings for peaks in demand, or as part of gas system maintenance and cleaning operations.

Thanks to this process, which is clean, sustainable and cost-efficient (costs have been more than halved), the village of Charchuk receives electricity 24 hours a day, to be used for daily household requirements or for revenue-generating activities which boost the local economy and create jobs.

See below the video about this project: