A gas generation plant for generating hydrogen-containing synthesis gas includes a gas generation reactor which is oriented in the vertical direction being greater in length vertically than width. A gas inlet is designed for the passage of superheated water vapor into the gas generation reactor. Through an upper outlet, a gas/water vapor mixture can exit the gas generation reactor and be reused in the second heating element after having been superheated. Synthesis gas can exit through a lower gas outlet. In the vertical direction, the gas inlet is arranged at a smaller distance from the lower end than the lower gas outlet. The upper gas outlet is arranged at a smaller vertical distance from the upper end than the lower gas outlet. The vertical distance between the upper gas outlet and the lower gas outlet is greater than the vertical distance between the lower gas outlet and the gas inlet.

A method and an apparatus for treating comminuted waste material the method comprising: •a) providing a heating chamber (28) and one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the contents of the heating chamber (28), the heating chamber (28) having an inlet (21) and an outlet (22), •b) feeding comminuted waste material through the inlet (21) and into the heating chamber (28); •c) heating the comminuted waste material in the heating chamber (28), using the combustion heating means (40a-f), to generate a combustible gas; and •d) supplying at least a portion of the generated combustible gas to the one or more combustion heating means (40a-f) for heating the heating chamber (28).

A fuel production system includes a gasification unit including a gasification furnace that gasifies biomass feedstock to produce a syngas; a liquid fuel production unit that produces a liquid fuel from the syngas produced by the gasification unit; an electrolysis unit that produces hydrogen from water using electric power generated using renewable energy; a hydrogen tank that stores the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis unit; a remaining hydrogen amount determining section that determines the amount of hydrogen remaining in the hydrogen tank; a hydrogen supply unit that supplies the hydrogen from the hydrogen tank to the gasification unit; and a control unit that performs a hydrogen consumption increasing control to reduce the H.sub.2/CO ratio of the syngas produced by reaction in the gasification furnace and to increase the amount of hydrogen supplied by the hydrogen supply unit, when the remaining amount of hydrogen is more than a predetermined amount.

A fuel production system 1 for producing a liquid fuel from biomass feedstock includes a gasification furnace 30 that gasifies biomass feedstock to produce a syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a liquid fuel production unit 4 that produces a liquid fuel from the syngas produced by the gasification furnace 30; an electrolysis unit 60 that produces hydrogen from water using electric power generated using renewable energy; a hydrogen tank 62 that stores the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis unit 60; and a hydrogen supply pump 64 that supplies the hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 62 into the gasification furnace 30 or a biomass feedstock supply channel 20 extending from a biomass feedstock supply unit 2 to the gasification furnace 30.

A land based or marine vessel based system for generating power from syngas utilizes a feedstock of waste material acquired from waste dumps, municipalities, and/or ports of call of the marine vessel. The marine vessel or land based system can be retrofitted to be fueled by the waste material. The syngas is used to provide propulsive and/or electrical power for the marine vessel or the land based system. The waste material is not just a feedstock for the syngas but is provided with payment from the ports of call to take the waste material away. The marine vessel also collects garbage floating on the waterway along the voyage between the various ports of call for use as feedstock in the production of syngas. The modular syngas generation system further generates H.sub.2 from the syngas. The H.sub.2 generated thereby is used to fuel an H.sub.2 fuel cell for the generation of electrical power.

The invention relates to a hybrid power plant for autonomously supplying energy to buildings, in articular residential buildings, and industrial facilities which are arranged in an area that comprises a source of biomass. The hybrid power plant is preferably arranged in the vicinity of buildings and industrial facilities to be supplied in order to provide energy locally. The hybrid power plant comprises at least one system for generating power from renewable energy sources and a power-to-X device for thermochemically converting electricity from renewable energy sources and biomass into other energy carriers which are stored and converted back into electricity on demand. In order to supply energy to the buildings and industrial facilities to be supplied during dark doldrums, the hybrid power plant comprises one or more energy storage devices and at least one system for converting energy back into electricity. The supply of energy to buildings or industrial facilities by means of the hybrid power plant is climate and CO.sub.2 neutral.

A char discharge unit is for discharging char discharged from a filtration unit into a char storage unit in which a pressure is at least temporarily higher pressure than that in the filtration unit. The char discharge unit includes a char discharge line connected to a lower side of the filtration unit in a vertical direction and connected to the char storage unit; a lock hopper installed at an intermediary point of the char discharge line to temporarily store the char; an admission valve installed in the char discharge line between the lock hopper and the filtration unit; a control valve installed in the char discharge line between the lock hopper and the char storage unit; and a control device configured to close the control valve when the admission valve is open, and to close the admission valve when the control valve is open.

A process for the generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products utilizing carbonaceous materials. In a first process stage (P1) the carbonaceous materials are supplied and are pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke (M21) and pyrolysis gas (M22) are formed. In a second process stage (P2), the pyrolysis coke (M21) from the first process stage (P1) is gasified, wherein synthesis gas (M24) is formed, and slag and other residues (M91, M92, M93, M94) are removed. In a third process stage (P3), the synthesis gas (M24) from the second process stage (P2) is converted into hydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products (M60), which are discharged. The three process stages (P1, P2, P3) form a closed cycle. Surplus gas (M25) from the third process stage (P3) is passed as recycle gas into the first process stage (P1), and/or the second process stage (P2), and pyrolysis gas (M22) from the first process stage (P1) is passed into the second process stage (P2), and/or the third process stage (P3).

A process for the generation of energy and/or hydrocarbons and other products utilizing carbonaceous materials. In a first process stage (P1) the carbonaceous materials are supplied and are pyrolysed, wherein pyrolysis coke (M21) and pyrolysis gas (M22) are formed. In a second process stage (P2), the pyrolysis coke (M21) from the first process stage (P1) is gasified, wherein synthesis gas (M24) is formed, and slag and other residues (M91, M92, M93, M94) are removed. In a third process stage (P3), the synthesis gas (M24) from the second process stage (P2) is converted into hydrocarbons and/or other solid, liquid, and/or gaseous products (M60), which are discharged. The three process stages (P1, P2, P3) form a closed cycle. Surplus gas (M25) from the third process stage (P3) is passed as recycle gas into the first process stage (P1), and/or the second process stage (P2), and pyrolysis gas (M22) from the first process stage (P1) is passed into the second process stage (P2), and/or the third process stage (P3).

A multi stage set of molten salt based processes for coal gasification, recovery of sulfur from hydrogen, capture of CO.sub.2 from gases and processes to store generated electrical energy for later use when it is needed in which excess power can be used to decarbonize fossil fuel to produce hydrogen that can be stored, sequester CO.sub.2, and regenerate the hydrogen back to electricity using an advanced power cycle.