Airex Energy

The green energy revolution starts here.

Biocoal is a clean alternative to coal.

Turning a coal-fired power station or district heating plant into a 100% renewable energy plant.

Biocoal, in the form of torrefied wood pellets, is a clean and readily available drop-in replacement for thermal coal.

A CLEAN ALTERNATIVE TO COAL

Biocoal, in the form of torrefied wood pellets, is a renewable and readily available drop-in replacement for coal.
  • Biocoal has an energy content similar to that of coal, which enables a generating unit to operate at full load.
  • It can be co-fired with coal in any proportion or replace coal completely, thus turning a coal-fired power station or district heating plant into a 100% renewable energy plant.
Biocoal pellets provide superior performance compared to industrial-grade wood pellets, making them the fuel of choice in existing coal-fired facilities.

A CLEAN ALTERNATIVE TO COAL

  • Biocoal's unique properties allow it to be easily integrated into existing systems for handling storing and grinding coal, without major changes or expensive conversion to equipment.
  • Biocoal pellets are water resistant, allowing them to be stored outside in a pile where they can withstand the elements, whereas wood pellets easily deteriorate under wet conditions.
  • Wood pellets are difficult to grind and require the addition of specially designed grinding and handling systems, while biocoal is more brittle and easier to grind.
WOOD PELLETS BIOCOAL PELLETS Isolated Airex Biocoal, Pellets
Water resistance Poor Good
Arrow right Outside storage - Biocoal pellets can withstand the elements without degradation
Biological degradation Yes No
Handling Special Good
Arrow right Smooth integration into existing systems for handling and grinding coal
Grindability Poor Good
Co-firing ratio Limited to 3%-6% Up to 100%
Arrow right Solution to achieve efficiency targer
Power plant conversion Major Minor
Arrow right Low switching cost for an existing power plant
Capital expenditures $150M ~ 500M < $5M
Net Calorific Value (GJ/tonne) 16 ~ 17 19 ~ 21
Arrow right More energy produced per ton of biomass fuel used

BENEFITS OF BIOCOAL

Extend useful life of assets
A conversion to torrefied wood pellets enables the extension of the useful life of existing power stations and district heating plants without major capital expenditures to adapt existing equipment to this new fuel.
Lower emmission and pollution
Compared to coal, torrefied wood pellets can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% per GWh. Biomass combustion also reduces nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions by 50% to 70% and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 90%, while generating no toxic mercury emissions.
Clean and renewable fuel
There is no net addition of CO2 to the atmosphere when biomass is used as a fuel. The amount of carbon dioxide released during the combustion is the same as what is captured by trees during their growth phase. The carbon dioxide circulates in a renewable, carbon-neutral cycle.
Dispatchable base load power
Biocoal-fired power plants can easily and quickly adjust output to fluctuations in demand. Weather-dependent, intermittent renewable energy sources lack the flexibility and reliability of biocoal to provide dispatchable base load power.
Dust-free bulk loading
The excellent durability and low fine content of Airex’s biocoal pellets enable dust-free bulk loading in a container, a vessel hold or a truck.
Low transportation costs
Biocoal pellets have a superior energy density, reducing supply chain and logistics costs by 25% to 30% compared to conventional wood pellets. Biocoal pellets can be produced in Canada, from certified forests, and exported anywhere in the world by sea, rail and trucks.

SPECIFICATIONS

Airex Energy’s torrefied pellets meet or exceed ISO Technical Specification ISO‑TS 17225‑8‑Graded thermally treated biomass.
PROPERTIES
UNIT
TW2H
PROPERTIES
Origin and Source
UNIT
TW2H
1.2 : By‐products and residues
from wood processing industry
1.3.1 : Chemically untreated used wood
PROPERTIES
Diameter (D) ;
Length (L)
UNIT
mm
TW2H
5 ≤ D ≤ 7 ; 3,15 < L < 40
PROPERTIES
Moisture (M)
UNIT
w-% as received
wet basis
TW2H
6
PROPERTIES
Ash (A)
UNIT
w-% dry
TW2H
< 1,2
PROPERTIES
Mechanical Durability
(DU)
UNIT
w-% as received
TW2H
98
PROPERTIES
Fines (F)
UNIT
w-% as received
TW2H
≤ 2,0
PROPERTIES
Net Calorific Value (Q)
UNIT
MJ/kg as received
TW2H
19
PROPERTIES
Bulk Density (BD)
UNIT
kg/m3 as received
TW2H
700

INDUSTRIAL-SCALE PLANT

Airex Energy operates an industrial-scale biocoal pellet plant in Québec, Canada where woody biomass is abundant and forests are managed sustainably in accordance with recognized certification standards.

In order to help industrial users gain a better understanding of the advantages of biocoal, Airex can supply torrefied wood pellets samples anywhere in the world to perform test burns, ranging from a few kilograms to several thousand tons. Airex’s biocoal pellets have been successfully tested in Canada, U.S.A., Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Airex Energy Biochar - isolated

BIOCHAR

A sustainable solution for carbon sequestration

Biochar is commonly used as a natural and organic soil amendment. When incorporated into soils, the carbon contained in biochar can be stored for hundreds of years, preventing it from degrading and being released back into the atmosphere. Carbon can also be sequestered when biochar is used in building materials and carbon-negative concrete.

 

Discover BIOCHAR

Biocarbon

Engineered green carbon product specifically developed for the metallurgical industry.

Thanks to its high fixed carbon and low volatile matter content, biocarbon is a renewable biomass solution to decarbonize the metallurgical industry.

Discover Biocarbon
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT AIREX ENERGY?

Head Office 2500 Bernard-Lefebvre Street
Laval, Québec, Canada, H7C 0A5 450.661.6498

Bécancour Plant 103-4170 La Prade Blvd.
Bécancour, Québec, Canada, G9H 0B6