The fossil hydrocarbons are not inexhaustible, and their use is not without impact in our need of energy, fuels and hydrocarbons as building blocks for organic materials. The quest for renewable, environmentally more friendly technologies are in need and woody biomass is a promising candidate, well provided in the boreal parts of the world. To convert the constituents of wood into valuable gaseous products, suitable for the end use required, we need a reliable gasification technology. But to become an industrial application on full scale there are still a few issues to take into account since the presence of contaminants in the process gas will pose several issues, both technical and operational, for instance by corrosion, fouling and catalyst deactivation. Furthermore the downstream applications may have very stringent needs for syngas cleanliness depending on its use. Therefore, the levels of contaminants must be decreased by gas cleanup to fulfil the requirements of the downstream applications. One of the most prominent problems in biomass gasification is the formation of tars – an organic byproduct in the degradation of larger hydrocarbons. So, tar degrading catalysts are needed in order to avoid tar related operational problems such as fouling but also reduced conversion efficiency. Deactivation of catalysts is generally inevitable, but the process may be slowed or even prevented. Catalysts are often very sensitive to poisonous compounds in the process gas, but also to the harsh conditions in the gasifier, risking problems as coke formation and attrition. Alongside with having to be resistant to any physical and chemical damage, the catalyst also needs to have high selectivity and conversion rate, which would result in a more or less tar-free gas. Commercial tar reforming catalysts of today often contain nickel as the active element, but also often display a moderate to rapid deactivation due to the causes mentioned.

Due to the increasing climate change concerns, biofuels have attracted more attention in the energy field as potential alternative energy sources. Particularly, microalgal biofuel has stood out because of its higher fuel yield potential and lower water and land demand than terrestrial biomass. Because of its outstanding photosynthetic efficiency, the microalgal technology is also investigated by researchers around the world as a potential biological solution for carbon capturing in the industrial sector. To explore the prospects of microalgal technology in a local context, this research lays it focus on investigating the potentiality of microalgal biofuel in the cement industry on Gotland, which is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases on the island. For this purpose, the thesis implements a series of estimations based on the emission data of Cementa AB, Slite, a picture of the potential production of algal biomass and biofuel was created, followed by comparisons to the energy situation on Gotland. While practical data of the selected microalgae species are presented, the results indicate a high potential of microalgae in the production of algal biofuel and the possibility for algal biofuel to power the industrial sector of Gotland, or even the island entirely. Although the estimations are made based on an assumption where all controlling parameters are assumed to be perfectly manipulated, the results still indicate the significance of microalgal technologies in the near-future bioeconomy and global energy system.

The community Vessigebro, in Falkenberg and its surrounding areas housing one percent of all dairy cattle and two percent of all pigs in Sweden. This means that there is a large amount of manure as a basis for producing biogas in the area. A number of farmers have therefore formed a cooperative named Vessigebro biogas and started the project Green Vessigebro, with the goal of creating the conditions for a more profitable and more sustainable agriculture production. The study deals with the conditions and sale opportunities of the feasibility study Green Vessigebro. The study has looked at the work that was previously carried out for the biogas that could be produced on the farms in Vessigebro, The main pipeline for natural gas on the Swedish west coast and its operators, the Swedish Competition Act , Electricity Act , Natural Gas Act, the District Heating Act , Sustainability Act , previously proposed measures, municipality interest in biogas from Vessigebro , possible collaborations, possible sale opportunities and perform calculations with data from the municipality Ljungby for a suggested transportation of biogas between Vessigebro and Ljungby. The study shows that there are several interesting sale opportunities for biogas from Vessigebro. The production and use of biogas in Sweden is increasing and the trend seems set to continue. Six gas retailers can buy gas, which EON is the most established around Vessigebro with a distribution network. EON: s distribution network runs only a few kilometers from the planned upgrading plant , in Vessigebro. An already built upgrading facility is one mil from Vessigebro. Swedegas is the only main pipeline network owner with storing and balancing responsibility on the main line that is closer than EON distribution network. A number of suppliers and industries have shown interest in purchasing the biogas and the interest from potential buyers are likely to increase when the biogas production starts. A collaboration with, for example, "Arena Bioenergy Halland" increases business intelligence and can provide an increased influence with policy proposals. The use of gas and the interest is too low for the moment for tractors, boats, trains, buses and taxis to be a possible outlet specifically for Vessigebro biogas. The conditions make it interesting for Vessigebro biogas to look at five different options for sale opportunities of the biogas. Three options are based on a pipeline to either the pipeline, owned by Swedegas or EON distribution line alternatively a pipeline to EON upgrading facility. One possibility is to replace vehicles that run on fossil fuels with gas-powered vehicles providing a local use and purpose and the aims of the project Green Vessigebro. The calculations made by the study with different conditions shows that a very interesting and possible sale opportunity is a transportation of biogas between Vessigebro and Ljungby. The conclusion from the study shows that conditions and sale opportunities are good for the planned biogas production of Green Vessigebro to become reality.

The purpose of this feasibility study has been to guide decision makers in the implementation of abiogas project for the region of Sønderborg, Denmark. The project has been part of Feasibility studies envisioned in the Master Plan for Sønderborg to go carbon neutral by 2029. The study tried to evolve abest alternative for the city and gives a ready document to refer all aspects of biogas. The intensive industrial farming in Sønderborg needs to evolve to compare favorably with the situationin other regions of Denmark. The interests of various stakeholders in the waste cycle should be alignedwith that of farming. Interesting developments in the Bioenergy space hold promise for farmers to usetheir capacities for additional or alternative livelihood in energy. The focus to promote biogas as part ofDanish energy strategy and multiply capacity over the next 3 years has attracted numerous biogas proposals all over Denmark. This study had started off with identifying and estimating very obvious substrate sources. At verymoderate assumptions the value of methane in these sources has been estimated at 9 million m3. Thispotential could easily be increased if economically feasible substrates like energy crops and algae areadded. The SWOT analysis of pig farming in the region brings out the perspectives of farming direction in the near future. The 5 scenarios developed help the decision maker understand the various aspects thatneed to be carefully considered when planning the plant. The best case scenario for the city would bethe energy mosaic scenario which would integrate the high tech focus of local industry, a renewable energy source and a showcase project to make the region stand out among the other regions focused inthe climate change debate. The technological system analysis should help decision makers understand the stakeholders and the various dimensions in biogas that although complicated are manageable. The business case approach to identify utilization of energy and its costs gives a clear picture on the need for using the energy in CHP.The present focus by potential investors on government subsidies to calculate profitability needs to be understood in the context of other similar plants accepting present subsidy levels and the societal benefits, which unfortunately cannot be valued in money terms. At the center of all this is the need for proper stakeholder management within a bound timeframe asidentified by the “Create acceptance process”. The various tools and data are all present in this study,that only need to be arranged and presented by the company eventually handling the strict Projectmanagement goals of this project. / <p>www.ima.kth.se</p>

Pressurised entrained-flow gasification (PEFG) of woody biomass has the potential to produce high purity syngas for the production of vital chemicals, e.g., biofuels. However, ash-related issues such as reactor blockages and refractory corrosion need to be addressed before this potential can be realised from a technical perspective. These undesirable consequences can be brought about by slag formation involving inorganic ash-forming elements and the chemical transformations that they undergo during fuel conversion. The objective of this study was to elucidate the ash transformations of the major ash-forming elements and the slag formation process. A pilot-scale PEFG reactor was used as the basis of the study, gasifying different woody biomass-based fuels including wood, bark, and a bark/peat mixture. Different ash fractions were collected and chemically analysed. Reactor slags had elemental distributions differing from that of the fuel ash, indicating the occurrence of fractionation of ash material during fuel conversion. Fly ash particles from a bark campaign were also heterogeneous with particles exhibiting differing compositions and physical properties; e.g., molten and crystalline formations. Si was consistently enriched in the reactor slags compared to other major ash-forming elements, while analyses of other ash fractions indicated that K was likely volatilised to a significant extent. In terms of slag behaviour, near-wall temperatures of approximately 1050-1200 °C inside the reactor were insufficient to form flowing ash slag for continuous extraction of ash material during firing the woody biomass fuels alone. However, fuel blending of a bark fuel with a silica-rich peat changed the chemical composition of the reactor slags and bulk slag flow behaviour was evident. Thermochemical equilibrium calculations supported the importance of Si in melt formation and in lowering solidus and liquidus temperatures of Ca-rich slag compositions that are typical from clean wood and bark. Viscosity estimations also showed the impact that solids have upon slag flow behaviour and corresponded qualitatively to the experimental observations. Corrosion of reactor refractory was observed. The mullite-based refractory of the reactor formed a slag with the fuel ash slag, which caused the former to flux away. Reactor blockages were also resultant because of the high viscosity of this slag near the outlet.  A preliminary study into the corrosion of different refractories was also carried out, based on firing a bark/peat mixture.  Alumina-rich refractories consisting of corundum, hibonite, mullite, and andalusite tended to form anorthite and exhibited varying degrees of degradation. Infiltration of slag was evident for all the samples and was a severe mode of degradation for some refractories. For fused-cast periclase and spinel-based refractories, slag infiltration was limited to voids and no extensive signs of refractory dissolution were found. This is also supported by a thermochemical equilibrium calculations mimicking slag infiltration that incorporated viscosity estimations. The findings from this thesis contribute towards the development of woody biomass PEFG by highlighting issues concerning ash fractionation, slag behaviours and ash\slash refractory interaction that should be investigated further.

Då Sverige redan nått flera av de energi- och klimatpolitiska målen kan målet om att skapa ett fossilfritt samhälle stå som ytterligare drivkraft för att fortsätta utvecklingen av de hållbara bränslena. Bidrag finns att få för att anlägga våtmarker, minska klimatpåverkan, förbättra naturmiljön och för utvecklandet av ny teknik samt bygga upp anläggningar för biobränsleproduktion. Trots detta har odling av våtmarksgrödor för energiutvinning ännu inte etablerats på energimarknaden. Denna studie är en del i kartläggningen av vad som kan komma att driva utvecklingen av våtmarker som källa till bioenergi framåt, och vilka delar som saknas i det arbetet. Efter intervjuer med intresserade och kunniga aktörer inom ämnet presenteras här de drivkrafter och hinder som påverkar denna utveckling. Drivkrafterna grundar sig i viljan att komma bort från fossila bränslen, att minska utsläppen av näringsämnen samt ge utrymme för biologisk mångfald, samtidigt som åtgärderna kan göra nytta för samhället och hjälpa till att nå klimat- och miljömålen. De största hindren utgörs av att speciella maskiner kan behövas för behandling av våtmarksgrödorna där terrängen är känslig och att mycket stora ytor skulle behövas för att öka lönsamheten. De ekonomiska stöd som finns att tillgå täcker inte heller alla nödvändiga steg i produktionsledet. Eftersom priserna på el och fossila bränslen är låga finns ännu ingen etablerad marknad för denna typ av energikälla och produktionen leder därför inte till någon större förtjänst. Biobränsleproducenter har även svårt att på ett tillräckligt effektivt sätt utvinna energin från grödorna. Detta gör att efterfrågan på energigrödor från våtmarker idag är mycket låg. Trots detta kan våtmarker bidra med en rad viktiga ekosystemtjänster i samband med produktion av energigrödor. Det rekommenderas därför att ett sådant system präglas av förvaltningsfilosofin mångbruk, där en naturresurs syfte är att nyttjas för flera ändamål samtidigt. Detta multifunktionella synsätt kan hjälpa till att öka våtmarkernas roll i uppfyllandet av flera av de nationella klimat- och miljömålen, om dess ekosystemtjänster vägs in tydligare i kalkylerna vid energiproduktion. / Sweden have already reached several of their goals for energy consumption, but the overall goal to become a fossil free society can still be seen as a driving force to keep developing renewable fuels. There is financial support for wetland construction, reduce impact on the climate, improve the natural environment, for developing new techniques and for biomass fuel plants. Still, cultivation of wetland crops for energy extraction are not yet well established on the energy market. After interviews with actors interested and knowledgeable in this field, this study presents driving forces and barriers affecting the development of this energy source. Driving forces comes from the ambition to move away from fossil fuels, decrease emissions of nutrients, make room for biodiversity, and provide services for the society while helping to reach climate and environmental goals. The barriers affecting this development is that special machines might be needed for handling of the crops and also to harvest the sensitive wetlands while large areas would be needed to increase profitability. The financial support available is not enough to cover the costs for production. Also, the prices on electricity and fossil fuels are low, which lowers the profitability for this type of energy source. Bioenergy producers have not yet found an effective way to extract energy from the crops. All of this makes the demand for energy crops from wetlands small. Despite this, wetlands provide several important ecosystem services and it is therefore recommended to use the management philosophy of multiple-use. With a multifunctional view of wetlands, the value of its ecosystem services can be added to the calculations of energy production and increase its role in reaching several national climate and environmental goals.

Sverige strävar efter ett mer hållbart samhälle och har som mål att nå netto nollutsläpp av växthusgaser till atmosfären år 2045. Företag som agerar i Sverige måste därmed göra stora omställningar för att målet ska kunna nås. I detta arbete har möjligheten att ersätta SSAB Borlänges fossila bränslebehov i varmvalsningsprocessen med gas från termisk förgasning undersökts. Genom litteraturstudier, behovsanalys, beräkningar och modellering i Excel har fyra fallstudier med olika förgasningskoncept utvärderats. En stor utmaning har varit att finna lösningar för hantering av de stora värmelasterna i varmvalsningsugnarna. I fallstudierna har olika strategier tillämpats för att hantera dessa; gasmotorer, balansering med gasklocka eller uppgradering till SNG som lagras i kryogena behållare. Ett fall med inköp av biobränslebaserad flytande naturgas (bio-SNG) från externa producenter har också utvärderats. Den tekniska genomförbarheten samt den ekonomiska insatsen och vinningen har utvärderats för att hitta det bästa alternativet. Fallet med gasklockan (Fall 1b) visade på bäst ekonomisk prestanda med en internränta på 1,6%, en återbetalningstid på 21 år och tillverkningskostnad på 518 kr/MWh. Detta är sämre än nuvarande lösning som kostar 470 kr/MWh. De känsligaste faktorerna för kostnaden är biomassans och fossila bränslets priser. Även investeringskostnaden har stor inverkan. En stor fördel med nya lösningen är minskningen av SSAB:s användning av fossila bränslen med cirka 850 GWh som ersätts av förnybar gas. / Sweden strives for a more and more sustainable society and aims to reach the net zero emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2045. Companies that operate in Sweden must therefore make major changes to achieve that goal. In this project, the possibility of replacing SSAB Borl¨anges fossil fuel needs in the hot-rolling process with gas from thermal gasification has been investigated. Through literature studies, needs analysis, calculations and modeling in Excel, four case studies with different gasification concepts have been evaluated. One major challenge has been to find solutions for handling the large heat loads in the hot-rolling furnaces. In the case studies, different strategies have been applied to address these; gas engines, balancing with a gasholder or upgrading to SNG that are stored in cryogenic containers. A case of purchasing biofuel-based liquid natural gas (bio-SNG) from external producers has also been evaluated. The technical feasibility as well as the financial stake and profit have been evaluated to find the best option. The case with the gasholder (Case 1b) showed the best economic performance with an IRR of 1.6%, a payback period of 21 years and manufacturing cost of 518 SEK/MWh. This is worse than the current solution, which costs 470 SEK/MWh. The most sensitive factors are the price of biomass and fossil fuels. The investment cost also has a great impact. A major advantage of the new solution is the reduction of SSAB’s use of fossil fuels with about 850 GWh being replaced by renewable gas.

The concern of climate change and Greenhouse Gas emission have increased national consideration toward energy efficiency. Despite noticeable action which have taken by EU cities and Sweden government to mitigate the climate change, there is still shortage in appropriate energy measurements in old residential buildings. Due to the fact that a large share of residential buildings in Sweden have constructed more than 40 years ago, most of them need energy renovation  to enhance efficiency and saving more energy. In order to encourage home owners toward energy efficiency renovations, some cost effective measurements have to introduce to people with the view of effect on property value.  To this end, 50 detached houses and villas in Kronoberg County in Sweden have been chosen and analyzed to identify how renovation can increase the property value. These houses have been set in different categories by location, heating system, deep renovation, energy and aesthetic renovation. After that, compares the sold prices and biding prices for each category. Moreover, it analyses the people behavior toward renovation to see how can motive people to adopt necessary energy efficient renovation. This research also shows the current situation of building renovation, the most favourite renovation which are adopted by people as well as providing information about the factors affect the value of the house after renovation.

Titel: Träpellets: en växande affärsmöjlighet Produktion av träpellets i Brasilien för export till Europa Nivå:        D-uppsats i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare:             Susanna Tosterud Handledare:                      Jonas Kågström Datum:                           2012 – Juni Syfte:                                                    Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka de ekonomiska förutsättningarna som finns att tillverka pellets i Brasilien för export till Europa. Metod:       Studien har använt en kvalitativ metodansats där datainsamlingen för empiriavsnittet består främst av semistrukturerade öppna intervjufrågor, som skickades till respondenterna via mejl. Sedan skedde kontakt via telefonsamtal för att säkerställa att informationen var korrekt uppfattad. Respondenternas svar redovisas i empirikapitlet och har analyserats och bearbetats med hjälp av två teorier inom marknadsföring, nämligen marknadsföringsmix (de 4 P: na) och SWOT-analys. Resultat &amp; slutsats:                               Resultatet visar att i nuläget är det inte lönsamt att exportera pellets från Brasilien till Europa. Priserna för pellets på den europeiska marknaden är för låga, en höjning med cirka USD 50/ton är nödvändig för en godtagbar lönsamhet. Den brasilianska pelletsproduktionen behöver vidareutvecklas med avseende på kostnadseffektivitet och kvalitetskrav. Detta för att vara konkurrenskraftig på den europeiska marknaden. Förslag till vidare forskning:            Den empiriska delen av studien har baserats enbart på kvalitativa intervjuer. Det vore intressant att följa upp studien med en kvantitativ ansats för att öka trovärdigheten i svaren. Endast två marknadsföringsteorier har använts i studien och det vore betydelsefullt att ta med en PESTLE analys (politiska, ekonomiska, sociologiska, tekniska, juridiska och miljöaspekter). Uppsatsens bidrag:                               Det diskuteras mycket kring klimatfrågor och de olika alternativ som finns för att ersätta fossila bränslen. Studien bidrar till en ökad förståelse av de förutsättningar som krävs för en lönsam pelletsexport från Brasilien till Europa. Nyckelord:                                         Pelletsmarknad, Brasilien, export, marknadsundersökning och bioenergi. / Title:                      Wood pellets: A growing business opportunity Production of Brazilian wood pellets for export to Europe Level: Final assignment for Master in Business Administration Author:                  Susanna Tosterud Supervisor:                Jonas Kågström Date:                      2012 - June Aim:                                The purpose of this study is to examine the existing economic conditions to produce pellets in Brazil for export to Europe. Method:             The study used a qualitative method where data collection for the empirical section consists mainly of semi-structured open interview questions that were sent to the respondents via e-mail. Then they were contacted by phone to make sure that the information had been correctly perceived. The respondent’s answers are reported in the empirical chapter and have been analyzed and processed with the help of two marketing theories: the marketing mix (the 4 Ps) and SWOT analysis. Result &amp; Conclusions:                        The result shows that at present time it is not profitable to export pellets from Brazil to Europe. Prices for pellets in the European market are too low, an increase of approximately USD 50/ton is necessary for an acceptable profit. The Brazilian pellet production needs to be further developed with regards to cost and quality requirements. This is needed in order to become competitive in the European market. Suggestions for future research:      The empirical part of the study was based solely on qualitative interviews. It would be interesting to follow-up this study with a quantitative approach to improve reliability in the answers. Only two marketing theories have been used in this study and it would be important to also make a PESTLE analysis (political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental aspects). Contribution of the thesis:       There are many discussions about climate change and the various options available to replace fossil fuels. This study contributes to a better understanding of the prerequisites for profitable pellet production in Brazil based on exports to Europe. Key words:                                  Pellet market, Brazil, exports, market research and bioenergy.

Hemp is a versatile plant with many uses that has been around for thousands of years. The plant is highly adaptable andwill cultivate in almost any soil. It has excellent remediation properties and has shown to be relatively consistent when itcomes to crop yields. The aim of this literature survey is to examine how hemp can be used to be considered asustainable energy crop in Sweden through database searches and interviews. Hemps characteristics as an energy cropand its remediation properties is evaluated and compared with other plants that are used in Sweden. The result showsthat hemp is a competitive crop when used for solid fuel and that a closed-loop solution is achievable. Further studiesare needed for a closed-loop solution to be possible when using hemp as a biogas crop, mainly for establishing asustainable waste treatment.