The Alternative Energy Center, Cleco, is a dedicated facility with a successful public-private partnership model, investing $8M in research areas such as digestion, torrefaction, and biomass gasification. Its aim is to explore ways to provide affordable and clean energy to businesses and homes in America.

The Cleco Alternative Energy Center is the prime tenant of the 5-acre UL Lafayette Alternative Energy Research Park located in Crowley, Louisiana.

Research and Innovation Activities.

The Cleco Alternative Energy Center is currently exploring biomass gasification and thermal pretreatment technology (torrefaction). The center focuses on developing innovative and sustainable energy technologies to tackle issues and find economically viable solutions. Our research approach involves identifying technology gaps that hinder the commercialization of these technologies. One of the most fascinating aspects of our research group is our dedication to technology commercialization. At the Cleco Alternative Energy Center, our research and development efforts are primarily directed towards the thermochemical conversion of biomass into energy.

Thermal pre-processing of biomass (Torrefaction).

0.3 ton/day Pilot Scale Biomass Torrefaction Reactor, which is indirectly heated, is used in the process.

Contract No.- LEQSF(2012-15)-RD-B-07, Industrial Ties Research Subprogram, is providing funding for this project. The project aims to enhance the overall efficiency of the process by exploring the utilization of energy present in volatiles generated during torrefaction, in conjunction with the combustion system. The research involves examining the properties of torrefied biomass, including the impact of various operational parameters and a wide range of feedstock. To produce torrefied biomass, a 0.30 ton/day indirectly heated pilot scale rotary reactor is being used, with optimized operations and improved system design. In order to promote the commercialization of torrefaction, our research group has been studying the collaborative partnership between Cleco Power, LLC, Louisiana Biofuel Resources, LLC, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. This partnership aims to accelerate the commercialization process.

Biomass/Waste Gasification for the Production of Environmentally Friendly Syngas.

Cleco Power, LLC, in collaboration with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, has developed, constructed, and implemented a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) gasification system for the purpose of generating electricity and/or manufacturing liquid transportation fuels. This system is able to handle biomass waste feedstock, has a compact design that allows for potential semi-portability, and utilizes both air and oxygen as an oxidizing agent to produce syngas that can be used.

We are also investigating the production of syngas from waste materials and energy crops, including various bio-based feedstocks such as woody fuels. Our research efforts are focused on optimizing the gasifier to generate clean syngas using oxygen and air as medium oxidizers. Additionally, we are studying the kinetics and mechanisms of tar formation to produce cleaner syngas during gasification by eliminating or reducing tar formation. Another area of our research is finding solutions to economically viable syngas cleanup, which is a primary obstacle in the commercialization of gasification technology. Catalytic tar formation and destruction during biomass gasification are critical issues, and the removal of tar is a result of tar removal. Our research efforts have also been focused on improving and developing catalytic tar removal technologies that can withstand chlorine and sulfur compounds and can be easily regenerated. In addition, we are also investigating physical techniques for tar removal.

Biomass Digestion.

The personnel at Cleco Energy Alternative Center are also involved in studying the fermentation and digestion of biomass, which produces carbon-rich streams from hydrogen and methane waste.

Facilities.

Equipment analyzers portable, grindability index machine hardgrove, gas sampling equipment, elemental analyzer, calorimeter, (GC-FPD, GC-TCD, GC-FID) detectors photometric flame and thermal conductivity, ionization flame with gas chromatograph, mass spectrometer gas chromatograph include a wide range of analytical equipment and bench-scale catalytic reactor for syngas cleanup, bench-scale torrefaction reactor, pilot-scale torrefaction reactor with a capacity of 0.30 ton/day, and a low BTU generator set with a power output of 25 kW. The pilot-scale gasification system has a capacity of 3 ton/day and includes a mass spectrometer gas chromatograph (GC-MS) with a wide range of analytical equipment, as well as a bench-scale catalytic reactor for syngas cleanup, a bench-scale torrefaction reactor, and a pilot-scale torrefaction reactor with a capacity of 0.30 ton/day. Cleco Energy Alternative Center also has a pilot-scale gasification system with a capacity of 3 ton/day. The system includes a low BTU generator set with a power output of 25 kW and a pilot-scale torrefaction reactor with a capacity of 0.30 ton/day. The detectors used are photometric flame and thermal conductivity, ionization flame with gas chromatograph, and mass spectrometer gas chromatograph. The analytical equipment has a wide range and is suitable for syngas cleanup in a bench-scale catalytic reactor, a bench-scale torrefaction reactor, and a pilot-scale torrefaction reactor with a capacity of 0.30 ton/day. Cleco Energy Alternative Center also has a pilot-scale gasification system with a capacity of 3 ton/day.