From patent to production

Michael Rowan, CEO of Active Energy Group (AEG), spoke to Bioenergy Insight about the company’s CoalSwitch® Technology, which was recently awarded multiple patents for turning forest waste into clean energy.  AEG is a biomass-based renewable energy business focussed on using its proprietary technology to transform low-cost or waste biomass material into renewable biomass fuels. AEG’s CoalSwitch Technology, a next generation biomass fuel, has been in development since 2017. It utilises low-value waste residuals from lumber operations to create a biomass product that is a direct drop in replacement for coal, can be co-fired with coal or replace white biomass pellet. The production process utilises a steam treatment process to react with low value waste wood. It does not follow alternate processes such as torrefaction, which Rowan said are immensely expensive in terms of both cost and energy consumption.  Once the material leaves the reactor, it follows a conventional drying and pelletisation process. “All equipment save for the proprietary reactor follows...