Pilots

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  Biochar pilots

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  The Alps4GreenC project aimed at implementing transnational value-chains in the Alpine territories to facilitate the development and implementation of a bio-economy focusing mainly on the sustainable production and utilization of green carbon, especially biochar. In order to collect the biomass residues to be converted into biochar, facilitate the mapping and raise awareness among citizens, companies, and other stakeholders on the benefits of green carbon utilization, a crowdsourcing campaign was launched in the three countries involved in the project: Austria, Italy and Slovenia. Out of the contenders of the crowdsourcing campaign, ten residues in total were set for thermochemical conversion: coffee husks, river woody debris, walnut shells, bran (starch), compost screenings, spelt husks, wood affected by bark beetles, chestnut wood without tannins, vine prunings, wood chips from broadleaf forestry sites.  Before the thermochemical conversion tests started, all the selected residues were analyzed thoroughly. The analyses involved general residue characterization; heavy metal and inorganic nutrient contents; and particle size analyses. One of the main goals of the Alp4GreenC  was the production of biochar from different residues. Two thermochemical technologies were set to do this task: pyrolysis and gasification. Five of the selected residues were converted with each technology at lab scale, with one of those residues additionally being converted by a pilot scale plant. Two types of residues were thermochemical converted into biochar through the technological process of gasification and pyrolysis. Wood residues damaged by the bark beetle were selected as feedstock for the gasification pilot tests. The pilot production of biochar by gasificationwas carried out at the Bioenergy and Biofuels Laboratory of the University of Bolzano (UNIBZ). BEST GmbH carried out a pilot production of biochar from walnut shell residues by pyrolysis. The analyses confirmed the suitability for the production of biochar from selected biomass residues. The performances of produced green carbon are presented in an open-access platform repository Alps4GreenC. The biochar residue providers were additionally mapped on the  BioBASE Kompass which allows interested parties to search for new residues and understand current value chains of biochar producers. The bioeconomy value chains by connecting resources and products. By naming the suppliers of raw materials and converters into products, stakeholders can identify interesting contacts for their applications easily. It's simple to find similar raw materials for the same product and vice versa, helping users discover new applications for the same raw materials. The Biomass Kompass enhances knowledge of raw material suppliers and producers of biochar, allowing users to understand which raw materials have been tested in the Alps4GreenC project.