• Project title and reference: Low-cost, carbon positive bioethanol production with innovative green floating filters in multiple water bodies 

• Funding institution: European Commission. LIFE BIOMASS C + LIFE Climate Change Mitigation (LIFE16 CCM/GR/000044)

• Participants: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), CERTH, CARTIF, Helenic Petroleum, 

• Duration: 3 years                      Commenced: 1st January 2018

• Principal researcher: María Dolores Curt. Agroenergy Research Group, ETSIAAB, UPM 

SUMMARY:  LIFE Biomass C+ aims to demonstrate improvements in climate mitigation strategies through the production of sustainable biofuel. It will utilise existing and underused infrastructure and water resources (i.e. irrigation channels, ponds, lakes, river arms) to produce zero-input biomass, with high starch content that will then be converted into bioethanol and eventually biofuel. To do this, the project proposes an innovative green technology of Green Floating Filters (GFF), where aquatic macrophyte plants (Typha domingensis) will be grown in multiple water bodies. 

OBJECTIVES of LIFE PROJECT:

• Provide a carbon positive energy balance and other environmental co-benefits. 

• Develop a clean, dependable method to produce biofuel without utilizing agricultural land.

• Demonstrate the applicability of Biomass C+ on an industrial scale. 

• Demonstrate the potential and cost-effectiveness of this new close to market concept.

OBJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT

• Evaluate the environmental performance of the Green Floating Filter (GFF) technology using LCA methodology