Bio-FlexGen: A journey of challenges, innovation, and collaboration
After a brief pause, the Bio-FlexGen project is back with its final video — a reflection on four years of exploration, experimentation, and collaboration across Europe. The story we share is not only about technologies, but also about the people and partnerships that made progress possible.
A four-year mission
Bio-FlexGen set out to investigate how biomass and renewable hydrogen could be combined in highly flexible, efficient energy systems. The ambition was to design and validate a new combined heat and power (CHP) plant capable of adapting to the changing demands of Europe’s energy sector.
The flagship innovation of the project, the Biomass-fired Top Cycle (BTC) plant, builds on ideas first explored at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden in the 1990s. Researchers discovered that by operating gas turbines under high pressure with water and steam injection — and later, with gasified biomass — efficiency could be dramatically increased. Bio-FlexGen has taken this pioneering concept forward, aiming for up to 50% electrical efficiency from biomass by 2030.
Facing the challenges
The journey was far from straightforward. Developing and testing complex technologies required dedicated facilities, new hardware, and repeated experimentation. Setbacks and delays were part of the process. Yet, through persistence and collaboration, each challenge also became a valuable learning opportunity.
The project demonstrated the importance of resilience in research and innovation. Not every ambition could be fully realised, but the knowledge gained contributes to shaping Europe’s pathway towards cleaner, more flexible energy systems.
Core technologies explored
🌱 Hybrid Fluidised Bed Gasifier (HFBG)
Nicknamed “Humphrey”, this innovative design combines bubbling and circulating fluidised bed technologies. Operating under high pressure, it can turn biomass into syngas with unprecedented flexibility.
🔥 Advanced Combustion Chamber
Developed and tested at the “Scarlett” rig in Stockholm, this system was designed to handle fuels from forest residues to hydrogen. Novel features, such as an air-cooled front panel, proved crucial to ensuring durability and emission reductions.
🔄 Fuel-Switch Test Rig
Built in Berlin, this rig demonstrated the ability to switch between syngas and hydrogen — two fuels with very different combustion behaviours. This capability underlines the adaptability needed in future power plants.
Lessons and contributions
Although Bio-FlexGen did not solve every challenge, it delivered meaningful progress and insights. The combination of technical achievements, systems modelling, and collaborative research has helped clarify what it takes to integrate biomass and hydrogen into efficient power systems.
These lessons extend beyond the project itself. They contribute to Europe’s broader efforts under the Green Deal to secure sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy for the future. The project also highlights the importance of using sustainably sourced biomass, such as forestry waste, within a circular economy framework.
Watch the final video
The final Bio-FlexGen video captures this journey — from the test sites in Sweden and Germany to the final conference in Brussels. It offers a glimpse into the dedication of the researchers and the technologies they worked to advance.