Further to the EFRI Forum Announcement of 14th of September 2010, the IFRF and nine IFRF/EFRI Members have participated in the formation of the BRISK consortium.  This consortium, led by an IFRF/EFRI Member KTH in Sweden, has prepared a Research Infrastructure Proposal under the 2010 FP7 “Capacities – Research Infrastructures” call  ‘Research Infrastructures for thermo-chemical biomass conversion’.  The focus was the production of 2nd generation biofuels, and the infrastructure proposed also includes rigs that relate to the utilisation of such fuels and the characterisation and disposal of waste streams.

Given that the Consortium is currently in negotiation with the EC for cofunding of €9Million over 4 years, industrial organisations wishing to be considered as Members of the BRISK Advisory Board are now invited to make themselves known (without commitment by either side at this stage).

The new Research Infrastructure (RI) is proposed by 26 partners, and is expected to be launched on 1st October 2011 subject to the successful outcome of the current EC contract negotiations.

Access will be offered to world-class research services related to gasification, syngas, synfuels, advanced gas cleaning, co-gasification and advanced pre-treatment processes such as torrefaction and pyrolysis.  The activities to be proposed are threefold:

• Transnational Access under which some 50 research facilities within the consortium will be opened for use by external researchers.  Researchers both within and outside the BRISK consortium may apply to undertake their own or shared tests. The EC will fund the operation of the rigs concerned during the Access periods, and the results will be in the public domain. There will also be a travel budget available to visiting researchers making use of the Access.  A full list of facilities and Access opportunities will be published at regular intervals once the BRISK Project is operational.
• Joint Research Activities to improve the operation of the RI.
  • Development of new methodologies for the characterisation of new feedstocks, 2nd generation biomass fuels and residues as well as for their thermochemical conversion.
  • Advanced measurement methods and operational procedures in thermo-chemical biomass conversion and gas cleaning strategies.
  • Improving methods for advanced testing / examination and optimisation the catalytic conversion processes of biosyngas conversion to 2nd generation liquid or gaseous biofuels.
• Networking Activities coordinated by IFRF with dissemination support from the University of Aston (UK) Bio-energy Laboratory:
  • Extension of the embryonic EFRI searchable on-line combustion rig directory to include all process involved in the production and use of 2nd Generation Biofuels.
  • IFRF/EFRI Member DTU of Denmark will lead a Protocols, Databases and Benchmarking activity which will promote and support the establishment of protocols for the collection and storage of data in order to facilitate data exchange and use between the project partners in the first instance, and later between the BRISK partners and other organisations in the international scientific community.
  • General dissemination activities including TOTeMs, Newsletters, flyers etc.

Interested parties ahould contact IFRF’s Superintendent of Research, Neil Fricker.