Biomass drying, torrefaction, and gasification technology developers Yilkins B.V. has announced that Streekpellets, a joint venture between Yilkins Drying Solutions, Bruins & Kwast and Energiefonds Overijssel, is investing around EUR 3.5 million into building two wood pellet production plants in the Netherlands. Described as a “local for local” project, the plants will use local woody biomass residues as feedstock to provide local customers with pellets.
According to a statement, Streekpellets will use “innovative and sustainable” technology to produce “local for local” high-quality wood pellets. This logistic approach prevents intensive transport of feedstocks or end products with positive economic and environmental effects.
In the current biomass market, a lot of transportation is still needed impacting the sustainability of the whole value chain.
Addressing this, the Streekpellets project will make its pellets from woody prune residues which are locally collected. Using innovative technology, the biomass will be cleaned, pre-dried, and dried to produce pellets that can be consumed and commercialized by local clients.
The project aims to build two new plants for pellet production, requiring an investment of about EUR 3,5 million in total. Energiefonds Overijssel is providing funding with both equity and loans. Each plant will have the capacity to produce 1.3 tonnes of pellets per hour.
Proprietary technology platform
The first plant will be located in Goor, on the site of Bruins & Kwast which will supply the biomass feedstock and distribute the pellets. The second one will be probably built in Salland.
The core technology will be provided by Groningen-based Yilkins which has developed a special technology platform to dry and upgrade low-value biomass like woody prune residues to produce biomass fuels like pellets and other high-value end products.
Based upon the self-developed fluidized bed (FB) technology, Yilkins says it has brought the drying and torrefaction processes “to the next level” creating secure, more sustainable, automatic 24/7 working installations.
