This month marks the 25th anniversary of BTG’s fast pyrolysis pilot plant! In December 1998 the first litres of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO) were produced in the unit. Now 25 years later, the pilot plant is still in use at BTG for further optimizing the process, testing new feedstocks and produce oil samples for own use as well as for third parties.
The pilot plant has been a crucial step in the successful development of the ‘Rotating Cone’ fast pyrolysis technology. It provided important design & operational data for the 2 t/h pyrolysis plant converting Empty Fruit Bunches in Malaysia, the 5 t/h pyrolysis plant ‘Empyro’ located in Hengelo (NL) as well as for the units in Finland and Sweden. Moreover, a mini version of the pilot plant was built at BTG in 2006 to enable fast screening of feedstocks and support the development. Sister company BTG Bioliquids is in charge of commercialising the technology.
