Bioenergy retrofits for Europe's Industry - The Biofit Project (Horizon 2020)

Bioenergy has evolved in the last decades from relatively simple heat and power production to a vast array of technologies for advanced biofuel production, intermediate bioenergy carriers, etc.. Besides erecting entirely new bioenergy plants, retrofitting – which means replacing a part of a factory or installation with state-of-the-art equipment – can be a very good alternative to replace fossil fuels or to upgrade outdated renewable technology. Bioenergy retrofitting provides significant benefits compared to building new plants, notably lower capital expenditure, shorter lead times, faster implementation and less production time loss. The BIOFIT project (www.biofit-h2020.eu) is an initiative funded through Horizon 2020 that aims to facilitate the market uptake of bioenergy retrofitting concepts in five specific industries in Europe, namely first-generation biofuels, pulp and paper, fossil refineries, fossil firing power and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Core actions in the BIOFIT project are: Mapping bioenergy retrofits in the EU, development of concrete retrofit proposals for specific case studies, engagement with stakeholders via an Industry Platform, evaluation of framework conditions and formulation of policy recommendations. The BIOFIT consortium consists of fourteen partners from eight European countries. The consortium is a mix of industrial and academic / research partners.