Blackwood Technology

Founded in 2008, Blackwood Technology is a private headquartered in Duiven, Netherlands specializing in Biomass.

Blackwood Technology is a renewable energy technology company focused on biomass torrefaction and carbonization. The company developed the proprietary FlashTor technology, which transforms biomass into high-grade solid biofuels suitable as drop-in replacements for thermal and metallurgical coal. The technology heats biomass to 250-320°C in low-oxygen conditions, improving fuel characteristics including calorific value, grindability, and biological stability. Blackwood's torrefaction process typically results in 20-30% mass loss but 10-15% energy loss, with the energy released from volatiles used to power the process auto-thermally at higher moisture content. The company operates through a licensing and partnership model, having signed agreements with South African utility Eskom for Southern Africa deployment and partnering with Thai EPC company TTCL, which became majority shareholder in September 2020. Commercial-scale demonstration occurred at Duiven, Netherlands, with successful co-firing tests conducted at major European power stations (Amer 8 & 9, Hanasaari, Salmisaari) and testing in South Africa and Japan. Two operational plants exist in Thailand, producing black pellets for power stations and SuperBlack biocarbon pellets for steel plants and metallurgical processes.