EUBCE 2026 - Robert DASCHNER - Demonstration Plant for a Vertical Thermo Catalytic Pyrolysis Reactor for Drop-in Maritime Fuels

Demonstration Plant for a Vertical Thermo Catalytic Pyrolysis Reactor for Drop-in Maritime Fuels

Short Introductive summary

The SEAFAIRER project (GA-No.: 101173002) is an EU-funded initiative aiming at converting readily available biogenic residues into high-quality energy carriers for the marine sector. The maritime transportation sector is responsible for 3 to 4 % of the EU’s total CO2 emissions, contributing over 124 million tons of CO2 in 2021, and accounts for 13.5 % of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Given these challenges, the SEAFAIRER project aims to produce marine biofuels with negative emissions to transform the marine shipping sector. By upscaling the patented vertical thermo catalytic intermediate pyrolysis reactor “VINTER” to a demonstration scale of 250 kg/h at Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7), the project seeks to demonstrate innovative technologies that contribute to long-term GHG reduction. The Commission of the demonstration plant is planned to start in November 2025. We are planning to finalise the commissioning and start with the first campaign in spring 2026. Therefore, we expect to show the results about the first trials of the VINTER demonstration plant at the European Biomass Conference in May 2026 in The Hague.

A. Apfelbacher, Fraunhofer-Institut UMSICHT, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, GERMANY
R. Daschner, Fraunhofer-Institut UMSICHT, Sulzbach-Rosenbergzbach-Rosenberg, GERMANY
P. Schwarz, Fraunhofer-Institut UMSICHT, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, GERMANY