The project BIOBOOST ('Biomass-based energy intermediates boosting biofuel production'), which will be launched early 2012, aims to promote and develop energy resources based on residual biomass. This project meets the general opinion of EU citizens who support research to promote and develop alternative energy resources.

The main objective of this BIOBOOST project, which is funded with €5.1 million from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union, is to boost biomass and residues use across Europe. The project aims to develop innovative energy carriers, generating energy-rich intermediate products from biogenous residues, assess their environmental compatibility and optimize logistics chains.

Specifically, BIOBOOST project researchers, led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, will convert residual biomass into energy carriers for the production of high-quality and engine-compatible fuels and chemicals, as well as for the generation of heat and electricity. The team will use biogenous residues to produce a variety of intermediate products that are rich in energy, which will therefore be assessed with respect to their usability in processes such as the bioliq® process. BIOBOOST will focus on generating, optimising and assessing other products as well, and will evaluate the economic efficiency of the entire process.

In addition to customised fuels such as gasoline, kerosene or diesel, BIOBOOST consortium members will also study the manufacture of plastics and chemicals, including propylene, methanol and ethylene. The project is scheduled to end in 2015, and will involve experts from Germany, Austria, Greece, Finland, Netherlands and Poland.