What is HTC?
Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) is a pressure-thermal process that converts wet organic waste — primarily sewage sludge — into hydrochar, a stable, carbon-rich solid material. The process operates at 200°C and 2.0 MPa for 8–12 hours, achieving 75% volume reduction while eliminating all pathogens.
BTC Consulting holds exclusive commercial rights to HTC reactor technology developed over 10+ years of joint research with AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, one of Poland's leading technical universities.
Process Parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 200°C ± 5°C |
| Pressure | 2.0 MPa (saturated steam) |
| Residence time | 8–12 hours |
| Feed moisture | Up to 80% |
| Volume reduction | −75% (4× less mass) |
| Pathogen elimination | Class A (EN 14346) |
| PFAS reduction | >95% (AGH Kraków research) |
Process Outputs
- Hydrochar: Calorific value 14–18 MJ/kg. Legal as fertilizer in Poland since 14 January 2025. Also usable as alternative fuel (SRF/RDF) in cement kilns.
- Process water: Recyclable to the WWTP biological treatment stage — zero waste water discharge.
- Recovered heat: 60–70% heat recovery. Process is autothermal above ~15% dry matter content.
First Commercial Installation: MPWiK Lubin
BTC's first commercial HTC installation operates at MPWiK Lubin (Municipal Water and Sewage Company in Lubin, Lower Silesia):
- Commissioned: 2025
- Capacity: 800 tonnes/year of sewage sludge
- Cost reduction: PLN 550/t → PLN 200–225/t (−60%)
- ROI: 6.9 years with 85% EU grant co-financing
- IP acquisition: Client purchased full technology rights (October 2025) — the strongest possible endorsement
Hub & Spoke Model
For municipalities below 20,000 PE (population equivalent), individual HTC installations are not cost-effective. BTC's Hub & Spoke model solves this:
- One central HTC installation (Hub) serves 3–12 surrounding municipalities (Spokes)
- Maximum transport radius: 50 km
- Cost savings: 36–41% compared to individual installations
- Joint EU grant applications for the entire cluster
Estimated 2,500+ Polish WWTPs in the target segment (2,000–20,000 PE).
EU Funding: 75–90% CapEx Coverage
Four major EU funding programs support HTC installations in Poland:
- FEnIKS — up to 85% CapEx (European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment)
- KPO — National Recovery Plan
- NFOŚiGW — National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management
- LIFE — EU LIFE Programme for environment and climate action
Grant application window: 2026–2028. BTC provides full documentation support — one TEO (Techno-Economic Assessment) qualifies for all four programs simultaneously.
Why Now: UWWTD 2024
The revised EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (2024) requires 3,873 Polish WWTPs to modernize sludge handling by 2035. Key requirements:
- Landfilling of sewage sludge to be phased out
- Energy recovery from sludge required for plants above 10,000 PE
- Nutrient (phosphorus) recovery mandated for plants above 100,000 PE
- Current average disposal cost: PLN 550/tonne (rising)
Services
- TEO Assessment: 4–6 weeks, 200+ pages, ready for NFOŚiGW submission. Free initial consultation.
- HTC Installation: Turnkey systems in three configurations — HTC-S (compact), HTC-D (dual), TH+HTC (energy self-sufficient).
- Grant Support: Full documentation for FEnIKS, KPO, NFOŚiGW, LIFE programs.
- ROI Calculator: Free online tool at biotc.pl/kalkulator-roi
Contact
BTC Consulting sp. z o.o.
Józefosław
- Email: contact@biotc.pl
- Phone: +48 608 003 458
- LinkedIn: BTC Consulting
Contact person: Andrzej Krop, CEO