WaveFuels

Challenge

Climate change and international tensions are driving companies and citizens to demand solutions that produce better and greener fuels to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. At the same time, new and stable sources are needed to lower CO2 emissions, alongside solutions capable of capturing and storing carbon. Finally, there is an increasing need for a more circular use of our natural resources.

Solution

The WaveFuels project aims to optimize, test, and demonstrate Organic Fuel Technology's (OFT) microwave cracking technology. The project seeks to develop a modular and scalable plant solution with the goal of full commercialization within a few years.

OFT’s patented biomass processing system introduces a new Power-to-X pathway, where sludge and other biomass types are converted into high-quality green biofuels and a significant new source of stable biochar for carbon capture and storage. This is achieved by generating and utilizing a stable and uniform electromagnetic wavelength field, operating at relatively low temperatures, which significantly enhances the quality of the final products.

Key Deliverables

• Detailed design of a full-scale microwave processing unit.
• Comprehensive plant design for microwave cracking of wastewater sludge.
• Project plan for constructing the first full-scale plant at GreenLab Skive.
• Relevant processes and value chains for handling, processing, refining, upgrading, and utilizing bio-oil and biochar.

Expected Outcome

A successful demonstration is expected to show that a plant can process over 2,500 tons of dry matter from wastewater sludge annually, converting it into several hundred tons of bio-oil and biochar. Overall, a single WaveFuels plant is estimated to have a CO2 impact of approximately 3,000 tons per year by replacing fossil oil and through carbon storage.

By 2030, OFT aims to have 30 plants in operation across Europe, with this number projected to rise to 480 plants globally by 2050.