Transportation Biofuels Research in Austria 2011

Wieselburg, Austria – March 31^st 2011

On March 31^st 2011, a national workshop on Transportation Biofuels Research in Austria was organised by the Austrian representative of Bioenergy Task 39 and integrated into the national conference “Highlights of Bioenergy Research”.

The aim of the workshop was to give an overview on Austrian research activities on transportation biofuels. The areas of lignocellulosic biomass and biofuels, innovative technologies, developments for PPO, biodiesel and biogas and the topic of sustainability were presented. The participants of the conference and the workshop were the Austrian representatives of biofuel-related IEA Bioenergy Tasks (33, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42), Austrian representatives of IEA Bioenergy, IEA AMF, representatives of the Ministry of Traffic, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Water Management and the Environment (BMLFUW), important biofuel producers in Austria and Austrian scientists and researchers. The workshop comprised 22 presentations and 7 posters. The meeting was attended by more than 140 participants and a full success giving an interesting overview of the national activities on biofuel research in Austria.

Meeting Agenda
List of Participants

• • Availability of forest biomass: regional energy concepts and consumer acceptance (Josef Walch)
  • Logistic chains for wood chips from short rotation forestry (Franz Handler)
  • Investigation of hydrolytic microorganisms and enzymes for recalcitrant biomass (Georg Gübitz)
  • Is second generation bioethanol commercialized yet? (Markus Lehr)
  • Assessment of ligno-cellulosic bioethanol concepts in Austria (Kurt Könighofer)
  • The current situation of lignocellulosic bioethanol – Straw in Austria (Alexander Jäger)
  • New avenues for fungal strain improvement towards enzymatic degradation (Verena Seidl-Seiboth)

• • Advanced biofuels by gasification – Status of R&D work in Güssing (Reinhard Rauch)
  • New Ways to Aviation Biofuels (Alfred Ecker)
  • Direct use of biomass in FCC-plants (Alexander Reichhold)
  • Status and prospects for microalgae as raw material for 3rd gen biofuels (Martin Mohr)
  • Algae for energy – Identification of the most promising algal-based pathways in Austria (Maria Hingsamer)
  • Hyvolution – Biological production of hydrogen from biomass (Walter Wukovits)

• • Status and prospects for pure plant oil as transport fuel (Josef Rathbauer)
  • Biomethane for CNG and Grid Injection using Membrane Processes (Michael Harasek)
  • Environmental assessment of biomethane injected into the gas grid (Johanna Pucker)
  • Emissions in the engine combustion of biofuels and fuel mixtures (Jürgen Blassnegger)
  • Impact of oxygenates in diesel fuel blends on engine emissions and combustion properties (Philipp Teiner)

4. Biofuels and Sustainability

• • Experiences and lessons learned of applying ED GHG-methodology (Gerfried Jungmeier)
  • BioGrace – Harmonising calculations of biofuel GHG emissions (Nikolaus Ludwiczek) 
  • Biofuel production in African countries – case studies (Katharina Zwiauer) 
  • Developing countries – Programs and lessons learned (Hannes Bauer)

• • Biobutanol as an alternative biofuel (V. Kastner, S. Nöbauer, W. Schnitzhofer)
  • Effective communication as a critical factor in woody biomass mobilization (A. Malschinger, M. Jax )
  • Contribution of a regional energy concept to mobilization of bio fuel production (J. Walch, M. Gosch)
  • Cold Temperature Properties of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (J. Rathbauer, R. Zeller)
  • ERA-ARD: Bioenergy in Africa – Opportunities and Risks of Jatropha and Related Crops (A. Sonnleitner, D. Bacovsky)
  • Mapping of 2nd Generation Biofuel Demonstration Plants (D. Bacovsky, A. Sonnleitner, M. Wörgetter)
  • Animal Waste for the Production of Biofuels and Biopolymers (K. Strohmeier, S. Schober, M. Koller, M. Mittelbach)