Project title: Development of a financially-viable and complete biodiesel production system from crops of energy plants and utilization of by-products (BIOSIS code C- 005)
Project duration: 2007-2008
Budget: € 990.000
Foundation: The Operational Programmes of the “Interreg” Community Initiative, Interreg IIIA GREECE- ITALY 2000-2006
Project leader: Gerasimos Lyberatos, Dep. of Chemicals Engineering, University of Patras
Short project description
The aim of this project is the development of a complete and financially-viable biodiesel production system using crops of energy plants and by-products produced in the Region of Western Greece, Region of Epirus and Region of Apulia (Italy). Decrease of energy reliance on diesel in national and regional area, enhancement of primordial agriculture and environment care are the main themes of this project. The program aims to implement new technologies (biological cultivation of energy plants, biotechnological methods for biodiesel production) so as to enhance competitiveness by reducing the operation and facilities cost of proposed production companies and by protecting the environment.
This project will contribute in the co-operation between National Regions, Research groups and industries to accomplish European Union’s aims as far as the faculty of alternative energy and biodiesel production and consuming.
Biodiesel produced by by-products of pear industry.
Some of the project’s goals are the training of researchers in pioneer technologies, as helpers and carriers of these technologies, and the exchange of such specialized staff, experiences and know-how of these technologies among researchers and national and international authorities.
The proposed project will be carried out in nine steps (sub-projects) which will aim to new technologies development and their adjustment to local needs and distinctiveness of interfering Regions, the accomplishment of a pilot biodiesel production company, the elaboration of a full economic and technical plan so as to prove that such a trial could be financially-viable, staff training and finally results promotion and enlightenment of these technologies’ profits.
By all these, higher educational Institutes and research centers will be given the opportunity to gain the know-how and facilities of such technologies which are necessary for further investigation in this faculty. So, these technologies are of great importance for future enhancement of competitiveness in regional companies and in general economic and social renewal of Regions.