CARTIF Technology Centre

Valladolid, Spain

Cartif Foundation is a technology centre focused on research, development and technological innovation in industry. The multidisciplinary team work of Cartif is structured in several research areas (agro-food technology, automation, biofuels, chemical proccess, environment, mechanical engineering, etc.). The Biofuels and Chemical Process Area works on the promotion of the use of biomass and its implementation by green sustainable technologies as a feasible alternative to the consumption of fossil fuels in the conventional manufacturing and exploitation systems. Wood and agro-forest biomass are aimed as renewable resources for clean energy generation, biofuels production and biomaterials manufacturing or applications.

R&D activities aim at a large variety of issues from the fundamental research to the industrial innovation and applications. Screening and experimental studies are addressed, as well as the characterisation of raw materials and end products (solid/liquids/ gaseous biofuels, energy carriers, etc.) Development and intensification of new processes, design of pilot plants or demonstrative projects, novel methodologies and cutting edge technologies especially applied for biomass optimal utilization, are the core of our professional activity.

Some of the specific activities in which Cartif are involved with include: biomass resources quantifying and biomass plants logistic (with GIS methodology), analysis and characterisation of biomass, pellets and biofuels, pelleting essays in pilot pelletizer with biomass mixtures and additives, pyrolisis/torrefaction and gasification in fluidized bed gasifiers, synthesis of liquid biofuels (biodiesel, bioethanol and 2nd generation biofuels), biorefinery and integral valorisation of wastes/ biomass, and process scale-up (from lab to pilot plant) or feasibility studies.