CIRCULAIR at the IEA Biofuel Task 34 webinar on valorizing HTL’s aqueous phase

The CIRCULAIR project was represented in many ways in this event.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Biofuel Task 34 webinar on “Treating and valorizing the aqueous phase from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL)” was held on 19 March 2024.

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) gains attention as an efficient fuel conversion process for organic feedstock with high moisture content. Alongside with a biocrude, that can be further upgraded to fuels, relevant amounts of aqueous phase evolve. Proper aqueous phase treatment and valorization is crucial for the development of HTL to commercial scale.

Patrick Biller, Associate Professor at the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at Aarhus University (Denmark), contributed an invited presentation on “WET OXIDATION TO TREAT HTL WASTEWATER”. Patrick is also the leader of the CIRCULAIR work package dedicated to the thermal integration of HTL with wet-oxidation of the HTL process water, which is at the core of the CIRCULAIR implementation. Daniele Castello, Associate Professor at Aalborg University (Denmark), who leads the CIRCULAIR work package on biocrude upgrading to jet fuel, moderated the webinar, alongside with Michael Thorson, Senior Chemical Engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (US), who is a member of the CIRCULAIR Advisory Group.

Being invited to such a prominent webinar and showcase the CIRCULAIR approach was a great honour and shows that the research topics explored are at the forefront of development in the bioenergy field, and hence that the CIRCULAIR project is addressing the relevant research questions in the field.

Patrick Biller’s presentation can be found on the CIRCULAIR website, page “Publications“.

A recording of the IEA Task 34 webinar can be found on the IEA Bioenergy website.