Micro gas turbines units are reliable and versatile units for on­site combined heat and power production (CHP). Compared to internal combustion engines, CHP units based on micro gas turbines offer several advantages, among which the compactness, the high power­to­weight ratio, lower pollutant emissions and lower maintenance costs. Depending on the specific type of gas turbine, also fuel flexibility could be higher than engines. Within the framework of the EU­Russian Federation FP7 cooperative and specifically the Bioliquids­CHP project, a Garrett GTP 30­67 liquid fuel (diesel) micro gas turbine was adapted to run on alternative first generation biofuels, such as vegetable oil and biodiesel. An in­house test bench for microgasturbine characterization and biofuel testing, capable of accommodating the engine was designed, engineered and built. In this research work, results from experimental measurement on the micro gas turbine are presented. Micro gas turbine performance and main exhaust emissions were measured a various load when feeding biodiesel, vegetable oil (or blending of them) to the engine. Measured exhaust emissions included CO and NOx. The experiences gained on the operation of the micro gas turbine on first generation biofuels will serve as a basis for testing of bio­oil from fast pyrolysis of pine and straw and emulsion between bio­oil and biodiesel in the Bioliquids micro gas turbine. Authors wish to acknowledge the European Commission and FASI for the support given to the present research work, as well as the project coordinator BTG and the project partners.

Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 1672-1680