Biofuels: Process Used To Roast Coffee Beans May Give Biomass A Power Boost

ScienceDaily (May 21, 2008) — A process used to roast coffee beans could give Britain's biomass a power boost, increasing the energy content of some of the UK’s leading energy crops by up to 20 per cent.

The study, carried out by engineers from the University of Leeds, examined the combustion behaviour of crops grown specifically for energy creation when put through a mild thermal process called ‘torrefaction’ – more usually associated with coffee production.

Torrefaction is increasingly seen as a desirable treatment for biomass because it creates a solid product which is easier to store, transport and mill than raw biomass.

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