A new technology for the combined production of charcoal and electricity through cogeneration

The main results are: a 3 h carbonization time; an average productivity per kiln of 1 ton of charcoal per hour; and a gravimetric yield of 35%. In this paper, four scenarios for the conversion of exhaust gases and tar into electricity were evaluated: the Conventional Rankine Cycle (CRC) and the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), each one with and without forest residues utilization. It is shown that the best economic indicators correspond to the scenario where ORC technology is used. The electricity generation cost is around U$30/MWhe for ORC and US$40/MWhe for CRC.