CarbON Valorisation in Energy-efficient Green fuels
CONVERGE is founded within the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and aims to make biodiesel production more sustainable and economically competitive with fossil fuels.
The technological approach combines advanced secondary biomass gasification, H₂ and CO₂ conversion and separation, and H₂ purification and compression to improve the production of methanol, a key intermediate in biodiesel synthesis.
A key feature of the CONVERGE process is the integration of carbon capture. Since the feedstock is of biogenic origin, capturing CO₂ from the process results in net removal of atmospheric CO₂, aligning with the concept of BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) — a solution recognized by the IPCC as essential for limiting global warming to below 1.5°C.
CFE led the Work Package 6 which focuses on the following measurable targets:
- identifying and analysing secondary biomass supply chains suitable for CONVERGE technologies;
- exploring the application of CONVERGE’s innovative technologies in other production sectors;
- evaluating the valorization of CO₂ captured by the CONVERGE process through BECCS.
The transport sector is responsible for more than a quarter of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities.
Currently, less than 0.1 % of biomass is used to produce biodiesel but CONVERGE seeks to increase that share by integrating five innovative technologies to enhance biomass conversion efficiency by 12% and reduce production costs by over 10%.
