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Home >> About Us >> R+D+I at Abengoa >> Some Examples of R+D+i

About UsR+D+I at Abengoa

Some Examples of R+D+i

Solar Energy

In 2007, Abengoa Solar made progress in the following projects:

  • Repow PS10. Design and construction of a parabolic trough collector facility employing ET technology and thermal oil working fuel with an opening of 3,600 square meters for generating 45-bar, 257-degree-centigrade saturated steam. The steam will be stored in pressurized water tanks and processed at PS10, the world’s first commercial tower in use. The PS10 solar plant is equipped for 30 minutes of storage and, under conditions of low radiation, can burn between 12 and 15% in natural gas. The plant will generate 24.3 GWh of clean energy and prevent the emission of 6,700 mT of CO2 each year. The project has received subsidies from the Andalusian Energy Agency.
  • GDV. GDV concept validation. Direct steam generation in parabolic trough collector fields and tower technology. The project has received aid from the Andalusian Technology Corporation and IDEA.
  • AZ TH Dishes. Eighty-kilowatt gross power output capacity Stirling technology demonstration plant, made up of eight parabolic dishes, each producing 10 kilowatts. It has received aid from the Andalusian Energy Agency.
  • Superheated steam receiver. In 2007 the Solar business unit has advanced in the construction of a demonstration high-temperature tower with approximately two megawatts of power output capacity. This plant, being built based on the experience with PS10 and PS20, will allow the production of superheated steam, leading to significant improvements in turbine efficiency. It receives aid from the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI).
Bioenergy

In 2007, Abengoa Bioenergy conducted work on the following projects:

  • Development and construction of the world's first commercial plant for producing bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass in Kansas, United States. In order to carry out this project partnership agreements were reached with the University of Auburn in Alabama. This project receives partial financing from the U.S. Department of Energy of the United States (DOE), with a nonrecoverable subsidy of 76 million dollars.
  • I+DEA project for developing technology for production and use of bioethanol as a biofuel, with a budget of 29 million euros. In order to carry out this project, Abengoa Bioenergy finalized collaboration agreements with the universities of Seville, Valencia Polytechnic, Comillas, Madrid Polytechnic and Castilla-La Mancha. It is partially financed by the "Cenit" program of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
  • Agrobihol. Energy crops our rapid-growth crops used for producing energy (electricity or liquid fuels) using a part of or the entire plant. Abengoa Bioenergy’s objective in this project is to produce ethanol from Spanish crops from cereals with high starch content; from lignocellulosic material, such as straw, or other grass and stalk crops. In addition, the viability of producing bioethanol from sorghum or potato is also under study, and the use of bioethanol as an alternative fuel in ethanol-gasoline and ethanol-gas oil blends in conventional vehicles, as well as hydrogen production for fuel cells. The project receives subsidies from the Ministry of Education and Science.
  • Bioethanol Transformation. Abengoa Bioenergy is making a considerable effort in perfecting hydrogen generation systems from bioethanol. To this end, work is being conducted on transforming ethanol, a chemical process by which hydrogen is generated thanks to the steam and catalyst reaction. The research projects have led to obtaining an ethanol-transforming catalyst and the construction of two pilot plants for accumulating thousands of operation hours. The demonstration facility for this technology has been completed, which has facilitated acquisition of exhaustive knowledge of the design, operation and costs associated with this technology, and in determining aspects to be reviewed for its optimization. The project has received subsidies from the Spanish Navy.
  • DOE ethanol catalyst development project. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected Abengoa Bioenergy R&D (ABRD) to develop an ethanol catalyst. In this program, besides ABRD, project leader, two laboratories are participating (Argonne National Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), two universities (Washington University and Lehigh University) and the research organizations of GTI and Avantium. The total budget exceeds 3,570,000 dollars. Twenty percent is provided primarily by ABRD, and the remaining 80 percent comes from the DOE. It represents a basic research program for developing a synthesizing ethanol catalyst and characterization, as well as fast sifters and testing in the reaction systems, elucidation of reaction mechanisms and kinetics, durability tests, and simulation and development processes. The aim is thus to obtain a catalyst that can execute Syngas bioethanol synthesis at a reasonable cost.
Environmental Services. Befesa

In 2007 Befesa developed the following projects:

  • SPL treatment in collaboration with Alcoa. The project involves finding an application of the carbonous part of the electrolysis cells used (SPL) in the production of primary aluminum. It represents an environmental service for these plants, which need to recycle this material. The project has received subsidies from the Technological Research Promotion Program (Profit).
  • Pilot plant for energy-chemical capturing of residual gases in the process of recycling steel mill dust. It is being carried out in conjunction with the Euskoiker Foundation and the Advanced Industrial Engineering School of Bilbao.
  • High-Efficiency Desalination Pilot Plant. The plant's objective is to reduce energy consumption in the processes of desalination by reverse osmosis, below 2.5 kilowatts hour/square meter. This implies obtaining potable water from sea water at a reasonable price, which is essential for sustainable development. To this end, analysis is being conducted on the high-pressure pumping systems, reverse osmosis membranes and energy recovery systems. The project has been granted a subsidy from the Council for Innovation, Science and Commerce from the Andalusian Government.
  • DeReDes: Development of Desalination with Renewable Energies. The project aims to drive business activity in the field of desalination, through design, installation and maintenance of systems using renewable energy sources. In order to achieve this, a technical-economic evaluation is being carried out comparing different technologies, and the three pre-commercial plants determined as optimal will be designed for three different scenarios. Through subsidies from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Industry and the Technical Research Promotion Program (Profit) of the Ministry of Education and Science.
Information Technologies. Telvent

The most relevant R&D&I projects in 2007 were the following:

  • Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Phase I. 2007 marked the beginning of the multi-annual research project in research on critical infrastructure security. The project has begun to reap benefits with the first report from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on the evaluation of the security of Telvent’s SCADA OASyS DNA 7.5 system.
  • Free Flow Toll Solution. Throughout 2007 we continued to perfect detection and classification equipment, and work was conducted on new systems by means of optical stands and piezoelectrics for detection of axles and double wheels, and on a new state-of-the-art telepay tag in conjunction with Delta and Fela. The solution is complemented by the development of the Back Office, a project that has received a subsidy from the Basque Government.
  • SmartTouch. An international consortium of European companies and universities that aims to integrate the functions provided by contact-free intelligent card-reading, which is in wide use in ticketing systems for cellular phones. It is financed by the Ministry of Industry.
  • Identica. The Identica project arose in 2007 with the objective of constructing an advanced identity verification system through biometrics and personal documentation in secure environments to respond to the current need for unequivocal evidence of a person’s identify, while verifying physical presence at the same time. It is subsidized by the Ministry of Education and Science (MEC).
  • Opera 2 Open Powerline European Research Alliance – Phase 2. Opera is a European alliance for developing a new generation of integrated communications networks through the power line (PLC). This technology permits the use of existing power networks for the transmission of information and provides the user with Internet, telephone and television services, thus eliminating the creation of new costly and contaminating infrastructures. The project is funded by the European Commission.
Abeinsa (Engineering and Industrial Construction)

Below are some examples of the projects and initiatives following the above lines of action which Abeinsa has carried out over the course of 2007:

  • National Strategic Consortium of Technical Research in CO2 (CenitCO2). The main objective of the project is research, development and validation of new knowledge and integrated solutions to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, emissions generated by combustion of fossil fuels in the electrical generation processes. The project has received financing from the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI).
  • Nanomembranes against Global Warming (NanoGLOWA). Program for developing new materials based on nanotechnology for application in separation and purification environments based on membranes. It aims to demonstrate the viability of gaseous effluents from thermal power plants, as an alternative for reducing CO2 emissions. Involving a consortium of 26 partners, it has received financing from the 6th Research Framework Program of the European Union.
  • Inredis. Interfaces for the relationship between the environment and people with disabilities. A Cenit project financed by the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI). Inabensa is part of the consortium of companies, public research institutions, universities and foundations. The main objective of the project is to develop base technologies to create channels of communication and interaction between people with special needs and their environment.
  • Project Hercules. The objective is to demonstrate that the production of renewable hydrogen from solar energy is viable, and its application in a sector as important as land transportation would contribute to reducing emissions and improving local economy. Through this project, Abeinsa seeks to install a prototype for a production plant and a renewable hydrogen service station in Sanlucar la Mayor (Seville), with the capability of fueling an electric vehicle designed and built to run on hydrogen, utilizing fuel cells. The project has received financing from the Agency for Innovation and Development of Andalusia (IDEA), and the Ministry of Education and Science, which has catalogued it as a singular scientific-technological project that is strategic in nature. The Hercules project is an Andalusian initiative globally coordinated by Hynergreen and promoted by a total of 8 partners. Hynergreen, Solucar R&D, Santana Motor, Carburos Metálicos, GreenPower, the Energy Agency of Andalusia, the National Aerospace Technological Institute (INTA) and the Association of Research and Industrial Cooperation of Andalusia (AICIA).