Innovative Large-Scale Production of Affordable Clean Burning Solid Biofuel and Water in Southern Africa: transforming bush encroachment from a problem into a secure and sustainable energy source: SteamBioAfrica

Programme(s)
H2020-EU.3.3. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy
Topic(s)
LC-GD-2-3-2020 - Accelerating the green transition and energy access Partnership with Africa

Call for proposal
H2020-LC-GD-2020

Sub call
H2020-LC-GD-2020-1

Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation action

Grant agreement ID: 101036401

Project description
New solutions for secure and affordable energy across Southern Africa
 
To enable the production and marketing of clean, secure and affordable energy in Southern Africa, the EU-funded SteamBioAfrica project will convert invasive bush into clean-burning biofuel, water and chemicals through superheated steam processing. This international and interdisciplinary project will address multiple challenges facing the region, such as bush encroachment, climate change impacts, resource use inefficiency, unsustainably produced fuel, smoke- and air pollution-induced diseases, as well as unemployment and poverty. Quantifying over five different market opportunities, the project will prepare sustainable and inclusive business plans to justify post-project investments that will result in economic impact and job creation across Southern Africa.

Objective
We will adapt, tailor, and advance the results from the Horizon 2020 project SteamBio (Grant agreement 636865). SteamBio demonstrated innovative continuous Superheated Steam processing of agro-forestry biomass into clean burning solid biofuel. This was recognised by the EU Innovation Radar as a market ready innovation with three SMEs identified as key innovators, bringing these innovations to SteamBioAfrica. Across Southern Africa invasive encroachment by bush and other woody species, aggravated by climate change, is creating environmental, social, and economic damage. We will demonstrate superheated steam processing of invasive woody biomass into clean burning biofuel and water in rural Namibia. Operating at an industrially relevant scale (250kg/hour throughput) for over one year, we will validate this biofuel with domestic and industrial customers in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa. We will prepare sustainable and inclusive business plans to justify post project investment in large scale replication that will result in economic impact, and jobs across the region.
Our objectives will be to validate this superheated steam biomass processing as a viable and sustainable source of large scale, clean burning, secure and affordable energy across Southern Africa. We will confirm market acceptance and ensure that it creates greater value than the cost of harvesting and processing. Quantifying over five different market opportunities, we will create a plan for post project exploitation that will stimulate bush harvesting and reverse encroachment. This will lead to long term socio-economic and environmental benefit across the region.
SteamBioAfrica will enable large scale, clean, secure, and affordable energy in Africa. It addresses multiple challenges facing Southern Africa, low carbon energy, climate change impacts and resource efficiency. It will transform these challenges into a resilient source of clean and secure energy, water, and sustainable rural economies.