FAQ

In SYNCRAFT's reverse power plants, exactly the opposite happens to what happens in a conventional coal-fired power plant. This is because the operation of a coal-fired power plant requires the extraction of fossil fuels such as lignite or hard coal. The coal is burned and converted into electrical energy with the help of steam. Combustion produces high_{CO2 emissions}, which pollute our environment.

A Reversepowerplant generates green carbon and removes_{CO2 from} the atmosphere. To operate our Reversepowerplants , we use forest residues or energy wood that comes from sustainable and regional forestry. This means that we are already generating climate-neutral energy, because residual wood that remains unused in the forest and cannot be used as a material would_{release CO2} when it decomposes anyway. In the process of generating electricity and heat, Green Carbon or charcoal is produced as a further product. This charcoal stores around 30% of the_CO2 that was originally contained in the wood. It thus remains permanently bound as valuable carbon and is no longer released into the atmosphere. You can find out more about this here.

We build Reversepowerplants to power a sustainable world. SYNCRAFT offers innovative, patented Reversepowerplants ranging from 400 to 4,000 kWel. Today, we offer the first and only industrial and commercial-scale energy systems that are proven to generate climate-positive electricity and heat, deliver EBC-certified green carbon and compete with large-scale power plants in the 100 MW range in terms of electrical efficiency. With the help of our innovative technologies, we not only recycle unused raw materials, but also replace fossil carbon in various application areas. Through carbon-preserving measures, we bind CO2 from the atmosphere and thus generate negative CO2. An extensive list of global reference projects underpins the efficiency and reliability of our systems.

There are some essential requirements that are necessary for sustainable and economical operation?

• Availability of fuel: The continuous availability of fuel in sufficient quantity and quality is crucial.
• Year-round usability: The products (electricity, heat and Green Carbon) should be usable all year round. Our Reversepowerplants are designed for base load coverage and continuous operation, i.e. they are designed for 24/7 operation and ideally over 7,500 operating hours per year. Since 2024, our systems can be optionally equipped with a gas storage tank. This makes it possible to flexibly organize the daily running times of the CHP unit without impairing the gas generation process.
• Sufficient space: As a rule of thumb, a space requirement of approx. 1 m² per 1 kWel of installed output applies for the entire project (including gas generation, storage, logistics, gas engine and dryer without storage, delivery areas, access roads, etc.).
• Proven economic viability: The planned project should have a proven and solid economic viability under real conditions.

• Fuel costs
• Heat price
• Electricity price
• Price Green Carbon
• Annual use

On request, we can provide a tool with which interested parties can quickly and easily carry out an initial evaluation of cost-effectiveness (COP).

• Fuel costs: ~ 120 €/t ^DM1
• Heat price:~ 6 ^cent/kWh2
• Electricity price: 24.7 cents/kWh in Austria3^// 19.4 cents/kWh in ^Germany4
• Price Green Carbon: ~ 350 ^€/t5
• Annual use: ~ 7,500h/a; 85%

¹ DM dry matter

² This is not an end customer price, but one for feeding into a local heating network, for example; end customer prices are significantly higher.
³ https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=20012029

⁴ https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Fachthemen/ElektrizitaetundGas/Ausschreibungen/Biomasse/start.html

⁵ Fossil carbon, such as anthracite, can serve as a reference. In contrast, the use of green carbon does not result in any additional_{CO2 penalties} for the end customer. This value can therefore be regarded as a minimum approach.
https://businessanalytiq.com/procurementanalytics/index/anthracite-coal-price-index/

• Predominantly part-load operation, such as daily start-up and shut-down;
  • A weekly arrival and departure should also be examined
• Strompreis; << 15 cent/kWh
• Jahresnutzung; << 6.000h/a
• Production of green carbon not desired
• No heat utilization
• No sufficient / suitable fuel

The fresh wood chips, obtained from forest residues, are first dried using waste heat from the process. The dry wood chips are then thermo-chemically converted into a gaseous fuel and green carbon. The green carbon is then separated from the gas. The gas is either converted into electricity in a gas engine, fed into an industrial process or thermally utilized with a burner. Further information can be found here.

Part-load operation is generally possible up to 60 %. For long-term use in partial load operation, however, adjustments should be made to the set-up following a comprehensive technical analysis.

Since 2024, our systems can be optionally equipped with a gas storage tank, which allows the daily running times of the CHP unit to be flexibly configured without affecting the gas generation process.

The project starts with a pre-evaluation. Together with the interested parties, the key parameters including economic efficiency are agreed. If necessary, a plant visit and rough preliminary planning are carried out.

If all the parameters are correct, we will prepare a reference offer, possibly carry out a site inspection at the planned location and determine the specific procedure for the approval process. If necessary, we submit a preliminary planning offer and accompany this phase.

The approval phase varies depending on the authority and country; we expect it to take at least 6 months. Once approval has been granted, or in the case of positive preliminary clarifications, we submit a final offer and start the project.

From the start of the project, receipt of payment to commissioning, 12 months should be expected. In the case of multi-systems, longer, possibly up to 24 months.

Moisture measurement, feed airlock, pyrolysis, feed, gasifier, raw gas cooler, gas filter, bypass line to gas flare, Green Carbon discharge to mixer including cooling, Green Carbon mixer in stainless steel design, filter backwashing using product gas and inert gas, clean gas cooler, Gas scrubber, gas treatment, gas flare, CHP, heat extraction, heat quantity measurement, mixture cooling, emergency cooling (plate heat exchanger interface), pipe construction, cabling, automation, steel construction, rinsing cabinets, insulation, accessories, small materials, construction site equipment.

Drying (mobile silo variant), inline drying, exhaust gas condensation (low-temperature utilization), moving floor, biomass screw conveyors to the plant, Green Carbon filling, SCR-KAT, oil management, heating concept, and much more.

The gas can be stored:
In addition to conventional large-scale gas storage facilities, so-called lagoon storage facilities, hourly storage is possible. However, space is required, depending on the requirements.

Steam generation:
With the CW1800x2-1000 variant (1MW), we can generate 0.5 t/h of steam at 180 °C and 10 bar.

No, SYNCRAFT supplies the system(s).

As a rule of thumb... per 1 kW of electricity installed = 2 households

Æ 4000kWh/a per household electricity

... per 1 kW thermal installed = 1 household *

_{*Very roughly calculated, as many different factors have an influence here (building condition, region, living space, etc.) The calculation was based on an annual Æ 90 kWh/m². Average apartment size in Austria approx. 90m² / i.e. 8100 kWh/a.} 

In principle, only wood-based fuels are suitable. All agricultural residues are currently excluded. Pellets or briquettes cannot be processed either. Reversepowerplants use regional forest residues or energy wood in the form of wood chips to conserve resources and where possible. There is a detailed fuel specification for this, which can be sent out on request.

As a rule:

• Permitted:
  • Forest wood chips from whole trunks including fines and bark
  • Forest wood chips from tree tops and branches including fines and bark
• Inadmissible
  • Fine-fibered, woolly material without a coarse structure (e.g. shredded wood)

You can find more details about forest residues here.

Green Carbon (also known as biochar) is an important raw material that is produced from biomass such as forest residues . Due to its physical and chemical properties, Green Carbon can be used as an aggregate (e.g. concrete, asphalt) and thus serve as a_{CO2 sink}or, for example, as a_CO2-neutral reducing or carburizing agent in metal production (e.g. steel).

The use of green carbon is one of 4 technologically relevant methods (which help to reduce the_{CO2 content} in the atmosphere and achieve net-zero, negative emission technology). Generally, the method is known as Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR).

More information can be found here and at IPCC: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/downloads/outreach/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_Factsheet_CDR.pdf

The yields for green carbon are calculated at a ratio of approx. 1:1 to the electrical output at the usual standard capacity utilization of 7,500 h/a.

Example: A plant with an output of 1,000 _kWel supplies approx. 1,000 t/a.

The amount of green carbon can be increased or decreased on request. However, such adjustments are then made in the course of specific project development.

There are already numerous areas of application for green carbon, including

• Agriculture & Horticulture
• Construction & Materials
• Animal husbandry & feed
• Industry & Metallurgy
• Water & wastewater treatment
• Urban greenery & climate adaptation

Further information on the use of green carbon can be found here: https://www.syncraft.at/blog/gruner-kohlenstoff/

If required, name and arrange sales partners. Preliminary contracts / letters of intent etc. can also be arranged.

You can expect to pay at least €350/t from the farm; everything else is a matter of negotiation and also depends on the certificates. This reference market price is primarily based on the value of fossil anthracite, which is most similar to green carbon in terms of its composition and properties. Any_CO2emissions (ETS) or_{CO2 removals}(CDR) avoided as a result are not yet taken into account.

ETS prices: https://www.boerse.de/rohstoffe/Co2-Emissionsrechtepreis/XC000A0C4KJ2

CDR prices (Biochar): https://www.cdr.fyi/

The carbon sink value according to EBC-Sink is typically around a factor of 2.5, i.e. as a rule of thumb: 1 ton of dry Green Carbon contains approximately 2.5 tons_{of CO2e}. Source: (Source: Carbon sink certificate - https://www.carbon-standards.com/de/standards/service-501~ebc-c-sink.html)

Yes, both of them.

The system design is basically based on 3 basic sizes, which are scaled as follows:

• Type 400 - up to 400 kW el.
• Type 500 - up to 500 kW el.
• Type 1000 - up to 1000 kW el.
• Type GG C - up to 1260 kW gas output

Our systems have a modular structure. The combination and multiplication of the basic sizes allows individual total outputs to be realized. Here are the details on the system types: https://www.syncraft.at/anlagentypen/

The SYNCRAFT Green Gas System was developed to replace fossil gas in industrial processes. The forest residues are thermochemically converted into synthesis gas and green carbon. The main energy sources of the synthesis gas are hydrogen and carbon monoxide and a small proportion of methane (see how the gas is composed).

The Green Gas System is used from a demand of 5 GWh/year of gas or heat.

SYNCRAFT systems are always designed for unmanned operation.

The workload per line varies greatly in some cases. Usual average values from our existing customers are around 4 hours per day; the majority of this time is spent on wood chip management (goods receipt, incoming inspection, bunker filling, etc.); this framework also includes the usual simple maintenance activities and troubleshooting. An increase in expenditure is to be expected, particularly in the case of uneven or unsuitable fuel.

Most operators provide basic support on working days; an on-call service is recommended for faults outside these periods.

The average support effort per line is approx. 1,000 hours. In the first year, we recommend assuming 2,000 hours until the processes have settled.

Approx. 10 days per year are required for maintenance and inspection work, during which the system is shut down.

The systems are designed in such a way that warning or alarm messages are forwarded via a telecommunication system in the event of faults. The majority of these messages do not require on-site deployment.

In terms of control technology, the systems are designed in such a way that they are switched to a safe mode in the event of a fault.

Negative emissions refer to processes or technologies that remove more CO₂ or other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than they release. These are in contrast to positive emissions, where CO₂ is released into the atmosphere, and zero emissions, where no net CO₂ is released.

There are various methods of achieving negative emissions:

• Afforestation and reforestation
• Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR)
• Bioenergy with CO₂ capture and storage (BECCS)
• Direct CO₂ capture from the air (DAC)

Negative emissions are a crucial component of many climate protection strategies, especially in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to below 2 °C, ideally 1.5 °C.

Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) is a process in which carbon is sequestered in the long term in the form of biocharGreen Carbon). It is important that the green carbon is used as a material and that the sequestered carbon is not released again through technical incineration.

In general, Green Carbon (biochar) is produced by thermochemical processes in which organic material such as wood, agricultural waste or other biomass is heated in the absence of oxygen. This process converts the biomass into a stable form of carbon that can no longer be broken down and is therefore permanently stored.

Today, BCR is the only commercial technology that enables permanent and functional_{CO2 storage}.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a process in which energy is generated from biomass in the form of electricity, heat or gas and the resulting CO₂ emissions are actively captured and permanently stored. This not only produces climate-neutral energy, but also climate-positive energy.

Biomass removes CO₂ from the atmosphere as it grows. If it is used to generate energy in the BECCS process and the resulting CO₂ is then safely stored - for example in geological formations or through mineral bonding - a negative emission effect is created.

BECCS is therefore one of the most promising technologies for achieving global climate targets, as it simultaneously provides renewable energy and removes CO₂ in the long term.

Yes, carbon sink certificates are currently traded on the voluntary market. BCRs are so-called permanent sinks compared to temporary sinks (e.g. afforestation). The permanence and thus the quality of the carbon sink is particularly high, which is reflected in a corresponding price of around 120 €/t CO₂. More information can be found at www.cdr.fyi.

Yes, SYNCRAFT energy systems can be combined with CCS technology. CCS technology is not yet commercially available and there is no corresponding infrastructure to ensure cost-effective operation.