Techno-economic analysis of a trigeneration system based on biomass gasification

Biomass is one of the renewable energy sources (RES) with highest potential to contribute to the world's energy needs and can thereby play a key role in the path towards smart energy systems. Smart energy systems aim to integrate all energy sectors to increase the penetration of RES in the energy supply. Biomass gasification is a key technology to fulfil the goal of sustainable RES systems. Its main product (syngas) can be used as fuel, in various conversion technologies, to produce different products, including electricity, heat, cooling, biofuels and chemicals, which makes this technology an important tool for the energy system flexibility. Initially, the present manuscript reviews the relevant studies on the use of biomass gasification in trigeneration and polygeneration systems. Subsequently, it presents a case study that assesses the potential of the use of biomass gasification in an existing Portuguese trigeneration natural gas-fired plant located in Lisboa. The literature review revealed that most of the studies analysed are based on modelling data and not on experimental and/or pilot installations data. These studies show the environmental and energy added value of this type of system but stress the system's complexity and high investment costs. As for the case study, all scenarios considered show a negative net present value; nevertheless, the decrease of the biomass cost or the increase of the natural gas cost can turn financially feasible some scenarios.