The DEBCO project under the FP7 is concerned with the development and demonstration of innovative approaches to the co-utilisation of biomass with coal for large-scale electricity production and/or CHP, at more competitive costs and/or increased energy efficiency.

The aim is the development, demonstration, and evaluation of innovative and advanced co-firing technologies. 

The implications of the findings from the work for future biomass co-firing projects involving both the retrofit of existing coal-fired power plants and the provision of advanced co-firing capabilities in new-build projects will be assessed.  Under the DEBCO project, it is proposed to perform a number of demonstrations of relevant biomass co-firing technologies with long-term monitoring and assessment of the key technical aspects, viz:

• Fuel supply chains
• Biofuel qualities (agriculture residues, energy crops, woodpellets, etc.)
• Application of advanced co-firing techniques to a number of power and CHP-plants fuelled by both lignite and bituminous coals
• Detailed evaluation of the role of co-firing in a sustainable energy market, including both the technical and social-economic impacts

 The main results of DEBCO project will be:

• The long-term demonstration of the key advanced co-firing technologies which represent the means to providing cost-effective approaches to the reduction of the overall CO2 emissions from the electricity supply industry;
• The increase of the share of biomass co-fired in large-scale pulverised coal fired power plants from the 3 to 10 % currently achieved, to 50% and even more, depending on fuel type and plant related limitations;
• Long-term monitoring and assessment of the advanced co-firing techniques with particular attention being paid to the critical plant areas, i.e. fuel handling and injection, combustion and boiler performance, boiler integrity, the performance of flue gas cleaning devices, and the utilisation of the solid residues;
• To support and initiate the deployment of advanced co-firing activities in Eastern European countries, which have a high dependence on coal-fired generation and high biomass production potential.

Start date and duration

01/01/2008 – 4 years

Click here to see the list of DEBCO Main Partners.