The City of Energy Foundation (CIUDEN) has announced the adaptation of its 3 MWt biomass gasifier and the incorporation of a gas cleaning system to strengthen research into advanced biofuels and sustainable synthetic fuels. The improvements will allow for testing new gasification conditions and purifying the synthesis gas for use in renewable fuel production processes.
Built 15 years ago in Ponferrada, the CIUDEN gasifier was conceived as a demonstration facility aimed at advancing electricity generation, oxygasification with mixtures of oxygen and CO₂, and the production of second-generation biofuels from synthesis gas. Even then, gas treatment and purification were identified as a key element in the plant's technological development.
The adaptation will allow the gasifier to operate with mixtures of oxygen, water vapor, and CO₂ instead of air, facilitating greater process control and the production of higher-quality synthesis gas for use in renewable fuel production. In addition, the new purification system will treat part of the syngas generated to remove unwanted particles and compounds before use in catalytic processes.
According to CIUDEN, these actions reinforce the role of this public infrastructure as an experimental platform for testing the gasification of various biomasses, including forestry and agricultural waste, and for advancing technological pathways linked to products such as SAF, methanol, and other renewable fuels. The project is funded by the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Facility, with NextGenerationEU funds.