Renewable Fuel Technologies (RFT) and MHG Systems (MHG) have announced a distribution and support agreement for MHG Systems’ BioEnergy enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, marking a key step forward in developing the distributed supply chains necessary to support utility scale BioCoal production.
Under the terms of the agreement, MHG Systems, whose ERP software is widely used for woody biomass management in Europe, will customise its BioEnergy ERP software to work seamlessly with RFT’s mobile torrefaction processors. RFT will provide BioEnergy ERP to its forest land owner and power generating customers. MHG Systems will deliver the solution as a hosted service, which can be accessed from computers or mobile devices.
Power generators need reliable and predictable supplies of fuel, and they need detailed information about the quantity, energy content, location and origin for their renewable biomass fuels. Utility scale biomass utilisation cannot be commercially viable without a well-designed, comprehensive ERP system. Harvesting is carried out on a small scale in many widely distributed remote forest locations. Harvests can vary widely, depending on local conditions. Therefore, it’s essential to have modeling tools that can accurately forecast BioCoal yields.
“Power generators and forest land owners need accurate and scalable capacity-planning and monitoring tools if they are to have the kind of supply chains they need to bring biomass from the source to the power plants,” said Mark Wechsler, CEO RFT. “Mobile in-forest torrefaction processors will greatly enhance the utility of forest biomass as a renewable power generation fuel.”
Seppo Huurinainen, managing director, MHG Systems, said, “Mobile in-forest BioCoal production managed by BioEnergy ERP benefits all players in the supply chain; forest land owners, harvesters, transportation suppliers and power generators. It upgrades biomass’ fuel value, reduces delivery cost, and expands the supply of biomass available for fuel production.”
For RFT, this partnership provides a consistent way to plan, manage and track BioCoal across the supply chain, from forest to the power plant. For MHG Systems, this relationship represents its entry into the US renewable fuels market. The two companies will develop a network of certified partners who can plan and configure the service for BioCoal supply chains.
RFT develops torrefaction technology that enables compact energy self-sufficient mobile torrefaction processors, which convert woody biomass into BioCoal, a clean coal grade renewable fuel that transports, stores and burns like coal.