Dutch Technology Turning Waste into Green Gas Goes Global

The MILENA technology to produce green gas, electricity or fluid fuels from waste and biomass, developed by leading Dutch energy institute ECN, will be applied on a global scale in the next few years. ECN has signed a license agreement with Dutch company Royal Dahlman, which will implement this technology in various countries and across many different projects.

With innovative MILENA gasification, various kinds of waste and biomass can be converted into high energy gas. In ECN’s testing facility wood and agricultural waste from soya or rice was used. The gas MILENA produces can be converted to a) electricity through combined heat and power stations or gas turbines, b) into bio diesel and other transportation fuels or c) into biogas for the grid. Thus, MILENA helps solve both waste and energy problems.

To remove tar from the gas ECN has developed “OLGA” technology. Royal Dahlman uses both technologies. In the Dutch city of Alkmaar a demonstration unit is being designed for the gasification of biomass. Meanwhile in India, a pilot plant is being constructed to generate electricity from agricultural waste.And finally in the UK the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has selected Royal Dahlman to design the most cost effective waste-to-energy plant, combining MILENA and OLGA.

”MILENA is the missing link through which biomass may be converted into a usable gas. The problem of biomass gasification has always been its low efficiency. We have solved that with MILENA,” commented Ruud van den Brink of ECN. ”Compared to other technologies it’s suitable for the gasification of various wastes and biomasses. The gas it produces can be used to make biogas, but also bio diesel.”

Royal Dahlman has a lot of clients who want to use the gas in combined heat and power stations to generate electricity. In the future the company also hopes to turn the gas into transportation fuels or chemical products. ,”Power can be generated by wind turbines or solar panels. To make diesel or gasoline from renewables you need carbon-based biomass or waste. Royal Dahlman intends to use MILENA and OLGA technology in both the electricity and fuel markets,” said Jan-Willem Könemann of Royal Dahlman.

About ECN
ECN is the largest energy research institute in the Netherlands. It has a strong international position in the areas of Wind Energy, Solar Energy, Policy Studies and Biomass & Energy Efficiency. With and for the market, we develop knowledge and technology that enable a transition to a sustainable energy system. ECN focuses its research on sustainable energy generation to develop safe, efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly energy systems. ECN also conducts research on future opportunities and economic backgrounds related to energy.