Air Burners develops closed-loop system for managing biomass and charging electric equipment

Air Burners has collaborated with Rolls-Royce and Volvo Construction Equipment to develop and test the BioCharger – a portable machine that turns biomass waste into energy.

Air Burners says that the BioCharger is the first machine of its kind, combining three steps to provide off-grid power from vegetative waste management. First, it eliminates vegetative waste using air curtain technology to minimize the harmful particulate matter entering the atmosphere. Then, it converts the residual heat energy into electric energy and stores it in a connected battery storage module. Finally, with the accompanying charging mechanism, the BioCharger allows for off-grid electric vehicle and machinery charging. 

"While electric machinery becomes increasingly popular in the fight against climate change, when it comes to forest management, we must have practical solutions for charging electric machinery away from traditional power sources," said Brian O'Connor, president of Air Burners. "The Air Burners' BioCharger provides that solution and manages wood waste, all done in an economical and environmentally conscious way."

Vegetative waste is a significant and growing problem – seventy million tons of wood waste are collected annually in the USA, but only 48 percent of that waste is recycled, leaving the rest to open burns or decomposition, which releases particulate matter and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The BioCharger permanently eliminates up to 20 tons of vegetative waste per hour without emitting harmful greenhouse emissions like methane and black carbon.

Air Burners consulted with Rolls-Royce in developing the battery storage module within the BioCharger, a 450-kWh charging station that can recharge multiple battery-electric machines and tools. The BioCharger creates and stores enough energy daily to recharge three to six battery-powered machines. In addition, the BioCharger retains enough energy to start itself and continue the cycle the next day. 

"The BioCharger is a unique application for our mtu EnergyPack battery energy storage system that I think shows just how versatile energy storage can be," said Kevin McKinney, sales director at Rolls-Royce Solutions America. "The BioCharger's ability to reduce emissions and generate energy through responsible handling of vegetative waste perfectly aligns with our targets to support our customers with innovative solutions for the transition to clean power generation."

Volvo Construction Equipment teamed with Air Burners to prove the charging capabilities of the BioCharger with its new 23-ton crawler excavator, the EC230 Electric. The EC230 Electric is currently in pilot testing across North America ahead of its commercial launch next year.

"This collaboration with Air Burners for the BioCharger allows us to demonstrate one of the more non-conventional sources to fast-charge our equipment in off-grid locations," said Dr. Ray Gallant, vice president of sustainability and productivity services at Volvo Construction Equipment.

Unlike biomass power plants, the BioCharger is a fully portable machine that can be relocated to a new site and be operational in approximately six hours. The machine accepts whole logs, root balls, pallets, crates, and any other clean wood or vegetative waste without sorting, crushing, or grinding. Air curtain burners also do not require any secondary fuel sources like natural gas, reducing costs, and easing installation. 

Air Burners, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo Construction Equipment will host a demonstration event for the BioCharger in early 2024.