BIOMASS UTILIZATION AS A RENEVABLE ENERGY SOURCE IN POLISH POWER INDUSTRY – CURRENT STATUS AND PERSPECTIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beata Gołuchowska

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The depletion of the conventional energy sources, as well as the degradation and pollution of the environment by the exploitation of fossil fuels caused the development of renewable energy sources (RES, including biomass. In Poland, biomass is the most popular renewable energy source, which is closely related to the obligations associated with the membership in the EU. Biomass is the oldest renewable energy source, and its potential, diversity and polymorphism place it over other sources. Besides, the improvement in its parameters, including an increase in its calorific value, resulted in increasing use of biomass as energy source. In the electric power industry biomass is applied in the process of co-combustion with coal. This process may contribute, inter alia, to the reduction in the emissions of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur oxides. The article presents the characteristics of the biomass burned in power boilers of one of the largest Polish power plants, located in Opole Province (Southern Poland. Besides, the impact of biomass on the installation of co-combustion, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the co-combustion process not only in technological, but also environmental, economic and social aspects were described.

Biomass and Swedish energy policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Bengt

2001-01-01

The use of biomass in Sweden has increased by 44% between 1990 and 1999. In 1999 it was 85 TWh, equivalent to 14% of the total Swedish energy supply. The existence of large forest industry and district heating systems has been an essential condition for this expansion. The tax reform in 1991 seems, however, to have been the most important factor responsible for the rapid bioenergy expansion. Through this reform, the taxation of fossil fuels in district heating systems increased by approximately 30-160%, depending on fuel, whereas bioenergy remained untaxed. Industry is exempted from the energy tax and pays reduced carbon tax. No tax is levied on fossil fuels used for electricity production. Investment grants have existed for biomass-based electricity production but these grants have not been large enough to make biomass-based electricity production economically competitive in a period of falling electricity prices. Despite this, the biomass-based electricity production has increased slightly between 1990 and 1999. A new taxation system aiming at a removal of the tax difference between the industry, district heating and electricity sectors has recently been analysed by the Swedish government. One risk with such a system is that it reduces the competitiveness for biomass in district heating systems as it seems unlikely that the taxes on fossil fuels in the industry and electricity sectors will increase to a level much higher than in other countries. A new system, based on green certificates, for supporting electricity from renewable energy sources has also been proposed by the government.

Romania biomass energy. Country study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burnham, M; Easterly, J L; Mark, P E; Keller, A [DynCorp, Alexandria, VA (United States)

1995-12-01

The present report was prepared under contract to UNIDO to conduct a case study of biomass energy use and potential in Romania. The purpose of the case study is to provide a specific example of biomass energy issues and potential in the context of the economic transition under way in eastern Europe. The transition of Romania to a market economy is proceeding at a somewhat slower pace than in other countries of eastern Europe. Unfortunately, the former regime forced the use of biomass energy with inadequate technology and infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. The resulting poor performance thus severely damaged the reputation of biomass energy in Romania as a viable, reliable resource. Today, efforts to rejuvenate biomass energy and tap into its multiple benefits are proving challenging. Several sound biomass energy development strategies were identified through the case study, on the basis of estimates of availability and current use of biomass resources; suggestions for enhancing potential biomass energy resources; an overview of appropriate conversion technologies and markets for biomass in Romania; and estimates of the economic and environmental impacts of the utilization of biomass energy. Finally, optimal strategies for near-, medium- and long-term biomass energy development, as well as observations and recommendations concerning policy, legislative and institutional issues affecting the development of biomass energy in Romania are presented. The most promising near-term biomass energy options include the use of biomass in district heating systems; cofiring of biomass in existing coal-fired power plants or combined heat and power plants; and using co-generation systems in thriving industries to optimize the efficient use of biomass resources. Mid-term and long-term opportunities include improving the efficiency of wood stoves used for cooking and heating in rural areas; repairing the reputation of biogasification to take advantage of livestock wastes

Romania biomass energy. Country study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnham, M.; Easterly, J.L.; Mark, P.E.; Keller, A.

1995-01-01

The present report was prepared under contract to UNIDO to conduct a case study of biomass energy use and potential in Romania. The purpose of the case study is to provide a specific example of biomass energy issues and potential in the context of the economic transition under way in eastern Europe. The transition of Romania to a market economy is proceeding at a somewhat slower pace than in other countries of eastern Europe. Unfortunately, the former regime forced the use of biomass energy with inadequate technology and infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. The resulting poor performance thus severely damaged the reputation of biomass energy in Romania as a viable, reliable resource. Today, efforts to rejuvenate biomass energy and tap into its multiple benefits are proving challenging. Several sound biomass energy development strategies were identified through the case study, on the basis of estimates of availability and current use of biomass resources; suggestions for enhancing potential biomass energy resources; an overview of appropriate conversion technologies and markets for biomass in Romania; and estimates of the economic and environmental impacts of the utilization of biomass energy. Finally, optimal strategies for near-, medium- and long-term biomass energy development, as well as observations and recommendations concerning policy, legislative and institutional issues affecting the development of biomass energy in Romania are presented. The most promising near-term biomass energy options include the use of biomass in district heating systems; cofiring of biomass in existing coal-fired power plants or combined heat and power plants; and using co-generation systems in thriving industries to optimize the efficient use of biomass resources. Mid-term and long-term opportunities include improving the efficiency of wood stoves used for cooking and heating in rural areas; repairing the reputation of biogasification to take advantage of livestock wastes

Biomass energy resource enhancement: the move to modern secondary energy forms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Craig, K; Overend, R P [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO (United States)

1995-12-01

Income growth and industrialization in developing countries is driving their economies towards the use of secondary energy forms that deliver high efficiency energy and environmentally more benignant-uses for biomass. Typical of these secondary energy forms are electricity, distributed gas systems and liquid fuels. This trend suggests that the hitherto separate pathways taken by biomass energy technology development in developing and industrialized countries will eventually share common elements. While in the United States and the European Union the majority of the bioenergy applications are in medium- and large-scale industrial uses of self-generated biomass residues, the characteristic use in developing countries is in rural cook-stoves. Increasing urbanization and investment in transportation infrastructure may allow increasing the operational scale in developing countries. One factor driving this trend is diminishing individual and household biomass resource demands as rural incomes increase and households ascend the energy ladder towards clean and efficient fuels and appliances. Scale increases and end-user separation from the biomass resource require that the biomass be converted at high efficiency into secondary energy forms that serve as energy carriers. In middle-income developing country economies such as Brazil, secondary energy transmission is increasingly in the form of gas and electricity in addition to liquid transportation fuels. Unfortunately, the biomass resource is finite, and in the face of competing food and fibre uses and land constraints, it is difficult to substantially increase the amount of biomass available. As a result, development must emphasize conversion efficiency and the applications of bioenergy. Moreover, as a consequence of economic growth, biomass resources are increasingly to be found in the secondary and tertiary waste streams of cities and industrial operations. If not used for energy production, this potential resource needs

Biomass energy resource enhancement: the move to modern secondary energy forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Craig, K.; Overend, R.P.

1995-01-01

Income growth and industrialization in developing countries is driving their economies towards the use of secondary energy forms that deliver high efficiency energy and environmentally more benignant-uses for biomass. Typical of these secondary energy forms are electricity, distributed gas systems and liquid fuels. This trend suggests that the hitherto separate pathways taken by biomass energy technology development in developing and industrialized countries will eventually share common elements. While in the United States and the European Union the majority of the bioenergy applications are in medium- and large-scale industrial uses of self-generated biomass residues, the characteristic use in developing countries is in rural cook-stoves. Increasing urbanization and investment in transportation infrastructure may allow increasing the operational scale in developing countries. One factor driving this trend is diminishing individual and household biomass resource demands as rural incomes increase and households ascend the energy ladder towards clean and efficient fuels and appliances. Scale increases and end-user separation from the biomass resource require that the biomass be converted at high efficiency into secondary energy forms that serve as energy carriers. In middle-income developing country economies such as Brazil, secondary energy transmission is increasingly in the form of gas and electricity in addition to liquid transportation fuels. Unfortunately, the biomass resource is finite, and in the face of competing food and fibre uses and land constraints, it is difficult to substantially increase the amount of biomass available. As a result, development must emphasize conversion efficiency and the applications of bioenergy. Moreover, as a consequence of economic growth, biomass resources are increasingly to be found in the secondary and tertiary waste streams of cities and industrial operations. If not used for energy production, this potential resource needs

Biomass energy - Definitions, resources and transformation processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damien, Alain

2013-01-01

Biomass energy is today considered as a new renewable energy source, and thus, has entered a regulatory framework aiming at encouraging its development for CO 2 pollution abatement. This book addresses the constraints, both natural and technological, of the exploitation of the biomass resource, and then the economical and regulatory aspects of this industry. This second edition provides a complement about the plants used and the new R and D progresses made in this domain. Content: 1 - Definitions and general considerations: natural organic products, regulatory and standardized definitions, energy aspects of biomass fuels; 2 - Resources: energy production dedicated crops, biomass by-products, biomass from wastes; 3 - Biomass to energy transformation processes: combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction, methanation, alcoholic fermentation, landfill biogas, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, methanol synthesis, trans-esterification, synthetic natural gas production, bio-hydrogen production; 4 - Biofuels: solid fuels, solid automotive biofuels, gaseous biofuels, liquid biofuels, comparative efficiency; 5 - Situation of biomass energy: regulations, impact on non-energy purpose biomass, advantages and drawbacks

Biomass energy in Central America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blanco, J M [Biomass Users` Network, Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean, San Jose (Costa Rica)

1995-12-01

The objective of this paper is to introduce the concept of biomass to energy issues and opportunities in Central America. In this region, made up of seven countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), the biomass sector has the potential to play a crucial role in alleviating the environmental and development predicaments faced by all economies of the region. This paper assesses the available biomass resources at the regional and country levels and gives an overview of the current utilization of biomass fuels. It also describes the overall context in which the biomass-to-energy initiatives are immersed. At the regional level, biomass energy consumption accounts for more than 50% of total energy consumption. In regard to the utilization of biomass for energy purposes, it is clear that Central America faces a critical juncture at two levels, both mainly in rural areas: in the productive sector and at the household level. The absence of sustainable development policies and practices has jeopardized the availability of biomass fuels, particularly wood. Firewood is an important source of energy for rural industries such as coffee processing, which is one of the largest productive activities in the region. This paper comments on some of the most successful technological innovations already in place in the region, for instance, the rapid development of co-generation projects by the sugar cane industry, especially in El Salvador and Guatemala, the substitution of coffee husks for firewood in coffee processing plants in Costa Rica and El Salvador and the sustainable use of pine forests for co-generation in Honduras. Only one out of every two inhabitants in Central America now has access to electricity from the public grid. Biomass fuels, mainly firewood but also, to a lesser extent, other crop residues such as corn stalks, are the main source of energy for cooking and heating by most of the population. (It is foreseen that by the end

Biomass energy in Central America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco, J.M.

1995-01-01

The objective of this paper is to introduce the concept of biomass to energy issues and opportunities in Central America. In this region, made up of seven countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), the biomass sector has the potential to play a crucial role in alleviating the environmental and development predicaments faced by all economies of the region. This paper assesses the available biomass resources at the regional and country levels and gives an overview of the current utilization of biomass fuels. It also describes the overall context in which the biomass-to-energy initiatives are immersed. At the regional level, biomass energy consumption accounts for more than 50% of total energy consumption. In regard to the utilization of biomass for energy purposes, it is clear that Central America faces a critical juncture at two levels, both mainly in rural areas: in the productive sector and at the household level. The absence of sustainable development policies and practices has jeopardized the availability of biomass fuels, particularly wood. Firewood is an important source of energy for rural industries such as coffee processing, which is one of the largest productive activities in the region. This paper comments on some of the most successful technological innovations already in place in the region, for instance, the rapid development of co-generation projects by the sugar cane industry, especially in El Salvador and Guatemala, the substitution of coffee husks for firewood in coffee processing plants in Costa Rica and El Salvador and the sustainable use of pine forests for co-generation in Honduras. Only one out of every two inhabitants in Central America now has access to electricity from the public grid. Biomass fuels, mainly firewood but also, to a lesser extent, other crop residues such as corn stalks, are the main source of energy for cooking and heating by most of the population. (It is foreseen that by the end

Energy biomass and environment. The French programme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-12-31

The main themes of the french program for energy from biomass are presented: agriculture and forest products (short rotation plantations, waste products, etc.), enhancement of the biomass production, mobilization of biomass resources, biomass processing technics (biofuels, combustion processes, biotechnologies); vulgarization for diffusion of technics from laboratories to industry or domestic sectors.

Energy from biomass. Summaries of the Biomass Projects carried out as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's New and Renewable Energy Programme. Vol. 3: converting wood fuel to energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-01

These volumes of summaries provide easy access to the many projects carried out in the Energy from Biomass programme area as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's New and Renewable Energy Programme. The summaries in this volume cover contractor reports on the subject published up to December 1997. (author)

Promoting the energy structure optimization around Chinese Beijing-Tianjin area by developing biomass energy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Li; Sun, Du; Wang, Shi-Yu; Zhao, Feng-Qing

2017-06-01

In recent years, remarkable achievements in the utilization of biomass energy have been made in China. However, there are still some problems, such as irrational industry layout, immature existing market survival mechanism and lack of core competitiveness. On the basis of investigation and research, some recommendations and strategies are proposed for the development of biomass energy around Chinese Beijing-Tianjin area: scientific planning and precise laying out of biomass industry; rationalizing the relationship between government and enterprises and promoting the establishment of a market-oriented survival mechanism; combining ‘supply side’ with ‘demand side’ to optimize product structure; extending industrial chain to promote industry upgrading and sustainable development; and comprehensive co-ordinating various types of biomass resources and extending product chain to achieve better economic benefits.

Switchgrass a valuable biomass crop for energy

CERN Document Server

2012-01-01

The demand of renewable energies is growing steadily both from policy and from industry which seeks environmentally friendly feed stocks. The recent policies enacted by the EU, USA and other industrialized countries foresee an increased interest in the cultivation of energy crops; there is clear evidence that switchgrass is one of the most promising biomass crop for energy production and bio-based economy and compounds. Switchgrass: A Valuable Biomass Crop for Energy provides a comprehensive guide to  switchgrass in terms of agricultural practices, potential use and markets, and environmental and social benefits. Considering this potential energy source from its biology, breed and crop physiology to its growth and management to the economical, social and environmental impacts, Switchgrass: A Valuable Biomass Crop for Energy brings together chapters from a range of experts in the field, including a foreword from Kenneth P. Vogel, to collect and present the environmental benefits and characteristics of this a ...

Analysis of the use of biomass as an energy alternative for the Portuguese textile dyeing industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nunes, L.J.R.; Matias, J.C.O.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2015-01-01

The energy efficiency and the development of environmentally correct policies are current topics, especially when applied to the industrial sector with the objective of increasing the competitiveness of the enterprises. Portuguese textile dyeing sector, being a major consumer sector of primary energy, needs to adopt measures to improve its competitiveness. Biomass appears to be a viable and preferred alternative energy source for the sector, while simultaneously develops an entire forest industry devoted to the supply of forest solid fuels. This work carries out a comprehensive PEST (political, economic, social and technological) analysis, which analyses Political, Economic, Social and Technological aspects of the replacement of the fossil fuels traditionally used in this sector by biomass, providing a framework of environmental factors that influence the strategic management of the companies. The main advantages are the reduction of external dependence on imported fuel due to the use of an endogenous renewable resource, the creation and preservation of jobs, the increased competitiveness of the sector by reducing energy costs, the use of national technology and the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions. - Highlights: • The Portuguese textile dyeing sector, being a major consumer sector of primary energy, is addressed. • Biomass is a viable and preferred alternative energy source for the sector. • A PEST (political, economic, social and technological) analysis is carried out. • The implications of the replacement of fossil fuels with biomass are studied

Inventory of the possibilities to process biomass using the existing industrial infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Aart, F.J.J.M.; Barkhuysen, K.

1999-07-01

In the Netherlands, the government has formulated objectives for stimulating the use of sustainable energy and reducing CO 2 emissions. The replacement of fossil fuels by biomass is a major cornerstone of this policy. This has already resulted in a number of study projects, experiments and, in some cases, implementation projects in the co-fuelling of biomass in pulverised coal- or gas-fired power stations. Since the total energy use in the Netherlands depends only in part on power stations, it is still the question whether the total potential for the application of biomass in the Netherlands is being utilised. In order to study this question, Novem commissioned KEMA to make an inventory of the possibilities of processing biomass in industry via the existing infrastructure. The most important umbrella organisations, interest groups, sector organisations and leading companies have been approached in order to obtain insight into the potential of using biomass, and the willingness to do so. The following sectors of industry were selected: foodstuffs and luxury foods, chemicals, building materials, basic metals, metal products, glass and the fodder drying industry. In the cement industry and in the fodder drying industry, there is interest and there exist possibilities for using biomass as an alternative to fossil fuels in the existing industrial processes. The recommendation is to study in greater detail the feasibility of using biomass in the fodder drying industry. In the other sectors of industry which were investigated, there appeared to be little opportunity to use biomass in industrial processes. 4 refs

Biomass Energy Production in California: The Case for a Biomass Policy Initiative; Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, G.

2000-12-14

During the 1980s California developed the largest and most divers biomass energy industry in the world. Biomass energy production has become an important component of the state's environmental infrastructure, diverting solid wastes from open burning and disposal in landfills to a beneficial use application.

Energy from biomass. Summaries of the Biomass Projects carried out as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's New and Renewable Energy Programme. Vol. 5: straw, poultry litter and energy crops as energy sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-01-01

These volumes of summaries provide easy access to the many projects carried out in the Energy from Biomass programme area as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's New and Renewable Energy Programme. The summaries in this volume cover contractor reports on the subject published up to December 1997. (author)

Biomass energy: status and future trends for Quebec

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bissonnette, V.

1996-01-01

The current status of biomass energy in the Province of Quebec was reviewed. For electrical energy production uses, biomass combustibles include peat, forestry, agro-food and urban waste products. These materials are used directly as combustibles in the production of electricity, or are first processed through gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion or fermentation into combustible products. In Quebec, 176.2 MW of electricity is produced yearly from biomass materials, mostly waste products of the forestry industry. New biomass avenues are actively being explored, including bio- gases produced from municipal landfill sites, gasification of used automobile tires and combustion of demolition waste. Although their contribution is minimal, biomass materials can nevertheless contribute a few hundred megawatts of energy to the Province's overall energy budget. 2 figs

Role of biomass in global energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Best, G.; Christensen, R.; Christensen, J.

2003-01-01

Bioenergy is energy of biological and renewable origin, normally in the form of purpose-grown energy crops or by-products from agriculture, forestry or fisheries. Biomass provides approximately 11-14% of the world's energy, but there are significant differences between industrialised and developing countries. In many developing countries biomass is the most important energy source. As a global average, biomass provides approximately 35% of developing countries' energy, but there are large regional differences. Many sub-Saharan African countries depend on biomass for up to 90% of their energy indicating that they have little in the way of industry or other modern activities. In the last decade interest in bioenergy has increased in industrialised countries partly due to growing concern about climate change, technological advances in biomass conversion, increasing focus on security of energy supply, and increasing interest in renewable energy generally. Two trends emerge: The developing countries will in general aim to reduce their dependence on traditional bioenergy. The relative share of bioenergy in the energy balance will therefore go down, though the number of people depending on traditional bioenergy probably will remain constant, with corresponding consequences for health and resources. Industrialised countries, plus a number of developing countries, will aim to increase their use of modern bioenergy technologies. With the traditional association of bioenergy as old fashioned and for the poor, the recent interest in biomass resources has invented a new term 'modern bioenergy' which covers a number of technological areas from combustion at domestic, industrial or power plant scale, gasification, hydrolysis, pyrolysis, extraction, digestion etc. There are some barriers to the increased use of bioenergy, but they can be overcome through dedicated interventions by public and private sector entities. (BA)

The potentials of biomass as renewable energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edens, J.J.

1994-01-01

Biomass is a term used in the context of energy to define a range of products derived from photosynthesis. Annually large amounts of solar energy is stored in the leaves, stems and branches of plants. Of the various renewable sources of energy, biomass is thus unique in that it represents stored solar energy. In addition it is the only source of carbon, and it may be converted into convenient solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Biomass, principally in the form of wood, is humankind's oldest form of energy, and has been used to fuel both domestic and industrial activities. Traditional use has been, through direct combustion, a process still used extensively in many parts of the world. Biomass is a renewable and indigenous resource that requires little or no foreign exchange. But it is a dispersed, labor-intensive and land requiring source of energy and may avoid or reduce problems of waste disposal. We'll try to assess the potential contribution of biomass to the future world energy supply. 4 refs., 6 tabs

Developing business in emerging biomass energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadyszewski, J.

2005-01-01

Global market trends for forest products were reviewed in this PowerPoint presentation. The status of biomass energy products in relation to climate change and renewable energy portfolio standards was also examined. It was noted that China has increased investment in processing capacity and has increased imports of raw logs. India has doubled its imports of raw logs. Details of major tropical log producers and consumers were presented. Details of the biomass industry in the United States were presented, as well as data on fuel use at biomass energy plants and biomass energy capacity. An overview of biomass energy in the Russian far east and Siberia was presented, as well as details of activities and opportunities in Brazil and Indonesia. An economic analysis for small dry kilns was presented. Issues concerning boiler capacity in Russian companies for 2001-2005 were discussed. A case study of a biomass project from Congo was presented. It was noted that projects that replace fossil fuels can obtain revenues from the sale of carbon benefits, and that biomass energy offers the most attractive current option for the removal of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the atmosphere. Details of a district heating project in Siberia were presented, and it was noted that in remote regions, costs for heat and power from biomass can be lower than costs from diesel and coal. It was concluded that there will be significant growth for biomass energy systems in the developing world, and that climate change will be an increasingly important element in advancing biomass energy. tabs., figs

Environmental implications of increased biomass energy use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miles, T.R. Sr.; Miles, T.R. Jr. (Miles (Thomas R.), Portland, OR (United States))

1992-03-01

This study reviews the environmental implications of continued and increased use of biomass for energy to determine what concerns have been and need to be addressed and to establish some guidelines for developing future resources and technologies. Although renewable biomass energy is perceived as environmentally desirable compared with fossil fuels, the environmental impact of increased biomass use needs to be identified and recognized. Industries and utilities evaluating the potential to convert biomass to heat, electricity, and transportation fuels must consider whether the resource is reliable and abundant, and whether biomass production and conversion is environmentally preferred. A broad range of studies and events in the United States were reviewed to assess the inventory of forest, agricultural, and urban biomass fuels; characterize biomass fuel types, their occurrence, and their suitability; describe regulatory and environmental effects on the availability and use of biomass for energy; and identify areas for further study. The following sections address resource, environmental, and policy needs. Several specific actions are recommended for utilities, nonutility power generators, and public agencies.

Potential of forestry biomass for energy in economies in transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apalovic, R.

1995-01-01

A rapid increase in the world's population, the gradual exhaustion of fossil fuels and serious ecological problems are making developed countries more attentive to the utilization of renewable energy sources, mainly biomass, which should form part of the global energy mix during the twenty-first century. The economies in transition have been experiencing a transformation of their political, economic and social systems and a modernization of their industry, including the energy industry. Energy supply in the transition economies is based on coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Of the renewable sources, only hydroelectric power is utilized to any significant extent. The forest biomass resources of these economies are quantified in this paper. The economies in transition have a big potential for biomass from forestry and timber industry wastes and agricultural wastes that are not being utilized and could become a source of energy. So far, biomass is used as a source of energy in only small amounts in the wood and pulp industries and as fuelwood in forestry. The governments of some countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia) have energy plans through the year 2010 that aim to develop renewable energy sources. Economic, institutional, technical and other barriers to the development of renewable sources and their utilization are analysed in this paper and some remedies are proposed. In cooperation with countries such as Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the United States of America and others, which have achieved remarkable results in the utilization of biomass for energy, it would be possible for the transition economies to quickly develop the technological know-how needed to satisfy the demand for energy of approximately 350 million inhabitants. (author)

Achieving sustainable biomass conversion to energy and bio products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteson, G. C.

2009-01-01

The present effort in to maximize biomass conversion-to-energy and bio products is examined in terms of sustain ability practices. New goals, standards in practice, measurements and certification are needed for the sustainable biomass industry. Sustainable practices produce biomass energy and products in a manner that is secure, renewable, accessible locally, and pollution free. To achieve sustainable conversion, some new goals are proposed. (Author)

The California biomass industry prepares itself for a world of competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, G.

1997-01-01

Responding to burgeoning environmental concerns and a pair of oil crises during the 1970s, California developed a strong program to promote the development of its renewable energy sources. By the early 1990s California led the world in the production of power using a variety of renewable resources, including biomass. However, world energy markets had also undergone radical change, and California was awash in cheap natural gas. With deregulation of the California electricity industry looming on the horizon, the future commercial viability of renewable energy production in general, and biomass production in particular, are in doubt. Renewable energy generators provide important benefits to the state's power system that are not reflected in the market price for wholesale electricity. These benefits include environmental advantages, rural employment and economic development, and resource diversity. In order to preserve these benefits, the biomass industry has proposed initiatives including the renewable portfolio standard and cost shifting strategies. Cost shifting transfers some of the costs of biomass power production away from the electric ratepayer and onto the beneficiaries of the services it provides. (author)

Current and potential utilisation of biomass energy in Fiji

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, S.

1990-01-01

Energy from biomass accounts for an average of 43% of the primary energy used in developing countries, with some countries totally dependent on biomass for all their energy needs. The most common use for biomass for energy is the provision of heat for cooking and heating; other uses include steam and electricity generation and crop and food drying. Fiji, a developing country, uses energy from wood and coconut wastes for cooking and copra drying. Bagasse from sugar mills is used to generate process steam as well as some 15 MW of electricity, for mill consumption and for sale to the national grid. Other, relatively small scale uses for biomass include the generation of steam and electricity for industry. This paper attempts to quantify the amount of biomass, in its various forms, available in Fiji and assesses the current potential utilisation of biomass for energy in Fiji. (author)

Potential of forestry biomass for energy in economies in transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Apalovic, R [State Forest Products Research Institute and Slovak Biomass Association, Bratislava (Slovakia)

1995-12-01

A rapid increase in the world`s population, the gradual exhaustion of fossil fuels and serious ecological problems are making developed countries more attentive to the utilization of renewable energy sources, mainly biomass, which should form part of the global energy mix during the twenty-first century. The economies in transition have been experiencing a transformation of their political, economic and social systems and a modernization of their industry, including the energy industry. Energy supply in the transition economies is based on coal, oil, gas and nuclear power. Of the renewable sources, only hydroelectric power is utilized to any significant extent. The forest biomass resources of these economies are quantified in this paper. The economies in transition have a big potential for biomass from forestry and timber industry wastes and agricultural wastes that are not being utilized and could become a source of energy. So far, biomass is used as a source of energy in only small amounts in the wood and pulp industries and as fuelwood in forestry. The governments of some countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia) have energy plans through the year 2010 that aim to develop renewable energy sources. Economic, institutional, technical and other barriers to the development of renewable sources and their utilization are analysed in this paper and some remedies are proposed. In cooperation with countries such as Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the United States of America and others, which have achieved remarkable results in the utilization of biomass for energy, it would be possible for the transition economies to quickly develop the technological know-how needed to satisfy the demand for energy of approximately 350 million inhabitants. (author) 6 refs, 4 figs, 4 tabs

Potential contribution of biomass to the sustainable energy development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirbas, M. Fatih; Balat, Mustafa; Balat, Havva

2009-01-01

Biomass is a renewable energy source and its importance will increase as national energy policy and strategy focuses more heavily on renewable sources and conservation. Biomass is considered the renewable energy source with the highest potential to contribute to the energy needs of modern society for both the industrialized and developing countries worldwide. The most important biomass energy sources are wood and wood wastes, agricultural crops and their waste byproducts, municipal solid waste, animal wastes, waste from food processing, and aquatic plants and algae. Biomass is one potential source of renewable energy and the conversion of plant material into a suitable form of energy, usually electricity or as a fuel for an internal combustion engine, can be achieved using a number of different routes, each with specific pros and cons. Currently, much research has been focused on sustainable and environmental friendly energy from biomass to replace conventional fossil fuels. The main objective of the present study is to investigate global potential and use of biomass energy and its contribution to the sustainable energy development by presenting its historical development.

The determination of mercury content in the biomass untended for industrial power plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiktor Magdalena

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass is one of the oldest and most widely used renewable energy sources. The biomass is the whole organic matter of vegetable or animal origin which is biodegradable. Biomass includes leftovers from agricultural production, forestry residues, and industrial and municipal waste. The use of biomass in the power industry has become a standard and takes place in Poland and other European countries. This paper discusses the correlation of mercury content in different biomass types used in the power industry and in products of biomass combustion. Different biomass types, which are currently burned in a commercial power plant in Poland, were discussed. A photographic documentation of different biomass types, such as straw briquettes, wood briquettes, pellets from energy crops (sunflower husk and wood husk, wood pellets, wood chips, and agro-biomass (seeds was carried out. The presented paper discusses the results obtained for 15 biomass samples. Five selected biomass samples were burned in controlled conditions in the laboratory at the University of Silesia. The ash resulting from the combustion of five biomass samples was tested for mercury content. A total of twenty biomass samples and its combustion products were tested. Based on the obtained results, it was found that any supply of biomass, regardless of its type, is characterized by variable mercury content in dry matter. In the case of e.g. wood chips, the spread of results reaches 235.1 μm/kg (in dry matter. Meanwhile, the highest mercury content, 472.4 μm/kg (in dry matter was recorded in the biomass of straw, wood pellets, and pellets from energy crops (sunflower husk. In the case of combustion products of five selected biomass types, a three or four fold increase in the mercury content has been observed.

Biomass Energy Basics | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Biomass Energy Basics Biomass Energy Basics We have used biomass energy, or "bioenergy" keep warm. Wood is still the largest biomass energy resource today, but other sources of biomass can landfills (which are methane, the main component in natural gas) can be used as a biomass energy source. A

Sustainable electricity generation from oil palm biomass wastes in Malaysia: An industry survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umar, Mohd Shaharin; Jennings, Philip; Urmee, Tania

2014-01-01

The biomass wastes from the palm oil industry offer great potential for large-scale power generation in Malaysia. It has been estimated that 85.5% of available biomass in the country comes from oil palm agriculture. The introduction of the FiT (Feed-in Tariff) regime in 2011, which superseded the underperforming SREP (Small Renewable Energy Power) scheme, is expected to catalyse and accelerate the development of the renewable energy industry, including biomass technology. Despite a major overhaul of the market structure under the new scheme, the sustainability of the grid-connected oil palm biomass renewable energy industry downstream components remains questionable. Hence, this paper aims to investigate and analyse the market response to six sustainability-related topics. The research methods include electronic and conventional postal modes to disseminate questionnaires to all of the palm oil producers. The returned questionnaires were then analysed with a statistical tool and inferences were drawn to identify the gaps in the existing policy system. The survey identified several key factors for the government's consideration. - Highlights: • Establishing a fuel collection hub. • Centralising a technology hub facility. • Smart-partnership collaboration for building a large scale biomass plant. • Adopting decentralised generation

Biomass as an energy source: an Asian-Pacific perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kyi, Lwin [Energy Resources Section, Environment and Natural Resources Management Division, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Building, Bangkok (Thailand)

1995-12-01

Biomass is the most commonly used renewable source of energy in the region covered by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, making up an average of 50% of energy supplies in the developing countries. However, experience over the past one and a half decades in rural energy supply in the ESCAP region suggests that biomass resources are unlikely to compete with conventional supplies in meeting expanded rural energy needs for fuel, electricity and fertilizers. Nevertheless, biomass, especially wood and agricultural residues, will remain the main energy source in most countries of the region for the next two decades. The development of biomass energy systems in the ESCAP region is at different stages for different types of biomass resources. Efforts have been concentrated in six areas: direct combustion, gasification, co-generation, anaerobic digestion, densification and dendrothermal processes. Among the biomass technologies presently being promoted in the region, biogas and cooking stove programmes are the largest in terms of scale, operations and coverage. Co-generation is promising as its economic advantages make it attractive to industrial consumers, particularly the booming food and fibre production and processing industries, which produce enough biomass feedstock to warrant installing co-generation facilities. Despite its potential, the production of liquid fuel from energy crops is presently taking place in only a few countries. The major constraints on extending the use of biomass include the difficulty of assessing resources, poor local acceptance of technology (mainly for social and economic reasons), lack of financial resources and manpower, environmental concerns, the absence of up-to-date local technology and the lack of after-sales services. Appropriate technologies to develop and harness the region`s vast biomass resource base to augment energy supplies, particularly in rural areas, has been a major issue in the developing

Biomass as an energy source: an Asian-Pacific perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lwin Kyi

1995-01-01

Biomass is the most commonly used renewable source of energy in the region covered by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, making up an average of 50% of energy supplies in the developing countries. However, experience over the past one and a half decades in rural energy supply in the ESCAP region suggests that biomass resources are unlikely to compete with conventional supplies in meeting expanded rural energy needs for fuel, electricity and fertilizers. Nevertheless, biomass, especially wood and agricultural residues, will remain the main energy source in most countries of the region for the next two decades. The development of biomass energy systems in the ESCAP region is at different stages for different types of biomass resources. Efforts have been concentrated in six areas: direct combustion, gasification, co-generation, anaerobic digestion, densification and dendrothermal processes. Among the biomass technologies presently being promoted in the region, biogas and cooking stove programmes are the largest in terms of scale, operations and coverage. Co-generation is promising as its economic advantages make it attractive to industrial consumers, particularly the booming food and fibre production and processing industries, which produce enough biomass feedstock to warrant installing co-generation facilities. Despite its potential, the production of liquid fuel from energy crops is presently taking place in only a few countries. The major constraints on extending the use of biomass include the difficulty of assessing resources, poor local acceptance of technology (mainly for social and economic reasons), lack of financial resources and manpower, environmental concerns, the absence of up-to-date local technology and the lack of after-sales services. Appropriate technologies to develop and harness the region's vast biomass resource base to augment energy supplies, particularly in rural areas, has been a major issue in the developing

Assessment of potential biomass energy production in China towards 2030 and 2050

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Guangling

2016-01-01

The objective of this paper is to provide a more detailed picture of potential biomass energy production in the Chinese energy system towards 2030 and 2050. Biomass for bioenergy feedstocks comes from five sources, which are agricultural crop residues, forest residues and industrial wood waste, energy crops and woody crops, animal manure, and municipal solid waste. The potential biomass production is predicted based on the resource availability. In the process of identifying biomass resources...

Limiting biomass consumption for heating in 100% renewable energy systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Lund, Henrik; Connolly, David

2012-01-01

-scale solar thermal, large heat pumps, geothermal heat, industrial surplus heat, and waste incineration. Where the energy density in the building stock is not high enough for DH to be economical, geothermal heat pumps can be recommended for individual heating systems, even though biomass consumption is higher......The utilisation of biomass poses large challenges in renewable energy systems while buildings account for a substantial part of the energy supply even in 100% renewable energy systems. In this paper the focus is on how the heating sector can reduce its consumption of biomass, thus leaving biomass...... for other sectors, but while still enabling a 100% renewable energy system. The analyses of heating technologies shows that district heating (DH) systems are important in limiting the dependence on biomass and create cost effective solutions. DH systems are especially important in renewable energy systems...

Issues of geothermal and biomass energy efficiency in agriculture, industry, transports and domestic consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia Nistor

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Increasing energy efficiency should be a concern for both the firm managers and any leader at any level, given that energy efficiency significantly reduce production costs. An important aspect of this is the use of renewable energy sources, in different types of activities, depending on the possibilities to produce it on favorable terms, to supply at relatively low costs and to efficiently consume it both in the producing units and the households. A skilful and powerful leader will seek and support, through its influence, all the means that determine the reduction of the production costs and obtain a profit as high as possible. Wider use of renewable energy promotes concern for the environment through clean energy, for reducing pollution and for facilitate, in some cases, even the increase of the production with the same costs or lower costs. In agriculture, industry, transports and household consumption, a high importance presents the geothermal energy and the biomass as source of energy.

Role of forest biomass energy in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sattar, M.A.

1996-01-01

Forest biomass holds a significant position for energy production in developing countries. Its importance is elucidated through various activities performed by the rural industries. The socio-economic and environmental aspects in utilizing this type of energy are also discussed. (Author)

Biomass living energy; Biomasse l'energie vivante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-01

Any energy source originating from organic matter is biomass, which even today is the basic source of energy for more than a quarter of humanity. Best known for its combustible properties, biomass is also used to produce biofuels. This information sheet provides also information on the electricity storage from micro-condensers to hydroelectric dams, how to save energy facing the increasing of oil prices and supply uncertainties, the renewable energies initiatives of Cork (Ireland) and the Switzerland european energy hub. (A.L.B.)

The availability of biomass for energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeevalkink, J.A.; Borsboom, N.W.J.; Sikkema, R.

1997-12-01

The Dutch energy policy aims at 75 PJ energy production from biomass in the Netherlands by the year 2020. This requires the development of a biomass market for biomass fuels so that suppliers as well as users can sell and buy biomass, respectively. The study concentrates on the contribution that information about biomass supply and demand can make to the realization of such a market for biomass fuels and stimulating its functioning. During the study, an inventory was made of public information on biomass quantities that are expected to become available for energy production in the short term. It was proposed to set up a database that contains information about the supply and suppliers of forest wood (specifically thinnings), (clean) waste wood from wood-processing industries, used timber and green wood waste from public parks. On the basis of rough estimates it can be concluded that these biomass flows account for an approximate annual quantity of 900,000 tonnes of dry biomass, or an annual 16,000 W energy production. This quantity would cover 66% of the goal set for the year 2000 and 20% of the goal set for 2020. Various database models were described and discussed during a workshop which was organized for potentially interested parties so as to find out their interest in and potential support for such an information system. Though the results of the survey conducted earlier suggested otherwise, it turned out that there was only minor interest in an information system, i.e. there was an interest in a survey of the companies involved in biomass supply and demand. In addition, most parties preferred bilateral confidential contacts to contract biomass. The opinion of many parties was that Novem's major tasks were to characterize biomass quality, and to give support to the discussions about the legal framework for using (waste) wood for energy production. It was concluded that at this moment a database must not be set up; in the future, however, there could be a

The use of biomass energy in the pulp and paper industry and the prospects for black liquor gasification combined cycle generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, L.J.

1995-01-01

The world production of paper and paperboard products, which increased 3.3% per year since 1980, reached 243 million tonnes in 1991 and is expected to continue to grow by about 2.5% per year over the next decade. Consumption levels in 1990 ranged from 2.8 kg per capita in India to 313 kg per capita in the United States. The biggest producers of pulp are the United States, Canada and the Scandinavian countries, but much of the expansion of pulp production capacity is taking place in countries such as Brazil, Chile and Indonesia. The pulp and paper industry has always relied on biomass as a fuel source to meet process energy demands. Kraft pulping is the most common process accounting for about two thirds of world wood pulp production. Energy recovered from burning black liquor, a lignin-rich by-product, in a chemicals recovery boiler typically provides most of the on-site demand for heat and electricity in a modem kraft pulp mill. Another important fuel source is bark and wood waste generated at the mill. Aging recovery boilers in industrialized countries and increasing electricity/heat demand ratios are stimulating interest in alternative co-generation technologies. Most of the interest in new biomass and black liquor co-generation technologies focuses on those that would utilize gas turbines rather than steam turbines. Gas turbines are generally characterized by higher electricity/heat ratios than steam turbines, as well as lower unit capital costs. With the black liquor and biomass gasification technologies that are now being developed and demonstrated, the energy needs of an energy-efficient kraft pulp mill could be met and 40-50 MW of baseload power would be available for export. Using, in addition, currently unused logging residues for fuel would increase that potential. The pulp and paper industry is likely to be an important early market for advanced biomass-based cogeneration technology owing to its access to biomass fuels and the potential for co

The use of biomass energy in the pulp and paper industry and the prospects for black liquor gasification combined cycle generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nilsson, L J [Department of Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, Lund University, Lund (Sweden)

1995-12-01

The world production of paper and paperboard products, which increased 3.3% per year since 1980, reached 243 million tonnes in 1991 and is expected to continue to grow by about 2.5% per year over the next decade. Consumption levels in 1990 ranged from 2.8 kg per capita in India to 313 kg per capita in the United States. The biggest producers of pulp are the United States, Canada and the Scandinavian countries, but much of the expansion of pulp production capacity is taking place in countries such as Brazil, Chile and Indonesia. The pulp and paper industry has always relied on biomass as a fuel source to meet process energy demands. Kraft pulping is the most common process accounting for about two thirds of world wood pulp production. Energy recovered from burning black liquor, a lignin-rich by-product, in a chemicals recovery boiler typically provides most of the on-site demand for heat and electricity in a modem kraft pulp mill. Another important fuel source is bark and wood waste generated at the mill. Aging recovery boilers in industrialized countries and increasing electricity/heat demand ratios are stimulating interest in alternative co-generation technologies. Most of the interest in new biomass and black liquor co-generation technologies focuses on those that would utilize gas turbines rather than steam turbines. Gas turbines are generally characterized by higher electricity/heat ratios than steam turbines, as well as lower unit capital costs. With the black liquor and biomass gasification technologies that are now being developed and demonstrated, the energy needs of an energy-efficient kraft pulp mill could be met and 40-50 MW of baseload power would be available for export. Using, in addition, currently unused logging residues for fuel would increase that potential. The pulp and paper industry is likely to be an important early market for advanced biomass-based cogeneration technology owing to its access to biomass fuels and the potential for co

Prospects of biomass energy in Bangladesh: an alternative development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salahuddin, Ahmed

1998-01-01

Biomass plays an important and complex role in the lives of the people of rural Bangladesh, where more than 80 per cent of the country's population live. The problems relating to biomass do not have to do merely with the question of supply of wood, or of food or of fuel; the problems are linked to competition in the variegations of land-use and to differing end-uses of by-products that may compete with or complement each other. The paper discusses the present pattern and amount of biomass consumption with a view to assessing the future prospect of biomass supply in meeting various needs. Regarding biomass energy supply, several important conclusions can be drawn: a) the energy consumption pattern in Bangladesh is characterized by heavy dependence on traditional fuel; b) the domestic sector uses 80 per cent of the total biomass fuel and c) in the industrial sector, about 76 per cent of the energy used consists of biomass fuel, mainly for processing agricultural products. Several observations are made pertaining to different sectors of biomass fuel demand. (author)

Environmental implications of increased biomass energy use. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miles, T.R. Sr.; Miles, T.R. Jr. [Miles (Thomas R.), Portland, OR (United States)

1992-03-01

This study reviews the environmental implications of continued and increased use of biomass for energy to determine what concerns have been and need to be addressed and to establish some guidelines for developing future resources and technologies. Although renewable biomass energy is perceived as environmentally desirable compared with fossil fuels, the environmental impact of increased biomass use needs to be identified and recognized. Industries and utilities evaluating the potential to convert biomass to heat, electricity, and transportation fuels must consider whether the resource is reliable and abundant, and whether biomass production and conversion is environmentally preferred. A broad range of studies and events in the United States were reviewed to assess the inventory of forest, agricultural, and urban biomass fuels; characterize biomass fuel types, their occurrence, and their suitability; describe regulatory and environmental effects on the availability and use of biomass for energy; and identify areas for further study. The following sections address resource, environmental, and policy needs. Several specific actions are recommended for utilities, nonutility power generators, and public agencies.

A biomass energy flow chart for Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senelwa, K.A.; Hall, D.O.

1993-01-01

Terrestrial (above ground) biomass production and its utilization in Kenya was analyzed for the 1980s. Total biomass energy production was estimated at 2574 x 10 6 GJ per year, most of which (86.7%) is produced on land classified as agricultural. Of the total production, agriculture and forrestry operations resulted in the harvesting of 1138 x 10 6 GJ (44.2% of total production), half of which (602 x 10 6 GJ) was harvested for use as fuel. Only 80 x 10 6 GJ was harvested for food and 63 x 10 6 GJ for industrial (agricultural and forestry) plus other miscellaneous purposes. About 85% of Kenya's energy is from biomass, with a per capita consumption of 18.6 GJ (0.44 toe, tonne oil equivalent) compared to less than 0.1 toe of commercial energy. Use of the biomass resource was found to be extensive involving bulk harvesting but with low utilization efficiencies; as a result the overall losses were quite high. Only 534 x 10 6 GJ (46.9% of harvested biomass) was useful energy. 480 x 10 6 GJ was left unused, as residues and dung, all which was either burnt or left to decompose in the fields. 124 x 10 6 GJ was lost during charcoal manufacture. Intensified use of the harvested biomass at higher efficiencies in order to minimize wastes would decrease the stress on the biomass resource base. (Author)

Biomass energy in the making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2008-01-01

Wood, straw, agricultural residues, organic wastes, biomass is everywhere you look. But the efficient use of this source of green electricity - the world's second largest renewable energy source - requires optimization of biomass collection and combustion processes. Biomass is back on the political agenda. In mid-June of this year, the French government gave this renewable energy a boost by selecting twenty-two projects to generate power and heat with biomass. The plants, to be commissioned by 2010, will be located in eleven different regions and will consume energy from organic plant matter. The power generated will be bought at a firm price of 128 euros per megawatt-hour. Most of the fuel will come from forest and paper industry waste, but straw and even grape pomace will be used in some cases. The plants will have a combined generating capacity of 300 MWh, raising France's installed biomass capacity to a total of 700 MWe. A drop of water in the ocean in the overall scheme of France's electricity. It is true that France has long neglected biomass. In 2004, electricity generated from biological resources represented a mere 1.74 TWhe in France, just 0.3% of its power consumption. This will rise to 0.6% once the new plants have come on line. The trend is the same in all of the EU's 27 member states, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Communities: the amount of electricity generated from biomass (including biogas, municipal waste and wood) has practically doubled in six years, rising from 40 to 80 TWhe between 2000 and 2005. This is an improvement, but it still only represents 2.5% of the electricity supplied to Europeans. On a global scale, biomass contributes just 1% of total electric power generation. Yet biomass is an energy resource found all over the world, whether as agricultural waste, wood chips, or dried treatment plant sludge, to name but a few. Biomass power plants have managed to gain a foothold mainly in countries that produce

Energy from wood biomass: The experience of the Brazilian forest sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Couto, L. [Universidade Federal de Vicosa (Brazil); Graca, L.R. [Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Floresta, Colombo (Brazil); Betters, D.R. [Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)

1993-12-31

Wood biomass is one of the most significant renewable sources of energy in Brazil. Fuelwood and charcoal play a very important role not only for household energy consumption but also for the cement, iron and steel industries. Wood is used as an energy source by the pulp and paper, composite board and other industries of the country, mainly for steam and electricity generation. Ethanol, lignin-based coke and methanol from wood were produced at experimental units in Brazil but were not implemented on a commercial scale. Currently, a new experimental plant using a technology developed in the US is being built in the state of Bahia to generate electricity from Eucalyptus. This technology is a Biomass Integrated Gasification/Gas Turbine process which is expected to make the use of wood biomass economically feasible for electricity generation. Forest plantations are the main source of wood biomass for energy consumption by the Brazilian industrial sector. Fiscal incentives in the 1960s helped the country to begin a massive reforestation program mainly using Eucalyptus and Pinus species. A native species, bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella) has also been used extensively for wood energy plantations in southern Brazil. Technical, economic, social and environmental impacts of these plantation forests are discussed along with a forecast of the future wood energy utilization in Brazil.

Lorraine - The beautiful biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, Pascale

2013-01-01

This article evokes various projects of biomass energy production which have been recently developed and built in north-eastern France, notably for industrial and heating applications. It also outlines that the largest industrial projects have been given up: because of the relative steadiness of gas and coal prices, and of the possible opportunity given by shale gas exploitation, industries have been reluctant in investing installations which take longer time to be written off. The quantities of yearly available wood have been reduced for different reasons: resource accessibility, landscape preservation, vicinity of water harnessing points. These restrictions entailed the definition of threshold for the public support of new projects, a decision with which industrials disagree

Assessment of potential biomass energy production in China towards 2030 and 2050

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Guangling

2018-01-01

The objective of this paper is to provide a more detailed picture of potential biomass energy production in the Chinese energy system towards 2030 and 2050. Biomass for bioenergy feedstocks comes from five sources, which are agricultural crop residues, forest residues and industrial wood waste, energy crops and woody crops, animal manure, and municipal solid waste. The potential biomass production is predicted based on the resource availability. In the process of identifying biomass resources production, assumptions are made regarding arable land, marginal land, crops yields, forest growth rate, and meat consumption and waste production. Four scenarios were designed to describe the potential biomass energy production to elaborate the role of biomass energy in the Chinese energy system in 2030. The assessment shows that under certain restrictions on land availability, the maximum potential biomass energy productions are estimated to be 18,833 and 24,901 PJ in 2030 and 2050.

Biomass energy: Sustainable solution for greenhouse gas emission

Science.gov (United States)

Sadrul Islam, A. K. M.; Ahiduzzaman, M.

2012-06-01

Biomass is part of the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide is produced after combustion of biomass. Over a relatively short timescale, carbon dioxide is renewed from atmosphere during next generation of new growth of green vegetation. Contribution of renewable energy including hydropower, solar, biomass and biofuel in total primary energy consumption in world is about 19%. Traditional biomass alone contributes about 13% of total primary energy consumption in the world. The number of traditional biomass energy users expected to rise from 2.5 billion in 2004 to 2.6 billion in 2015 and to 2.7 billion in 2030 for cooking in developing countries. Residential biomass demand in developing countries is projected to rise from 771 Mtoe in 2004 to 818 Mtoe in 2030. The main sources of biomass are wood residues, bagasse, rice husk, agro-residues, animal manure, municipal and industrial waste etc. Dedicated energy crops such as short-rotation coppice, grasses, sugar crops, starch crops and oil crops are gaining importance and market share as source of biomass energy. Global trade in biomass feedstocks and processed bioenergy carriers are growing rapidly. There are some drawbacks of biomass energy utilization compared to fossil fuels viz: heterogeneous and uneven composition, lower calorific value and quality deterioration due to uncontrolled biodegradation. Loose biomass also is not viable for transportation. Pelletization, briquetting, liquefaction and gasification of biomass energy are some options to solve these problems. Wood fuel production is very much steady and little bit increase in trend, however, the forest land is decreasing, means the deforestation is progressive. There is a big challenge for sustainability of biomass resource and environment. Biomass energy can be used to reduce greenhouse emissions. Woody biomass such as briquette and pellet from un-organized biomass waste and residues could be used for alternative to wood fuel, as a result, forest will be saved and

The role of biomass in US industrial interfuel substitution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Clifton T.

2014-01-01

The role of biomass in US industrial interfuel substitution in the industrial sector has typically been analyzed using data for the four traditional fuels of coal, oil, electricity and natural gas. However, the use of biomass as an industrial fuel in the US has grown, and now exceeds that of coal. Using data from 1960 to 2011, interfuel substitution in the US industrial sector is modeled with a dynamic linear logit model which includes biomass alongside the other four traditional fuels. Adding biomass to the model reduces somewhat the estimated own-price and cross-price elasticities for the other four fuels, while revealing that biomass and natural gas are substitute fuels. This implies that previous studies excluding biomass may have overestimated the potential for interfuel substitution, giving policy makers an inaccurate impression of the ability of carbon taxes or other environmental regulation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. - Highlights: • Biomass usage by the US industrial sector now exceeds coal usage. • Previous interfuel substitution studies have not included biomass as a fuel. • Linear logit model is used to examine role of biomass in interfuel substitution. • Including biomass in the model lowers estimated price elasticities for traditional fuels. • Biomass is found to be a substitute for natural gas for industrial users

The biomass energy industry of northern New England: Lessons for America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Connors, J.F. [Maine State Planning Office, Augusta, ME (United States); Keeney, N.H. III [New Hampshire Governor`s Office of Energy and Community Services, Concord, NH (United States)

1993-12-31

The successful development of biomass energy for electricity generation in northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire) was launched by new innovative public policies and the relative competitive advantages of ample supplies of wood residues and forest biomass. Since 1980 over 600 megawatts of wood-fired capacity has been developed, and generates nearly 20% of the two state electricity supply. What are the factors that account for this dramatic development, and what are the lessons for the rest of the America`s? This paper summarizes the influences of public policies, the importance of extensive resources, the power needs of the utilities, the business/investment opportunities for IPP`s, and native strengths in fuel procurement and wood combustion experience. Conclusions are drawn in the form of lessons for other regions, and jurisdictions concerned with attaining the benefits of biomass energy development.

Forestry biomass for energy use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pettenella, D.; Ciccarese, L.

1992-01-01

This paper first analyses the current and potential market in Italy for wood chips and firewood and assesses the potential economic and environmental benefits of the use of forestry biomass. Here, the paper cites the favourable opportunities offered by Italian forestry policies and legislative initiatives for energy saving. The survey of the principal consumers of forestry biomass leads to the identification of three distinct user categories - families living in rural are as requiring wood fuels for space heating, small industrial firms requiring process heat and urban (elite) users with homes furnished with fireplaces in addition to conventional space heating systems. Tabled consumption data going back to the year 1955 and estimated per capita consumption in industrialized countries are used to make comparative market trend analyses. The paper then reviews the current state-of-the-art in wood furnace design by noting the innovative design, performance, operation and maintenance characteristics of key residential and industrial furnace components (feeding systems, combustion chambers, heating boxes, heat exchangers, control systems, deashing systems, etc.). A list of the main Italian wood furnace manufacturers is also included

Characterization and comparison of biomass produced from various sources: Suggestions for selection of pretreatment technologies in biomass-to-energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Kung-Yuh; Chien, Kuang-Li; Lu, Cheng-Han

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Biomass with higher volatile matter content has a higher carbon conversion rate. ► Applying the suitable pretreatment techniques that will enhance the bioenergy yield. ► The ratio of H 2 O/fixed carbon is a critical factor for enhancing the energy conversion. -- Abstract: This study investigated the characteristics of 26 varieties of biomass produced from forestry, agriculture, municipality, and industry in Taiwan to test their applicability in thermal conversion technologies and evaluation of enhanced energy efficiency. Understanding the reactivity of the tested biomass, the cluster analysis was also used in this research to classify into characteristics groups of biomass. This research also evaluated the feasibility of energy application of tested biomass by comparing it to the physicochemical properties of various coals used in Taiwan’s power plants. The experimental results indicated that the volatile matter content of the all tested biomass was 60% and above. It can be concluded that the higher carbon conversion rate will occur in the thermal conversion process of all tested biomass. Based on the results of lower heating value (LHV) of MSW and non-hazardous industrial sludge, the LHV was lower than other tested biomass that was between 1000 and 1800 kcal/kg. This is due to the higher moisture content of MSW and sludge that resulted in the lower LHV. Besides, the LHV of other tested biomass and their derived fuels was similar to the tested coal. However, the energy densities of woody and agricultural waste were smaller than that of the coal because the bulky densities of woody and agricultural wastes were low. That is, the energy utilization efficiency of woody and agricultural waste was relatively low. To improve the energy density of tested biomass, appropriate pre-treatment technologies, such as shredding, pelletizing or torrefied technologies can be applied, that will enhance the energy utilization efficiency of all tested biomass.

Heating technologies for limiting biomass consumption in 100% renewable energy systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Lund, Henrik; Connolly, David

2011-01-01

district heating enables the use of combined heat and power production (CPH) and other renewable resources than biomass such as large-scale solar thermal, large-heat pumps, geothermal heat, industrial surplus heat etc. which is important for reducing the biomass consumption. Where the energy density......The utilisation of biomass poses large challenges in renewable energy systems and buildings account for a substantial part of the energy supply also in 100% renewable energy systems. The analyses of heating technologies show that district heating systems are especially important in limiting...... the dependence on biomass resources and to create cost effective systems. District heating systems are especially important in renewable energy systems with large amounts of fluctuating renewable energy sources as it enables fuel efficient and lower cost energy systems with thermal heat storages. And also...

Energy from Waste and Biomass - ALTENER Conference held in Estonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roos, Inge

1999-01-01

On November 9-10, 1998 ALTENER Conference Energy from Waste and Biomass took place in the hotel Pirita, Tallinn, Estonia. The Conference was organized by the Swedish National Energy Administration in co-operation with the FEMOPET Estonia and the South Jutland University Centre, Biomass Institute (Denmark). The main topics of the Conference were: collecting biogas from landfall, biogas from municipal sewage treatment, biogas from animal manure, waste heat, biomass from the pulp industry and the sawmill, biomass from forestry, biomass for local and district heating. More than 200 delegates from 14 countries participated in this event. A poster exhibition and two study tours to Paeaeskuela Landfill Plant and Jueri Boiler House were organised too. (author)

Assessment of potential biomass energy production in China towards 2030 and 2050

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhao, Guangling

2016-01-01

The objective of this paper is to provide a more detailed picture of potential biomass energy production in the Chinese energy system towards 2030 and 2050. Biomass for bioenergy feedstocks comes from five sources, which are agricultural crop residues, forest residues and industrial wood waste, e...

Renewable energy--traditional biomass vs. modern biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldemberg, Jose; Teixeira Coelho, Suani

2004-01-01

Renewable energy is basic to reduce poverty and to allow sustainable development. However, the concept of renewable energy must be carefully established, particularly in the case of biomass. This paper analyses the sustainability of biomass, comparing the so-called 'traditional' and 'modern' biomass, and discusses the need for statistical information, which will allow the elaboration of scenarios relevant to renewable energy targets in the world

Energy from biomass. Energie uit biomassa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spaa, J H

1990-11-01

In view of the disadvantages of the use of fossil fuels in producing energy it is worth-while to reconsider the possibilities of biomass to produce energy. Therefore it is necessary to pay attention to production methods, production costs and the consequences of the use of biomass energy for the consumer. Also agreements have to be formulated by governments to control the production and the prices of biomass. Some possibilities to develop biomass production techniques in the Netherlands are mentioned. The results of these developments can be used by developing countries to produce energy from biomass in a more effective and cheaper way than is the case now. 16 refs., 2 ills.

Energy production from biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bestebroer, S.I.

1995-01-01

The aim of the task group 'Energy Production from Biomass', initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, was to identify bottlenecks in the development of biomass for energy production. The bottlenecks were identified by means of a process analysis of clean biomass fuels to the production of electricity and/or heat. The subjects in the process analysis are the potential availability of biomass, logistics, processing techniques, energy use, environmental effects, economic impact, and stimulation measures. Three categories of biomass are distinguished: organic residual matter, imported biomass, and energy crops, cultivated in the Netherlands. With regard to the processing techniques attention is paid to co-firing of clean biomass in existing electric power plants (co-firing in a coal-fired power plant or co-firing of fuel gas from biomass in a coal-fired or natural gas-fired power plant), and the combustion or gasification of clean biomass in special stand-alone installations. 5 figs., 13 tabs., 28 refs

Role of Bioreactors in Microbial Biomass and Energy Conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Liang [Chongqing University, Chongqing, China; Zhang, Biao [Chongqing University, Chongqing, China; Zhu, Xun [Chongqing University, Chongqing, China; Chang, Haixing [Chongqing University of Technology; Ou, Shawn [ORNL; Wang, HONG [Chongqing University, Chongqing, China

2018-04-01

Bioenergy is the world’s largest contributor to the renewable and sustainable energy sector, and it plays a significant role in various energy industries. A large amount of research has contributed to the rapidly evolving field of bioenergy and one of the most important topics is the use of the bioreactor. Bioreactors play a critical role in the successful development of technologies for microbial biomass cultivation and energy conversion. In this chapter, after a brief introduction to bioreactors (basic concepts, configurations, functions, and influencing factors), the applications of the bioreactor in microbial biomass, microbial biofuel conversion, and microbial electrochemical systems are described. Importantly, the role and significance of the bioreactor in the bioenergy process are discussed to provide a better understanding of the use of bioreactors in managing microbial biomass and energy conversion.

Biomass energy success stories: a portfolio illustrating current economic uses of renewable biomass energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1978-03-01

This second edition of the Biomass Energy Success Stories covers a wide range of examples of organizations which have experienced economic benefits by substituting renewable biomass energy for non-renewable fossil fuels. In addition to the broader spectrum of industry seen to be pursuing this approach, the cases illustrate a move towards innovative and technologically more sophisticated approaches. For example, the Quebec Community's thermal accumulator acts as a buffer to accommodate the variable fuel value of boiler fuel consisting of unpredictable residues of variable moisture content. By this innovative approach, the quality of steam to its year-round customer can be held within the contractual limits. Another unique development appears in the use of the LAMB-CARGATE wet cell burner which is able to cope with wood residue fuels containing up to 70% moisture. Two of the more interesting and promising developments in the race to substitute renewable energy for fossil fuels are Fluidized Bed and Fuel-alcohol on-farm distilleries. For this reason appendices are included giving some useful insights concerning them.

Production of renewable energy from biomass and waste materials using fluidized bed technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozainee, M.; Rashid, M.; Looi, S.

2000-01-01

Malaysian industries generate substantial amount of biomass and waste materials such as wastes from agricultural and wood based industries, sludge waste from waste-water treatment plants and solid waste from municipals. Incinerating these waste materials not only produces renewable energy, but also solving their disposal problems. Fluidized bed combustors are widely used for incinerating these biomass materials. The significant advantages of fluidized bed incineration include simple design, efficient, and ability to reduce air pollution emissions. This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of producing the green energy from biomass materials using the fluidized bed technologies. (Author)

Biomass plantations - energy farming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paul, S.

1981-02-01

Mounting oil import bills in India are restricting her development programmes by forcing the cutting down of the import of other essential items. But the countries of the tropics have abundant sunlight and vast tracts of arable wastelands. Energy farming is proposed in the shape of energy plantations through forestry or energy cropping through agricultural media, to provide power fuels for transport and the industries and also to provide fuelwoods for the domestic sector. Short rotation cultivation is discussed and results are given of two main species that are being tried, ipil-ipil and Casuarina. Evaluations are made on the use of various crops such as sugar cane, cassava and kenaf as fuel crops together with hydrocarbon plants and aquatic biomass. (Refs. 20)

A biomass energy flow chart for Sierra Leone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amoo-Gottfried, K.; Hall, D.O.

1999-01-01

Terrestrial above-ground biomass production and utilisation in Sierra Leone was analysed for the years 1984/5 to 1990/1. The total production of biomass energy was estimated at an annual average of 131 PJ (39% from agriculture, 51% from forestry and 10% from livestock). Of the 117 PJ produced from agricultural and forestry operations, 37 PJ was harvested as firewood and burnt (10.9 GJ or 0.72 t wood per capita per year, supplying 80% of the country's energy), 12 PJ was harvested for food, 66 PJ was unutilised crop and forestry residues, 3 PJ was harvested crop residues for use directly as fuel, and 2 PJ was harvested and used for industrial purposes and not for fuel. Livestock produced wastes with an energy content of 13 PJ of which only 0.1 PJ was collected and used for fuel. Thus 54 PJ (41%) of the 131 PJ of biomass energy produced annually was actually utilised while 49 PJ remained as unused agricultural residues and dung, and a further 27 PJ was unused forestry residues. The total amount of biomass (fuelwood, residues and dung) used directly to provide energy, mostly in households, was estimated at 40 PJ (11.8 GJ per capita per year of 0.79 t fuelwood equivalent). Direct biomass energy utilisation in agroindustry (0.4 PJ) was negligible in comparison. Two assessments of Sierra Leone's biomass standing stock and MAI (mean annual increment) were examined in order to assess the sustainability of various biomass use scenarios. Large differences were found between the MAI of the two assessments, making it difficult to predict sustainability of biomass production and use. The estimation of total standing stock varied between 227 and 366 Mt and the estimation of MAI varied between 15 and 70 Mt. Analysis of the availability and use of the biomass resource is crucial if biomass energy is to be used on a sustainable basis. A software package has been developed and is available to draft biomass flow charts but further work is needed to incorporate social and economic

Estimating Swedish biomass energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, J.; Lundqvist, U.

1999-01-01

Biomass is suggested to supply an increasing amount of energy in Sweden. There have been several studies estimating the potential supply of biomass energy, including that of the Swedish Energy Commission in 1995. The Energy Commission based its estimates of biomass supply on five other analyses which presented a wide variation in estimated future supply, in large part due to differing assumptions regarding important factors. In this paper, these studies are assessed, and the estimated potential biomass energy supplies are discusses regarding prices, technical progress and energy policy. The supply of logging residues depends on the demand for wood products and is limited by ecological, technological, and economic restrictions. The supply of stemwood from early thinning for energy and of straw from cereal and oil seed production is mainly dependent upon economic considerations. One major factor for the supply of willow and reed canary grass is the size of arable land projected to be not needed for food and fodder production. Future supply of biomass energy depends on energy prices and technical progress, both of which are driven by energy policy priorities. Biomass energy has to compete with other energy sources as well as with alternative uses of biomass such as forest products and food production. Technical progress may decrease the costs of biomass energy and thus increase the competitiveness. Economic instruments, including carbon taxes and subsidies, and allocation of research and development resources, are driven by energy policy goals and can change the competitiveness of biomass energy

The forest products industry at an energy/climate crossroads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Marilyn A.; Baek, Youngsun

2010-01-01

Transformational energy and climate policies are being debated worldwide that could have significant impact upon the future of the forest products industry. Because woody biomass can produce alternative transportation fuels, low-carbon electricity, and numerous other 'green' products in addition to traditional paper and lumber commodities, the future use of forest resources is highly uncertain. Using the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), this paper assesses the future of the forest products industry under three possible U.S. policy scenarios: (1) a national renewable electricity standard, (2) a national policy of carbon constraints, and (3) incentives for industrial energy efficiency. In addition, we discuss how these policy scenarios might interface with the recently strengthened U.S. renewable fuels standards. The principal focus is on how forest products including residues might be utilized under different policy scenarios, and what such market shifts might mean for electricity and biomass prices, as well as energy consumption and carbon emissions. The results underscore the value of incentivizing energy efficiency in a portfolio of energy and climate policies in order to moderate electricity and biomass price escalation while strengthening energy security and reducing CO 2 emissions. - Research highlights: →Transformational energy and climate policies such as a national renewable electricity standard, a national policy of carbon constraints, and incentives for industrial energy efficiency could have significant impact upon the future of the forest products industry. →Each policy scenario reduces CO 2 emissions over time, compared to the business-as-usual forecast, with the carbon constrained policy producing the largest decline. As a package, the three policies together could cut CO 2 emissions from the electricity sector by an estimated 41% by 2030. →This study underscores the value of incentivizing energy efficiency in a portfolio of energy and

Accelerating the commercialization of biomass energy generation within New York State

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Proakis, G.J. [New York State Technology Enterprise Corp., Rome, NY (United States); Vasselli, J.J. [Syracuse Research Corp., North Syracuse, NY (United States); Neuhauser, E. [Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., Syracuse, NY (United States); Volk, T.A. [State University of New York, Syracuse, NY (United States)

1999-07-01

A significant obstacle to establishing a commercially viable, self-sustaining willow biomass industry is the initial capital investment required to establish the crop. One approach to overcoming this challenge is an incentive program to reduce the initial capital investment costs for landowners. This study quantifies the start-up investment costs, economic development impact, and environmental pollution reduction benefits associated with the creation of a biomass energy industry in New York State. The study recommends the creation of a state-sponsored revolving loan fund that would be used by landowners to finance the cost of establishing willow biomass crops. (author)

Energy of forest biomass in Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cupin, N.; Krivak, B.; Dundovic, J.

2005-01-01

Forest biomass is organic substance raised in forest ecosystem, consisting of trees and bushes which are used for mechanical processing and thermal use. Croatia, with 44 percent of surface under forests, has the renewable energy potential in forest biomass that could cover as much as about 50 percent of the current heating consumption. The existence of an appropriate heating consume and district heating are a prerequisite for exploitation of the mentioned potential. At the same time, heating consumption enables the utilization of cogeneration plants and the paper gives examples of such possibilities in industry, community and special facilities (sport centres, hotels, hospitals etc.). Among them, the so called 'Croatian energy absurdum' is mentioned. The paper underlines the feasibility of exploitation of forest biomass at the national level and suggests that, in order to promote and accelerate the development of cogeneration plants, the HED expert group should be established. The task of the expert group would be to draft proposal for appropriate measures in this regard and submit it to the Government for consideration.(author)

Environmental impacts of biomass energy resource production and utilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Easterly, J L; Dunn, S M [DynCorp, Alexandria, VA (United States)

1995-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a broad overview of the environmental impacts associated with the production, conversion and utilization of biomass energy resources and compare them with the impacts of conventional fuels. The use of sustainable biomass resources can play an important role in helping developing nations meet their rapidly growing energy needs, while providing significant environmental advantages over the use of fossil fuels. Two of the most important environmental benefits biomass energy offers are reduced net emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly CO{sub 2}, and reduced emissions of SO{sub 2}, the primary contributor to acid rain. The paper also addresses the environmental impacts of supplying a range of specific biomass resources, including forest-based resources, numerous types of biomass residues and energy crops. Some of the benefits offered by the various biomass supplies include support for improved forest management, improved waste management, reduced air emissions (by eliminating the need for open-field burning of residues) and reduced soil erosion (for example, where perennial energy crops are planted on degraded or deforested land). The environmental impacts of a range of biomass conversion technologies are also addressed, including those from the thermochemical processing of biomass (including direct combustion in residential wood stoves and industrial-scale boilers, gasification and pyrolysis); biochemical processing (anaerobic digestion and fermentation); and chemical processing (extraction of organic oils). In addition to reducing CO{sub 2} and SO{sub 2}, other environmental benefits of biomass conversion technologies include the distinctly lower toxicity of the ash compared to coal ash, reduced odours and pathogens from manure, reduced vehicle emissions of CO{sub 2}, with the use of ethanol fuel blends, and reduced particulate and hydrocarbon emissions where biodiesel is used as a substitute for diesel fuel. In general

Environmental impacts of biomass energy resource production and utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easterly, J.L.; Dunn, S.M.

1995-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a broad overview of the environmental impacts associated with the production, conversion and utilization of biomass energy resources and compare them with the impacts of conventional fuels. The use of sustainable biomass resources can play an important role in helping developing nations meet their rapidly growing energy needs, while providing significant environmental advantages over the use of fossil fuels. Two of the most important environmental benefits biomass energy offers are reduced net emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly CO 2 , and reduced emissions of SO 2 , the primary contributor to acid rain. The paper also addresses the environmental impacts of supplying a range of specific biomass resources, including forest-based resources, numerous types of biomass residues and energy crops. Some of the benefits offered by the various biomass supplies include support for improved forest management, improved waste management, reduced air emissions (by eliminating the need for open-field burning of residues) and reduced soil erosion (for example, where perennial energy crops are planted on degraded or deforested land). The environmental impacts of a range of biomass conversion technologies are also addressed, including those from the thermochemical processing of biomass (including direct combustion in residential wood stoves and industrial-scale boilers, gasification and pyrolysis); biochemical processing (anaerobic digestion and fermentation); and chemical processing (extraction of organic oils). In addition to reducing CO 2 and SO 2 , other environmental benefits of biomass conversion technologies include the distinctly lower toxicity of the ash compared to coal ash, reduced odours and pathogens from manure, reduced vehicle emissions of CO 2 , with the use of ethanol fuel blends, and reduced particulate and hydrocarbon emissions where biodiesel is used as a substitute for diesel fuel. In general, the key elements for

Utilization of forest biomass for energy production and industrial purposes. Final report. Utilizzazione della biomassa dei boschi cedui per energia e per usi industriali. Rapporto finale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scaramuzzi, G

1985-01-01

The project is part of a larger one promoted by the Italian Agency for Cellulose and Paper (E.N.C.C.) for an enhanced utilization of coppice forests in Italy. It concerns a Turkey oak (Quercus cerris) stand in Calabria. Stand characteristics and results of harvesting trials, first after-felling observations and technological investigations are reported. Results of an estimate of coppice forests biomass availability and of possibilities of expanding its use for energy are also given. Machinery damage to stumps was greatly reduced (1.7% of high-damaged stumps) by sprouts concentration by skyline. Sprouts weight appeared as a major factor affecting harvesting yield, Harvesting costs varied with different stand and terrain characteristics from 28,000 to 39,500 It. liras/t. Because of the high transport costs, the use of current coppice forests biomass is restricted within a short distance from the harvesting area. Industrial trials for fiberboard and paper pulp production from coppice whole-tree chipped biomass proved the possibility of its use in mixture with current raw material up to 75% for fiberboard production and up to 35-50% for corrugated paper pulp production. Relative expansion possibilities of coppice forest biomass consumption for energy were estimated, mainly localized in the central-northern Appennine and the Alpine areas. Given the permanence of a high convenience for its home consumption, wide development programs for coppice biomass industrial use for energy appear to be inconvenient. On the other hand, its use by local communities (schools, hospital, etc.) might be incentived in particular areas with high coppice production potential far from wood industries.

Power production from biomass III. Gasification and pyrolysis R and D and D for industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sipilae, K.; Korhonen, M. [eds.] [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland). New Energy Technologies

1999-07-01

The Seminar on Power Production from Biomass III. Gasification and Pyrolysis R and D and D for Industry, was held on 14-15 September 1998 in Espoo. The seminar was organised by VTT Energy in co-operation with the University of Groningen, EU-Thermie Programme and Technology Development Centre, Finland (Tekes). Overviews of current activities on power production from biomass and wastes in Europe and in the United States were given, and all European and U. S. demonstration projects on biomass gasification were presented. In Europe, the target is to produce additional 90 Mtoe/a of bioenergy for the market by 2010. This is a huge challenge for the bioenergy sector, including biomass production and harvesting, conversion technology, energy companies, and end users. In USA, U.S. Department of Energy is promoting the Biomass Power Programme to encourage and assist industry in the development and validation of renewable, biomass-based electricity generation systems, the objective being to double the present use of 7 000 MW biomass power by the year 2010. The new Finnish PROGAS Programme initiated by VTT was also introduced. Several gasification projects are today on the demonstration stage prior to entering the commercial level. Pyrolysis technologies are not yet on the demonstration stage on the energy market. Bio-oils can easily be transported, stored and utilised in existing boiler and diesel plants. The proceedings include the presentations given by the keynote speakers and other invited speakers, as well as some extended poster presentations. (orig.)

Biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasztor, J.; Kristoferson, L.

1992-01-01

Bioenergy systems can provide an energy supply that is environmentally sound and sustainable, although, like all energy systems, they have an environmental impact. The impact often depends more on the way the whole system is managed than on the fuel or on the conversion technology. The authors first describe traditional biomass systems: combustion and deforestation; health impact; charcoal conversion; and agricultural residues. A discussion of modern biomass systems follows: biogas; producer gas; alcohol fuels; modern wood fuel resources; and modern biomass combustion. The issue of bioenergy and the environment (land use; air pollution; water; socioeconomic impacts) and a discussion of sustainable bioenergy use complete the paper. 53 refs., 9 figs., 14 tabs

Biomass living energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Any energy source originating from organic matter is biomass, which even today is the basic source of energy for more than a quarter of humanity. Best known for its combustible properties, biomass is also used to produce biofuels. This information sheet provides also information on the electricity storage from micro-condensers to hydroelectric dams, how to save energy facing the increasing of oil prices and supply uncertainties, the renewable energies initiatives of Cork (Ireland) and the Switzerland european energy hub. (A.L.B.)

Ecosystems and biomass energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trossero, M A [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome (Italy)

1995-12-01

Biomass, particularly fuelwood and charcoal, is one of the main sources of fuel to meet the energy needs of traditional, commercial and industrial activities in developing countries. While it satisfies only about 14% of the world`s primary energy needs, in some countries it satisfies up to 80% of those needs. As a result of population growth, urbanization, economic reforms, restructuring and new development targets in most of these countries, new forms of energy and a more intensive use of energy are expected for the years ahead. This additional demand for energy will be met mainly by hydroelectricity, coal and fossil fuels. However, where biomass is available or can be planted, bio fuels can be converted into new forms of energy (electricity and power) and energy carriers (liquid and gaseous fuels) to meet not only the energy needs of the modem sectors but also to maintain a sustainable supply to traditional users. In fact, FAO estimates that biomass could provide nearly three times more energy than it does without affecting the current supply of other commodities and goods such as food, fodder, fuel, timber and non-wood fuel products. The benefits derived from the utilization of biomass as a source of energy are twofold: (a) the task of supplying bio fuels can help to attract new investment, create new employment and income opportunities in rural areas, raise the value of natural resources and preserve the environment and (b) new forms of energy and energy carriers could foster increased production and productivity at the rural and community level, particularly in remote areas where conventional fuels are not easily available at affordable prices. Bioenergy can be easily developed in modular and decentralized schemes and offers many advantages. It could be an inexpensive source of energy, even at present energy prices, and it requires less capital investment for its implementation than alternative solutions. However, there are many disadvantages, too. For

Ecosystems and biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trossero, M.A.

1995-01-01

Biomass, particularly fuelwood and charcoal, is one of the main sources of fuel to meet the energy needs of traditional, commercial and industrial activities in developing countries. While it satisfies only about 14% of the world's primary energy needs, in some countries it satisfies up to 80% of those needs. As a result of population growth, urbanization, economic reforms, restructuring and new development targets in most of these countries, new forms of energy and a more intensive use of energy are expected for the years ahead. This additional demand for energy will be met mainly by hydroelectricity, coal and fossil fuels. However, where biomass is available or can be planted, bio fuels can be converted into new forms of energy (electricity and power) and energy carriers (liquid and gaseous fuels) to meet not only the energy needs of the modem sectors but also to maintain a sustainable supply to traditional users. In fact, FAO estimates that biomass could provide nearly three times more energy than it does without affecting the current supply of other commodities and goods such as food, fodder, fuel, timber and non-wood fuel products. The benefits derived from the utilization of biomass as a source of energy are twofold: (a) the task of supplying bio fuels can help to attract new investment, create new employment and income opportunities in rural areas, raise the value of natural resources and preserve the environment and (b) new forms of energy and energy carriers could foster increased production and productivity at the rural and community level, particularly in remote areas where conventional fuels are not easily available at affordable prices. Bioenergy can be easily developed in modular and decentralized schemes and offers many advantages. It could be an inexpensive source of energy, even at present energy prices, and it requires less capital investment for its implementation than alternative solutions. However, there are many disadvantages, too. For

Energy from biomass: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Toorn, L.J.; Elliott, T.P.

1992-01-01

Attention is paid to the effect of the use of energy from biomass on the greenhouse effect. An overview is given of the aspects of forest plantation, carbon dioxide fixation and energy from biomass, in particular with regard to the potential impact of the use of biomass energy on the speed of accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. A simple model of the carbon cycle to illustrate the geochemical, biological and antropogenic characteristics of the cycle is presented and briefly discussed. Biomass, which is appropriate for energy applications, can be subdivided into three categories: polysaccharides, vegetable oils, and lignocellulosis. The costs for the latter are discussed. Three important options to use biomass as a commercial energy source are solid fuels, liquid fuels, and power generation. For each option the value of energy (on a large-scale level) is compared to the costs of several types of biomass. Recent evaluation of new techniques show that small biomass conversion plants can realize an electricity efficiency of 40%, with capitalized costs far below comparable conventional biomass conversion plants. One of the policy instruments to stimulate the use of biomass as an energy source is the carbon levy, in which the assumed external costs to reduce carbon dioxide emission are expressed. Political and administrative feasibility are important factors in the decision making with regard to carbon storage and energy plantations. 6 figs

Potential of hydrogen from oil palm biomass as a source of renewable energy worldwide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly-Yong, Tau Len; Lee, Keat Teong; Mohamed, Abdul Rahman; Bhatia, Subhash

2007-01-01

Various catastrophes related to extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes, droughts and heat waves occurring on the Earth in the recent times are definitely a clear warning sign from nature questioning our ability to protect the environment and ultimately the Earth itself. Progressive release of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as CO 2 and CH 4 from development of various energy-intensive industries has ultimately caused human civilization to pay its debt. Realizing the urgency of reducing emissions and yet simultaneously catering to needs of industries, researches and scientists conclude that renewable energy is the perfect candidate to fulfill both parties requirement. Renewable energy provides an effective option for the provision of energy services from the technical point of view. In this context, biomass appears as one important renewable source of energy. Biomass has been a major source of energy in the world until before industrialization when fossil fuels become dominant and researches have proven from time to time its viability for large-scale production. Although there has been some successful industrial-scale production of renewable energy from biomass, generally this industry still faces a lot of challenges including the availability of economically viable technology, sophisticated and sustainable natural resources management, and proper market strategies under competitive energy markets. Amidst these challenges, the development and implementation of suitable policies by the local policy-makers is still the single and most important factor that can determine a successful utilization of renewable energy in a particular country. Ultimately, the race to the end line must begin with the proof of biomass ability to sustain in a long run as a sustainable and reliable source of renewable energy. Thus, the aim of this paper is to present the potential availability of oil palm biomass that can be converted to hydrogen (leading candidate positioned as the

Production and trading of biomass for energy - An overview of the global status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinimoe, J.; Junginger, M.

2009-01-01

The markets for industrially used biomass for energy purposes are developing rapidly toward being international commodity markets. Determining international traded biomass volumes for energy purposes is difficult, for several reasons, such as challenges regarding the compilation of statistics on the topic. While for some markets (pellets and ethanol) separate overviews exist, no comprehensive statistics and summaries aggregating separate biomass streams are available. The aim of this paper is to summarise trade volumes for various biomasses used for energy and to review the challenges related to measurement of internationally traded volumes of biofuels. International trade of solid and liquid biofuels was estimated to be about 0.9 EJ for 2006. Indirect trade of biofuels thorough trading of industrial roundwood and material byproducts comprises the largest proportion of trading, having a share of about 0.6 EJ. The remaining amount consisted of products that are traded directly for energy purposes, with ethanol, wood pellets, and palm oil being the most important commodities. In 2004-2006, the direct trade of biofuels increased 60%, whereas indirect trade has been almost constant. When compared to current global energy use of biomass (about 50 EJ yr -1 ) and to the long-term theoretical trading potential between the major regions of the world (80-150 EJ yr -1 ), the development of international trade of biomass for energy purposes is in its initial stage, but it is expected to continue to grow rapidly. (author)

Biomass gasification: a strategy for energy recovery and disposal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Biomass gasification: a strategy for energy recovery and disposal of industrial and municipal wastes. Anurag Pandey, Anupam Shukla. Abstract. Energy from biological organic waste as an aspect of sustainable waste management is probably the most contentious. Solid and liquid wastes are a rapidly growing problem ...

Potential of Biomass for Energy. Market Survey Portugal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-03-01

The objective of this market survey is to provide information about the biomass sector in Portugal, relevant to mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the Netherlands that are interested to strengthen their position in that sector. Much knowledge could be gathered from conversations with the partners of Sunergy, the company responsible for this survey. Sunergy is producing bio-diesel, and considering further investments in the solid biomass sector, and therefore well familiar with the developments. Other interviews were held with representatives of the Government (DGGE), association of forestry owners (AFLOPS), a biomass trading SME (Sobioen), the leading environmental NGO (Quercus), and an association representing the paper- and pulp industry (CELPA). Chapter 1 is a general introduction on biomass. Chapter 2 gives the background of the Portuguese energy sector and the relative importance of renewable and biomass energies within this market. Some prospects for future developments of the different renewable sources are given. Portugal's energy sector is dominated by a small number of players, which are introduced. Also the current policies and incentives (subsidies) are presented. In Chapter 3 the focus is on the Portuguese biomass sector, presenting the current use of biomass in each of the subsectors: transport, electricity and heat, and an overview of the policy framework specifically for biomass. Chapter 4 is a literature review of the market for existing and potential biomass resources, including demand, supply and other characteristics. Chapter 5 synthesizes the previous chapters. Also an overview of key drivers and key constraints for growth of this sector is given, leading to conclusions regarding the opportunities for Dutch companies. Finally, further information on how to proceed once the interest for Portugal's biomass sector is vested is listed at the end of Chapter 5

Biomass resources for energy in Ohio: The OH-MARKAL modeling framework

Science.gov (United States)

Shakya, Bibhakar

The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have indicated that human activities are directly responsible for a significant portion of global warming trends. In response to the growing concerns regarding climate change and efforts to create a sustainable energy future, biomass energy has come to the forefront as a clean and sustainable energy resource. Biomass energy resources are environmentally clean and carbon neutral with net-zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, since CO2 is absorbed or sequestered from the atmosphere during the plant growth. Hence, biomass energy mitigates greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions that would otherwise be added to the environment by conventional fossil fuels, such as coal. The use of biomass resources for energy is even more relevant in Ohio, as the power industry is heavily based on coal, providing about 90 percent of the state's total electricity while only 50 percent of electricity comes from coal at the national level. The burning of coal for electricity generation results in substantial GHG emissions and environmental pollution, which are responsible for global warming and acid rain. Ohio is currently one of the top emitters of GHG in the nation. This dissertation research examines the potential use of biomass resources by analyzing key economic, environmental, and policy issues related to the energy needs of Ohio over a long term future (2001-2030). Specifically, the study develops a dynamic linear programming model (OH-MARKAL) to evaluate biomass cofiring as an option in select coal power plants (both existing and new) to generate commercial electricity in Ohio. The OH-MARKAL model is based on the MARKAL (MARKet ALlocation) framework. Using extensive data on the power industry and biomass resources of Ohio, the study has developed the first comprehensive power sector model for Ohio. Hence, the model can serve as an effective tool for Ohio's energy planning, since it evaluates economic and environmental

The potential of the Malaysian oil palm biomass as a renewable energy source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loh, Soh Kheang

2017-01-01

Highlights: • An energy resource data for oil palm biomass is generated. • The data encompasses crucial fuel and physicochemical characteristics. • These characteristics guide on biomass behaviors and technology selection. • Oil palm biomass is advantageous in today’s energy competitive markets. • Overall, it is a green alternative for biorefinery establishment. - Abstract: The scarcity of conventional energy such as fossil fuels (which will lead to eventual depletion) and the ever-increasing demand for new energy sources have resulted in the world moving into an era of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency. The Malaysian oil palm industry has been one of the largest contributor of lignocellulosic biomass, with more than 90% of the country’s total biomass deriving from 5.4 million ha of oil palms. Recent concerns on accelerating replanting activity, improving oil extraction rate, expanding mill capacity, etc. are expected to further increase the total oil palm biomass availability in Malaysia. This situation has presented a huge opportunity for the utilization of oil palm biomass in various applications including RE. This paper characterizes the various forms of oil palm biomass for their important fuel and other physicochemical properties, and assesses this resource data in totality – concerning energy potential, the related biomass conversion technologies and possible combustion-related problems. Overall, oil palm biomass possesses huge potential as one of the largest alternative energy sources for commercial exploitation.

Biomass energy development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng'eny-Mengech, A.

1990-01-01

This paper deals more specifically with biomethanation process and non conventional sources of biomass energy such as water hyacinths and vegetable oil hydrocarbon fuels. It highlights socioeconomic issues in biomass energy production and use. The paper also contains greater details on chemical conversion methods and processes of commercial ethanol and methanol production. (author). 291 refs., 6 tabs

Guideline for implementing Co-generation based on biomass waste from Thai industries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lybaek, R.

2005-07-01

Due to the large-scale industrial development in Thailand the consumption of energy - primarily based on fossil fuels - has increased enormously, even though the economic growth has slowed down since the economic crisis in 1997. It is, therefore, important to reduce the environmental impact of this energy consumption, which can be achieved by energy conservation, higher efficiency in the production of energy, or by the use of different kinds of renewable energy. This thesis seeks to develop new strategies for the use of waste heat as a part of the industrial process heat, which can be supplied to industries by a district-heating network. By substituting process heat - produced by electricity or by boilers using fossil fuel in individual industries - with process heat, produced by a co-generation plant - using the industries own biomass waste as fuel - process heat can be supplied to industries participating in a small scale district heating network. Thus, an Industrial Materials Network can be created, which is environmentally as well as economically beneficial for both industry and society. On the basis of a case study of the industrial area, Navanakorn Industrial Promotion Zone in Thailand, such initiatives for efficient materials and energy uses have been conducted and proved successful, and industries - as well as local and national governmental agencies, NGOs and branch organizations etc. - have shown interest in supporting the implementation of such scheme. In this thesis, a Guideline for large-scale implementation of Industrial Materials Network in Thailand was developed. By following a series of actions, the Guideline defines the initiatives that must be taken in order to ensure correct implementation. Chronologically, the emphasis of the Guideline is on pointing to relevant stakeholders who can pursue the implementation, and then appropriate areas and types of industries for Industrial Materials Network implementation. Thereafter, guidance for the

Oil palm biomass as a sustainable energy source: A Malaysian case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuit, S.H.; Tan, K.T.; Lee, K.T.; Kamaruddin, A.H.

2009-01-01

It has been widely accepted worldwide that global warming is by far the greatest threat and challenge in the new millennium. In order to stop global warming and to promote sustainable development, renewable energy is a perfect solution to achieve both targets. Presently million hectares of land in Malaysia is occupied with oil palm plantation generating huge quantities of biomass. In this context, biomass from oil palm industries appears to be a very promising alternative as a source of raw materials including renewable energy in Malaysia. Thus, this paper aims to present current scenario of biomass in Malaysia covering issues on availability and sustainability of feedstock as well as current and possible utilization of oil palm biomass. This paper will also discuss feasibility of some biomass conversion technologies and some ongoing projects in Malaysia related to utilization of oil palm biomass as a source of renewable energy. Based on the findings presented, it is definitely clear that Malaysia has position herself in the right path to utilize biomass as a source of renewable energy and this can act as an example to other countries in the world that has huge biomass feedstock. (author)

Biomass gasification for energy production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lundberg, H.; Morris, M.; Rensfelt, E. [TPS Termiska Prosesser Ab, Nykoeping (Sweden)

1997-12-31

Biomass and waste are becoming increasingly interesting as fuels for efficient and environmentally sound power generation. Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) gasification for biomass and waste has been developed and applied to kilns both in the pulp and paper industry and the cement industry. A demonstration plant in Greve-in- Chianti, Italy includes two 15 MW{sub t}h RDF-fuelled CFB gasifiers of TPS design, the product gas from which is used in a cement kiln or in steam boiler for power generation. For CFB gasification of biomass and waste to reach a wider market, the product gas has to be cleaned effectively so that higher fuel to power efficiencies can be achieved by utilizing power cycles based on engines or gas turbines. TPS has developed both CFB gasification technology and effective secondary stage tar cracking technology. The integrated gasification - gas-cleaning technology is demonstrated today at pilot plant scale. To commercialise the technology, the TPS`s strategy is to first demonstrate the process for relatively clean fuels such as woody biomass and then extend the application to residues from waste recycling. Several demonstration projects are underway to commercialise TPS`s gasification and gas cleaning technology. In UK the ARBRE project developed by ARBRE Energy will construct a gasification plant at Eggborough, North Yorkshire, which will provide gas to a gas turbine and steam turbine generation system, producing 10 MW and exporting 8 Mw of electricity. It has been included in the 1993 tranche of the UK`s Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) and has gained financial support from EC`s THERMIE programme as a targeted BIGCC project. (author)

Biomass gasification for energy production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lundberg, H; Morris, M; Rensfelt, E [TPS Termiska Prosesser Ab, Nykoeping (Sweden)

1998-12-31

Biomass and waste are becoming increasingly interesting as fuels for efficient and environmentally sound power generation. Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) gasification for biomass and waste has been developed and applied to kilns both in the pulp and paper industry and the cement industry. A demonstration plant in Greve-in- Chianti, Italy includes two 15 MW{sub t}h RDF-fuelled CFB gasifiers of TPS design, the product gas from which is used in a cement kiln or in steam boiler for power generation. For CFB gasification of biomass and waste to reach a wider market, the product gas has to be cleaned effectively so that higher fuel to power efficiencies can be achieved by utilizing power cycles based on engines or gas turbines. TPS has developed both CFB gasification technology and effective secondary stage tar cracking technology. The integrated gasification - gas-cleaning technology is demonstrated today at pilot plant scale. To commercialise the technology, the TPS`s strategy is to first demonstrate the process for relatively clean fuels such as woody biomass and then extend the application to residues from waste recycling. Several demonstration projects are underway to commercialise TPS`s gasification and gas cleaning technology. In UK the ARBRE project developed by ARBRE Energy will construct a gasification plant at Eggborough, North Yorkshire, which will provide gas to a gas turbine and steam turbine generation system, producing 10 MW and exporting 8 Mw of electricity. It has been included in the 1993 tranche of the UK`s Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) and has gained financial support from EC`s THERMIE programme as a targeted BIGCC project. (author)

The feasibility of biomass production for the Netherlands energy economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lysen, E.H.; Daey Ouwens, C.; Van Onna, M.J.G.; Blok, K.; Okken, P.A.; Goudriaan, J.

1992-05-01

The title study aims at providing a reliable overview of the technical and financial parameters for the available and potential methods of energy production through biomass. In the study the production of biomass has been separated as much as possible from the transport and the conversion of energy carriers such as fuels or electricity. The assessment of the feasibility is based upon data analysis in phase A of the study and subsequent interviews with key institutes and industries in the Netherlands in phase B. The problems in agriculture and environment justify an active policy with respect to the use of biomass for the Netherlands' energy economy. The developments and the programmes in other European countries and the USA, the fact that a good infrastructure is present in the Netherlands, and the possible spin-off for developing countries justify this conclusion. It is recommended to initiate a focused national programme in the field of biomass energy, properly coordinated with the present ongoing Energy from Waste programme (EWAB) and with ongoing international programmes. The programme should encompass both research and development, as well as a few demonstration projects. Research to reduce costs of biomass is important, largely through reaching higher yields. In view of the competitive kWh costs of combined biomass gasifier/steam and gas turbines systems, based upon energy and environmental considerations, development and demonstration of this system is appropriate. 14 figs., 24 tabs., 6 app., 99 refs

Bio energy: Production of Biomass; Produksjon av biomasse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Noreng, Katrina; Indergaard, Mentz; Liodden, Ole Joergen; Hohle, Erik Eid; Sandberg, Eiliv

2001-07-01

This is Chapter 2 of the book ''Bio energy - Environment, technique and market''. Its main sections are: (1) Biomass resources in Norway, (2) The foundation - photosynthesis, (3) Biomass from forestry, (4) Biomass from peat lands, (5) Biomass from agriculture and (6) Biomass from lakes and sea. The exposition largely describes the conditions in Norway, where the use of bio energy can be increased from 15 TWh to 35 TWh using available technology. At present, water-borne heating systems are not extensively used in Norway and 30% of the biomass that is cut in the forests remains there as waste. Using this waste for energy generation would not only contribute to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, but would often lead to improved forest rejuvenation. Use of a few per thousand of the Norwegian peat lands would produce 2 - 3 TWh. According to calculations, along the coast of Norway, there are at least 15 mill tonnes of kelp and sea tangle and these resources can be utilized in a sustainable way.

Overview on the development and utilization of biomass energy in Africa and Asia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joseph, S D [Biomass Energy Services and Technology Pty. Ltd., Saratoga, New South Wales (Australia)

1995-12-01

In developing countries, biomass is the main source of energy for rural communities and industries and is often a source even for urban households. A pressing concern is the rapid rate of deforestation, brought about by two factors: land clearing for agricultural production and for dwellings and the growing demand for biomass as an energy source. The production of agricultural and forest residues has also been increasing. Much of this residue is disposed of by burning it on the fields or is used in highly polluting stoves and furnaces for cooking or other food processing or industrial activities. Air pollution from inefficient combustion of biomass residues is severe in a number of places, leading to increases in eye and lung diseases and in greenhouse gas emissions. In this overview paper, the following information will be provided: Summary of the available data on biomass resources from Africa and Asia and indication of its reliability; Description of the current technologies used to convert biomass to energy; Discussion of the current research and development (R and D) on the efficiency of these technologies; Examination of the barriers impeding the adoption of new, more efficient technologies; Identification and evaluation of the policies and strategies being used to improve the efficiency of biomass as an energy source and to increase resource availability. Biomass will continue to be the main fuel for most households and many rural industries in Asia and Africa for the next 10 years. In many countries, the biomass, especially wood, is being used on an unsustainable basis. A wide range of more efficient and less expensive conversion and production technologies have now been developed and are in use in Africa and Asia. The rates of adoption of these technologies have varied considerably, however, between and within countries of the region. For effective dissemination, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), commercial organizations and end

Overview on the development and utilization of biomass energy in Africa and Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joseph, S.D.

1995-01-01

In developing countries, biomass is the main source of energy for rural communities and industries and is often a source even for urban households. A pressing concern is the rapid rate of deforestation, brought about by two factors: land clearing for agricultural production and for dwellings and the growing demand for biomass as an energy source. The production of agricultural and forest residues has also been increasing. Much of this residue is disposed of by burning it on the fields or is used in highly polluting stoves and furnaces for cooking or other food processing or industrial activities. Air pollution from inefficient combustion of biomass residues is severe in a number of places, leading to increases in eye and lung diseases and in greenhouse gas emissions. In this overview paper, the following information will be provided: Summary of the available data on biomass resources from Africa and Asia and indication of its reliability; Description of the current technologies used to convert biomass to energy; Discussion of the current research and development (R and D) on the efficiency of these technologies; Examination of the barriers impeding the adoption of new, more efficient technologies; Identification and evaluation of the policies and strategies being used to improve the efficiency of biomass as an energy source and to increase resource availability. Biomass will continue to be the main fuel for most households and many rural industries in Asia and Africa for the next 10 years. In many countries, the biomass, especially wood, is being used on an unsustainable basis. A wide range of more efficient and less expensive conversion and production technologies have now been developed and are in use in Africa and Asia. The rates of adoption of these technologies have varied considerably, however, between and within countries of the region. For effective dissemination, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), commercial organizations and end

The UK biomass industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billins, P.

1998-01-01

A brief review is given of the development of the biomass industry in the UK. Topics covered include poultry litter generation of electricity, gasification plants fuelled by short-rotation coppice, on-farm anaerobic digestion and specialized combustion systems, e.g. straw, wood and other agricultural wastes. (UK)

Thermogravimetric study of the pyrolysis of biomass residues from tomato processing industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mangut, V.; Sabio, E.; Ganan, J.; Gonzalez, J.F.; Ramiro, A.; Gonzalez, C.M.; Roman, S.; Al-Kassir, A. [Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avda. de Elvas s/n, 06071 Badajoz (Spain)

2006-01-15

There is an increasing concern with the environmental problems associated with the increasing CO{sub 2}, NO{sub x} and SO{sub x} emissions resulting from the rising use of fossil fuels. Renewable energy, mainly biomass, can contribute to reduce the fossil fuels consumption. Biomass is a renewable resource with a widespread world distribution. Tomato processing industry produces a high amount of biomass residue (peel and seeds) that could be used for thermal energy and electricity. A characterization and thermogravimetric study has been carried out. The residue has a high HHV and volatile content, and a low ash, and S contents. A kinetic model has been developed based on the degradation of hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and oil that describe the pyrolysis of peel, seeds and peel and seeds residues. (author)

A note on public policy and innovation in the biomass-based industrial sector: lessons from the sugarcane industry in Brazil and India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Audinet, Pierre

1995-01-01

Several developing countries are implementing long-term, biomass-based industrialization policies. Sugarcane refining has come to represent over 1 per cent of GDP in Brazil and India. In the context of low international energy and raw material prices, and scarce investment funds, the viability of biomass-based industry cannot depend on one final product such as ethanol or sugar. There is an urgent need for diversification. Technology diffusion must be improved, and the impact of public policies thoroughly analysed. (author)

Energy from Dutch biomass. Energie uit Nederlandse biomassa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Doorn, J

1993-12-01

Attention is paid to the options and potential of using biomass wastes in the Netherlands for the production of energy. An overview of the flows of biomass residues is given, next to the biomass properties, and biomass conversion techniques. Data on the contribution of renewable energy sources (1990) and targets for the year 2010 are presented and briefly discussed. It is expected that the contribution of biomass will increase considerably in the next years in the form of cheap biomass residues. 1 fig., 4 tabs.

Renewable energy technologies and the European industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whiteley, M.; Bess, M.

2000-01-01

The European renewable energy industry has the potential to be a world leader. This has been achieved within the European region for specific technologies, through a set of policy activities at a national and regional level, driven primarily by employment, energy self-sufficiency and industrial competitiveness. Using the experience gained in recent years, European industry has the opportunity to continue to expand its horizons on a worldwide level. Through the use of the SAFIRE rational energy model, an assessment has been made of the future penetration of renewable energy within Europe and the effects on these socio-economic factors. In conjunction with these outputs, assessments of the worldwide markets for wind, photovoltaics, solar thermal plant and biomass have been assessed. A case study of the Danish wind industry is used as a prime example of a success story from which the learning opportunities are replicated to other industries, so that the European renewable energy industry can achieve its potential. (orig.)

Remarks on energetic biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathis, Paul; Pelletier, Georges

2011-01-01

The authors report a study of energy biomass by considering its three main sources (forest, agriculture and wastes) and three energy needs (heat, fuel for transports, electricity) in the French national context. After having recalled the various uses of biomass (animal feeding, energy production, materials, chemical products), the authors discuss the characteristics of biomass with respect to other energy sources. Then, they analyse and discuss the various energy needs which biomass could satisfy: heat production (in industry, in the residential and office building sector), fuel for transports, electricity production. They assess and discuss the possible biomass production of its three main sources: forest, agriculture, and wastes (household, agricultural and industrial wastes). They also discuss the opportunities for biogas production and for second generation bio-fuel production

Present situation, problems and solutions of China's biomass power generation industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jicheng; Wang, Sijia; Wei, Qiushuang; Yan, Suli

2014-01-01

With the reduction of global oil reserves, developing renewable energy has become an important issue for each country. Biomass power is an important kind of clean energy, as it has abundant resource and is environmental friendly. In the past few years, China biomass power industry has developed rapidly accompanied with some problems. This paper analyzes the current situation of China biomass power generation from several aspects such as power structure, resource distribution, investment strength, and policy environment, etc. We focus on the problems existed in practical operation and analyze the outstanding problems. At last, this paper offers several suggestions for future development on the relevant fields, such as cost, strategic planning and policy. - Highlights: • Review and analyze the internal and external environment of biomass power in China. • Summarize and classify policies of China biomass power according to time sequence. • Describe the distribution of biomass resources in China accurately on the map. • Use data to draw a picture for grasping current situation. • Provide valuable suggestions for practitioners to improve their business strategies

Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzel, F.

1993-01-01

The Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program (GLRBEP) was initiated September, 1983, with a grant from the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The program provides resources to public and private organizations in the Great Lakes region to increase the utilization and production of biomass fuels. The objectives of the GLRBEP are to: (1) improve the capabilities and effectiveness of biomass energy programs in the state energy offices; (2) assess the availability of biomass resources for energy in light of other competing needs and uses; (3) encourage private sector investments in biomass energy technologies; (4) transfer the results of government-sponsored biomass research and development to the private sector; (5) eliminate or reduce barriers to private sector use of biomass fuels and technology; (6) prevent or substantially mitigate adverse environmental impacts of biomass energy use. The Program Director is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the GLRBEP and for implementing program mandates. A 40 member Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) sets priorities and recommends projects. The governor of each state in the region appoints a member to the Steering Council, which acts on recommendations of the TAC and sets basic program guidelines. The GLRBEP is divided into three separate operational elements. The State Grants component provides funds and direction to the seven state energy offices in the region to increase their capabilities in biomass energy. State-specific activities and interagency programs are emphasized. The Subcontractor component involves the issuance of solicitations to undertake projects that address regional needs, identified by the Technical Advisory Committee. The Technology Transfer component includes the development of nontechnical biomass energy publications and reports by Council staff and contractors, and the dissemination of information at conferences, workshops and other events

Research report for fiscal 1998. Study of utilization of biomass including foods in energy industry; 1998 nendo shokubutsu nado no biomass no energy riyo ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Rice being produced as food is taken up out of various types of biomass, and a feasibility study from the viewpoints of technology and economy is conducted as to its use in the energy industry. The production of ethanol from rice, though it has no past record worth discussion, is similar to the production of ethanol from other biomass resources in terms of technology and economy. The problem is that the production cost of rice is far higher than those of other materials. It is expected, however, that there will a large-scale production cost reduction and an increase in the yield when novel cultivation techniques are introduced in the future. It is also expected that alcohol from rice will be sufficiently competitive with alcohol from molasses or the like when the exploitation of cellulose-family by-products such as husks becomes feasible. The study on this occasion deals solely with the effective use of farmland and the surplus rice. A confrontation between rice as a biomass resource and rice as a food has to be avoided as much as possible in the long term because it may cause a price rise and compromise the security of food supply. That is, in discussing this matter, it is mandatory to draw a very definite line between rice as a food and rice as an alcohol production material. (NEDO)

Environmental status of plant-based industries. Biomass and bio-materials; Bilan environnemental des filieres vegetales. Biomasse et biomateriaux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vindimian, E; Boeglin, N; Houillon, G; Osset, Ph; Vial, E; Leguern, Y; Gosse, G; Gabrielle, B; Dohy, M; Bewa, H; Rigal, L; Guilbert, St; Cesar, G; Pandard, P; Oster, D; Normand, N; Piccardi, M; Garoux, V; Arnaud, L; Barbier, J; Mougin, G; Krausz, P; Pluquet, V; Massacrier, L; Dussaud, J

2005-07-01

The French agency of environment and energy mastery (Ademe) and the agency of Agriculture for chemistry and energy (Agrice) have jointly organized these technical days about the potentialities of plant-based products in front of the big environmental stakes of the diversification of energy sources, the development of new outputs for agriculture and the opening of new fields of industrial innovation. This document gathers the articles and transparencies of the presentations given during these 2 days of conference: 1 - Biomass and life cycle analysis (LCA) - impacts and benefits: introduction to LCA (E. Vindimian), keys to understand this environmental evaluation tool (N. Boeglin); environmental status of plant-based industries for chemistry, materials and energy: LCA knowledge status, plant versus fossil (G. Houillon), detailed analysis of 2 industries: agro-materials and bio-polymers (J. Payet); example of environmental and LCA studies: energy and greenhouse gas statuses of the biofuel production processes (P. Osset, E. Vial), LCA of collective and industrial wood-fueled space heating (Y. Leguern), contribution and limitations of LCA for plant-based industries (G. Gosse, B. Gabrielle), conclusion of the first day (M. Dohy). 2 - Biomass and materials: a reality: biomaterials in the Agrice program (H. Bewa), plant-derived materials: resources, status and perspectives (L. Rigal); biopolymers: overview of the industrial use of biopolymers: materials and markets, applications (S. Guibert), degradation mechanisms of biopolymers used in agriculture: biodegradability, eco-toxicity and accumulation in soils (G. Cesar, P. Pandard), present and future regulatory framework: specifications and methods of biodegradability evaluation of materials for agriculture and horticulture (D. Oster), standardization: necessity and possibilities (N. Normand); vegetable fibers and composite materials: market of new vegetable fiber uses (M. Piccardi, V. Garoux), vegetable particulates and

Wood, straw, energetic crops... Biomass energy. A sustainable alternative for your projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

After having briefly recalled the French and European legal context promoting the use of renewable energies, this document highlights the challenges associated with such a development. They concern the environment, the energetic independence, the cost of energy, and the local and rural development. It evokes the actions and labels which favour the improvement and the renewal of domestic heating equipment, the large number of installations using biomass for collective heating or for industrial heating. It indicates the objectives of the biomass energy programme for 2007-2010, and describes the French energy conservation agency (ADEME) role and missions within this programme

Energy-Based Evaluations on Eucalyptus Biomass Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago L. Romanelli

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Dependence on finite resources brings economic, social, and environmental concerns. Planted forests are a biomass alternative to the exploitation of natural forests. In the exploitation of the planted forests, planning and management are key to achieve success, so in forestry operations, both economic and noneconomic factors must be considered. This study aimed to compare eucalyptus biomass production through energy embodiment of anthropogenic inputs and resource embodiment including environmental contribution (emergy for the commercial forest in the Sao Paulo, Brazil. Energy analyses and emergy synthesis were accomplished for the eucalyptus production cycles. It was determined that emergy synthesis of eucalyptus production and sensibility analysis for three scenarios to adjust soil acidity (lime, ash, and sludge. For both, energy analysis and emergy synthesis, harvesting presented the highest input demand. Results show the differences between energy analysis and emergy synthesis are in the conceptual underpinnings and accounting procedures. Both evaluations present similar trends and differ in the magnitude of the participation of an input due to its origin. For instance, inputs extracted from ores, which represent environmental contribution, are more relevant for emergy synthesis. On the other hand, inputs from industrial processes are more important for energy analysis.

Fiscalini Farms Biomass Energy Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William Stringfellow; Mary Kay Camarillo; Jeremy Hanlon; Michael Jue; Chelsea Spier

2011-09-30

In this final report describes and documents research that was conducted by the Ecological Engineering Research Program (EERP) at the University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA) under subcontract to Fiscalini Farms LP for work under the Assistance Agreement DE-EE0001895 'Measurement and Evaluation of a Dairy Anaerobic Digestion/Power Generation System' from the United States Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory. Fiscalini Farms is operating a 710 kW biomass-energy power plant that uses bio-methane, generated from plant biomass, cheese whey, and cattle manure via mesophilic anaerobic digestion, to produce electricity using an internal combustion engine. The primary objectives of the project were to document baseline conditions for the anaerobic digester and the combined heat and power (CHP) system used for the dairy-based biomass-energy production. The baseline condition of the plant was evaluated in the context of regulatory and economic constraints. In this final report, the operation of the plant between start-up in 2009 and operation in 2010 are documented and an interpretation of the technical data is provided. An economic analysis of the biomass energy system was previously completed (Appendix A) and the results from that study are discussed briefly in this report. Results from the start-up and first year of operation indicate that mesophilic anaerobic digestion of agricultural biomass, combined with an internal combustion engine, is a reliable source of alternative electrical production. A major advantage of biomass energy facilities located on dairy farms appears to be their inherent stability and ability to produce a consistent, 24 hour supply of electricity. However, technical analysis indicated that the Fiscalini Farms system was operating below capacity and that economic sustainability would be improved by increasing loading of feedstocks to the digester. Additional operational modifications, such as increased utilization of

Biomass energy, forests and global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosillo-Calle, Frank; Hall, D.O.

1992-01-01

Biomass in all its forms currently provides about 14% of the world's energy, equivalent to 25 million bbl oil/day; in developing countries where it is the major energy source, biomass supplies 35% of total energy use. Although biomass energy use affects the flux of carbon to the atmosphere, the main carbon emission problem is caused by fossil fuels and land clearance for agriculture. Biomass fuels make no net contribution to atmospheric CO 2 if used sustainably. A major global revegetation and reforestation effort is a possible strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions and to slow the pace of climatic change. However, a more attractive alternative strategy might be to substitute fossil fuels, especially coal, with biomass grown specifically for this purpose producing modern fuels such as electricity, liquids and gases. This paper examines biomass energy use, devegetation, biomass burning, the implications for global warming and the ability of biomass to sequester CO 2 and substitute for fossil fuels. It also discusses some socioeconomic and political issues. (author)

Biomass a fast growing energy resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, Ulf

2003-01-01

Biomass as an energy resource is as versatile as the biodiversity suggests. The global net primary production, NPP, describes the annual growth of biomass on land and in the seas. This paper focuses on biomass grown on land. A recent estimate for the NPP on land is 120 billion tons of dry matter. How much of this biomass are available for energy purposes? The potential contribution of wood fuel and energy plants from sustainable production is limited to some 5% of NPP, i.e. 6 Bt. One third of the potential is energy forests and energy plantations which at present are not economic. One third is used in rural areas as traditional fuel. The remaining third would be available for modern biomass energy conversion. Biomass is assigned an expanding role as a new resource in the world's energy balance. The EU has set a target of doubling the share of renewable energy sources by 2010. For biomass the target is even more ambitious. The challenge for biomass utilization lies in improving the technology for traditional usage and expanding the role into other areas like power production and transportation fuel. Various technologies for biomass utilization are available among those are combustion, gasification, and liquefaction. Researchers have a grand vision in which the chemical elements in the hydrocarbon molecules of biomass are separated and reformed to yield new tailored fuels and form the basis for a new world economy. The vision of a new energy system based on fresh and fossilized biomass to be engineered into an environmentally friendly and sustainable fuel is a conceivable technical reality. One reason for replacing exhaustible fossil fuels with biomass is to reduce carbon emissions. The most efficient carbon dioxide emission reduction comes from replacing brown coal in a steam-electric unit, due to the efficiency of the thermal cycle and the high carbon intensity of the coal. The smallest emission reduction comes from substituting natural gas. (BA)

Energy from biomass. Ethics and practice; Energie aus Biomasse. Ethik und Praxis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franke, Silke [ed.

2013-06-01

The implementation of the energy policy turnaround inevitably results in modifications of the land use and landscape. Besides the discussion about the environmental consequences, a debate about ethical issues increasingly arose. Under this aspect, the booklet under consideration contains the following contributions: (1) Renewable energy sources - the role of bioenergy (Bernard Widmann); (2) Energy from biomass - An ethic analysis (Stephan Schleissing); (3) Culture for our landscapes - combination of biomass and water protection (Frank Wagener); (4) Cultivation of energy crops - short rotation coppices (Frank Burger); (5) Bioenergy region Straubing-Bogen: Excellent in the matter of renewable energy sources (Josefine Eichwald); (6) Rural development - motor for the energy policy turnaround (Roland Spiller).

Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasability of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perlack, R.D.

2005-12-15

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are both strongly committed to expanding the role of biomass as an energy source. In particular, they support biomass fuels and products as a way to reduce the need for oil and gas imports; to support the growth of agriculture, forestry, and rural economies; and to foster major new domestic industries--biorefineries--making a variety of fuels, chemicals, and other products. As part of this effort, the Biomass R&D Technical Advisory Committee, a panel established by the Congress to guide the future direction of federally funded biomass R&D, envisioned a 30 percent replacement of the current U.S. petroleum consumption with biofuels by 2030. Biomass--all plant and plant-derived materials including animal manure, not just starch, sugar, oil crops already used for food and energy--has great potential to provide renewable energy for America's future. Biomass recently surpassed hydropower as the largest domestic source of renewable energy and currently provides over 3 percent of the total energy consumption in the United States. In addition to the many benefits common to renewable energy, biomass is particularly attractive because it is the only current renewable source of liquid transportation fuel. This, of course, makes it invaluable in reducing oil imports--one of our most pressing energy needs. A key question, however, is how large a role could biomass play in responding to the nation's energy demands. Assuming that economic and financial policies and advances in conversion technologies make biomass fuels and products more economically viable, could the biorefinery industry be large enough to have a significant impact on energy supply and oil imports? Any and all contributions are certainly needed, but would the biomass potential be sufficiently large to justify the necessary capital replacements in the fuels and automobile sectors? The purpose of this report is to determine

Forest biomass-based energy

Science.gov (United States)

Janaki R. R. Alavalapati; Pankaj Lal; Andres Susaeta; Robert C. Abt; David N. Wear

2013-01-01

Key FindingsHarvesting woody biomass for use as bioenergy is projected to range from 170 million to 336 million green tons by 2050, an increase of 54 to 113 percent over current levels.Consumption projections for forest biomass-based energy, which are based on Energy Information Administration projections, have a high level of...

Biomass Energy | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Biomass Energy Biomass Energy Biomass from local sources can be key to a campus climate action plan biomass may fit into your campus climate action plan. Campus Options Considerations Sample Project Related biomass fuels for energy does not add to the net amount of carbon in the atmosphere. This is because the

The availability of biomass for energy in the agricultural industry; De beschikbaarheid van biomassa voor energie in de Agro-industrie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elbersen, W. [Wageningen UR Food and Biobased Research, Wageningen (Netherlands); Janssens, B. [Wageningen UR LEI, Wageningen (Netherlands); Koppejan, J. [Procede Biomass, Enschede (Netherlands)

2010-01-15

The Dutch Agricultural Covenant included a target for sustainable energy of 200 PJ. The agricultural industry is expected to contribute 75 to 125 PJ (bio-energy). The sector is wondering whether this target is realistic. The aim of this project was to map the quality and quantity of residual flows in the agricultural industry that exist and are available or are already deployed for bio-energy (in the Netherlands), both today and in 2020. [Dutch] In het Agroconvenant is een doelstelling opgenomen voor duurzame energie van 200 PJ. Van de agro-industrie wordt een bijdrage van 75 tot 125 PJ (bio-energie) verwacht. De sector vraagt zich af of deze doelstelling wel realistisch is. Het doel van dit project was het in kaart brengen van de kwaliteit en kwantiteit van reststromen uit de agro-industrie die aanwezig of beschikbaar zijn of reeds (in Nederland) ingezet worden voor bio-energie nu en in 2020.

Biomass for energy. Danish solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-06-01

Information is given on a number of typical and recently established plants of all types and sizes, for converting the main Danish biomass resources (manures, straw and wood derived from agricultural activities and forestry)into energy. Danish biomass resources and energy and environmental policies are described. In Denmark there is a very wide range of technologies for converting biomass into energy, and these are clarified. In addition, performance data from a number of plants fuelled with biomass fuels are presented. The course of further developments within this field is suggested. The text is illustrated with a considerable number of coloured photographs and also with graphs and diagrams. (ARW)

Energy from Biomass Research and Technology Transfer Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumacher, Dorin

2015-12-31

The purpose of CPBR is to foster and facilitate research that will lead to commercial applications. The goals of CPBR’s Energy from Biomass Research and Technology Transfer Program are to bring together industry, academe, and federal resources to conduct research in plant biotechnology and other bio-based technologies and to facilitate the commercialization of the research results to: (1) improve the utilization of plants as energy sources; (2) reduce the cost of renewable energy production; (3) facilitate the replacement of petroleum by plant-based materials; (4) create an energy supply that is safer in its effect on the environment, and (5) contribute to U.S. energy independence.

Energy from biomass: An overview. Energie uit biomassa: Een overzicht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van der Toorn, L J; Elliott, T P [Non-Traditional Business Division, Shell International Petroleum Company, London (United Kingdom)

1992-03-01

Attention is paid to the effect of the use of energy from biomass on the greenhouse effect. An overview is given of the aspects of forest plantation, carbon dioxide fixation and energy from biomass, in particular with regard to the potential impact of the use of biomass energy on the speed of accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. A simple model of the carbon cycle to illustrate the geochemical, biological and antropogenic characteristics of the cycle is presented and briefly discussed. Biomass, which is appropriate for energy applications, can be subdivided into three categories: polysaccharides, vegetable oils, and lignocellulosis. The costs for the latter are discussed. Three important options to use biomass as a commercial energy source are solid fuels, liquid fuels, and power generation. For each option the value of energy (on a large-scale level) is compared to the costs of several types of biomass. Recent evaluation of new techniques show that small biomass conversion plants can realize an electricity efficiency of 40%, with capitalized costs far below comparable conventional biomass conversion plants. One of the policy instruments to stimulate the use of biomass as an energy source is the carbon levy, in which the assumed external costs to reduce carbon dioxide emission are expressed. Political and administrative feasibility are important factors in the decision making with regard to carbon storage and energy plantations. 6 figs.

Efficient biomass preparation for the utilization as biocoal in industrial applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lampe, Karl; Grund, Guido; Erpelding, Richard; Denker, Jurgen [ThyssenKrupp Polysius AG, Beckum (Germany)

2012-11-01

Rising energy costs and regulations on the efficient utilisation of energy resources force plant operators in all industrial sectors to focus on these aspects. Both in power generation as well as in thermal processes, the use of renewable sources is becoming more and more important. In this respect, especially the utilisation of biomass plays an ever-increasing role. The production of biocoal offers a solution to overcome the challenges of a wide range of different feedstock properties and to provide homogenised, biogenic fuels. The main objectives to be achieved in biocoal production are efficient drying, energy densification, bulk density maximisation and grindability optimisation. Here, the torrefaction of biomass presents a suitable and energy-efficient solution. With regard to uniform temperature distribution, temperature control, efficiency and final product quality, the multiple hearth furnace method is the preferred process of ThyssenKrupp Polysius. A double-zone multiple hearth furnace (POLTORR) permits both drying and torrefaction of wet biomasses up to 50% moisture content in one coupled unit. The main advantage of this process is the direct, safe and efficient utilisation of the volatiles released during torrefaction for the drying process by means of post-combustion, thus under favourable conditions, an almost autothermic process can be realized.

Application and Discussion of Dual Fluidized Bed Reactor in Biomass Energy Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Haibin; Fan, Xiaoxu; Zhao, Baofeng; Yang, Liguo; Sun, Rongfeng

2018-01-01

As an important clean and renewable energy, biomass has a broad market prospect. The dual fluidized bed is widely used in biomass gasification technology, and has become an important way of biomass high-value utilization. This paper describes the basic principle of dual fluidized bed gasification, from the gas composition, tar content and thermal efficiency of the system point of view, analyzes and summarizes several typical dual fluidized bed biomass gasification technologies, points out the existence of gas mixing, the external heat source, catalyst development problems on gas. Finally, it is clear that the gasification of biomass in dual fluidized bed is of great industrial application and development prospect.

Renewable energy policies and competition for biomass: Implications for land use, food prices, and processing industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xiaoguang; Önal, Hayri

2016-01-01

We use a mathematical programming model to examine the impacts of simultaneous implementation of two US biofuel and bioenergy policies on commodity markets and spatial distribution of future cellulosic biorefineries. The key findings based on our numerical simulation are: (1) the number and average annual production capacity of cellulosic biofuel refineries depend on the total renewable fuels mandate; (2) the mix of cellulosic biomass feedstock depends on the assumptions about the production costs of energy crops and the amount of cropland that can be used for energy crops, but regardless of the assumptions crop residues are the primary biomass source to meet the demand for biomass for biofuel production and electricity generation; and (3) the biomass production areas would surround either future cellulosic biorefineries or the existing coal-based power plants to reduce the costs of biomass transportation. These findings have important implications for biorefinery investors and provide valuable policy insights for the selection of Biomass Crop Assistance Program project areas. - Highlights: •Impacts of US biofuel and bioenergy policies are analyzed. •The number and production capacity of biorefineries depend on the biofuel policies. •Crop residues are the primary biomass source for bioenergy production. •Biomass production areas will surround cellulosic biorefineries or power plants.

The Potential for Biomass District Energy Production in Port Graham, Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Charles Sink, Chugachmiut; Keeryanne Leroux, EERC

2008-05-08

This project was a collaboration between The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and Chugachmiut – A Tribal organization Serving the Chugach Native People of Alaska and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Tribal Energy Program. It was conducted to determine the economic and technical feasibility for implementing a biomass energy system to service the Chugachmiut community of Port Graham, Alaska. The Port Graham tribe has been investigating opportunities to reduce energy costs and reliance on energy imports and support subsistence. The dramatic rise in the prices of petroleum fuels have been a hardship to the village of Port Graham, located on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The Port Graham Village Council views the forest timber surrounding the village and the established salmon industry as potential resources for providing biomass energy power to the facilities in their community. Benefits of implementing a biomass fuel include reduced energy costs, energy independence, economic development, and environmental improvement. Fish oil–diesel blended fuel and indoor wood boilers are the most economical and technically viable options for biomass energy in the village of Port Graham. Sufficient regional biomass resources allow up to 50% in annual heating savings to the user, displacing up to 70% current diesel imports, with a simple payback of less than 3 years for an estimated capital investment under $300,000. Distributive energy options are also economically viable and would displace all imported diesel, albeit offering less savings potential and requiring greater capital. These include a large-scale wood combustion system to provide heat to the entire village, a wood gasification system for cogeneration of heat and power, and moderate outdoor wood furnaces providing heat to 3–4 homes or community buildings per furnace. Coordination of biomass procurement and delivery, ensuring resource reliability and technology acceptance, and arbitrating

Importance of biomass energy sources for Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirbas, Ayhan

2008-01-01

Various agricultural residues such as grain dust, crop residues and fruit tree residues are available in Turkey as the sources of biomass energy. Among the biomass energy sources, fuelwood seems to be one of the most interesting because its share of the total energy production of Turkey is high at 21% and the techniques for converting it to useful energy are not necessarily sophisticated. Selection of a particular biomass for energy requirements is influenced by its availability, source and transportation cost, competing uses and prevalent fossil fuel prices. Utilization of biomass is a very attractive energy resource, particularly for developing countries since biomass uses local feedstocks and labor. Like many developing countries, Turkey relies on biomass to provide much of its energy requirement. More efficient use of biomass in producing energy, both electrical and thermal, may allow Turkey to reduce petroleum imports, thus affecting its balance of payments dramatically. Turkey has always been one of the major agricultural countries in the world. The importance of agriculture is increasing due to biomass energy being one of the major resources in Turkey. Biomass waste materials can be used in Turkey to provide centralized, medium- and large-scale production of process heat for electricity production. Turkey's first biomass power project is under development in Adana province, at an installed capacity of 45 MW. Two others, at a total capacity of 30 MW, are at the feasibility study stage in Mersin and Tarsus provinces. Electricity production from biomass has been found to be a promising method in the nearest future in Turkey

The French market of biomass. An analysis of barriers and levers of development of the wood-energy sector, main biomass resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-06-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at assessing the weight of wood-energy in the French energy mix when it represents 97 per cent of biomass consumed under the form of heat, at giving an overview of markets within which this energy is now valorised (housing heating, heat and cogeneration), at analysing the business model of biomass projects, at assessing mechanisms aimed at supporting this sector, and at assessing the potential of the French market as far as wood-energy is concerned. The report presents the operation principles and applications of biomass, analyses the share of wood-energy in the French energy mix and the objectives defined by the Grenelle de l'Environnement, presents the French forests as an abundant resource, comments wood-based heating of housing as an evolving market, presents and analyses the market of industrial and collective heat, and discusses the perspective of a multiplication by 4 by 2020 of cogeneration installed capacities

Biomass in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapron, Thibaut

2014-01-01

This document provides, first, an overview of biomass industry in Germany: energy consumption and renewable energy production, the French and German electricity mix, the 2003-2013 evolution of renewable electricity production and the 2020 forecasts, the biomass power plants, plantations, biofuels production and consumption in Germany. Then, the legal framework of biofuels development in Germany is addressed (financial incentives, tariffs, direct electricity selling). Next, a focus is made on biogas production both in France and in Germany (facilities, resources). Finally, the French-German cooperation in the biomass industry and the research actors are presented

Energy from biomass and waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This report provides a review of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) Energy Demonstration Programme in the sector of Energy from biomass and waste, and examines the current status of the energy technologies associated with the sector, in relation to projects supported under the Programme, those included under various national programmes and by reference to the published literature. Detailed overviews of five sub-categories represented in the Energy from biomass and waste sector are presented to illustrate their relative significance in terms of estimated energy potential, technological and economic status and the nature of future research, development and demonstration needs. Finally the potential role of the biomass and waste energy technologies in meeting the energy needs of the developing world is discussed. 33 refs; 2 figs; 11 tabs

Woody biomass energy potential in 2050

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauri, Pekka; Havlík, Petr; Kindermann, Georg; Forsell, Nicklas; Böttcher, Hannes; Obersteiner, Michael

2014-01-01

From a biophysical perspective, woody biomass resources are large enough to cover a substantial share of the world's primary energy consumption in 2050. However, these resources have alternative uses and their accessibility is limited, which tends to decrease their competitiveness with respect to other forms of energy. Hence, the key question of woody biomass use for energy is not the amount of resources, but rather their price. In this study we consider the question from the perspective of energy wood supply curves, which display the available amount of woody biomass for large-scale energy production at various hypothetical energy wood prices. These curves are estimated by the Global Biosphere Management Model (GLOBIOM), which is a global partial equilibrium model of forest and agricultural sectors. The global energy wood supply is estimated to be 0–23 Gm 3 /year (0–165 EJ/year) when energy wood prices vary in a range of 0–30$/GJ (0–216$/m 3 ). If we add household fuelwood to energy wood, then woody biomass could satisfy 2–18% of world primary energy consumption in 2050. If primary forests are excluded from wood supply then the potential decreases up to 25%. - highlights: • We examine woody biomass energy potential by partial equilibrium model of forest and agriculture sectors. • It is possible to satisfy 18% (or 14% if primary forests are excluded) of the world's primary energy consumption in 2050 by woody biomass. • To achieve this would require an extensive subsidy/tax policy and would lead to substantial higher woody biomass prices compared to their current level

Biomass in Switzerland. Energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guggisberg, B.

2006-01-01

In the long term, biomass could be used for energy production in a three times more intensive way, compared to current figures. A major contribution would be delivered to Switzerland's energy supply. Numerous biomass conversion technologies do exist, for the production of heat, power or vehicle fuel. However, the implementation of such a large-scale utilisation of biomass requires a couple of strategic decisions in order to improve the framework conditions for biomass development and precisely target the supporting measures applicable to both research and pilot plants. In short, a clear and efficient strategy is necessary in what regards biomass, that will be used for the definition of a future catalogue of measures. (author)

Biomass in a sustainable energy system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boerjesson, Paal

1998-04-01

In this thesis, aspects of an increase in the utilization of biomass in the Swedish energy system are treated. Modern bioenergy systems should be based on high energy and land use efficiency since biomass resources and productive land are limited. The energy input, including transportation, per unit biomass produced is about 4-5% for logging residues, straw and short rotation forest (Salix). Salix has the highest net energy yield per hectare among the various energy crops cultivated in Sweden. The CO 2 emissions from the production and transportation of logging residues, straw and Salix, are equivalent to 2-3% of those from a complete fuel-cycle for coal. Substituting biomass for fossil fuels in electricity and heat production is, in general, less costly and leads to a greater CO 2 reduction per unit biomass than substituting biomass derived transportation fuels for petrol or diesel. Transportation fuels produced from cellulosic biomass provide larger and less expensive CO 2 emission reductions than transportation fuels from annual crops. Swedish CO 2 emissions could be reduced by about 50% from the present level if fossil fuels are replaced and the energy demand is unchanged. There is a good balance between potential regional production and utilization of biomass in Sweden. Future biomass transportation distances need not be longer than, on average, about 40 km. About 22 TWh electricity could be produced annually from biomass in large district heating systems by cogeneration. Cultivation of Salix and energy grass could be utilized to reduce the negative environmental impact of current agricultural practices, such as the emission of greenhouse gases, nutrient leaching, decreased soil fertility and erosion, and for the treatment of municipal waste and sludge, leading to increased recirculation of nutrients. About 20 TWh biomass could theoretically be produced per year at an average cost of less than 50% of current production cost, if the economic value of these

Biomass in a sustainable energy system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boerjesson, Paal

1998-04-01

In this thesis, aspects of an increase in the utilization of biomass in the Swedish energy system are treated. Modern bioenergy systems should be based on high energy and land use efficiency since biomass resources and productive land are limited. The energy input, including transportation, per unit biomass produced is about 4-5% for logging residues, straw and short rotation forest (Salix). Salix has the highest net energy yield per hectare among the various energy crops cultivated in Sweden. The CO{sub 2} emissions from the production and transportation of logging residues, straw and Salix, are equivalent to 2-3% of those from a complete fuel-cycle for coal. Substituting biomass for fossil fuels in electricity and heat production is, in general, less costly and leads to a greater CO{sub 2} reduction per unit biomass than substituting biomass derived transportation fuels for petrol or diesel. Transportation fuels produced from cellulosic biomass provide larger and less expensive CO{sub 2} emission reductions than transportation fuels from annual crops. Swedish CO{sub 2} emissions could be reduced by about 50% from the present level if fossil fuels are replaced and the energy demand is unchanged. There is a good balance between potential regional production and utilization of biomass in Sweden. Future biomass transportation distances need not be longer than, on average, about 40 km. About 22 TWh electricity could be produced annually from biomass in large district heating systems by cogeneration. Cultivation of Salix and energy grass could be utilized to reduce the negative environmental impact of current agricultural practices, such as the emission of greenhouse gases, nutrient leaching, decreased soil fertility and erosion, and for the treatment of municipal waste and sludge, leading to increased recirculation of nutrients. About 20 TWh biomass could theoretically be produced per year at an average cost of less than 50% of current production cost, if the economic

Driftless Area Initiative Biomass Energy Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wright, Angie [Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development, Inc., Postville, IA (United States); Bertjens, Steve [Natural Resources Conservation Service, Madison, WI (United States); Lieurance, Mike [Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development, Inc., Postville, IA (United States); Berguson, Bill [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States). Natural Resources Research Inst.; Buchman, Dan [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States). Natural Resources Research Inst.

2012-12-31

The Driftless Area Initiative Biomass Energy Project evaluated the potential for biomass energy production and utilization throughout the Driftless Region of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The research and demonstration aspect of the project specifically focused on biomass energy feedstock availability and production potential in the region, as well as utilization potential of biomass feedstocks for heat, electrical energy production, or combined heat and power operations. The Driftless Region was evaluated because the topography of the area offers more acres of marginal soils on steep slopes, wooded areas, and riparian corridors than the surrounding “Corn Belt”. These regional land characteristics were identified as potentially providing opportunity for biomass feedstock production that could compete with traditional agriculture commodity crops economically. The project researched establishment methods and costs for growing switchgrass on marginal agricultural lands to determine the economic and quantitative feasibility of switchgrass production for biomass energy purposes. The project was successful in identifying the best management and establishment practices for switchgrass in the Driftless Area, but also demonstrated that simple economic payback versus commodity crops could not be achieved at the time of the research. The project also analyzed the availability of woody biomass and production potential for growing woody biomass for large scale biomass energy production in the Driftless Area. Analysis determined that significant resources exist, but costs to harvest and deliver to the site were roughly 60% greater than that of natural gas at the time of the study. The project contributed significantly to identifying both production potential of biomass energy crops and existing feedstock availability in the Driftless Area. The project also analyzed the economic feasibility of dedicated energy crops in the Driftless Area. High commodity crop prices

Biomass energy utilisation - ecological and economic aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plamen Gramatikov

2009-01-01

Biomass is the world's fourth largest energy source today and it represents about 35% of the primary energy supply in developing countries. Biomass is a versatile source of energy in that it can produce electricity, heat, transport fuel and it can be stored. The problems (technical, economic, etc.) which have to be solved by treatment of biomass are discussed in this work. The average quantities of biomass resources of some European countries are presented and the structure, percentage of products and their calorific values are estimated. Keywords: Biomass Energy Potential, Ecological & Economic Aspects

Remediation of cyanide-contaminated industrial sites through woody biomass production

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrova, Tsvetelina; Repmann, Frank; Freese, Dirk

2017-04-01

Due to the unfavourable chemical and physical soil quality parameters and the potential presence of contaminants, former industrial sites can hardly be utilized as arable land and can thus be classified as marginal areas. Still, as far as possible, they can effectively be used for the production of alternative energy, including the cultivation of fast growing trees. Apart from being a source of bioenergy, trees might facilitate the stabilization, remedation, contaminant extraction and degradation and, not on the last place, to enhance soil quality improvement on former industrial areas. This process is known as phytoremediation and has successfully been applied on industrial sites of various organic and inorganic contamination. The former manufactured gas plant site ( 2500 m2) "ehemalige Leuchtgasanstalt" Cottbus, contaminated, among others, with iron cyanides undergoes phytoremediation with simultaneous biomass production since 2011. The project "Biomass-Remediation" is fully financed by the German Railways JSC. A dense (23700 stems/ha), mixed cover of willow (Salix caprea), poplar (Populus maximowicii Henry x Populus trichocarpa Torr. et Gray (Hybrid 275)) and black locust (Robinia pseudoaccacia) trees has been planted on the site. Throughout the five years of remediation, a successful long-term stabilization of the site has been achieved as a result of the nearly outright established tree stock and the dense planting. Annual monitoring of the cyanide levels in the leaf tissue of the trees on the site and results from greenhouse experiments indicate the ability of all tree species to extract and transport the cyanide from the soil. Additonally, the greenhouse experiments suggest that the willows might be able, although not to a full extent, to detoxify the contaminant by splitting the CN moiety. The contaminated biomass material might easily be dealt with through regular harvests and subsequent incineration. Phytoremediation with simultaneous biomass production

The use of biomass for energy in Sweden. Critical factors and lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Bengt; Boerjesson, Paal; Ericsson, Karin; Nilsson, Lars J.; Svenningsson, Per

2002-08-01

In this report the development of Swedish biomass use during recent decades is discussed. The relations between biomass supply, biomass demand and various policy initiatives are explored. The objectives are to discuss the most important factors affecting the biomass development and to establish which factors are specific for Swedish conditions and also to identify general factors that are relevant in assessing the possibility of expanding biomass use in different contexts. The focus is on the use of biomass for heat and electricity production. Biomass contributed 14% to the Swedish energy supply in 1999. The major fraction of Swedish biomass is used within the forest industry (63%) and in district heating systems (23%). The remaining fraction is used in small-scale boilers in one- and two family dwellings. Between 1990 and 1999 Swedish bioenergy use (including waste and peat) increased by 44%. During the same period there has been a fourfold increase in the district heating systems. By-products from forestry and the Swedish forest industry dominate the supply of biomass in Sweden, but the importation of biomass increased significantly during the 1990s. A number of factors of various kinds have interacted to bring about the increased use of biomass in Sweden during the past twenty years. These factors can be divided into three categories: structure, policies and actors. The existence of a major forest industry and well-developed district heating systems has enabled a rapid response to strong and standing policy commitments to biomass. The reformation of the taxation system, with the introduction of a high carbon tax on fossil fuels, has led to significantly improved competitiveness for biomass when used for heating purposes.

Optimal use of biomass for energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruijgrok, W.; Cleijne, H.

2000-10-01

In addition to the EWAB programme, which is focused mainly on the application of waste and biomass for generating electricity, Novem is also working on behalf of the government on the development of a programme for gaseous and liquid energy carriers (GAVE). The Dutch ministries concerned have requested that Novem provide more insight concerning two aspects. The first aspect is the world-wide availability of biomass in the long term. A study group under the leadership of the University of Utrecht has elaborated this topic in greater detail in the GRAIN project. The second aspect is the question of whether the use of biomass for biofuels, as aimed at in the GAVE programme, can go hand in hand with the input for the electricity route. Novem has asked the Dutch research institute for the electric power industry (KEMA) to study the driving forces that determine the future use of biomass for electricity and biofuels, the competitive strength of each of the routes, and the possible future scenarios that emerge. The results of this report are presented in the form of copies of overhead sheets

Scenarios for power production with biomass in the Finnish forest industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nousiainen, I.K.; Malinen, H.O.; Villa, A.O.

1997-01-01

This study presents three scenarios for power production with biomass in Finnish pulp and paper mills. The basic scenario assumes that the production capacity in the forest industry increases as in the past. The green energy scenario assumes that there is a strong demand from the market for sustainable green energy production. The maximum scenario assumes that the production capacity of chemical pulp increases significantly and the use of wood raw material extends to the maximum level. According to the basic scenario the use of biofuels in the pulp and paper mills will increase from starting level, 3.24 Mtoe in 1992, to 5.07 Mtoe by the year 2010. The utilization potential of biofuels will increase to 5.45 Mtoe in green energy and to 6.43 Mtoe in the maximum biofuels scenario. The power production with biomass will increase from the starting level, 572 MW in 1992, to 930 MW in the basic, to 1 100 MW in the green energy and to 1 670 MW in the maximum biofuels scenario by the year 2010. (author)

Challenges in meeting biomass energy needs in West Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dianka, M. [GAA/RPTES, Dakar (Senegal)

2001-07-01

Biomass energy represents conciderable potential for West Africa. However, the traditional methods of tapping into this biomass have not only had grave consequences for the environment, but have only been able to partially resolve the crucial issue of how to sustainably supply households with domestic fuels. Nevertheless, recent progress made in the improvement of technologies enhancing biomass energy provides a glimpse at interesting perspectives fostering the modernisating and better assesment of the biocombustible and biofuel industries. Reflection conducted over these past years by a group of African experts, brought together around the ASG at the instigation of the RPTES Programme and founded on a new approach to forest resource management, illustrates the attention public powers are granting increasingly to biomass energy, which had been relegated to the back burner for so long, to the benefit of more 'conventional' energy sources. Considering the complexity of biomass energy issues, and their direct links to poverty, it is evident that isolated actions will never succeed in solving the problems currently faced. Thus it is essential to promote regional collaboration and partnerships for more effective actions and to capitalise on experiences, with the aim of ensuring sustainable development for the continent of Africa. Today, given the economic potential of more than US$6 billion generated by African forests, this implies the introduction of sustainable strategies which will result in increasing incomes and improving welfare in general. West Africa, masthead of the continent, will certainly not be an isolated case. Consequently, vigorous action supporting the sustainable management of natural resources as part of poverty alleviation programmes should be undertaken post-haste, in compliance with the Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community. (au)

Guidelines for biomass energy policy implementation in Rwanda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hategeka, A.; Karenzi, P.C.

1997-01-01

This chapter reports on the energy scene in Rwanda, and discusses the evolution of the energy development concept in the framework of national development policy, biomass and other energy sources, biomass supply and demand, and commercialised wood and biomass consumption. Prospects to stabilise the biomass cycle are examined, and the implementation of biomass energy policy in Rwanda is considered. (UK)

Availability and conversion to energy potentials of wood-based industry residues in Cameroon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simo, A.; Siyam Siew, S.

2000-01-01

The importance of biomass as the most accessible primary energy source in Cameroon is presented. The valorization of wood wastes and residues is seen as a way of implementing the sustainable use of biomass resources. A recent survey of wood-based industries in Cameroon reveals that large volumes of industrial wood residues are generated in the rain forest areas and are inefficiently used. Important quantities are lost in the form of burning in the four main forestry provinces, while other parts of the country suffer from fuelwood shortage. With the exception of the plywood factories, the wood industry is essentially dependent on commercial energy. An analysis made to show the economic and environmental benefits of converting wood residues to energy for industrial and domestic use is presented. (author)

Fuels and chemicals from biomass using solar thermal energy

Science.gov (United States)

Giori, G.; Leitheiser, R.; Wayman, M.

1981-01-01

The significant nearer term opportunities for the application of solar thermal energy to the manufacture of fuels and chemicals from biomass are summarized, with some comments on resource availability, market potential and economics. Consideration is given to the production of furfural from agricultural residues, and the role of furfural and its derivatives as a replacement for petrochemicals in the plastics industry.

Biomassa e energia Biomass and energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Goldemberg

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass was the dominating source of energy for human activities until the middle 19th century, when coal, oil, gas and other energy sources became increasingly important but it still represents ca. 10% of the worldwide energy supply. The major part of biomass for energy is still "traditional biomass" used as wood and coal extracted from native forests and thus non-sustainable, used with low efficiency for cooking and home heating, causing pollution problems. This use is largely done in rural areas and it is usually not supported by trading activities. There is now a strong trend to the modernization of biomass use, especially making alcohol from sugar cane thus replacing gasoline, or biodiesel to replace Diesel oil, beyond the production of electricity and vegetable coal using wood from planted forests. As recently as in 2004, sustainable "modern biomass" represented 2% of worldwide energy consumption. This article discusses the perspectives of the "first" and "second" technology generations for liquid fuel production, as well as biomass gaseification to make electricity or syngas that is in turn used in the Fischer-Tropsch process.

Planning woody biomass logistics for energy production: A strategic decision model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frombo, F.; Robba, M.; Minciardi, R.; Sacile, R.; Rosso, F.

2009-01-01

One of the key factors on which the sustainable development of modern society should be based is the possibility to take advantage of renewable energies. Biomass resources are one of the most common and widespread resources in the world. Their use to produce energy has many advantages, such as the reduction of greenhouse emissions. This paper describes a GIS-based Environmental Decision Support System (EDSS) to define planning and management strategies for the optimal logistics for energy production from woody biomass, such as forest biomass, agricultural scraps and industrial and urban untreated wood residues. The EDSS is characterized by three main levels: the GIS, the database, and the optimization. The optimization module is divided in three sub-modules to face different kinds of decision problems: strategic planning, tactical planning, and operational management. The aim of this article is to describe the strategic planning level in detail. The decision variables are represented by plant capacity and harvested biomass in a specific forest parcel for each slope class, while the objective function is the sum of the costs related to plant installation and maintenance, biomass transportation and collection, minus the benefits coming from the energy sales at the current market price, including the renewable energy certificates. Moreover, the optimization problem is structured through a set of parameters and equations that are able to encompass different energy conversion technologies (pyrolysis, gasification or combustion) in the system. A case study on the Liguria Region (Savona Province) is presented and results are discussed. (author)

Greenhouse gas mitigation potential of biomass energy technologies in Vietnam using the long range energy alternative planning system model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Amit; Bhattacharya, S.C.; Pham, H.L.

2003-01-01

The greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potentials of number of selected Biomass Energy Technologies (BETs) have been assessed in Vietnam. These include Biomass Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (BIGCC) based on wood and bagasse, direct combustion plants based on wood, co-firing power plants and Stirling engine based on wood and cooking stoves. Using the Long-range Energy Alternative Planning (LEAP) model, different scenarios were considered, namely the base case with no mitigation options, replacement of kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by biogas stove, substitution of gasoline by ethanol in transport sector, replacement of coal by wood as fuel in industrial boilers, electricity generation with biomass energy technologies and an integrated scenario including all the options together. Substitution of coal stoves by biogas stove has positive abatement cost, as the cost of wood in Vietnam is higher than coal. Replacement of kerosene and LPG cookstoves by biomass stove also has a positive abatement cost. Replacement of gasoline by ethanol can be realized after a few years, as at present the cost of ethanol is more than the cost of gasoline. The replacement of coal by biomass in industrial boiler is also not an attractive option as wood is more expensive than coal in Vietnam. The substitution of fossil fuel fired plants by packages of BETs has a negative abatement cost. This option, if implemented, would result in mitigation of 10.83 million tonnes (Mt) of CO 2 in 2010

Comparative study of different waste biomass for energy application.

Science.gov (United States)

Motghare, Kalyani A; Rathod, Ajit P; Wasewar, Kailas L; Labhsetwar, Nitin K

2016-01-01

Biomass is available in many varieties, consisting of crops as well as its residues from agriculture, forestry, and the agro-industry. These different biomass find their way as freely available fuel in rural areas but are also responsible for air pollution. Emissions from such solid fuel combustion to indoor, regional and global air pollution largely depend on fuel types, combustion device, fuel properties, fuel moisture, amount of air supply for combustion and also on climatic conditions. In both economic and environment point of view, gasification constitutes an attractive alternative for the use of biomass as a fuel, than the combustion process. A large number of studies have been reported on a variety of biomass and agriculture residues for their possible use as renewable fuels. Considering the area specific agriculture residues and biomass availability and related transportation cost, it is important to explore various local biomass for their suitability as a fuel. Maharashtra (India) is the mainstay for the agriculture and therefore, produces a significant amount of waste biomass. The aim of the present research work is to analyze different local biomass wastes for their proximate analysis and calorific value to assess their potential as fuel. The biomass explored include cotton waste, leaf, soybean waste, wheat straw, rice straw, coconut coir, forest residues, etc. mainly due to their abundance. The calorific value and the proximate analysis of the different components of the biomass helped in assessing its potential for utilization in different industries. It is observed that ash content of these biomass species is quite low, while the volatile matter content is high as compared to Indian Coal. This may be appropriate for briquetting and thus can be used as a domestic fuel in biomass based gasifier cook stoves. Utilizing these biomass species as fuel in improved cook-stove and domestic gasifier cook-stoves would be a perspective step in the rural energy and

Biomass and Biogas for Sustainable Energy Generation: Recent Development and Perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mustafa Omer, Abdeen

2017-01-01

Biogas from biomass appears to have potential as an alternative energy source, which is potentially rich in biomass resources. This is an overview of some salient points and perspectives of biogas technology. The current literature is reviewed regarding the ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts of biogas technology. This article gives an overview of present and future use of biomass as an industrial feedstock for production of fuels, chemicals and other materials. However, to be truly competitive in an open market situation, higher value products are required. Results suggest that biogas technology must be encouraged, promoted, invested, implemented, and demonstrated, but especially in remote rural areas. (author)

Renewable energy potential from biomass residues in Egypt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Said, N.; Zamorano, M. [Civil Engineering Dept., Univ. of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, Granada (Spain); El-Shatoury, S.A. [Botany Dept., Faculty of Sciences, Suez Canal Univ., Ismailia (Egypt)

2012-11-01

Egypt has been one of the developing countries following successful programs for the development of renewable energy resources, with special emphasis on solar, wind and biomass. Utilization of biomass as a source of energy is important from energetic as well as environmental viewpoint. Furthermore, Egypt produces millions of biomass waste every year causing pollution and health problems. So, the incorporation of biomass with other renewable energy will increase the impact of solving energy and environmental problem. There is a good potential for the utilization of biomass energy resources in Egypt. Four main types of biomass energy sources are included in this study: agricultural residues, municipal solid wastes, animal wastes and sewage sludge. Analysis of the potential biomass resource quantity and its theoretical energy content has been computed according to literature review. The agriculture crop residue represents the main source of biomass waste with a high considerable amount of the theoretical potential energy in Egypt. Rice straw is considered one of the most important of such residue due to its high amount and its produced energy through different conversion techniques represent a suitable candidate for crop energy production in Egypt.

Outcome of UNIDO symposium on biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazemi, A.H.

1997-01-01

The results of the UNIDO symposium are presented. The symposium covered a variety of subjects, beginning with a comparison of biomass energy production and potential uses in different regions, specific country case studies about the present situation and trends in biomass energy utilisation. Technological aspects discussed included the production of biomass resources, their conversion into energy carriers and technology transfer to developing countries. An analysis of financial resources available and mechanisms for funding biomass projects were given. Environmental effects and some relatively successful biomass projects under development were described. (K.A.)

Biomass energy potential in Brazil. Country study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreira, J [Biomass Users Network-Brazil Regional Office, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

1995-12-01

The present paper was prepared as a country study about the biomass potential for energy production in Brazil. Information and analysis of the most relevant biomass energy sources and their potential are presented in six chapters. Ethanol fuel, sugar-cane bagasse, charcoal, vegetable oil, firewood and other biomass-derived fuels are the objects of a historical review, in addition to the presentation of state-of-the-art technologies, economic analysis and discussion of relevant social and environmental issues related to their production and use. Wherever possible, an evaluation, from the available sources of information and based on the author`s knowledge, is performed to access future perspectives of each biomass energy source. Brazil is a country where more than half of the energy consumed is provided from renewable sources of energy, and biomass provides 28% of the primary energy consumption. Its large extension, almost all located in the tropical and rainy region, provides an excellent site for large-scale biomass production, which is a necessity if biomass is to be used to supply a significant part of future energy demand. Even so, deforestation has occurred and is occurring in the country, and the issue is discussed and explained as mainly the result of non-energy causes or the use of old and outdated technologies for energy production. (author) 115 refs, figs, tabs

Biomass energy potential in Brazil. Country study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moreira, J.

1995-01-01

The present paper was prepared as a country study about the biomass potential for energy production in Brazil. Information and analysis of the most relevant biomass energy sources and their potential are presented in six chapters. Ethanol fuel, sugar-cane bagasse, charcoal, vegetable oil, firewood and other biomass-derived fuels are the objects of a historical review, in addition to the presentation of state-of-the-art technologies, economic analysis and discussion of relevant social and environmental issues related to their production and use. Wherever possible, an evaluation, from the available sources of information and based on the author's knowledge, is performed to access future perspectives of each biomass energy source. Brazil is a country where more than half of the energy consumed is provided from renewable sources of energy, and biomass provides 28% of the primary energy consumption. Its large extension, almost all located in the tropical and rainy region, provides an excellent site for large-scale biomass production, which is a necessity if biomass is to be used to supply a significant part of future energy demand. Even so, deforestation has occurred and is occurring in the country, and the issue is discussed and explained as mainly the result of non-energy causes or the use of old and outdated technologies for energy production. (author)

Biomass - Energy - Climate - From photosynthesis to bio-economy. V. 1: 'the energy from the fields'; V. 2: 'the energy from the woods'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brulhet, Jacques; Figuet, Raymond; Bardon, Eric; Bour-Poitrinal, Emmanuelle; Dereix, Charles; Leblanc-Cuvillier, Anick

2011-10-01

A fist volume presents, outlines and comments the possibilities of energy generation from the biomass produced in fields, the development potential of biomass production and of food industry, the challenge of bio-wastes and soil structure, the relationship between renewable energies and new crops, the development of agriculture to supply bio-refineries, produce biofuels and develop vegetal chemistry. Examples of biomass valorisation in la Reunion are presented. The second volume addresses the possibilities related to wood exploitation. It outlines ways to mobilise this resource, discusses the issue of forest exploitation in Guyana, gives an overview of wood applications, describes how to valorise forest carbon storage, gives an overview of innovation, governance and information for this specific sector, and evokes the place of bio-economy on markets

Energy from biomass. Teaching material; Energie aus Biomasse. Ein Lehrmaterial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-04-01

The textbook discusses the available options for power and heat generation from biomass as well as the limits of biomass-based power supply. The main obstacle apart from the high cost is a lack of knowledge, which the book intends to remedy. It addresses students of agriculture, forestry, environmental engineering, heating systems engineering and apprentice chimney sweepers, but it will also be useful to all other interested readers. [German] Biomasse kann aufgrund seiner vielfaeltigen Erscheinungs- und Umwandlungsformen sowohl als Brennstoff zur Waerme- und Stromgewinnung oder als Treibstoff eingesetzt werden. Die energetische Nutzung von Biomasse birgt zudem nicht zu verachtende Vorteile. Zum einen wegen des Beitrags zum Klimaschutz aufgrund der CO{sub 2}-Neutralitaet oder einfach, weil Biomasse immer wieder nachwaechst und von fossilen Ressourcen unabhaengig macht. All den bisher erschlossenen Moeglichkeiten der energetischen Nutzung von Biomasse moechte dieses Lehrbuch Rechnung tragen. Es zeigt aber auch die Grenzen auf, die mit der Energieversorgung durch Bioenergie einhergehen. Hohe Kosten und ein erhebliches Informationsdefizit behinderten bisher eine verstaerkte Nutzung dieses Energietraeges. Letzterem soll dieses Lehrbuch entgegenwirken. Das vorliegende Lehrbuch wurde fuer die Aus- und Weiterbildung erstellt. Es richtet sich vor allem an angehende Land- und Forstwirte, Umwelttechniker, Heizungsbauer und Schornsteinfeger, ist aber auch fuer all diejenigen interessant, die das Thema ''Energie aus Biomasse'' verstehen und ueberblicken moechten. (orig.)

The regional effects of a biomass fuel industry on US agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallagher, Paul W.

2014-01-01

This study looks at the potential competitiveness of the emerging biomass-based biofuel industry in the current economic environment. A simulation model suggests that a mature biomassbased biofuel industry is potentially competitive with gasoline, and capable of filling a significant fraction of motor fuel supplies. However, the existing land policy has a narrow definition of agricultural land for a biomass-based fuel industry. A broader definition of agricultural land suitable for biomass inputs would reduce biofuel processing costs, relieve the food versus fuel conflict, and increase the net gain to fuel consumers, food consumers, and producers of food and fuel. - Highlights: • We look at the potential competitiveness of a mature biomass fuel (BF) industry in the US. • We model a land policy that allows BF-cattle competition for forage, crop residues, and pasture. • We estimate the cost reductions and welfare gains associated with modifying the land use policy

Air pollution impacts from logistics related to forest biomass to energy chain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monteiro, C.; Tarelho, L.; Lopes, M.; Monteiro, A.; Cascao, P.; Miranda, A.M. [CESAM and Dept. of Environment and Planning, Univ. of Aveiro, Aveiro (Portugal)], e-mail: anacristina@ua.pt

2012-11-01

In recent years, pressures on global environment and energy security have led to an increasing demand on renewable energy sources, and diversification of world's energy supply. Among these resources the forest biomass could exert an important role, since it is considered a renewable and CO{sub 2} neutral energy resource, and can potentially provide energy for heat, power and transport fuels. In this study were presented the results of the amounts of forest biomass residues (FBR) available in Portugal, taking into account some conditioning related with land characteristics (e.g. slope). Comparing the FBR consumption for industrial thermal power plants it is possible to verify that the FBR available (1.91x10{sup 6} ton (dry) year{sup -}1) in Portugal is enough to address the needs of industrial plants, but if the planned plants come into operation, the FBR available is no longer sufficient. The operations associated with the FBR harvesting were described, emphasizing the transport between the production locations and the industrial thermal plants. By applying a TRaffic Emission Model (TREM), it was estimated the fuel consumption and related gaseous emissions (CO, CO{sub 2}, PM, NO{sub x}, SO{sub 2}, VOC, CH{sub 4}, NH{sub 3} and N{sub 2}O) associated with the transport of the FBR.

Development of biomass energy lacks a clear direction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

By the year 2020, 4.4% of total energy consumption in the Netherlands must be generated from biomass. That means that biomass will be the most important form of renewable energy for this country. But, with 20 years to go, there is still no generally accepted strategy for the technological and economical development of bio-energy. The most important questions are discussed: is biomass sustainable or not, is it better to burn biomass or to gasify, must one built large-scale or small-scale biomass conversion plants, should the Netherlands import or biomass or cultivate biomass themselves, should biomass wastes be incinerated or recycled, must the emission standard for SO2 be 40 or 200 mg, and, finally, is bio-energy economically feasible?

Small-scale automated biomass energy heating systems: a viable option for remote Canadian communities?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCallum, B. [Canadian Forest Service, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Industry, Economics and Programs Branch

1997-12-31

The potential benefits of wood energy (forest biomass) for space heating in Canada`s remote communities was discussed. Diesel fuel and heating oil must be transported into these communities to produce electricity and to heat large public buildings. Below the treeline, roundwood is often used to heat private homes. The move toward environmentally sustainable development has focussed much attention on renewable energy technologies such as biomass energy, (i.e. any form of energy derived from plant or animal materials). Wood is the most readily available biomass fuel in remote communities. Woodchips and sawmill waste can be burned in automated biomass heating systems which provide a convenient way to use low-grade wood to heat large buildings or groups of buildings which would not be feasible to heat with roundwood. It was shown that one cord of spruce can produce 1.5 tonnes of woodchips to ultimately displace 300 litres of heating oil. A description of a small-commercial and small-industrial biomass system was presented. The benefits of biomass were described as: (1) direct savings compared to high-cost oil heat, (2) increased circulation of energy dollars inside the community, and (3) employment opportunities in harvesting, processing and operating biomass systems. A steady supply of good quality woodchips to the heating plant must be ensured. 1 ref., 3 figs.

Biomass energy: its important and future trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, P.S.

1997-01-01

The development of photo-biological energy conversion systems has long-term implication from the energy, wood fibre and chemical points etc. Power generation through biomass combustion and gasification has proved to be very successful venture. The energy needs of the people in the remote, rural and even urban areas of the country can be met economically by the energy from the renewable source such as biomass. The biomass energy is full of opportunities, and future trends are emerging towards renewable energy

Identifying blocks to boost industrial development indispensable to energy transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-11-01

For different sectors (biomass energy, fossil and geothermal energies, nuclear energies, solar energy, marine, hydraulic and wind energies, energies in transports, construction, industries and agriculture, prospective and education, grids and storage), this report gives a brief overview of the present status and problematic, and briefly presents the main issues to be solved to develop these sectors within the perspective of energy transition and sustainable development

Analysis of the availability of biomass in Cuba with energy ends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padron Perez, Rolando; Paredes Morejon, Lizeyda; Leyva Canavaciolo, Rafael

2011-01-01

The sugar Power stations commonly are endowed with an area water heater energetics with I upset generators to burn biomass and to generate electricity, alone that make it in the period of harvest, the trash that generate in its industrial process for electricity to be self-sufficient in burning. For to continue generating the whole year is necessary the supply of other solid fuels (biomasses not sugar). In this case the supply of marabou biomass with more caloric power and smaller content of humidity that the trash, converts it in a more efficient fuel in this industry. This project opens a road for the use of more than 900.000 hectares today infested by marabou, some will be been able to use again, after more than disabled 25 years, for the agricultural production and others will be able to be reforested with energy forests that allow the sustainable of the project. These studies are guided to contribute to the increment and sustainable of the security electro-energetics in Cuba, facilitating the environmental recovery and the agricultural use of the floors, facilitating the adoption of systems that achieve an in agreement generation with the strategy approved in the principles of the Energy Revolution and proposal in the limits of the 6. Congress of Party. (author)

Woody biomass policies and location decisions of the woody bioenergy industry in the southern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Zhimei; Hodges, Donald G.; Young, Timothy M.

2013-01-01

Woody biomass for bioenergy production has been included in relatively few renewable energy policies since the 1970s. Recently, however, several states have implemented a variety of new woody biomass policies to spur the establishment of new bioenergy industry. Establishing new woody biomass-based facilities in a specific state is affected by a number of factors such as the strength of these new policy incentives, resource availability, business tax climate, and the available labor force. This study employs a conditional logit model (CLM) to explore the effects of woody biomass policies on the siting decisions of new bioenergy projects relative to some of these other state attributes. The CLM results suggest that state government incentives are significantly related to state success in attracting new plants. The results have substantial implications regarding woody biomass policies and the creation of a new bioenergy industry. -- Highlights: •This study explores the effects of state attributes on the siting decisions of new woody bioenergy projects. •Results suggest that state woody biomass policies are significantly related to state success in attracting new plants. •Other factors related to the siting of woody bioenergy facilities include resource availability, taxes, and wage rate

Performance of an effectively integrated biomass multi-stage gasification system and a steel industry heat treatment furnace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunarathne, Duleeka Sandamali; Mellin, Pelle; Yang, Weihong; Pettersson, Magnus; Ljunggren, Rolf

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Multi-stage biomass gasification is integrated with steel heat treatment furnace. • Fossil fuel derived CO_2 emission is eliminated by replacing natural gas with syngas. • The integrated system uses waste heat from the furnace for biomass gasification. • Up to 13% increment of the gasifier system energy efficiency is observed. • Fuel switching results in 10% lower flue gas loss and improved furnace efficiency. - Abstract: The challenges of replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy in steel industry furnaces include not only reducing CO_2 emissions but also increasing the system energy efficiency. In this work, a multi-stage gasification system is chosen for the integration with a heat treatment furnace in the steel powder industry to recover different rank/temperature waste heat back to the biomass gasification system, resulting higher system energy efficiency. A system model based on Aspen Plus was developed for the proposed integrated system considering all steps, including biomass drying, pyrolysis, gasification and the combustion of syngas in the furnace. Both low temperature (up to 400 °C) and high temperature (up to 700 °C) heat recovery possibilities were analysed in terms of energy efficiency by optimizing the biomass pretreatment temperature. The required process conditions of the furnace can be achieved by using syngas. No major changes to the furnace, combustion technology or flue gas handling system are necessary for this fuel switching. Only a slight revamp of the burner system and a new waste heat recovery system from the flue gases are required. Both the furnace efficiency and gasifier system efficiency are improved by integration with the waste heat recovery. The heat recovery from the hot furnace flue gas for biomass drying and steam superheating is the most promising option from an energy efficiency point of view. This option recovers two thirds of the available waste heat, according to the pinch analysis performed

Biomass energy inventory and mapping system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasile, J.D. [Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)

1993-12-31

A four-stage biomass energy inventory and mapping system was conducted for the entire State of Ohio. The product is a set of maps and an inventory of the State of Ohio. The set of amps and an inventory of the State`s energy biomass resource are to a one kilometer grid square basis on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) system. Each square kilometer is identified and mapped showing total British Thermal Unit (BTU) energy availability. Land cover percentages and BTU values are provided for each of nine biomass strata types for each one kilometer grid square. LANDSAT satellite data was used as the primary stratifier. The second stage sampling was the photointerpretation of randomly selected one kilometer grid squares that exactly corresponded to the LANDSAT one kilometer grid square classification orientation. Field sampling comprised the third stage of the energy biomass inventory system and was combined with the fourth stage sample of laboratory biomass energy analysis using a Bomb calorimeter and was then used to assign BTU values to the photointerpretation and to adjust the LANDSAT classification. The sampling error for the whole system was 3.91%.

[Applications of GIS in biomass energy source research].

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Xian-Ming; Wang, Wu-Kui; Li, Yi-Wei; Sun, Wen-Xiang; Shi, Hai; Zhang, Da-Hong

2010-03-01

Biomass resources have the characteristics of widespread and dispersed distribution, which have close relations to the environment, climate, soil, and land use, etc. Geographic information system (GIS) has the functions of spatial analysis and the flexibility of integrating with other application models and algorithms, being of predominance to the biomass energy source research. This paper summarized the researches on the GIS applications in biomass energy source research, with the focus in the feasibility study of bioenergy development, assessment of biomass resources amount and distribution, layout of biomass exploitation and utilization, evaluation of gaseous emission from biomass burning, and biomass energy information system. Three perspectives of GIS applications in biomass energy source research were proposed, i. e., to enrich the data source, to improve the capacity on data processing and decision-support, and to generate the online proposal.

CALLA ENERGY BIOMASS COFIRING PROJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unknown

2002-01-01

The Calla Energy Biomass Project, to be located in Estill County, Kentucky is to be conducted in two phases. The objective of Phase I is to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of cofiring biomass-based gasification fuel-gas in a power generation boiler. Waste coal fines are to be evaluated as the cofired fuel. The project is based on the use of commercially available technology for feeding and gas cleanup that would be suitable for deployment in municipal, large industrial and utility applications. Define a combustion system for the biomass gasification-based fuel-gas capable of stable, low-NOx combustion over the full range of gaseous fuel mixtures, with low carbon monoxide emissions and turndown capabilities suitable for large-scale power generation applications. The objective for Phase II is to design, install and demonstrate the combined gasification and combustion system in a large-scale, long-term cofiring operation to promote acceptance and utilization of indirect biomass cofiring technology for large-scale power generation applications. During this Performance Period work efforts focused on completion of the Topical Report, summarizing the design and techno-economic study of the project's feasibility. GTI received supplemental authorization A002 from DOE contracts for additional work to be performed under Phase I that will further extend the performance period until the end of February 2003. The additional scope of work is for GTI to develop the gasification characteristics of selected feedstock for the project. To conduct this work, GTI will assemble an existing ''mini-bench'' unit to perform the gasification tests. The results of the test will be used to confirm or if necessary update the process design completed in Phase Task 1

Harvesting and transport operations to optimise biomass supply chain and industrial biorefinery processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Matindi

2018-10-01

Full Text Available In Australia, Bioenergy plays an important role in modern power systems, where many biomass resources provide greenhouse gas neutral and electricity at a variety of scales. By 2050, the Biomass energy is projected to have a 40-50 % share as an alternative source of energy. In addition to conversion of biomass, barriers and uncertainties in the production, supply may hinder biomass energy development. The sugarcane is an essential ingredient in the production of Bioenergy, across the whole spectrum ranging from the first generation to second generation, e.g., production of energy from the lignocellulosic component of the sugarcane initially regarded as waste (bagasse and cane residue. Sustainable recovery of the Lignocellulosic component of sugarcane from the field through a structured process is largely unknown and associated with high capital outlay that have stifled the growth of bioenergy sector. In this context, this paper develops a new scheduler to optimise the recovery of lignocellulosic component of sugarcane and cane, transport and harvest systems with reducing the associated costs and operational time. An Optimisation Algorithm called Limited Discrepancy Search has been adapted and integrated with the developed scheduling transport algorithms. The developed algorithms are formulated and coded by Optimization Programming Language (OPL to obtain the optimised cane and cane residues transport schedules. Computational experiments demonstrate that high-quality solutions are obtainable for industry-scale instances. To provide insightful decisions, sensitivity analysis is conducted in terms of different scenarios and criteria.

Fiscal 1999 survey report. Survey of leading countries' approaches to biomass energy development; 1999 nendo shuyokoku ni okeru biomass energy kaihatsu eno torikumi ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

The survey aims to help Japan deliberate its future biomass energy development strategy including the course Japan is to follow in its research and development of biomass energy by clarifying leading countries' approaches to the subject matter and trends of their research and development efforts in this connection. The states of biomass energy development in the U.S. and Europe are reported. In the U.S., President Clinton issued Executive Order 13134 on August 12, 1999, regarding bio-based products and bioenergy development. In this country, bioenergy and bio-based production technologies have developed to reach a stage where business pays, and commercial plants are in service. The U.S. Administration mentions as a strategy the efficient development of the bioenergy industry. In Europe, where resources are versatile and local, it is difficult to assess the economy of scale, and small-scale development efforts are being accumulated. Practical technologies under development mostly involve direct combustion. European measures are similar to U.S. measures in that such political goals as local development and employment promotion are firmly woven into them. (NEDO)

Energy from biomass. Energie uit biomassa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Doorn, J [Business Unit ESC-Energy Studies, Netherlands Energy Research Foundation, Petten (Netherlands)

1992-11-01

A brief overview is given of the options to use biomass as an energy source. Attention is paid to processing techniques, energy yields from crops, production costs in comparison with other renewable sources and fossil fuels, and the Dutch energy policy for this matter. 1 fig., 1 ill., 2 tabs., 3 refs.

The Prospects of Rubberwood Biomass Energy Production in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jegatheswaran Ratnasingam

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Rubber has been shown to be one of the most important plantation crops in Malaysia, and rubber tree biomass has widespread applications in almost all sectors of the wood products manufacturing sector. Despite its abundance, the exploitation of rubberwood biomass for energy generation is limited when compared to other available biomass such as oil palm, rice husk, cocoa, sugarcane, coconut, and other wood residues. Furthermore, the use of biomass for energy generation is still in its early stages in Malaysia, a nation still highly dependent on fossil fuels for energy production. The constraints for large scale biomass energy production in Malaysia are the lack of financing for such projects, the need for large investments, and the limited research and development activities in the sector of efficient biomass energy production. The relatively low cost of energy in Malaysia, through the provision of subsidy, also restricts the potential utilization of biomass for energy production. In order to fully realize the potential of biomass energy in Malaysia, the environmental cost must be factored into the cost of energy production.

Biomass waste-to-energy valorisation technologies: a review case for banana processing in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumisiriza, Robert; Hawumba, Joseph Funa; Okure, Mackay; Hensel, Oliver

2017-01-01

Uganda's banana industry is heavily impeded by the lack of cheap, reliable and sustainable energy mainly needed for processing of banana fruit into pulp and subsequent drying into chips before milling into banana flour that has several uses in the bakery industry, among others. Uganda has one of the lowest electricity access levels, estimated at only 2-3% in rural areas where most of the banana growing is located. In addition, most banana farmers have limited financial capacity to access modern solar energy technologies that can generate sufficient energy for industrial processing. Besides energy scarcity and unreliability, banana production, marketing and industrial processing generate large quantities of organic wastes that are disposed of majorly by unregulated dumping in places such as swamps, thereby forming huge putrefying biomass that emit green house gases (methane and carbon dioxide). On the other hand, the energy content of banana waste, if harnessed through appropriate waste-to-energy technologies, would not only solve the energy requirement for processing of banana pulp, but would also offer an additional benefit of avoiding fossil fuels through the use of renewable energy. The potential waste-to-energy technologies that can be used in valorisation of banana waste can be grouped into three: Thermal (Direct combustion and Incineration), Thermo-chemical (Torrefaction, Plasma treatment, Gasification and Pyrolysis) and Biochemical (Composting, Ethanol fermentation and Anaerobic Digestion). However, due to high moisture content of banana waste, direct application of either thermal or thermo-chemical waste-to-energy technologies is challenging. Although, supercritical water gasification does not require drying of feedstock beforehand and can be a promising thermo-chemical technology for gasification of wet biomass such as banana waste, it is an expensive technology that may not be adopted by banana farmers in Uganda. Biochemical conversion technologies are

Estimates of US biomass energy consumption 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

This report is the seventh in a series of publications developed by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to quantify the biomass-derived primary energy used by the US economy. It presents estimates of 1991 and 1992 consumption. The objective of this report is to provide updated estimates of biomass energy consumption for use by Congress, Federal and State agencies, biomass producers and end-use sectors, and the public at large

Estimates of US biomass energy consumption 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-05-06

This report is the seventh in a series of publications developed by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to quantify the biomass-derived primary energy used by the US economy. It presents estimates of 1991 and 1992 consumption. The objective of this report is to provide updated estimates of biomass energy consumption for use by Congress, Federal and State agencies, biomass producers and end-use sectors, and the public at large.

The biomass file

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

As biomass represents the main source of renewable energy to reach the 23 per cent objective in terms of energy consumption by 2020, a first article gives a synthetic overview of its definition, its origins, its possible uses, its share in the French energy mix, its role by 2020, strengths and weaknesses for its development, the growth potential of its market, and its implications in terms of employment. A second article outlines the assets of biomass, indicates the share of some crops in biomass energy production, and discusses the development of new resources and the possible energy valorisation of various by-products. Interviews about biomass market and development perspectives are proposed with representatives of institutions, energy industries and professional bodies concerned with biomass development and production. Other articles comments the slow development of biomass-based cogeneration, the coming into operation of a demonstration biomass roasting installation in Pau (France), the development potential of biogas in France, the project of bio natural gas vehicles in Lille, and the large development of biogas in Germany

Modelling the potential consequences of future worldwide biomass energy demand for the french forests and timber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buongiorno, Joseph; Raunikar, Ronald; Zhu, Shushuai

2011-01-01

This article describes an investigation conducted, using a world model for the forestry and forest-based industries, on the effects of the current unpredictable changes in worldwide demand for biomass energy on this sector in France. Two contrasting scenarios are tested. The results are commented and the potential conflict between various would uses - workable timber, industrial timber and dendro-energy - is underscored. (authors)

Energy from biomass and wastes 15

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klass, D.L.

1991-01-01

This proceedings is contains 63 papers on the utilization of biomass as an energy source and as a source for materials. The specific topics discussed include: environmental issues, biomass production, biomass pretreatment and processing, chemicals and other products from biomass, fuel ethanol, thermal liquefaction, thermal gasification, combustion and power generation, and national programs. Individual papers are indexed separately

Fiscal 1999 survey report. Survey of leading countries' approaches to biomass energy development; 1999 nendo shuyokoku ni okeru biomass energy kaihatsu eno torikumi ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

The survey aims to help Japan deliberate its future biomass energy development strategy including the course Japan is to follow in its research and development of biomass energy by clarifying leading countries' approaches to the subject matter and trends of their research and development efforts in this connection. The states of biomass energy development in the U.S. and Europe are reported. In the U.S., President Clinton issued Executive Order 13134 on August 12, 1999, regarding bio-based products and bioenergy development. In this country, bioenergy and bio-based production technologies have developed to reach a stage where business pays, and commercial plants are in service. The U.S. Administration mentions as a strategy the efficient development of the bioenergy industry. In Europe, where resources are versatile and local, it is difficult to assess the economy of scale, and small-scale development efforts are being accumulated. Practical technologies under development mostly involve direct combustion. European measures are similar to U.S. measures in that such political goals as local development and employment promotion are firmly woven into them. (NEDO)

Hydropower and biomass as renewable energy sources in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaygusuz, K.

2001-01-01

When talking about renewable energy sources today, the most important and economical energy sources for Turkey are hydropower and biomass.The present study gives a review of production, consumption, and economics of hydropower and biomass as renewable energy sources in Turkey. Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GW, but only 125 GW of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. By the commissioning of new hydropower plants, which are under construction, 36% of the economically usable potential of the country could be tapped. On the other hand, biomass (wood and wastes) energy is the second most important renewable energy source for Turkey. However, the biomass energy sources of Turkey are limited. In 1998, the biomass share of the total energy consumption of the country is 10%. In this study, the potential of important biomass energy sources and animal solid wastes of the country were determined. The effects of hydropower and biomass usage on the environment were also discussed. Considering total cereal products and fatty seed plants, approximately 50-60 million tons per year of biomass and 8-10 million tons of solid matter animal waste are produced, and 70% of total biomass is seen as being usable for energy. Some useful suggestions and recommendations are also presented. The present study shows that there is an important potential for hydropower and biomass energy sources in Turkey. (author)

Biomass as feedstock for chemicals and energy on the threshold of the 21st. century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, R.E.

1993-01-01

A historical background is first given in which the role of biomass is described in relation to its competition with fossil biomass for the production of chemicals and energy. Occurrences of reserves from both sources are then compared. Petrochemical and biomass routes are then analyzed in terms of their relative competitive advantages. The oleochemical and biotechnology cases are analyzed in more detail as examples of biomass utilization. Latin American examples of industrial manufacturing of biomass derived chemicals are then provided. Alcochemicals are analyzed in detail as well as essential oils and other chemicals. Finally, references are made to regional Latin American initiatives regarding biomass and the objectives, organization and nature of the initiative are presented

Sustainable use of forest biomass for energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stupak Moeller, Inge

2005-01-01

The substitution of biomass for fossil fuels in energy consumption is a measure to mitigate global warming, and political action plans at European and national levels exist for an increased use. The use of forest biomass for energy can imply different economic and environmental advantages and disadvantages for the society, the energy sector and forestry. For the achievement of an increased and sustainable use of forest biomass for energy, the EU 5th Framework project WOOD-EN-MAN aimed at synthesising current knowledge and creating new knowledge within the field

Biomass energy - large potential in North-West Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borchsenius, Hans

2000-01-01

Changing from oil or coal to bio fuel is a high priority in all European countries. The potential for such a transition is largest in North-West Russia, where several factors point to biomass energy: large bio fuel resources, large need for heating because of the cold climate, and almost 100% coverage of district heating. Here, the largest continuous coniferous forest in Europe supplies the raw material for a considerable forest industry, including some of the biggest sawmills and paper- and cellulose factories in the world. The fraction of the timber that cannot go into this production is suitable as bio fuel. About 15% of the raw material in this industry is bark and sawdust which can be used for energy production. In addition, 10% of the biomass of the trees remains on the forest floor as twigs, treetops etc. If all this sawdust and felling waste was used to replace heating oil, the corresponding reduction of CO2 emission would amount to 25 mill m3 per year. The forest industry in Russia is currently in full production, and an increasing mass of sawdust and wood waste is accumulating in depositories that cover larger and larger areas. Depositories are often set on fire to keep down the masses; at the same time, the district heating plants are fired with expensive oil or coal. This paradoxical situation is due to the economical crises in the 1990s. Neither private companies nor the local governments could invest in bio fueled boilers. Bio fuel projects are cost-effective and easy to document and perfectly suitable for joint implementations under the Kyoto Protocol

Biomass potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asplund, D [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

1997-12-31

Biomass resources of the industrialised countries are enormous, if only a small fraction of set-aside fields were used for energy crops. Forest resources could also be utilised more efficiently than at present for large-scale energy production. The energy content of the annual net growth of the total wood biomass is estimated to be 180 million toe in Europe without the former USSR, and about 50 million toe of that in the EC area, in 1990. Presently, the harvesting methods of forest biomass for energy production are not yet generally competitive. Among the most promising methods are integrated harvesting methods, which supply both raw material to the industry and wood fuel for energy production. Several new methods for separate harvesting of energy wood are being developed in many countries. (orig.)

Biomass potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asplund, D. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

1996-12-31

Biomass resources of the industrialised countries are enormous, if only a small fraction of set-aside fields were used for energy crops. Forest resources could also be utilised more efficiently than at present for large-scale energy production. The energy content of the annual net growth of the total wood biomass is estimated to be 180 million toe in Europe without the former USSR, and about 50 million toe of that in the EC area, in 1990. Presently, the harvesting methods of forest biomass for energy production are not yet generally competitive. Among the most promising methods are integrated harvesting methods, which supply both raw material to the industry and wood fuel for energy production. Several new methods for separate harvesting of energy wood are being developed in many countries. (orig.)

Surplus biomass through energy efficient kilns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, Jan-Olof; Westerlund, Lars

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The magnitude of the national heat demand for drying lumber in kilns is established. → Each part of the total heat consumption is divided and shown between the main drying conditions. → The potential to increase the energy efficiency in kilns with available techniques is presented. → The market demand for the biomass, available with increase kiln energy efficiency, is reviled. -- Abstract: The use of biomass in the European Union has increased since the middle of the 1990s, mostly because of high subsidies and CO 2 emission regulation through the Kyoto protocol. The sawmills are huge biomass suppliers to the market; out of the Swedish annual lumber production of 16.4 Mm 3 , 95% is produced by medium to large-volume sawmills with a lumber quotient of 47%. The remaining part is produced as biomass. An essential part (12%) of the entering timber is used for supply of heat in their production processes, mostly in the substantial drying process. The drying process is the most time and heat consuming process in the sawmill. This study was undertaken to determine the sawmills' national use of energy and potential magnitude of improvements. If the drying process can be made more effective, sawmills' own use of biomass can be decreased and allow a considerably larger supply to the biomass market through processed or unprocessed biomass, heat or electricity production. The national electricity and heat usage when drying the lumber have been analysed by theoretical evaluation and experimental validation at a batch kiln. The main conclusion is that the heat consumption for drying lumber among the Swedish sawmills is 4.9 TW h/year, and with available state-of-the-art techniques it is possible to decrease the national heat consumption by approximately 2.9 TW h. This additional amount of energy corresponds to the market's desire for larger energy supply.

Integrative approach for wastewater treatment facilities with biomass transformation into energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anker Yaakov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Current industrial environmental regulations favor processes with Integrative Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC. While several systems are regarded by different international directives as IPPC Best Available Techniques or Technologies (BAT, none of these systems are capable handling various pollutants of both gaseous and aquatic effluents. Additional hinder to a BAT-IPPC complete procedure are hazardous or uneconomical byproducts of the IPPC processes and significant auxiliary costs for consumables and energy. The current research and subsequent projects are aimed to the development of a Biological Integrative Pollution Prevention and Control (Bio-IPPC system. Such system can be incorporated in various industrial processes, in a way that the byproduct is without hazardous potential and may be used as an economical raw material. The main initiative and heart of these systems is a micro-algae reactor, which is capable of treating various types of industrial pollutants both in the gaseous and aquatic phases. The algae nutrition is through thin-film circulation of the aquatic effluent and the reactor atmosphere is enriched by flue gases. The excessive algal biomass may be utilized for economic purposes starting with animal feedstock, through organic fertilizer and as industrial raw material for biofuels production or direct energy production. The first industrial project is a wastewater (WW polishing stage to an industry zone WW treatment facility, which ensures high level effluent purification and assimilation of greenhouse gases, which are released during the WW bioremediation process. The second industrial application aims to treat aquatic and gaseous effluents from coal propelled power plants. The raw algal material from both projects although very different, is used for the development of new efficient scheme for bioethanol production. In summary, the system presented is an actual Bio-IPPC that can interactively treat several industrial

Biomass for energy from field crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zubr, J.

1988-01-01

On the basis of a field experiment, selected crops were evaluated for feasibility in producing biomass applicable as raw material for fuels. Both the main products and byproducts of the crops were investigated in the laboratory for qualitative characteristics and were subjected to methanogenic fermentation under mesophilic conditions. The biogas energy potential and gross energy potential were determined. Under the climatic conditions of Northern Europe, sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) was found to be a superior energy crop. White cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata), rhubarb (Rheum rhaponticum) and comfrey (Symphytum asperum) can be considered as potential crops for biomass. The agrotechnical and the economic aspects of the biomass production are being subjected to further investigation.

Northeastern states sharpen biomass focus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lusk, P.D.

1993-01-01

Wood energy use in the northeastern region of the USA currently replaces an estimated annual equivalent of 45--50 million barrels of oil. Including municipal wastes and recovered methane emissions for regional landfills, total biomass contribution to the energy economy is over 70 million barrels of oil equivalent annually. A reasonable consensus suggests wood alone could replace the equivalent of over 300 million barrels of oil each year on a sustainable basis over the next two decades. Beyond energy security, over 60,000 total jobs are now provided in the region by the wood energy industry. Over 375,000 total jobs could be generated by the wood energy industry, about 65,000 in the harvesting, transportation, and end-use operations of the wood energy industry. Biomass producers must be committed to sustainable development by necessity. Sound forest management practices that keep residual stand damage from wood harvesting to a minimum can create positive impacts on the region's forest. When combined with a balanced energy policy, the conditional use of wood energy can play a modest, but significant, role in reducing air emissions. Depletion of traditional energy resources creates open-quotes bubbleclose quotes benefits which will be exhausted after a generation. Sustainable development of biomass can create inexhaustible wealth for generations, and does not pose the risk of sudden ecological disruption. While the choice between policy options is not mutually exclusive, the interrelationship between energy security, economic growth and environmental quality clearly favors biomass. The environmental benefits and the economic growth impacts of biobased products produced by the northeastern states are considerable. The 11 states located in the northeastern USA should intensify their efforts to work with industry and investors to expand markets for industrial biobased products, either produced from local feedstocks or manufactured by companies operating in the region

Biomass power industry: Assessment of key players and approaches for DOE and industry interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This report reviews the status of the US biomass power industry. The topics of the report include current fuels and the problems associated with procuring, transporting, preparing and burning them, competition from natural gas projects because of the current depressed natural gas prices, need for incentives for biomass fueled projects, economics, market potential and expansion of US firms overseas

International biomass. International markets of biomass-energy - Public synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardette, Yves-Marie; Dieckhoff, Lea; Lorne, Daphne; Postec, Gwenael; Cherisey, Hugues de; RANTIEN, Caroline

2014-11-01

This publication proposes a synthesis of a study which aimed at analysing the present and future place of wood-energy in the European Union as the main renewable resource used to produce heat and electricity. This study comprised an analysis of European markets of solid biomass and of regulation, case studies on wood-energy producer markets (North America, Eastern Europe, Brazil and Africa), a study of preparation modes (shredding, granulation, roasting) and biomass transport. This study is based on bibliographical searches in national and European sources, and on field data collected by the various bodies involved in this study. This synthesis notably discusses the following issues: solid biomass is the main renewable resource for the EU and has many applications; European objectives for solid biomass by 2020 are very ambitious; markets are becoming international to face the EU's increasing demand; pellet production in North America is strongly increasing; in Europe, eastern European countries are the main exporters; Brazil has an export potential which is still to be confirmed; the African trade with Europe is still in its infancy. Finally, the development perspectives of roasted wood trade are discussed

Electricity from biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, B.

1998-11-01

Electricity from biomass assesses the potential of biomass electricity for displacing other more polluting power sources and providing a relatively clean and ecologically friendly source of energy; discusses its environmental and economic effects, while analysing political and institutional initiatives and constraints; evaluates key factors, such as energy efficiency, economics, decentralisation and political repurcussions; considers the processes and technologies employed to produce electricity from biomass; and discusses the full range of incentives offered to producers and potential producers and the far-reaching implications it could have for industry, society and the environment. (author)

Energy industries in the Centre-Val de Loire region - June 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mialot, Marie-Madeleine; Ducroq, Caroline

2015-07-01

After an overview of the energy sector in the world (consumption growth, share of the different energies, main consuming countries, evolution of the energy mix, perspectives) and in France (energy consumption, energy production, jobs, trade balance, research policy and organisation), this publication proposes an overview of energy industries in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It provides some data such as regional consumption, share in the national energy production, jobs and employment structure. The next part proposes a sector-based approach by evoking a strong expertise in the oil and gas industry, by describing a rich industrial tissue about electro-nuclear energy (various activities, specialised urban areas, job creations in nuclear plants, education and training, research lead by private consultants), and by outlining that the territory is suitable for the development of renewable energies (solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energies, energy storage, R and D, education)

Considerations in implementing integrated biomass energy systems in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perlack, R.D.; Ranney, J.W.

1993-01-01

Biomass energy is emerging as a real option for satisfying power needs in developing countries. Experience has shown improvements in GDP are directly linked to increased consumption of energy. Biomass energy can also be environmentally and developmentally beneficial where it will be both grown and used. Biomass production can offset deforestation, reduce soil erosion, increase rural employment, and stimulate development. Moreover, when biomass is grown renewably there is no net buildup of atmospheric carbon. Issues and barriers associated with implementing integrated biomass energy systems in developing countries are discussed. An integrated biomass energy system is dependent on sustainably grown and managed energy crops, supportive of rural development, and environmentally beneficial, adapted to local conditions; takes advantage of by- and co-products and uses conversion technologies that have been optimized for biomass. A preliminary evaluation of a biomass to electricity project relying on plantation grown feedstocks in Southwest China indicates that biomass could be grown and converted to electricity at costs lower than alternatives and yield an internal rate of return of about 15%. The IRR based on a social and environmental benefits are substantial and investment in the facility is well-justified. However, assessing biomass energy systems is exceedingly complex. Considerations are grouped into biomass production, biomass logistics and transport, and biomass conversion. Implementation requires considerations of energy and economics, institutional and social issues, and environmental issues. The conclusion that such a project would be viable in rural China is shadowed by many site-specific circumstances and highlights the need for systematic and integrated appraisal

Interactions between biomass energy technologies and nutrient and carbon balances at the farm level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joergensen, Uffe; Molt Petersen, B. [Danish Inst. of Agricultural Science, Dept. of Agroecology, Tjele (Denmark)

2006-08-15

Biomass energy is by far the largest renewable energy source in the world (IEA Renewable information (www.iea.org)). Biomass utilisation is closely linked to management and sustainability issues of forestry and agriculture. Carbon is extracted from forests and agriculture to bioenergy facilities, from where it is partly or fully emitted as CO{sub 2} and thus no longer available for sustaining soil organic matter content. Nutrients are extracted as well and, depending of the conversion technology, they may be recycled to farmland or lost as gaseous emissions. Thus, we must be able to describe these effects, and to suggest strategies to alleviate adverse effects on farm sustainability and on the environment. By choosing intelligent combinations of cropping systems and energy conversion technologies, win-win solutions may be achieved. This paper illustrates, via three cases, some agricultural impacts of choice of biomass technology and describes an intriguing possibility for recycling municipal or industrial wastes through the bioenergy chain. (au)

The Language of Energy: A Glossary of Words and Phrases Used in the Energy Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

American Petroleum Inst., Washington, DC.

Provided is an alphabetical list or words and phrases commonly used in the energy industry. Entries range from such general terms as biomass, fossil fuels, and wetlands to such highly specific terms as Arab oil embargo of 1973-74 and Exxon Donor Solvent (EDS) Process. (JN)

Biomass Program 2007 Accomplishments - Full Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2009-10-27

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE’s) Biomass Program works with industry, academia and its national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies. This document provides Program accomplishments for 2007.

The importance of the wood biomass in environment protection

Science.gov (United States)

Spîrchez, Cosmin; Lunguleasa, Aurel; Croitoru, Cǎtǎlin

2017-12-01

Biomass is a natural vegetal component. As a form of storing energy is chemical form sun, biomass is one of the most popular and universal resource on Earth. Today biomass fuel can be used for various purposes from room heating to produce electricity and fuel for cars. Biomass is presented in various form for energy, including biodegradable fraction of products, remains and waste from agricultural, forestry and industrial wood processing residues from factories paste stationery and paper, remnants of industrial.

BUBE. Better Use of Biomass for Energy. Background Report to the Position Paper of IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsche, U.R.; Henneberg, K.; Huenecke, K.; Kampman, B.; Bergsma, G.; Schepers, B.; Croezen, H.; Molenaar, J.W.; Kessler, J.J.; Slingerland, S.; Van der Linde, C.

2010-07-01

This report aims to provide a document that gives guidance on the issue of biomass energy policies in OECD countries. The main conclusions and messages from this project were published in a joint IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy Position Paper and presented at the COP15 in December 2009. As the main contributor to renewable energy around the world (about 10% of total energy consumption), the term 'biomass for energy' covers a broad range of products, including traditional use of wood for cooking and heating, industrial process heat, co-firing of biomass in coal-based power plants, biogas and biofuels. In many OECD countries, bioenergy is deployed to reduce fossil fuel use and improve security of supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or create new employment. Modern biomass can be more expensive than its fossil competitors, however, and there is evidence that biomass, unless produced sustainable, could have significant negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. This report elaborates on how to improve the use of biomass for energy. It assesses and provides guidelines on how to make better use of sustainable biomass potential and how to increase the positive and reduce the negative impacts.

BUBE. Better Use of Biomass for Energy. Background Report to the Position Paper of IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritsche, U.R.; Henneberg, K.; Huenecke, K. [Oeko-Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Kampman, B.; Bergsma, G.; Schepers, B.; Croezen, H. [CE Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Molenaar, J.W.; Kessler, J.J. [AidEnvironment, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Slingerland, S.; Van der Linde, C. [Clingendael International Energy Programme CIEP, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2010-07-15

This report aims to provide a document that gives guidance on the issue of biomass energy policies in OECD countries. The main conclusions and messages from this project were published in a joint IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy Position Paper and presented at the COP15 in December 2009. As the main contributor to renewable energy around the world (about 10% of total energy consumption), the term 'biomass for energy' covers a broad range of products, including traditional use of wood for cooking and heating, industrial process heat, co-firing of biomass in coal-based power plants, biogas and biofuels. In many OECD countries, bioenergy is deployed to reduce fossil fuel use and improve security of supply, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or create new employment. Modern biomass can be more expensive than its fossil competitors, however, and there is evidence that biomass, unless produced sustainable, could have significant negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. This report elaborates on how to improve the use of biomass for energy. It assesses and provides guidelines on how to make better use of sustainable biomass potential and how to increase the positive and reduce the negative impacts.

Integration properties of disaggregated solar, geothermal and biomass energy consumption in the U.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apergis, Nicholas; Tsoumas, Chris

2011-01-01

This paper investigates the integration properties of disaggregated solar, geothermal and biomass energy consumption in the U.S. The analysis is performed for the 1989-2009 period and covers all sectors which use these types of energy, i.e., transportation, residence, industrial, electric power and commercial. The results suggest that there are differences in the order of integration depending on both the type of energy and the sector involved. Moreover, the inclusion of structural breaks traced from the regulatory changes for these energy types seem to affect the order of integration for each series. - Highlights: → Increasing importance of renewable energy sources. → Integration properties of solar, geothermal and biomass energy consumption in the U.S. → The results show differences in the order of integration depending on the type of energy. → Structural breaks traced for these energy types affect the order of integration. → The order of integration is less than 1, so energy conservation policies are transitory.

Greenhouse gas balances of biomass energy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marland, G.; Schlamadinger, B.

1996-01-01

A full energy-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions of biomass energy systems requires analysis well beyond the energy sector. For example, production of biomass fuels impacts on the global carbon cycle by altering the amount of carbon stored in the biosphere and often by producing a stream of by-products or co-products which substitute for other energy-intensive products like cement, steel, concrete or, in case of ethanol form corn, animal feed. It is necessary to distinguish between greenhouse gas emissions associated with the energy product as opposed to those associated with other products. Production of biomass fuels also has an opportunity cost because it uses large land areas which could have been used otherwise. Accounting for the greenhouse gas emissions from biomass fuels in an environment of credits and debits creates additional challenges because there are large non-linearities in carbon flows over time. This paper presents some of the technical challenges of comprehensive greenhouse gas accounting and distinguishes between technical and public policy issues. (author). 5 refs, 5 figs

Greenhouse gas balances of biomass energy systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marland, G.; Schlamadinger, B.

1994-01-01

A full energy-cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions of biomass energy systems requires analysis well beyond the energy sector. For example, production of biomass fuels impacts on the global carbon cycle by altering the amount of carbon stored in the biosphere and often by producing a stream of by-products or co-products which substitute for other energy-intensive products like cement, steel, concrete or, in case of ethanol from corn, animal feed. It is necessary to distinguish between greenhouse gas emissions associated with the energy product as opposed to those associated with other products. Production of biomass fuels also has an opportunity cost because it uses large land areas which could have been used otherwise. Accounting for the greenhouse gas emissions from biomass fuels in an environment of credits and debits creates additional challenges because there are large nonlinearities in the carbon flows over time. This paper presents some of the technical challenges of comprehensive greenhouse gas accounting and distinguishes between technical and public policy issues

Agricultural Residues and Biomass Energy Crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-06-01

There are many opportunities to leverage agricultural resources on existing lands without interfering with production of food, feed, fiber, or forest products. In the recently developed advanced biomass feedstock commercialization vision, estimates of potentially available biomass supply from agriculture are built upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Long-Term Forecast, ensuring that existing product demands are met before biomass crops are planted. Dedicated biomass energy crops and agricultural crop residues are abundant, diverse, and widely distributed across the United States. These potential biomass supplies can play an important role in a national biofuels commercialization strategy.

Generating renewable energy from oil palm biomass in Malaysia: The Feed-in Tariff policy framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umar, Mohd Shaharin; Jennings, Philip; Urmee, Tania

2014-01-01

The renewable energy (RE) industry in Malaysia began in 2001 in the context of the growing concern about future depletion of conventional fuels and the global environmental concerns about greenhouse gas emissions. The Small Renewable Energy Programme (SREP) is a tool that was first designed to drive the development of the industry based on the abundance of oil palm biomass reserves and other identified renewable energy resources. Due to the slow uptake of this scheme, a new system, the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) was introduced in 2011 to stimulate the industry. By considering the deficiencies of the previous scheme, this paper examines the sustainability of the FiT policy framework in steering the future expansion of small-scale biomass renewable energy businesses in Malaysia. Resulting from the evaluation of the current policy settings and a market based appraisal, this work outlines strategies for enhancing the scheme and suggests future studies aimed at improving the flaws in the present system. - Highlights: • Extend the FiT bandwidth capacity restrictions to all of the eligible renewable technologies under the FiT systems. • Differentiate the tariff level by considering the location and local conditions of the plant site. • Modify the revenue streams from the renewable fund. • Revise the quota system

Biomass energy research program 2008 - 2011; Energieforschungsprogramm Biomasse fuer die Jahre 2008-2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hermle, S.; Binggeli, D.; Guggisberg, B.

2008-07-01

This report published by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) discusses the Swiss research program on energy from biomass for the years 2008 to 2011. The Swiss government's energy research programs are defined every four years in co-operation with the Swiss Federal Energy Research Commission. This paper describes the concept for the biomass area. Research into modern technological concepts and ways of transforming biomass into energy are discussed and main areas of research to be addressed are discussed. Three main technological areas are defined: combustion, gasification and anaerobic fermentation. Important themes to be examined include system optimisation and integration, quality assurance and the promotion of new technologies. National and international networking between research and practice is commented on, as are the possibilities for the funding of the work.

The biomass energy market in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

In 2001, it was estimated that the Finnish biomass market was in excess of 235 million dollars. The development of renewable energy, with special emphasis on biomass, was supported by the development of an energy strategy by the government of Finland. The installed capacity of biomass in Finland in 2002 was 1400 megawatt electrical (MWe). Extensive use of combined heat and power (CHP) is made in Finland, and district heating (DH) systems using biomass are gaining in popularity. Wood-based biomass technologies, retrofits to fluidized bed combustion, and wood procurement technologies were identified as the best opportunities for Canadian companies interested in operating in Finland. A country with high standards, Finland seems to look favorably on new innovative solutions. Joint ventures with Finnish companies might be an excellent way for Canadian companies to gain a foothold in Finland and expand into the European Union, the Nordic countries, the Baltic, Russia and the Central and Eastern European markets. It was further noted that Finland is one of the leading exporters of biomass technology in the world. The document provided quick facts, examined opportunities, and looked at key players. 19 refs., 4 tabs

Forestry and biomass energy projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Swisher, J.N.

1994-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive and consistent methodology to account for the costs and net carbon flows of different categories of forestry and biomass energy projects and describes the application of the methodology to several sets of projects in Latin America. The results suggest that both...... biomass energy development and forestry measures including reforestation and forest protection can contribute significantly to the reduction of global CO2 emissions, and that local land-use capacity must determine the type of project that is appropriate in specific cases. No single approach alone...... is sufficient as either a national or global strategy for sustainable land use or carbon emission reduction. The methodology allows consistent comparisons of the costs and quantities of carbon stored in different types of projects and/or national programs, facilitating the inclusion of forestry and biomass...

Life cycle assessment (LCA) of an energy recovery plant in the olive oil industries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Intini, Francesca; Kuhtz, Silvana [Dep. Engineering and Environmental Physics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Basilicata (Italy); Gianluca Rospi, [Dep. Engineering and Environmental Physics, Faculty of Architecture, University of Basilicata (Italy)

2012-07-01

To reduce the GHG emissions in the UE and to increase the produced energy it is important to spread out decentralized technologies for renewable energy production. In this paper a power plant fed with biomass is studied, in particular the biomass considered is the waste of the olive oil industries. This study focuses on the possibility of using the de-oiled pomace and waste wood as fuel. A life cycle assessment (LCA) of a biomass power plant located in the South of Italy was performed. The global warming potential has been calculated and compared with that of a plant for energy production that uses refuse derived fuel (RDF) and that of one that uses coal. The LCA shows the important environmental advantages of biomass utilization in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reduction. An improved impact assessment methodology may better underline the advantages due to the biomass utilization.

Gasification of waste from furniture industries for generation of sustainable energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, J.L.; Silva, J.N.; Pereira, E.G.; Machado, C.S.; Da Conceicao, M.; Bezerra, T. [Federal Univ. of Vicosa, Minas Gerais State (Brazil)

2010-07-01

The global interest in renewable energy is attributed to the decline in fossil fuel sources and the need for technical, economic, social and environmental sustainability. This study focused on the new techniques that have been developed for the use of biomass for energy from wood wastes from the forest-based industry. As an energy source, wood waste contributes positively to the environment by reducing environmental problems related to contamination of soil, air and water through improper disposal of waste. Biomass gasification has the advantage of converting biomass into a combustible gas that can be used for heat generation, electricity and synthesis of chemicals. Syngas produced from gasification of eucalyptus residues has significant potential, with an average High Heating Value of 6.60 MJ/m{sup 3}, and regular composition during the process, with predominance of carbon monoxide, followed by hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane.

3rd annual biomass energy systems conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-10-01

The main objectives of the 3rd Annual Biomass Energy Systems Conference were (1) to review the latest research findings in the clean fuels from biomass field, (2) to summarize the present engineering and economic status of Biomass Energy Systems, (3) to encourage interaction and information exchange among people working or interested in the field, and (4) to identify and discuss existing problems relating to ongoing research and explore opportunities for future research. Abstracts for each paper presented were edited separately. (DC)

Biosaline Biomass. Energy for the Netherlands in 2040

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoek, J.

2004-12-01

European governments are aiming for a considerable contribution of biomass in their transition towards a sustainable energy society and the replacement of raw materials based on fossil fuels. For the Netherlands, the national goals are set such that the share of biomass should grow to 30% of total energy consumption by the year 2040. Biosaline biomass - produced in saline environments characterized by increased soil and water salinities up to half seawater level - may become an important source of secure and sustainable energy to cover part, or all, of the Dutch biomass energy target. This report assesses the viability of the import of biosaline forestry as a secure, cost-effective, environmentally and socially responsible source of renewable energy for the Netherlands until 2040. The report also defines steps to be taken and investments to be made to realize the biosaline transition path

A Comparative Study on Energy Derived from Biomass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. Algarny

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The paper promotes sustainable community through empowering the production and utilization of biomass renewable energy. The aim of this paper is to urge societies to adopt sustainable energy practices and resources; the objective is to appraise the possibilities of biomass energy produced through a neighborhood in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. The system incorporates an evaluation of the measure of biomass created, then utilizes two ascertaining techniques to gauge whether the measure of energy can be delivered. The computation strategies are hypothetical, with one drawn from past works and the other from a Biomass Calculation Template performed as part of the Evaluation of Biomass Resources for Municipalities study (EBIMUN by the Waterford County Council. The outcomes demonstrate that the aggregate potential biogas generation of the study area is around 43,200 m3 /year, the methane mass is around 18,000 m3 /year, and the energy production amount is around 250 MWh/year. Contrasting the capability of biogas creation from both techniques, the figure assessed by EBIMUN is around 7,000 m3 /year less than the hypothetically computed amount. The figures suggest that biogas is worthy of consideration as a renewable source of energy.

Biomass power in transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marshall, D.K. [Zurn/NEPCO, Redmond, WA (United States)

1996-12-31

Electricity production from biomass fuel has been hailed in recent years as an environmentally acceptable energy source that delivers on its promise of economically viable renewable energy. A Wall Street Journal article from three years ago proclaimed wood to be {open_quotes}moving ahead of costly solar panels and wind turbines as the leading renewable energy alternative to air-fouling fossils fuels and scary nuclear plants.{close_quotes} Biomass fuel largely means wood; about 90% of biomass generated electricity comes from burning waste wood, the remainder from agricultural wastes. Biomass power now faces an uncertain future. The maturing of the cogeneration and independent power plant market, restructuring of the electric industry, and technological advances with power equipment firing other fuels have placed biomass power in a competitive disadvantage with other power sources.

BioOil presents: Free-flowing alternative to traditional biomass energy generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McChesney, S.

2003-12-01

A new technology, called fast pyrolysis, is described. Fast pyrolysis is a process for converting biomass collected from agricultural and forest residues into an organic liquid fuel, called BioOil, that's easily transported, stored and handled. BioOil's principal virtue is that it can be used to generate carbon-neutral, cost-effective process heat and electricity; it also disposes of organic waste, and creates new jobs and industries. As an indication of interest in BioOil, two recent developments are cited as worthy of note: an award of $23 million for biomass research jointly by the USDA and the USDOE and a commitment of $30 million by the Government of Canada to support the development and demonstration of bio-based systems and technologies. (The Canadian investment is part of the $1 billion commitment toward implementation of the Climate Change Program for Canada). The fast pyrolysis process is carbon dioxide neutral, i.e. when biomass is converted into thermal energy, the carbon dioxide that is released is equal to the amount of carbon dioxide that went into growing the biomass. The process is particularly appealing to energy companies in areas with large forestry or agricultural potential. In Canada, DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation is the most advanced in developing and commercializing environmentally friendly fuels produced from biomass; the company is also a world leader in fast pyrolysis technology. Ontario Power Generation is cooperating with DynaMotive on a project to produce BioOil from residue supplied by Erie Flooring and Wood Products. The 2.5 megawatt gas turbine that will combust the bio-oil and generate electricity will be supplied by the Magellan Aerospace Corporation. Beyond meeting the energy requirements of Erie Flooring and Wood Products, the project will also contribute about 1.5 megawatts of power to OPG's green energy portfolio in 2004. It is expected that the example of a commercial project of this scale, will serve

Biomass resources in California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiangco, V.M.; Sethi, P.S. [California Energy Commission, Sacramento, CA (United States)

1993-12-31

The biomass resources in California which have potential for energy conversion were assessed and characterized through the project funded by the California Energy Commission and the US Department of Energy`s Western Regional Biomass Energy Program (WRBEP). The results indicate that there is an abundance of biomass resources as yet untouched by the industry due to technical, economic, and environmental problems, and other barriers. These biomass resources include residues from field and seed crops, fruit and nut crops, vegetable crops, and nursery crops; food processing wastes; forest slash; energy crops; lumber mill waste; urban wood waste; urban yard waste; livestock manure; and chaparral. The estimated total potential of these biomass resource is approximately 47 million bone dry tons (BDT), which is equivalent to 780 billion MJ (740 trillion Btu). About 7 million BDT (132 billion MJ or 124 trillion Btu) of biomass residue was used for generating electricity by 66 direct combustion facilities with gross capacity of about 800 MW. This tonnage accounts for only about 15% of the total biomass resource potential identified in this study. The barriers interfering with the biomass utilization both in the on-site harvesting, collection, storage, handling, transportation, and conversion to energy are identified. The question whether these barriers present significant impact to biomass {open_quotes}availability{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}sustainability{close_quotes} remains to be answered.

Biomass Program 2007 Accomplishments - Report Introduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

none,

2009-10-27

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE’s) Biomass Program works with industry, academia and its national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies. This document provides the introduction to the 2007 Program Accomplishments Report.

Energy from biomass and waste

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Faaij, A.P.C.

1997-01-01

Biomass, a broad term for all organic matter of plants, trees and crops, is currently regarded as a renewable energy source which can contribute substantially to the world's energy supply in the future. Various scenarios for the development of energy supply and demand, such as compiled by the

An assessment of the biomass potential of Cyprus for energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kythreotou, Nicoletta; Tassou, Savvas A.; Florides, Georgios

2012-01-01

Biodegradable waste in Cyprus predominately consists of the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, solid and liquid agricultural residues and solid and liquid wastes from food and drink industries. Biodegradable waste is a very important source of biomass. The potential amount of solid and liquid biomass of the specified waste streams was estimated to be 9.2 million tonnes, after collecting data on the waste generation coefficients. Both liquid and solid waste can be used for the production of biogas (BG), which can be combusted for the production of thermal and electrical energy. The potential biogas production was estimated on the basis of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) consumption and on the basis of digested mass. The potential biogas production was found to be 114 and 697 million m 3 respectively. Further research is required for the improvement of waste generation coefficients. The results on energy production provide an indication of the importance of promotion of anaerobic digestion for the treatment of biodegradable waste to the energy balance of the country. Anaerobic digestion can provide decentralisation of energy production, and production of energy in areas that are in most cases remote. -- Highlights: ► Waste generation coefficients were estimated according to available data for Cyprus. ► Total solid and liquid biomass from waste was estimated to be 9.2 million tonnes. ► Biogas production was estimated using COD and mass digested. ► Further research is required for the improvement of waste generation coefficients. ► Energy production estimates indicates the importance of anaerobic digestion.

Biomass energy and the global carbon balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, D.O.; House, J.I.

1994-01-01

Studies on climate change and energy production increasingly recognise the crucial role of biological systems. Carbon sinks in forests (above and below ground), CO 2 emissions from deforestation, planting trees for carbon storage, and biomass as a substitute for fossil fuels are some of the key issues which arise. Halting deforestation is of paramount importance, but there is also great potential for reforestation of degraded lands, agroforestry and improved forest management. It is concluded that biomass energy plantations and other types of energy cropping could be a more effective strategy for carbon mitigation than simply growing trees as a carbon store, particularly on higher productivity lands. Use of the biomass produced as an energy source has the added advantage of a wide range of other environmental, social and economic benefits. (author)

Investigation study for technological application of alternative methods for the energy exploitation of biomass/agricultural residues in Northern Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zabaniotou Anastasia A.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass energy potential is addressed to be the most promising among the renewable energy sources, due to its spread and availability worldwide. Apart form that, biomass has the unique advantage among the rest of renewable energy sources, to be able to provide solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels that can be stored, transported, and utilized, far away from the point of origin. For the northern region of Macedonia in Greece, biomass utilization is considered to be a major issue, due to the considerably intensive regional agricultural activities. Wood by-products, fruit cores, rice husk and cotton gin waste provide a promising energy source for the region. The energy potential of the available agricultural biomass produced in the region is much enough to cover the 10% of the annual oil consumption utilized for thermal applications. However, the cost of energy utilization of biomass is considerably high due to the high cost of the logistics concerning the collection, transport, and storage of biomass. The available utilization technologies developed, to handle efficiently all different species of biomass, cover a wide technological range. One of the most promising technologies involving thermal treatment of biomass and the production of a gaseous fuel (biogas for industrial heat applications and electricity production, is the thermo chemical conversion. In the present work, an investigation concerning biomass potential for energy production in the region of central Macedonia in Greece, utilizing several locally produced biomass species, is conducted. Emphasis is put on the energy utilization of agricultural by-products and residues. Agricultural sector is of great importance due to the considerably intensive agricultural activities in the region of Central Macedonia. .

Perceptions of Agriculture Teachers Regarding Education about Biomass Production in Iowa

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Guang; Martin, Robert A.

2015-01-01

With the growth of biorenewable energy, biomass production has become an important segment in the agriculture industry (Iowa Energy Center, 2013). A great workforce will be needed for this burgeoning biomass energy industry (Iowa Workforce Development, n. d.). Instructional topics in agricultural education should take the form of problems and…

Biomass Energy Systems and Resources in Tropical Tanzania

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Lugano (KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Materials Science and Engineering, Energy and Furnace Technology (Sweden))

2010-07-01

Tanzania has a characteristic developing economy, which is dependent on agricultural productivity. About 90% of the total primary energy consumption of the country is from biomass. Since the biomass is mostly consumed at the household level in form of wood fuel, it is marginally contributing to the commercial energy supply. However, the country has abundant energy resources from hydro, biomass, natural gas, coal, uranium, solar, wind and geothermal. Due to reasons that include the limited technological capacity, most of these resources have not received satisfactory harnessing. For instance: out of the estimated 4.7GW macro hydro potential only 561MW have been developed; and none of the 650MW geothermal potential is being harnessed. Furthermore, besides the huge potential of biomass (12 million tons of oil equivalent), natural gas (45 million cubic metres), coal (1,200 million tones), high solar insolation (4.5 - 6.5 kWh/m2), 1,424km of coastal strip, and availability of good wind regime (> 4 m/s wind speed), they are marginally contributing to the production of commercial energy. Ongoing exploration work also reveals that the country has an active system of petroleum and uranium. On the other hand, after commissioning the 229 km natural gas pipeline from SongoSongo Island to Dar es Salaam, there are efforts to ensure a wider application in electricity generation, households, automotive and industry. Due to existing environmental concerns, biomass resource is an attractive future energy for the world, Tanzania inclusive. This calls for putting in place sustainable energy technologies, like gasification, for their harnessing. The high temperature gasification (HTAG) of biomass is a candidate technology since it has shown to produce improved syngas quality in terms of gas heating value that has less tar. This work was therefore initiated in order to contribute to efforts on realizing a commercial application of biomass in Tanzania. Particularly, the work aimed at

Biotrade1: international trade in renewable energy from biomass

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agterberg, A.E.; Faaij, A.P.C.

1998-01-01

This paper discusses international trade in renewable energy from biomass. Main objective is to compare options for international trade in energy from biomass and to compare these options with non-trade options like domestic use of biomass and afforestation. Aspects that are taken into account are

Biomass in the Dutch Energy Infrastructure in 2030

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabou, L.P.L.M.; Deurwaarder, E.P.; Elbersen, H.W.; Scott, E.L.

2006-01-01

The goal of this study is to evaluate the ambition of the Platform to replace 30% of the fossil energy carriers by biomass in the Netherlands in 2030. Starting points are the total annual consumption of primary energy carriers of 3000 PJ by 2030 and contributions of biomass of 60% in transportation, 25% in electricity production, 20% in raw materials for chemicals, materials and products and 17% in heat production. The study provides a review of the current Dutch energy balance, with the role of different energy carriers, based on data for the year 2000 and estimates for the year 2030. For the situation in 2030, an analysis is made of the possible role of biomass. The study also provides a review of the Dutch import, export and production of biomass in 2000 and an estimation of the developments until 2030.

Private capital requirements for international biomass energy projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldemberg, J [University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo (Brazil)

1995-12-01

In developing countries, the use of biomass for energy production faces two contradictory pressures. On the one hand, biomass costs very little and it is used inefficiently for fuel or charcoal production, leading to widespread destruction of forested areas and environmental degradation; this problem is being attenuated by the promotion, through aid programmes, of more efficient cook stoves for poor people. On the other hand, the conversion of biomass into high-grade fuel such as ethanol from sugar cane or burning urban refuse or gasifying it to produce electricity is not economically competitive at this time and requires subsidies of approximately 30% to make it as attractive as conventional fuels. Only electricity production using residues from sawmills, crops and other biomass by-products is competitive, and a number of plants are in operation in some countries, particularly the United States. For such plants, the usual rates of return and long-term contract purchases that characterize investments of this kind are applied. Although technologies are available for the widespread efficient use of biomass, the financial hurdle of high initial costs has impeded their market penetration, which in turn precludes any decline in costs that might otherwise have come from production increases. Intervention by governments or by GEF, justified on grounds of environmental protection, is needed to accelerate the introduction of the new technologies. The only private flows that are taking place at the moment are those from enlightened investors wishing to guarantee themselves a strong position in the area for the future or to preempt command and control regulations, such as carbon taxes, imposed by governments. The joint implementation of biomass technologies between industrialized and developing countries might be one method of accelerating this flow. (author) 9 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs

Private capital requirements for international biomass energy projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldemberg, J.

1995-01-01

In developing countries, the use of biomass for energy production faces two contradictory pressures. On the one hand, biomass costs very little and it is used inefficiently for fuel or charcoal production, leading to widespread destruction of forested areas and environmental degradation; this problem is being attenuated by the promotion, through aid programmes, of more efficient cook stoves for poor people. On the other hand, the conversion of biomass into high-grade fuel such as ethanol from sugar cane or burning urban refuse or gasifying it to produce electricity is not economically competitive at this time and requires subsidies of approximately 30% to make it as attractive as conventional fuels. Only electricity production using residues from sawmills, crops and other biomass by-products is competitive, and a number of plants are in operation in some countries, particularly the United States. For such plants, the usual rates of return and long-term contract purchases that characterize investments of this kind are applied. Although technologies are available for the widespread efficient use of biomass, the financial hurdle of high initial costs has impeded their market penetration, which in turn precludes any decline in costs that might otherwise have come from production increases. Intervention by governments or by GEF, justified on grounds of environmental protection, is needed to accelerate the introduction of the new technologies. The only private flows that are taking place at the moment are those from enlightened investors wishing to guarantee themselves a strong position in the area for the future or to preempt command and control regulations, such as carbon taxes, imposed by governments. The joint implementation of biomass technologies between industrialized and developing countries might be one method of accelerating this flow. (author)

Industry and energy; Industrie et energie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Birules y Bertran, A.M. [Ministere des Sciences et de la Technologie (Spain); Folgado Blanco, J. [Secretariat d' Etat a l' Economie, a l' Energie et aux PME du Royaume d' Espagne (Spain)

2002-07-01

This document is the provisional version of the summary of the debates of the 2433. session of the European Union Council about various topics relative to the industry and the energy. The energy-related topics that have been debated concern: the government helps in coal industry, the internal electricity and gas market, the trans-European energy networks, the bio-fuels in transportation systems, the energy charter, the pluri-annual energy program, and the green book on the security of energy supplies. (J.S.)

Greenhouse-gas emissions from biomass energy use: Comparison with other energy technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, G.P.; Norman, N.A.; Gleick, P.H.

1991-01-01

Recently a major new concern has arisen: the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is now generally believed that continued emissions of these gases are current or increasing levels will lead to significant climatic changes with the potential for dramatic, adverse impacts. Since the major anthropogenic source of greenhouse gas emissions is energy production and use, it is essential to future energy policy to understand how energy sources differ with respect to greenhouse gas emissions. Characterizing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with biomass energy use is extremely complicated. It is necessary to consider both the source and alternative use of the biomass material and its alternative disposal (if any), as well as the biomass energy application itself. It is desirable also to consider not just CO 2 emissions, but also CH 4 and N 2 O, both potent greenhouse gases. The authors' analysis shows that in many cases biomass energy use can actually help to ameliorate the greenhouse effect by converting emissions that would have been CH 4 into the less potent greenhouse gas CO 2 . In many cases the beneficial effect is very dramatic. This major new research result should help increase public support for biomass research and development, and for further development of waste conversion technology and installations

Exploiting the Medium Term Biomass Energy Potentials in Austria. A Comparison of Costs and Macroeconomic Impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steininger, K.W.; Voraberger, H.

2003-01-01

The transition to an implicitly solar-based energy system can make use of various specific biomass energy systems. This paper provides economic and environmental indicators for evaluating alternative options. The paper proceeds in three empirical steps. First, an expert survey supplies the primary biomass potentials available for non-food use in Austria and their respective costs. Second, an inquiry into investment, operating and financing costs of 30 different biomass energy use systems allows a standardized comparison among them and their relationship to fossil reference technologies. Third, a computable general equilibrium model of the Austrian economy is employed to quantify the impacts of fostering the use of distinct biomass energy technologies. The results allow us to distinguish between those technologies that tend to lead to an increase in both GDP and employment (e.g., combined heat and power production from sewage sludge biogas), to an increase only in employment, while GDP tends to diminish (e.g., district heating based on agricultural pellets) or to a decline in both (e.g., co-firing based on wood-chips, bark or industrial pellets). Individual technologies could account for up to one third of Austria's Kyoto obligation, while combinations of technologies, triggered by a combined CO2 tax and biomass energy subsidy for example, could almost fully lead to Austrian Kyoto-compliance

Biomass gasification for production of 'green energy'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mambre, V.

2008-01-01

This paper presents the differences between biomass gasification and biomass methanation, two ways of using biomass for decentralized production of energy. The stakes of biomass and biomass gasification for meeting the European and national energy goals and environmental targets are summarized. The gasification principle is described and in particular the FICFB optimized process from Repotec for the production of concentrated syngas. The four different ways of syngas valorization (combined heat and power (CHP), 'green methane' (SNG), 'green hydrogen' (gas shift) and liquid biofuels of 2. generation (Fisher-Tropsch)) are recalled and compared with each other. Finally, the economical and environmental key issues of the global chain are summarized with their technological and scientific key locks. The GAYA R and D project of Gaz de France Suez group, which aims at developing gasification and methanation demonstration plants through different programs with European partners, is briefly presented. (J.S.)

Rising critical emission of air pollutants from renewable biomass based cogeneration from the sugar industry in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahu, S K; Ohara, T; Nagashima, T; Beig, G; Kurokawa, J

2015-01-01

In the recent past, the emerging India economy is highly dependent on conventional as well as renewable energy to deal with energy security. Keeping the potential of biomass and its plentiful availability, the Indian government has been encouraging various industrial sectors to generate their own energy from it. The Indian sugar industry has adopted and made impressive growth in bagasse (a renewable biomass, i.e. left after sugercane is crushed) based cogeneration power to fulfil their energy need, as well as to export a big chunk of energy to grid power. Like fossil fuel, bagasse combustion also generates various critical pollutants. This article provides the first ever estimation, current status and overview of magnitude of air pollutant emissions from rapidly growing bagasse based cogeneration technology in Indian sugar mills. The estimated emission from the world’s second largest sugar industry in India for particulate matter, NO X, SO 2 , CO and CO 2 is estimated to be 444 ± 225 Gg yr −1 , 188 ± 95 Gg yr −1 , 43 ± 22 Gg yr −1 , 463 ± 240 Gg yr −1 and 47.4 ± 9 Tg yr −1 , respectively in 2014. The studies also analyze and identify potential hot spot regions across the country and explore the possible further potential growth for this sector. This first ever estimation not only improves the existing national emission inventory, but is also useful in chemical transport modeling studies, as well as for policy makers. (letter)

Sustainable energy transitions in emerging economies: The formation of a palm oil biomass waste-to-energy niche in Malaysia 1990–2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, Ulrich Elmer; Nygaard, Ivan

2014-01-01

The economic development in emerging economies in Southeast Asia has significantly increased the use of fossil fuel based energy. This has severe implications for global climate change, and against this background, scholars within the sustainable transition tradition have taken an interest in addressing how transitions towards more sustainable development pathways in this region may be achieved. This paper contributes to the abovementioned literature by examining the conducive and limiting factors for development and proliferation of a palm oil biomass waste-to-energy niche in Malaysia during the period 1990–2011. Rising oil prices, strong pressure on the palm oil industry from environmental groups, and a persisting palm oil biomass waste disposal problem in Malaysia appear to have been conducive to niche proliferation, and on top of this national renewable energy policies and large-scale donor programmes have specifically supported the utilisation of palm oil biomass waste for energy. However, in spite of this, the niche development process has only made slow progress. The paper identifies reluctant implementation of energy policy, rise in biomass resource prices, limited network formation and negative results at the niche level, as the main factors hindering niche development. - Highlights: • We examine crucial factors for developing a biomass-to-energy niche in Malaysia. • In spite of interventions for policy support the niche has only made slow progress. • Oil prices, NGO pressure, waste problems and policy support were the enabling factors. • First, reluctant implementation of energy policy was hindering niche development. • Later, low performance level of implemented plants was hindering niche development

Integrated biomass energy systems and emissions of carbon dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boman, U.R.; Turnbull, J.H.

1997-01-01

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) have been funding a number of case studies under the initiative entitled ''Economic Development through Biomass Systems Integration'', with the objective of investigating the feasibility of integrated biomass energy systems utilizing a dedicated feedstock supply system (DFSS) for energy production. This paper deals with the full fuel cycle for four of these case studies, which have been examined with regard to the emissions of carbon dioxide., CO 2 . Although the conversion of biomass to electricity in itself does not emit more CO 2 than is captured by the biomass through photosynthesis, there will be some CO 2 emissions from the DFSS. External energy is required for the production and transportation of the biomass feedstock, and this energy is mainly based on fossil fuels. By using this input energy, CO 2 and other greenhouse gases are emitted. However, by utilizing biomass with fossil fuels as external input fuels, we would get about 10-15 times more electric energy per unit fossil fuel, compared with a 100% coal power system. By introducing a DFSS on former farmland the amount of energy spent for production of crops can be reduced, the amount of fertilizers can be decreased, the soil can be improved and a significant amount of energy will be produced compared with an ordinary farm crop. Compared with traditional coal-based electricity production, the CO 2 emissions are in the most cases reduced significantly by as much as 95%. The important conclusion is the great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the offset of coal by biomass. (author)

Integrated biomass energy systems and emissions of carbon dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boman, U.R.; Turnbull, J.H.

1996-01-01

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and US Department of Energy (DOE) have been funding a number of case studies under the initiative entitled 'Economic Development through Biomass Systems Integration', with the objective to investigate the feasibility of integrated biomass energy systems, utilizing a dedicated feedstock supply system (DFSS) for energy production. This paper deals with the full cycle for four of these case studies, which have been examined with regard to the emissions of greenhouse gases, especially CO 2 . Although the conversion of biomass to electricity in itself does not emit more CO 2 than is captured by the biomass through photosynthesis, there will be some CO 2 -emissions from DFSS. External energy is required for the production and transportation of the biomass feedstock, and this energy is mainly based on fossil fuels. By using this input energy, CO 2 and other greenhouse gases are emitted. But, by utilizing biomass with fossil fuels as external input fuels, we would get about 10-15 times more electric energy per unit fossil fuel, compared to a 100% coal power system. By introducing a DFSS on former farmland, the amount of energy spent for production of crops can be reduced, the amount of fertilizers can be decreased, the soil can be improved, and a significant amount of energy will be produced, compared to an ordinary farm crop. Compared to traditional coal based electricity production, the CO 2 -emissions are in most cases reduced significantly, as much as 95%. The important conclusion is the great potential of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the offset of coal by biomass. 23 refs,, 8 figs, 2 tabs

Biomass or biomess? - a comment on the paper by Anders Lunnan (Agriculture-based biomass energy supply - a survey of economics issues)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bolin, Olof

1997-01-01

A response to Lunnan's paper (Energy Policy, Vol. 25, No. 6, 1997), on economic issues surrounding agriculture-based biomass energy supplies is presented. This author argues that, despite Lunnan's gloomy forecasts for the economic prospects of agriculture-based bioenergy, the future of the industry will be decided in the political arena based on agricultural policy. Bioenergy production can best be promoted, it is argued, by reducing farmland prices. Caution is urged in placing too great a financial burden on farmers, however, and consumers of food or energy and tax-payers must share the risk of investment in these new technologies. (UK)

Crop residues as a potential renewable energy source for Malawi's cement industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gondwe, Kenneth J.; Chiotha, Sosten S.; Mkandawire, Theresa

2017-01-01

that the projected total energy demands in 2020, 2025 and 2030 were approximately 177 810 TJ, 184 210 TJ and 194 096 TJ respectively. The highest supply potentials were found to be in the central and southern regions of Malawi, coinciding with the locations of the two clinker plants. Crop residues could meet 45......-57% of the national total energy demand. The demand from the cement industry is only 0.8% of the estimated biomass energy potential. At an annual production of 600 000 t of clinker and 20% biomass co-firing with coal, 18 562 t of coal consumption would be avoided and 46 128 t of carbon dioxide emission reduction...

Kalimantan energy resource management to support energy independence and industry growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizki Firmansyah Setya Budi; Wiku Lulus Widodo; Djati Hoesen Salimy

2014-01-01

There are a large number of energy resource in Kalimantan such as coal, oil, CBM, gas and nuclear. While the electricity consumption still low. That condition caused by the bad energy planning. The aim of the study are to know the number and the ability of energy resource to supply the energy demand that support the growth of Kalimantan industry. The methodology are collecting and processing data through calculation using MESSAGE Program. The result is energy resource in Kalimantan can support Kalimantan energy independence and industry growth in Kalimantan. The coal resource is 34,814 million ton consumption 835 million ton, gas resource is 31,814 BSCF consumption 3,281 BSCF, Oil resource is 920 MMSTB consumption 4406 MMSTB, CBM resource is 210 TCF consumption 2.1 TCF, U 3 O 8 resource is 12,409 ton consumption zero. Whereas for hydro and biomass, the resource are 256 and 138 MWyr, the maximum consumption 185 and 126 MWyr every year. Oil consumption will exceed the resource so need import from other island or replaced by others energy that have large resource such as gas, CBM, or coal. Potency to make cleaner environment can be done by used nuclear energy. (author)

Pipelines : moving biomass and energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, A. [Alberta Univ., Edmonton, AB (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

2006-07-01

Moving biomass and energy through pipelines was presented. Field sourced biomass utilization for fuel was discussed in terms of competing cost factors; economies of scale; and differing fuel plant sizes. The cost versus scale in a bioenergy facility was illustrated in chart format. The transportation cost of biomass was presented as it is a major component of total biomass processing cost and is in the typical range of 25-45 per cent of total processing costs for truck transport of biomass. Issues in large scale biomass utilization, scale effects in transportation, and components of transport cost were identified. Other topics related to transportation issues included approaches to pipeline transport; cost of wood chips in pipeline transport; and distance variable cost of transporting wood chips by pipeline. Practical applications were also offered. In addition, the presentation provided and illustrated a model for an ethanol plant supplied by truck transport as well as a sample configuration for 19 truck based ethanol plants versus one large facility supplied by truck plus 18 pipelines. Last, pipeline transport of bio-oil and pipeline transport of syngas was discussed. It was concluded that pipeline transport can help in reducing congestion issues in large scale biomass utilization and that it can offer a means to achieve large plant size. Some current research at the University of Alberta on pipeline transport of raw biomass, bio-oil and hydrogen production from biomass for oil sands and pipeline transport was also presented. tabs., figs.

Fiscal 1998 research report. Research on energy conversion technology using biomass resources; 1998 nendo chosa hokokusho. Biomass shigen wo genryo to suru energy henkan gijutsu ni kansuru chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Feasibility study was made on construction of the new energy production system by thermochemical conversion or combination of thermochemical and biological conversions of agricultural, fishery and organic waste system biomass resources. This report first outlines types and characteristics of biomass over the world, proposes the classification method of biomass from the viewpoint of biomass energy use, and shows the introduction scenario of biomass energy. The energy potential is calculated of agricultural waste, forestry waste and animal waste as the most promising biomass energy resources, and the biomass energy potential of energy plantation is estimated. The present and future of biochemical energy conversion technologies are viewed. The present and future of thermochemical energy conversion technologies are also viewed. Through evaluation of every conversion technology, the difference in feature between each conversion technology was clarified, and the major issues for further R and D were showed. (NEDO)

Marketing research for energy from biomass in Europe; Marktverkenning voor energie uit biomassa in Europa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rijpkema, B. [TNO Milieu, Energie en Procesinnovatie TNO-MEP, Apeldoorn (Netherlands); Van den Berg, P.; Vanb Haren, P. [Biomass Technology Group BTG, Enschede (Netherlands)

1997-07-01

Insight is given into the European market for energy from biomass, including information on plant size, most promising technologies, etc. These potentials may offer opportunities for manufacturers of energy generating systems. A quick scan of 23 European countries has been carried out as phase 1 of this project, which resulted in data, presented in the following format: General introduction; Existing energy infrastructure and structure of the energy demand; Price of fossil fuels, electricity and heat; Available biomass quantities; Prices of biomass; Installed biomass plants; Policy and regulations. Based on that information an overall conclusion was drawn for each country`s biomass energy situation. In phase 2 a more detailed survey has been executed for Estonia, Germany, Poland and Spain. The results of both phases are presented in a separate English report. This report is the result of phase 3 in which the results of phase 1 and 2 are evaluated to assess the possibilities for Dutch manufacturers of biomass energy systems

Energy Efficiency of Biogas Produced from Different Biomass Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, Shahida; Nazri, A H

2013-01-01

Malaysia has different sources of biomass like palm oil waste, agricultural waste, cow dung, sewage waste and landfill sites, which can be used to produce biogas and as a source of energy. Depending on the type of biomass, the biogas produced can have different calorific value. At the same time the energy, being used to produce biogas is dependent on transportation distance, means of transportation, conversion techniques and for handling of raw materials and digested residues. An energy systems analysis approach based on literature is applied to calculate the energy efficiency of biogas produced from biomass. Basically, the methodology is comprised of collecting data, proposing locations and estimating the energy input needed to produce biogas and output obtained from the generated biogas. The study showed that palm oil and municipal solid waste is two potential sources of biomass. The energy efficiency of biogas produced from palm oil residues and municipal solid wastes is 1.70 and 3.33 respectively. Municipal solid wastes have the higher energy efficiency due to less transportation distance and electricity consumption. Despite the inherent uncertainties in the calculations, it can be concluded that the energy potential to use biomass for biogas production is a promising alternative.

Energy prospects in the competitiveness of the paper industry. Diagnosis of the Industrial Observatories; Perspectivas energeticas en la competitividad del sector del papel. El diagnostico de los observatorios industriales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortigosa Goni, J. A.

2012-07-01

This article analyzes the prospects and options for the paper industry in terms of energy. For that, the article begins defining competitiveness, analyzing the connections and interdependencies with economy, energy and industry, both world, European and national levels. Also, the article studies in depth the evolution and situation of the Spanish paper industry, its characteristics and energy alternatives, stressing biomass as one of the most attractive choices currently. (Author)

A study of palm biomass processing strategy in Sarawak

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, S. J. Y.; Ng, W. P. Q.; Law, K. H.

2017-06-01

In the past decades, palm industry is booming due to its profitable nature. An environmental concern regarding on the palm industry is the enormous amount of waste produced from palm industry. The waste produced or palm biomass is one significant renewable energy source and raw material for value-added products like fiber mats, activated carbon, dried fiber, bio-fertilizer and et cetera in Malaysia. There is a need to establish the palm biomass industry for the recovery of palm biomass for efficient utilization and waste reduction. The development of the industry is strongly depending on the two reasons, the availability and supply consistency of palm biomass as well as the availability of palm biomass processing facilities. In Malaysia, the development of palm biomass industry is lagging due to the lack of mature commercial technology and difficult logistic planning as a result of scattered locality of palm oil mill, where palm biomass is generated. Two main studies have been carried out in this research work: i) industrial study of the feasibility of decentralized and centralized palm biomass processing in Sarawak and ii) development of a systematic and optimized palm biomass processing planning for the development of palm biomass industry in Sarawak, Malaysia. Mathematical optimization technique is used in this work to model the above case scenario for biomass processing to achieve maximum economic potential and resource feasibility. An industrial study of palm biomass processing strategy in Sarawak has been carried out to evaluate the optimality of centralized processing and decentralize processing of the local biomass industry. An optimal biomass processing strategy is achieved.

Energy from biomass and waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faaij, A.P.C.

1997-01-01

Chapter 2 deals with the characteristics and current availability of biomass residues and waste streams in the Dutch context and evaluates to what extent they are suited for conversion to energy, in particular by means of gasification. In Chapter 3 the technical and economic aspects of gasification of both wastes and clean biomass for electricity production are investigated. The performance of the system is evaluated by means of ASPEN plus modelling. Performance is simulated for a wide range of potential biofuels to assess the sensitivity of the system to the fuel composition. An economic evaluation is made based on component data and on a chain analysis that includes the costs of the biofuels and logistics. Chapter 4 evaluates the final waste treatment system in the Netherlands. It investigates to what extent changes in waste production and the implementation of new waste treatment technologies can atfect the energy production and final waste treatment costs. Chapter 5 focuses on long-range developments with respect to land use in the Netherlands. Chapter 6 addresses costs and benefits of the biomass fuel cycle and focuses especially on the external costs of biomass-based electricity production. A comparison is made with coal-based electricity production. Various methods are used to quantify those costs. Both environmental externalities (such as emissions) and indirect socio-economic effects are analysed. Attention will be given to uncertainties in the outcomes and the implications of the results for the economic feasibility of the production of electricity trom biomass in the Dutch context. refs

Closed Loop Short Rotation Woody Biomass Energy Crops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brower, Michael [CRC Development, LLC, Oakland, CA (United States)

2012-09-30

CRC Development LLC is pursuing commercialization of shrub willow crops to evaluate and confirm estimates of yield, harvesting, transportation and renewable energy conversion costs and to provide a diverse resource in its supply portfolio.The goal of Closed Loop Short Rotation Woody Biomass Energy Crops is supply expansion in Central New York to facilitate the commercialization of willow biomass crops as part of the mix of woody biomass feedstocks for bioenergy and bioproducts. CRC Development LLC established the first commercial willow biomass plantation acreage in North America was established on the Tug Hill in the spring of 2006 and expanded in 2007. This was the first 230- acres toward the goal of 10,000 regional acres. This project replaces some 2007-drought damaged acreage and installs a total of 630-acre new planting acres in order to demonstrate to regional agricultural producers and rural land-owners the economic vitality of closed loop short rotation woody biomass energy crops when deployed commercially in order to motivate new grower entry into the market-place. The willow biomass will directly help stabilize the fuel supply for the Lyonsdale Biomass facility, which produces 19 MWe of power and exports 15,000 pph of process steam to Burrows Paper. This project will also provide feedstock to The Biorefinery in New York for the manufacture of renewable, CO2-neutral liquid transportation fuels, chemicals and polymers. This project helps end dependency on imported fossil fuels, adds to region economic and environmental vitality and contributes to national security through improved energy independence.

Development Potentials and Policy Options of Biomass in China

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Lei; Liu, Litao; Yao, Zhijun; Liu, Gang; Lucas, Mario

2010-10-01

Biomass, one of the most important renewable energies, is playing and will continue to play an important role in the future energy structure of the world. This article aims to analyze the position and role, assess the resource availability, discuss the geographic distribution, market scale and industry development, and present the policy options of biomass in China. The resource availability and geographical distribution of biomass byproducts are assessed in terms of crop residues, manure, forest and wood biomass byproducts, municipal waste and wastewater. The position of biomass use for power generation is just next to hydropower among types of renewable energy in China. The potential quantity of all biomass byproducts energy in 2004 is 3511 Mtce (Mtce is the abbreviation of million tons of coal equivalents and 1 Mtce is equal to106 tce.), while the acquirable quantity is 460 Mtce. Biomass energy plays a critical role in rural regions of China. The geographical distribution and quantity of biomass byproducts resources depends mainly on the relationship between ecological zones and climate conditions. Our estimation shows that the total quantity of crop residues, manure, forest and wood biomass byproducts, municipal waste and wastewater resources are 728, 3926, 2175, 155 and 48240 Mt (million tons), respectively. Crop residues come mainly from the provinces of Henan, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Sichuan. All manure is mainly located in the provinces of Henan, Shandong, Sichuan, Hebei and Hunan. Forest and wood biomass byproducts are mainly produced in the provinces or autonomous regions of Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia, while most of municipal waste mainly comes from Guangdong, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Hubei and Jiangsu. Most of wastewater is largely discharged from advanced provinces like Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Henan. Biomass byproducts’ energy distribution also varies from province to province in China. Based on

Biomass energy utilisation in Malaysia - prospects and problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, Hoi Why

1999-01-01

An assessment of the contribution of biomass fuels in the rubber, palm oil, cocoa, brick and charcoal industries is given with biomass accounting for about 16% of the total power demand; equivalent to about 2.48 MTOE. The use of biomass in Malaysia is by the direct combustion of wood for heat and power and by gasification with power production via a diesel engine. Challenges facing Malaysia include a rapid increase in demand for power, the need for development funding, environmental issues, and increases in the price of rubber wood, the main fuel source. (uk)

Pyrolysis of biomass for hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Constantinescu, Marius; David, Elena; Bucura, Felicia; Sisu, Claudia; Niculescu, Violeta

2006-01-01

Biomass processing is a new technology within the area of renewable energies. Current energy supplies in the world are dominated by fossil fuels (some 80% of the total use of over 400 EJ per year). Nevertheless, about 10-15% of this demand is covered by biomass resources, making biomass by far the most important renewable energy source used to date. On average, in the industrialized countries biomass contributes some 9-13% to the total energy supplies, but in developing countries the proportion is as high as a fifth to one third. In quite a number of countries biomass covers even over 50 to 90% of the total energy demand. Classic application of biomass combustion is heat production for domestic applications. A key issue for bio-energy is that its use should be modernized to fit into a sustainable development path. Especially promising are the production of electricity via advanced conversion concepts (i.e. gasification and state-of-the-art combustion and co-firing) and modern biomass derived fuels like methanol, hydrogen and ethanol from ligno-cellulosic biomass, which can reach competitive cost levels within 1-2 decades (partly depending on price developments with petroleum). (authors)

Understanding forest-derived biomass supply with GIS modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hock, B. K.; Blomqvist, L.; Hall, P.

2012-01-01

distribution, and the cost of delivery as forests are frequently remote from energy users. A GIS-based model was developed to predict supply curves of forest biomass material for a site or group of sites, both now and in the future. The GIS biomass supply model was used to assist the New Zealand Energy...... Efficiency and Conservation Authority's development of a national target for biomass use for industrial heat production, to determine potential forest residue volumes for industrial heat and their delivery costs for 19 processing plants of the dairy company Fonterra, and towards investigating options...

Public beliefs that may affect biomass development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draper, H.M.

1993-01-01

The Tennessee River chip mill controversy involves the expansion of the pulp and paper industry rather than the biomass energy industry; however, the concerns expressed by environmentalists are likely to be the same for biomass projects that propose use of privately-owned land. It may be incorrect to assume that private landowners will have more flexibility in forest management techniques than public agencies. In fact, when faced with a potentially large new demand source for wood, environmentalists will try to stop the project while pushing for stringent regulation of harvesting. This paper describes and analyzes beliefs about forest management (related to biomass energy) taken from the 1,200 letters and 200 public hearing statements received by TVA on the chip mill environmental impact statement. The chip mill controversy suggests that there is a potential for strong coalitions to form to stop new biomass demand sources. As much as possible, the biomass industry will need to anticipate and address land management issues. New concepts such as landscape ecology and ecosystem management should be considered. Even so, increased use of non-dedicated biomass resources will require more public acceptance of the concept that ecosystems and their biomass resources can tolerate increased levels of management

Fundamental Study of two Selected Tropical Biomasses for Energy : coconut and cashew nut shells

OpenAIRE

Tsamba, Alberto Júlio

2008-01-01

 Cashew nut and coconut shells are two potential renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources that are commonly found as agro-industrial wastes in tropical countries. Despite this fact, they are not yet widely studied as such. Given this lack of specific technical and reliable data, technologies for their conversion into energy cannot be designed with confidence as it happens with other commonly studied biomass feedstock. Thus, the need to generate these data guided this research in ...

New technologies shaping the biomass industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, Jessica

2015-01-01

Technology is becoming an increasing important piece of the biomass burning industry, as emission regulations and standards become tighter. New, smart technology available to the industry improves combustion efficiency and decreases emissions. Features such as variable speed pumps, blowers, and motors for fuel and air delivery and ash removal, oxygen sensors for feedback to fine-tune the air to fuel ratio and apps to offer remote control and alerts sent to smartphones and tablets are now available in the US. With smarter controls, the unit can run independently, adjust for a variety of conditions including fuel quality, and notify the user ahead of time of situations before they become a problem, such as adding more fuel. Furthermore, diagnostics aid in quick and efficient solutions, saving consumers and manufacturers’ time and money. (full text)

Biomass energy development and carbon dioxide mitigation options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, D.O.; House, J.I.

1995-01-01

Studies on climate change and energy production increasingly recognize the crucial role of biological systems. Carbon sinks in forests (above and below ground), CO 2 emissions from deforestation, planting trees for carbon storage, and biomass as a substitute for fossil fuels are some of the key issues which arise. Halting deforestation is of paramount importance, but there is also great potential for reforestation of degraded lands, agroforestry and improved forest management. We conclude that biomass energy plantations and other types of energy cropping could be a more effective strategy for carbon mitigation than simply growing trees as a carbon store. Using the biomass for production of modern energy carriers such as electricity, and liquid and gaseous fuels also has a wide range of other environmental, social and economic benefits. In order for biomass projects to succeed, it is necessary to ensure that these benefits are felt locally as well as nationally, furthermore, environmental sustainability of bioenergy projects is an essential requirement. The constraints to achieving environmentally-acceptable biomass production are not insurmountable. Rather they should be seen as scientific and entrepreneurial opportunities which will yield numerous advantages at local, national and international levels in the long term. (au) 76 refs

Biomass-based energy carriers in the transportation sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Bengt.

1995-03-01

The purpose of this report is to study the technical and economic prerequisites to attain reduced carbon dioxide emissions through the use of biomass-based energy carriers in the transportation sector, and to study other environmental impacts resulting from an increased use of biomass-based energy carriers. CO 2 emission reduction per unit arable and forest land used for biomass production (kg CO 2 /ha,year) and costs for CO 2 emission reduction (SEK/kg CO 2 ) are estimated for the substitution of gasoline and diesel with rape methyl ester, biogas from lucerne, ethanol from wheat and ethanol, methanol, hydrogen and electricity from Salix and logging residues. Of the studied energy carriers, those based on Salix provide the largest CO 2 emission reduction. In a medium long perspective, the costs for CO 2 emission reduction seem to be lowest for methanol from Salix and logging residues. The use of fuel cell vehicles, using methanol or hydrogen as energy carriers, can in a longer perspective provide more energy efficient utilization of biomass for transportation than the use of internal combustion engine vehicles. 136 refs, 12 figs, 25 tabs

Field biomass as energy resource for the future; Peltobiomassat tulevaisuuden energiaresurssina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pahkala, K.; Loetjoenen, T. (eds.)

2012-11-01

Bioenergy can be derived from biomasses especially produced for bioenergy or from by-products, side streams and waste from wood processing industry, agriculture and forestry, or e.g. municipal waste. In the Nordic countries and Russia forests are a natural source of bioenergy. In many other European countries forests may be too scarce for bioenergy use. Therefore field biomasses form an interesting potential source for bioenergy. Production of field biomasses for non-food purposes has been criticized, especially as there is not enough food for everyone even at present, and in the future more food has to be produced as the world population increases. We studied the field biomass potential in different European countries with different scenarios for development. 'Good development' scenario includes improvements in plant breeding and food production and processing technologies, with increasing yields and decreasing waste of food products and raw materials. 'Bad development' scenario assumes stagnating yields and little improvement in technologies in the OECD countries, and only small improvements in former Soviet Union countries. The foci of the present research were the effects of development of food production, population growth and climate change on regional potential of field biomasses for bioenergy and sustainable use of crop residues and grasses for bioenergy. The field area that could be allocated to energy crops after growing enough food for the citizens of each country depends mostly on the diet. Growing food for vegetarian diet would occupy so little field area that every country under study could set aside at least half of their field area for bioenergy purposes already at present, if the 'good development' scenario was applied. With 'bad development' scenario some of the countries would be unable to set aside fields for bioenergy production even with vegetarian diet. With affluent diet there would be little field

Assessment of Biomass Resources in Afghanistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milbrandt, A.; Overend, R.

2011-01-01

Afghanistan is facing many challenges on its path of reconstruction and development. Among all its pressing needs, the country would benefit from the development and implementation of an energy strategy. In addition to conventional energy sources, the Afghan government is considering alternative options such as energy derived from renewable resources (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal). Biomass energy is derived from a variety of sources -- plant-based material and residues -- and can be used in various conversion processes to yield power, heat, steam, and fuel. This study provides policymakers and industry developers with information on the biomass resource potential in Afghanistan for power/heat generation and transportation fuels production. To achieve this goal, the study estimates the current biomass resources and evaluates the potential resources that could be used for energy purposes.

Energy conversion of biomass in coping with global warming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yokoyama, Shin-ya; Ogi, Tomoko; Minowa, Tomoaki [National Inst. for Resources and Environment, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

1993-12-31

The main purpose of the present paper is to propose energy conversion technologies of biomass in coping with global warming. Among thermochemical conversion, liquid fuel production by high pressure process is mainly introduced. Biomass is a term used to describe materials of biological origin, either purpose-grown or arising as by-products, residues or wastes from forestry, agriculture and food processing. Such biomass is a renewable energy sources dependent on solar energy. Through photosynthesis, plants converts carbon dioxide into organic materials used in their growth. Energy can be recovered from the plant materials by several processes, the simplest way is burning in air. As far as biomass is used in this way, there is no atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide making no effect on the Greenhouse Effect, provided that the cycle of regrowth and burning is sustained.

Availability of biomass for energy production. GRAIN: Global Restrictions on biomass Availability for Import to the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lysen, E.H.

2000-08-01

The report includes reports of activities that were carried out within the GRAIN project. This evaluation shows that the (technical) potential contribution of bio-energy to the future world's energy supply could be very large. In theory, energy farming on current agricultural land could contribute over 800 EJ, without jeopardising the world's food supply. Use of degraded lands may add another 150 EJ, although this contribution will largely come from crops with a low productivity. The growing demand for bio-materials may require a biomass input equivalent to 20-50 EJ, which must be grown on plantations when existing forests are not able to supply this growing demand. Organic wastes and residues could possibly supply another 40-170 EJ, with uncertain contributions from forest residues and potentially a very significant role for organic waste, especially when bio-materials are used on a larger scale. In total, the upper limit of the bio-energy potential could be over 1000 EJ per year. This is considerably more than the current global energy use of 400 EJ. However, this contribution is by no means guaranteed: crucial factors determining biomass availability for energy are: (1) Population growth and economic development; (2) The efficiency and productivity of food production systems that must be adopted worldwide and the rate of their deployment in particular in developing countries; (3) Feasibility of the use of marginal/degraded lands; (4) Productivity of forests and sustainable harvest levels; (5) The (increased) utilisation of bio-materials. Major transitions are required to exploit this bio-energy potential. It is uncertain to what extent such transitions are feasible. Depending on the factors mentioned above, the bio-energy potential could be very low as well. At regional/local level the possibilities and potential consequences of biomass production and use can vary strongly, but the insights in possible consequences are fairly limited up to now. Bio-energy offers

Biomass based energy combines with motor fuel production; Biobraenslebaserade energikombinat med tillverkning av drivmedel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldschmidt, Barbara

2005-01-01

In the report the state of development of production processes for various motor fuels, such as FT diesel, methanol , DME and ethanol, from biomass is reviewed. Biomass and black liquor gasification processes as well as processes for ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass are discussed. The processes are complicated and still not very well tried in their whole context. The gas cleaning steps, which are necessary to reach acceptable catalyst lifetimes in the motor fuel production processes based on gasification, have been tested in the oil industry and to some extent in coal gasification plants, but not with syngas from biomass or black liquor gasification. For black liquor gasification particularly, also material selection and material lifetime issues remain to be solved. For ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass process development is needed, to increase the yield in the pre-treatment, hydrolysis and fermentation steps. The energy yields of the processes are dependent on the degree of complexity of the processes, as well as on the integration and balancing of energy demanding steps and steps with energy surplus. This is especially valid for the processes based on gasification, due to high temperatures in the gasifier and some of the catalytic steps, but also for the ethanol process, which benefit from optimal steam integration in the evaporation and distillation steps. Also steam integration with cogeneration plants, or for black liquor gasification with pulp mills, improves the overall energy balance. In addition, the energy yield when motor fuels are produced by gasification is dependent on the usage of the off-gas. The efficiency is improved when the off-gas is burned in a boiler or gas turbine, than when it is flared. In the report examples are given of processes with and without integration.

Synthesis of biomass derived carbon materials for environmental engineering and energy storage applications

Science.gov (United States)

Huggins, Mitchell Tyler

Biomass derived carbon (BC) can serve as an environmentally and cost effective material for both remediation and energy production/storage applications. The use of locally derived biomass, such as unrefined wood waste, provides a renewable feedstock for carbon material production compared to conventional unrenewable resources like coal. Additionally, energy and capital cost can be reduced through the reduction in transport and processing steps and the use of spent material as a soil amendment. However, little work has been done to evaluate and compare biochar to conventional materials such as granular activated carbon or graphite in advanced applications of Environmental Engineering. In this work I evaluated the synthesis and compared the performance of biochar for different applications in wastewater treatment, nutrient recovery, and energy production and storage. This includes the use of biochar as an electrode and filter media in several bioelectrochemical systems (BES) treating synthetic and industrial wastewater. I also compared the treatment efficiency of granular biochar as a packed bed adsorbent for the primary treatment of high strength brewery wastewater. My studies conclude with the cultivation of fungal biomass to serve as a template for biochar synthesis, controlling the chemical and physical features of the feedstock and avoiding some of the limitations of waste derived materials.

Ingerop - Energy activities and industry - General brochure 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

Ingerop is a leading player in France and a major player internationally in engineering and consulting in sustainable mobility, energy transition and living environment and in major issues of today and tomorrow. The industrial engineering provided by Ingerop in France and for export, provides a response to customer expectations, integrating more and more the theme of sustainable development. Faced with a growing demand for electricity both in the world and in Europe Ingerop made the energy sector its priority development. The controlled use of energy (energy efficiency, renewable energy) is an ongoing challenge for Ingerop. The group continues its development in nuclear energy by extending its remit from the upstream phases for new construction projects abroad until the decommissioning phases in France and abroad. Ingerop continues its development in nuclear energy by extending its remit from the upstream phases for new construction projects abroad to decommissioning in France and abroad. Ingerop strengthens its expertise in new energy with new projects in biomass boilers and heat networks. The group has profound geothermal skills in heating networks or fatal energy recovery, permitting them to intervene with local authorities such as farmers, from feasibility studies to commissioning and assisting project management with technical studies. The expertise acquired by the group Ingerop in the 1990's, through the construction of fifty data centers on behalf of SFR, enables a significant experience going back twenty years. Furthermore, development continued on the design of more energy-efficient projects and ensuring increasingly high reliability. This brochure presents Ingerop's skills and main references in its four domains of intervention: energy industry (operation in nuclear environment, conventional power plants, new energy technologies, data centers), other industries, infrastructures, and building industry

Energy from biomass and wastes: 1979 update

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klass, D.L.

1979-01-01

The R and D activities in progress in the United States on the development of biomass and wastes as renewable energy sources have reached the point where all phases of the technology are under active investigation. Highlights of this effort are briefly reviewed from the standpoint of energy impact, funding, carbon dioxide build-up in the atmosphere, and biomass production and its conversion to energy and synthetic fuels. Special attention is given to alcohols because of the current interest in gasohol. Significant accomplishments were reported in 1979, and it is expected that commercial utilization of this information will begin to gather more momentum.

Biomasse til energi og økologisk jordbrug

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Bent T; Meyer, Niels I; Nielsen, Vilhjalmur

created uncertainty concerning the realistic potential of biomass for energy. In order to analyse this question the Danish Energy Agency has funded a preliminary, interdiciplinary study concerning the relevance of the claims of the ecological farmers. The principles of ecological farming and the claims...... of ecological farmers on the use of biomass for energy are described, and empirical studies and models of the impact of soil carbon and nutrients on soil productivity are presented. The impact on the soil carbon balance of incorporating straw and manure to the field and the effects of land use changes...

Agrification: Agriculture for the industry and energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The new aspect of agrification is the production of alternative products, which can replace fossil sources. This substitution is necessary in order to replace hazardous materials and to find a solution for the problem of depletion of conventional energy sources and basic materials. Attention is paid to some developments in Germany: agricultural products for the production of energy, and new industrial applications for vegetable filaments. With regard to energy production from agricultrual products one should distinguish between (a) solid energy sources (biomass), f.e. straw, fast-growing wood, elephant's grass, hay and rapeseed, and (b) fluid and gaseous energy sources, f.e. purified and partly refined rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil methyl-ester (RME), ethanol from sugar beet, methanol from straw and hydrogen from straw and/or elephant's grass. 4 figs., 7 refs

Income tax credits and incentives available for producing energy from biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanderson, G.A.

1993-01-01

In the 1970's the US became interested in the development of energy from biomass and other alternative sources. While this interest was stimulated primarily by the oil embargoes of the 1970's, the need for environmentally friendly alternative fuels was also enhanced by the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, two prominent pieces of environmental legislation. As a result, Congress created several tax benefits and subsidies for the production of energy for biomass. Congress enacted biomass energy incentives in 1978 with the creation of excise tax exemptions for alcohol fuels, in 1980 with the enactment of the IRC section 29 nonconventional fuel credit provisions and the IRC section 40 alcohol fuel credits, and recently with the addition of favorable biomass energy provisions as part of the Comprehensive National energy Policy Act of 1992. This article focuses on the following specific tax credits, tax benefits and subsidies for biomass energy: (1) IRC section 29 credit for producing gas from biomass, (2) IRC section 45 credit for producing electricity from biomass, (3) Incentive payments for electricity produced from biomass, (4) Excise tax exemptions for alcohol fuels, (5) IRC section 40 alcohol fuels credits, and (6) IRC section 179A special deduction for alcohol fuels property

A techno-economic evaluation of a biomass energy conversion park

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dael, Van M.; Passel, van S.; Pelkmans, L.; Guisson, R.; Reumermann, P.; Luzardo, N.M.; Witters, N.; Broeze, J.

2013-01-01

Biomass as a renewable energy source has many advantages and is therefore recognized as one of the main renewable energy sources to be deployed in order to attain the target of 20% renewable energy use of final energy consumption by 2020 in Europe. In this paper the concept of a biomass Energy

A REVIEW ON BIOMASS DENSIFICATION TECHNOLOGIE FOR ENERGY APPLICATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

JAYA SHANKAR TUMULURU; CHRISTOPHER T. WRIGHT

2010-08-01

The world is currently facing challenges to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and to achieve a sustainable renewable supply. Renewable energies represent a diversity of energy sources that can help to maintain the equilibrium of different ecosystems. Among the various sources of renewable energy, biomass is finding more uses as it is considered carbon neutral since the carbondioxide released during its use is already part of the carbon cycle (Arias et al., 2008). Increasing the utilization of biomass for energy can help to reduce the negative CO2 impact on the environment and help to meet the targets established in the Kyoto Protocol (UN, 1998). Energy from biomass can be produced from different processes like thermochemical (combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis), biological (anaerobic digestion, fermentation) or chemical (esterification) where direct combustion can provide a direct near-term energy solution (Arias et al., 2008). Some of the inherent problems with raw biomass materials, like low bulk density, high moisture content, hydrophilic nature and low calorific value, limit the ease of use of biomass for energy purposes (Arias et al., 2008). In fact, due to its low energy density compared to fossil fuels, high volumes of biomass will be needed; adding to problems associated with storage, transportation and feed handling at a cogeneration plant. Furthermore, grinding biomass pulverizes, can be very costly and in some cases impractical. All of these drawbacks have given rise to the development of new technologies in order to increase the quality of biomass fuels. The purpose of the work is mainly in four areas 1) Overview of the torrefaction process and to do a literature review on i) Physical properties of torrefied raw material and torrefaction gas composition. 2) Basic principles in design of packed bed i) Equations governing the flow of material in packed bed ii) Equations governing the flow of the gases in packed bed iii) Effect of physical

Energy policy and renewable energy sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

According to Shell, by 2050, renewable energy sources may supply over 50% of the energy, worldwide. This concentration on renewable energy sources is primarily due to the intensified environmental demands. The UN climate panel has estimated that to avoid irreversible climate change it is necessary to reduce the global emissions of CO2 by 50 to 60% during the next 100 years. Biomass energy includes a number of biological raw materials from forestry and agriculture. The forests provide wood, wood chips, bark, branches and treetops, and from agriculture, straw. Although biomass energy is not entirely pollution-free, it is renewable and CO2-neutral as long as growth and consumption are in balance. In Norway, the total annual growth of available biomass corresponds to about 80 TWh. The technical potential is estimated to 30 TWh per year, allowing for operationally reasonable ways of producing the biomass. However, there is competition for the biomass since it is used by the wood processing industry. The use of biomass and waste for energy generation varies considerably among the Nordic countries. In Denmark, agriculture dominates and large quantities of straw are burned in cogeneration plants. Sweden and Finland have well-developed forest industries, and the wood processing industry in these countries uses much more biomass fuel (bark, fibre mud, black liquor) than the Norwegian wood processing industry. In Norway, more energy can be obtained by retrofitting old hydroelectric plants such as by installing a flexible liner in existing tunnels. This improves energy flexibility and increases energy production without negative environmental consequences. The potential for wind power is larger in Norway than in Denmark and Germany. The cost of wind power has fallen considerably as a consequence of the technological development of the sector

Economic approach to assess the forest carbon implications of biomass energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Daigneault, Adam; Sohngen, Brent; Sedjo, Roger

2012-06-05

There is widespread concern that biomass energy policy that promotes forests as a supply source will cause net carbon emissions. Most of the analyses that have been done to date, however, are biological, ignoring the effects of market adaptations through substitution, net imports, and timber investments. This paper uses a dynamic model of forest and land use management to estimate the impact of United States energy policies that emphasize the utilization of forest biomass on global timber production and carbon stocks over the next 50 years. We show that when market factors are included in the analysis, expanded demand for biomass energy increases timber prices and harvests, but reduces net global carbon emissions because higher wood prices lead to new investments in forest stocks. Estimates are sensitive to assumptions about whether harvest residues and new forestland can be used for biomass energy and the demand for biomass. Restricting biomass energy to being sourced only from roundwood on existing forestland can transform the policy from a net sink to a net source of emissions. These results illustrate the importance of capturing market adjustments and a large geographic scope when measuring the carbon implications of biomass energy policies.

Washington State biomass data book

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshaye, J.A.; Kerstetter, J.D.

1991-07-01

This is the first edition of the Washington State Biomass Databook. It assess sources and approximate costs of biomass fuels, presents a view of current users, identifies potential users in the public and private sectors, and lists prices of competing energy resources. The summary describes key from data from the categories listed above. Part 1, Biomass Supply, presents data increasing levels of detail on agricultural residues, biogas, municipal solid waste, and wood waste. Part 2, Current Industrial and Commercial Use, demonstrates how biomass is successfully being used in existing facilities as an alternative fuel source. Part 3, Potential Demand, describes potential energy-intensive public and private sector facilities. Part 4, Prices of Competing Energy Resources, shows current suppliers of electricity and natural gas and compares utility company rates. 49 refs., 43 figs., 72 tabs

Biomass to energy : GHG reduction quantification protocols and case study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reusing, G.; Taylor, C. [Conestoga - Rovers and Associates, Waterloo, ON (Canada); Nolan, W. [Liberty Energy, Hamilton, ON (Canada); Kerr, G. [Index Energy, Ajax, ON (Canada)

2009-07-01

With the growing concerns over greenhouses gases and their contribution to climate change, it is necessary to find ways of reducing environmental impacts by diversifying energy sources to include non-fossil fuel energy sources. Among the fastest growing green energy sources is energy from waste facilities that use biomass that would otherwise be landfilled or stockpiled. The quantification of greenhouse gas reductions through the use of biomass to energy systems can be calculated using various protocols and methodologies. This paper described each of these methodologies and presented a case study comparing some of these quantification methodologies. A summary and comparison of biomass to energy greenhouse gas reduction protocols in use or under development by the United Nations, the European Union, the Province of Alberta and Environment Canada was presented. It was concluded that regulatory, environmental pressures, and public policy will continue to impact the practices associated with biomass processing or landfill operations, such as composting, or in the case of landfills, gas collection systems, thus reducing the amount of potential credit available for biomass to energy facility offset projects. 10 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs.

Biomass to energy : GHG reduction quantification protocols and case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reusing, G.; Taylor, C.; Nolan, W.; Kerr, G.

2009-01-01

With the growing concerns over greenhouses gases and their contribution to climate change, it is necessary to find ways of reducing environmental impacts by diversifying energy sources to include non-fossil fuel energy sources. Among the fastest growing green energy sources is energy from waste facilities that use biomass that would otherwise be landfilled or stockpiled. The quantification of greenhouse gas reductions through the use of biomass to energy systems can be calculated using various protocols and methodologies. This paper described each of these methodologies and presented a case study comparing some of these quantification methodologies. A summary and comparison of biomass to energy greenhouse gas reduction protocols in use or under development by the United Nations, the European Union, the Province of Alberta and Environment Canada was presented. It was concluded that regulatory, environmental pressures, and public policy will continue to impact the practices associated with biomass processing or landfill operations, such as composting, or in the case of landfills, gas collection systems, thus reducing the amount of potential credit available for biomass to energy facility offset projects. 10 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

FY 1997 report on the research study for preparation of NEDO`s vision. Biomass energy; 1997 nendo chosa hokokusho (NEDO vision sakutei ni muketa chosa kenkyu). Biomass energy ni tsuite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

Research study was made on the current usage, technological development and future subjects of biomass energy. The current use of biomass energy over the world estimated to be nearly a billion t/y oil equivalent. This value is estimated to be only a part of a pure primary biomass yield of 73 billion t/y oil equivalent showing a large supply potential. The evaluation result of a biomass energy potential in the world by GLUE (Global Land Use and Energy Model) considering worldwide biomass flow and competition of land use showed that no change of land use form in advanced areas is predicted, and no production of new biomass energy from forests in advancing areas is also expected. Production of biomass energy from farm products is promising in advanced areas, while the potential of biomass residue is high in advancing areas showing the possibility of energy development. Development of new biotechnologies such as molecular control of bio-production functions is expected to increase biomass resources. 76 refs., 26 figs., 30 tabs.

Assessment of the status and outlook of biomass energy in Jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Hamamre, Zayed; Al-Mater, Ali; Sweis, Fawaz; Rawajfeh, Khaled

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The potential of utilizing biomass as an energy source in Jordan is investigated. • The biomass thermal energy represents 10.2% of the total primary energy. • Bioenergy production depends on biomass availability, conversion and recovery efficiency. - Abstract: This work investigates the status and potential of utilizing biomass as an energy source in Jordan. The amount of waste and residue is estimated to be 6.680 million tons for the year 2011. Two scenarios were investigated: biogas production and thermal treatment. The amount of biogas that can be produced from various biomass sources in Jordan is estimated at 428 MCM. The equivalent annual power production is estimated at 698.1 GW h. This is equivalent to about 5.09% of the consumed electricity (13,535 GW h) and 39.65% of the imported electricity in 2011. The alternative scenario of thermal treatment was investigated. The total theoretical thermal energy that can be obtained assuming 70% conversion efficiency is equivalent to 779 thousand toe (5.33 million barrels of crude oil) which amounts to 10.2% of the total primary energy consumed in 2011. Due to biomass collection and recovery challenges, the energy availability factor varies for the different resources. Hence, contribution of the different biomass resources can significantly vary

Waste Biomass Based Energy Supply Chain Network Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Güneş Yıldız

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Reducing dependence on fossil fuels, alleviating environmental impacts and ensuring sustainable economic growth are among the most promising aspects of utilizing renewable energy resources. Biomass is a major renewable energy resource that has the potential for creating sustainable energy systems that are critical in terms of social welfare. Utilization of biomass for bioenergy production is an efficient alternative for meeting rising energy demands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus alleviating climate change. A supply chain for such an energy source is crucial for assisting deliverance of a competitive end product to end-user markets. Considering the existing constraints, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP model for waste biomass based supply chain was proposed in this study for economic performance optimization. Performance of the proposed modelling approach was demonstrated with a real life application study realized in İstanbul. Moreover, sensitivity analyses were conducted which would serve as a foresight for efficient management of the supply chain as a whole

ANALYSIS OF THERMAL-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOMASS ENERGY PELLETS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zorica Gluvakov

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In modern life conditions, when emphasis is on environmental protection and sustainable development, fuels produced from biomass are increasingly gaining in importance, and it is necessary to consider the quality of end products obtained from biomass. Based on the existing European standards, collected literature and existing laboratory methods, this paper presents results of testing individual thermal - chemical properties of biomass energy pellets after extrusion and cooling the compressed material. Analysing samples based on standard methods, data were obtained on the basis of which individual thermal-chemical properties of pellets were estimated. Comparing the obtained results with the standards and literature sources, it can be said that moisture content, ash content and calorific values are the most important parameters for quality analysis which decide on applicability and use-value of biomass energy pellets, as biofuel. This paper also shows the impact of biofuels on the quality of environmental protection. The conclusion provides a clear statement of quality of biomass energy pellets.

Biomass supply management for advanced energy: applications in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranney, J.W.; Perlack, R.D.

1995-01-01

Advanced biomass energy systems, including new biomass resource enhancement technologies, should be developed only where compelling situations for investors or communities exist to economically do so. These situations, or minimum viable operating conditions, are assessed from a pragmatic perspective. They are determined by specific circumstances and divergent interests that take time to define and integrate. Customized solutions are necessary and can change quickly with geography and market circumstances New technologies offer more options but are not necessarily the best. The example of energy crop technology is used to demonstrate the interdependencies that exist between new resource enhancement technology and biomass energy systems operations. The ability to genetically increase the energy density of energy crops is compared to other enhancement measures such as increasing the number of tonnes grown per hectare-year, reducing costs per tonne and improving other characteristics. Issues that need to be considered include significant knowledge gaps, lack of commitments in R and D, specificity of conversion system requirements, handling capabilities and opportunity costs. Broader biomass procurement strategies, which may be more important than resource enhancement technologies, are discussed. Biomass cost-supply is utilized as a strong analytical feature to evaluate the effectiveness of biomass procurement strategies and new biomass production technologies. Some past experiences are reviewed. Cost-supply is assessed from the perspective of the whole biomass energy system to expose the interdependencies between production operations, conversion scale and technologies, and community markets and service. Investment limits, for example, may be as important a determinant as the cost-efficiency of a new technology, which, in turn, affects biomass cost-supply-quality requirements. The cost of new technologies can then be compared to the changed performance of the overall

Biomass supply management for advanced energy: applications in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranney, J W [Joint Institute for Energy and Environment, Knoxville, TN (United States); Perlack, R D [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

1995-12-01

Advanced biomass energy systems, including new biomass resource enhancement technologies, should be developed only where compelling situations for investors or communities exist to economically do so. These situations, or minimum viable operating conditions, are assessed from a pragmatic perspective. They are determined by specific circumstances and divergent interests that take time to define and integrate. Customized solutions are necessary and can change quickly with geography and market circumstances New technologies offer more options but are not necessarily the best. The example of energy crop technology is used to demonstrate the interdependencies that exist between new resource enhancement technology and biomass energy systems operations. The ability to genetically increase the energy density of energy crops is compared to other enhancement measures such as increasing the number of tonnes grown per hectare-year, reducing costs per tonne and improving other characteristics. Issues that need to be considered include significant knowledge gaps, lack of commitments in R and D, specificity of conversion system requirements, handling capabilities and opportunity costs. Broader biomass procurement strategies, which may be more important than resource enhancement technologies, are discussed. Biomass cost-supply is utilized as a strong analytical feature to evaluate the effectiveness of biomass procurement strategies and new biomass production technologies. Some past experiences are reviewed. Cost-supply is assessed from the perspective of the whole biomass energy system to expose the interdependencies between production operations, conversion scale and technologies, and community markets and service. Investment limits, for example, may be as important a determinant as the cost-efficiency of a new technology, which, in turn, affects biomass cost-supply-quality requirements. The cost of new technologies can then be compared to the changed performance of the overall

Biomass production in energy plantation of Prosopis juliflora

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gurumurti, K.

1984-09-01

Studies on time trends of biomass production by means of age series in energy plantations (spacing 1.3 x 1.3 m) of Prosopis juliflora is presented. The component biomass production at the age of 18, 24, 30, 36 and 48 months was determined. The results show considerable variation among the population of trees. However, distinct linear relationship between girth at breast height (GBH) and total height was discernible. The total biomass produced at 18, 24, 30, 36 and 48 months of age was 19.69, 41.39, 69.11, 114.62 and 148.63 dry tonnes per hectare, respectively. The corresponding figures for utilizable biomass (wood, bark and branch) were 14.63, 32.17, 50.59, 88.87 and 113.25 dry tonnes per hectare. At all the periods of study, branch component formed the major portion of total biomass being around 50 to 55%. Utilizable biomass was three-fourths of total biomass at all ages. The solar energy conversion efficiency ranged from 0.59% at 18 months to 1.68% at 48 months of age, the peak value being 1.87% at the age of 36 months. It is shown that the variables diameter and height can be used to reliably predict the biomass production in Prosopis juliflora with the help of the regression equations developed in the present study. It is concluded that Prosopis juliflora is an ideal candidate for energy plantations in semi arid and marginal lands, not only to meet the fuelwood demands but also to improve the soil fertility, for, this plant is a fast growing and nitrogen fixing leguminous tree.

Rwanda after the war: supply and rational management of biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hategeka, A.

1997-01-01

This chapter discusses the effects of the war in Rwanda on biomass energy and biomass energy supply. Seven projects identified to be carried out immediately involve rationalisation of biomass energy use in urban and rural areas, supplying charcoal from forest thinnings, rehabilitation of damaged forests, examination of the feasibility of peat extraction, urban supply of peat, wood energy conservation, and pilot production of papyrus briquettes. (UK)

Technical and economic data biomass-based energy conversion systems for the production of gaseous and/or liquid energy carriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-02-01

The objectives of this study are: (1) to give an indication of the expected development of the currently mainly fossil fuel based Dutch energy supply system to a future CO 2 -emission 'free' energy supply system, and (2) to present main technological, economic, and environmental characteristics of three promising renewable energy based technologies for the production of gaseous and/or liquid secondary energy carriers and/or electricity and/or heat, viz.: (a) biomass hydrogasification for SNG (synthetic natural gas) production; (b) trigeneration of methanol and CHP (combined heat and power) from biomass by integrating a 'once-through' LPMEOH (liquid phase methanol) process into a 'conventional BIG/CC (Biomass-Integrated-Gasifier/Combined Cycle) system; and (c) trigeneration of Fischer-Tropsch derived transportation fuels and CHP from biomass by integrating a 'once-through' FT-process (Fischer-Tropsch) into a 'conventional' BIG/CC-system. Biomass conversion systems, for the production of CHP, transportation fuels, and as biofeedstock for the petrochemical industry, will play a substantial role in meeting the future Dutch renewable energy policy goals. In case fossil fuel prices remain low, additional policies are needed to reach these goals. Biomass will also play a significant role in reaching significant CO 2 emission reduction in Western Europe. In which sector the limited amount of biomass available/contractable can be applied best is still unclear, and therefore needs further research. By biomass hydrogasification it is possible to produce SNG with more or less the same composition as Groningen natural gas. In case relatively cheap hydrogen-rich waste gas streams are used in the short-term, the SNG production costs will he in the same order of magnitude as the market price for Dutch natural gas for small consumers (fl 0.6/Nm 3 ). The calculated minimum production costs for the 'green' fuels (methanol: 15 Euroct/l or 9 Euro/GJ, and FT-fuels: 27 Euroct/l or 9 Euro

Green energy. Biomass fuels and the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The United Nations Environment Programme has been concerned with energy/environment issues since it was first set up after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972. In the late 1970s, UNEP compiled three comprehensive reports on the the environmental impacts of the production and use of fossil fuels, nuclear energy and renewable energy sources. In 1987 it was decided to update the volume on renewable energy since knowledge of biofuels and their effects on the environment had greatly improved. Among many innovations, Brazil's decision to embark on a major, and now successful, programme to produce ethanol from sugarcane as a substitute vehicle fuel is one of the most significant. At the same time, energy tree crops, agroforestry systems and the use of plantations for environmental improvement have become issues of key importance to sustainable development in developing countries. Biomass fuels, of course, have always been important in terms of the numbers of people who use them; the significant change during the 1980s was that the potential advantages of these fuels took on a new significance in the light of environmental degradation and related issues such as greenhouse warming. The biomass fuels began to be considered as attractive energy sources in their own right - not simply as 'last resort' fuels for developing countries with only limited energy options. While this development may solve some environmental problems, it certainly raises others - the improper utilization of biomass fuels in the past has been responsible for deforestation, desertification and the ill health of many millions of the women in developing countries who use biomass fuels in unventilated huts. These issues currently affect about half of the world population. The new UNEP study was intended to provide an up-to-date evaluation of the environmental issues raised by the use of biomass fuels, and hence to reduce or eliminate their adverse impacts while

Sustainable energy transitions in emerging economies: The formation of a palm oil biomass waste-to-energy niche in Malaysia 1990–2011

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ulrich Elmer; Nygaard, Ivan

2014-01-01

The economic development in emerging economies in Southeast Asia has significantly increased the use of fossil fuel based energy. This has severe implications for global climate change, and against this background, scholars within the sustainable transition tradition have taken an interest...... in addressing how transitions towards more sustainable development pathways in this region may be achieved. This paper contributes to the abovementioned literature by examining the conducive and limiting factors for development and proliferation of a palm oil biomass waste-to-energy niche in Malaysia during...... the period 1990–2011. Rising oil prices, strong pressure on the palm oil industry from environmental groups, and a persisting palm oil biomass waste disposal problem in Malaysia appear to have been conducive to niche proliferation, and on top of this national renewable energy policies and large-scale donor...

Evaluation of social and environment effect of using biomass energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alighardashi, A.; Adl, M.; Karbasi, A.R.; Naeiji, K.

2001-01-01

Biomass is one of the most important sources for clean and renewable energy. International studies show that potential of power generation from biomass has been equal of amount of electricity generated from all centralized sources in the world at 1993. this paper considers social and environmental effects of biomass energy utilization instead of fossil fuels. This study is performed in several sections; destruction of natural resources, emission of pollutants, creation of new job opportunities and public welfare. In each section, some of world experiences and statistics are mentioned. Estimated and calculated results for Iran have been presented. In public welfare section, security cost in different Iranian energy consumption sections have been considered and resulted fuel savings due to biomass energy consumption, are mentioned in detail

Allocation of biomass resources for minimising energy system greenhouse gas emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bentsen, Niclas Scott; Jack, Michael W.; Felby, Claus; Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark

2014-01-01

The European Union (EU) energy policy has three targets: supply security, development of a competitive energy sector and environmental sustainability. The EU countries have issued so-called National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAP) for increased renewable energy generation. Biomass is stipulated to account for 56% of renewable energy generation by 2020, corresponding to an increase in bioenergy generation from 2.4 × 10 9  GJ in 2005 to 5.7 × 10 9  GJ in 2020. There is uncertainty about the amounts of biomass available in the EU, and import challenges policy targets on supply security and sustainability. We address issues about how, from a technical point of view, the EU may deploy its biomass resources to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from energy consumption. We investigate if deployment patterns depend on resource availability and technological development. In situations with adequate biomass availability the analysis suggests that liquid fuel production should be based on agricultural residues. Electricity production should be based on forest residues and other woody biomass and heat production on forest and agricultural residues. Improved conversion technologies implicitly relax the strain on biomass resources and improve supply security. - Highlights: • Optimal allocation of biomass to energy is analysed conceptually for the EU by 2020. • Allocation is influenced not only by GHG performance, also by resource availability. • Surplus biomass could be allocated to electricity generation to reduce GHG emissions

Routing of biomass for sustainable agricultural development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhaimi Masduki; Aini Zakaria

1998-01-01

Photosynthetically derived biomass and residues, including waste products from food processing industries are renewable. They accumulate every year in large quantities, causing deterioration to the environment and loss of potentially valuable resources. The conserved energy is potentially convertible; thermodynamically the energy can be tapped into forms which are more amenable for value added agricultural applications or for other higher value products such as chemicals or their feedstocks. The forms and types in which this biomass has to be modified for the intended use depend on the costs or the respective alternatives. Under current situations, where chemical feedstocks are available in abundance at very competitive prices, biomass is obviously more suitably placed in the agro-industrial sector. Recycling of the biomass or residues into the soil as biofertilizers or for some other uses for agricultural applications requires less intense energy inputs for their improvements. Highly efficient biological processes with microorganisms as the primary movers in the production of the desired end products indeed require less capital costs than in most other industrial entities. In this paper, the various processes, which are potentially valuable and economically feasible in the conversion of biomass and residues for several products important in the agricultural sector, are described. Emphasis is given to the approach and the possible permutations of these processes to arrive at the desired good quality products for sustainable agricultural development. (Author)

Estimation of energy potential of agricultural enterprise biomass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lypchuk Vasyl

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Bioenergetics (obtaining of energy from biomass is one of innovative directions in energy branch of Ukraine. Correct and reliable estimation of biomass potential is essential for efficient use of it. The article reveals the issue of estimation of potential of biomass, obtained from byproducts of crop production and animal breeding, which can be used for power supply of agricultural enterprises. The given analysis was carried with application of common methodological fundamentals, revealed in the estimation of production structure of agricultural enterprises, structure of land employment, efficiency of crops growing, indicators of output of main and by-products, as well as normative (standard parameters of power output of energy raw material in relation to the chosen technology of its utilization. Results of the research prove high energy potential of byproducts of crop production and animal breeding at all of the studied enterprises, which should force its practical use.

Biomass Resource Allocation among Competing End Uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newes, E.; Bush, B.; Inman, D.; Lin, Y.; Mai, T.; Martinez, A.; Mulcahy, D.; Short, W.; Simpkins, T.; Uriarte, C.; Peck, C.

2012-05-01

The Biomass Scenario Model (BSM) is a system dynamics model developed by the U.S. Department of Energy as a tool to better understand the interaction of complex policies and their potential effects on the biofuels industry in the United States. However, it does not currently have the capability to account for allocation of biomass resources among the various end uses, which limits its utilization in analysis of policies that target biomass uses outside the biofuels industry. This report provides a more holistic understanding of the dynamics surrounding the allocation of biomass among uses that include traditional use, wood pellet exports, bio-based products and bioproducts, biopower, and biofuels by (1) highlighting the methods used in existing models' treatments of competition for biomass resources; (2) identifying coverage and gaps in industry data regarding the competing end uses; and (3) exploring options for developing models of biomass allocation that could be integrated with the BSM to actively exchange and incorporate relevant information.

A hybrid optimization model of biomass trigeneration system combined with pit thermal energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominković, D.F.; Ćosić, B.; Bačelić Medić, Z.; Duić, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Hybrid optimization model of biomass trigeneration system with PTES is developed. • Influence of premium feed-in tariffs on trigeneration systems is assessed. • Influence of total system efficiency on biomass trigeneration system with PTES is assessed. • Influence of energy savings on project economy is assessed. - Abstract: This paper provides a solution for managing excess heat production in trigeneration and thus, increases the power plant yearly efficiency. An optimization model for combining biomass trigeneration energy system and pit thermal energy storage has been developed. Furthermore, double piping district heating and cooling network in the residential area without industry consumers was assumed, thus allowing simultaneous flow of the heating and cooling energy. As a consequence, the model is easy to adopt in different regions. Degree-hour method was used for calculation of hourly heating and cooling energy demand. The system covers all the yearly heating and cooling energy needs, while it is assumed that all the electricity can be transferred to the grid due to its renewable origin. The system was modeled in Matlab© on hourly basis and hybrid optimization model was used to maximize the net present value (NPV), which was the objective function of the optimization. Economic figures become favorable if the economy-of-scale of both power plant and pit thermal energy storage can be utilized. The results show that the pit thermal energy storage was an excellent option for storing energy and shaving peaks in energy demand. Finally, possible switch from feed-in tariffs to feed-in premiums was assessed and possible subsidy savings have been calculated. The savings are potentially large and can be used for supporting other renewable energy projects

Biomass energy conversion: conventional and advanced technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, B C; Hauserman, W B [Energy and Environmental Research Center, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

1995-12-01

Increasing interest in biomass energy conversion in recent years has focused attention on enhancing the efficiency of technologies converting biomass fuels into heat and power, their capital and operating costs and their environmental emissions. Conventional combustion systems, such as fixed-bed or grate units and entrainment units, deliver lower efficiencies (<25%) than modem coal-fired combustors (30-35%). The gasification of biomass will improve energy conversion efficiency and yield products useful for heat and power generation and chemical synthesis. Advanced biomass gasification technologies using pressurized fluidized-bed systems, including those incorporating hot-gas clean-up for feeding gas turbines or fuel cells, are being demonstrated. However, many biomass gasification processes are derivatives of coal gasification technologies and do not exploit the unique properties of biomass. This paper examines some existing and upcoming technologies for converting biomass into electric power or heat. Small-scale 1-30 MWe units are emphasized, but brief reference is made to larger and smaller systems, including those that bum coal-biomass mixtures and gasifiers that feed pilot-fuelled diesel engines. Promising advanced systems, such as a biomass integrated gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/GT) with combined-cycle operation and a biomass gasifier coupled to a fuel cell, giving cycle efficiencies approaching 50% are also described. These advanced gasifiers, typically fluid-bed designs, may be pressurized and can use a wide variety of biomass materials to generate electricity, process steam and chemical products such as methanol. Low-cost, disposable catalysts are becoming available for hot-gas clean-up (enhanced gas composition) for turbine and fuel cell systems. The advantages, limitations and relative costs of various biomass gasifier systems are briefly discussed. The paper identifies the best known biomass power projects and includes some information on proposed and

Biomass energy conversion: conventional and advanced technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, B.C.; Hauserman, W.B.

1995-01-01

Increasing interest in biomass energy conversion in recent years has focused attention on enhancing the efficiency of technologies converting biomass fuels into heat and power, their capital and operating costs and their environmental emissions. Conventional combustion systems, such as fixed-bed or grate units and entrainment units, deliver lower efficiencies (<25%) than modem coal-fired combustors (30-35%). The gasification of biomass will improve energy conversion efficiency and yield products useful for heat and power generation and chemical synthesis. Advanced biomass gasification technologies using pressurized fluidized-bed systems, including those incorporating hot-gas clean-up for feeding gas turbines or fuel cells, are being demonstrated. However, many biomass gasification processes are derivatives of coal gasification technologies and do not exploit the unique properties of biomass. This paper examines some existing and upcoming technologies for converting biomass into electric power or heat. Small-scale 1-30 MWe units are emphasized, but brief reference is made to larger and smaller systems, including those that bum coal-biomass mixtures and gasifiers that feed pilot-fuelled diesel engines. Promising advanced systems, such as a biomass integrated gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/GT) with combined-cycle operation and a biomass gasifier coupled to a fuel cell, giving cycle efficiencies approaching 50% are also described. These advanced gasifiers, typically fluid-bed designs, may be pressurized and can use a wide variety of biomass materials to generate electricity, process steam and chemical products such as methanol. Low-cost, disposable catalysts are becoming available for hot-gas clean-up (enhanced gas composition) for turbine and fuel cell systems. The advantages, limitations and relative costs of various biomass gasifier systems are briefly discussed. The paper identifies the best known biomass power projects and includes some information on proposed and

Energy Production from Marine Biomass (Ulva lactuca)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nikolaisen, Lars; Daugbjerg Jensen, Peter; Svane Bech, Karin

The background for this research activity is that the 2020 goals for reduction of the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere are so challenging that exorbitant amounts of biomass and other renewable sources of energy must be mobilised in order to – maybe – fulfil the ambitious 2020 goals. The macroalgae...... is an unexploited, not researched, not developed source of biomass and is at the same time an enormous resource by mass. It is therefore obvious to look into this vast biomass resource and by this report give some of the first suggestions of how this new and promising biomass resource can be exploited....

Energy Efficiency and Air Quality Repairs at Lyonsdale Biomass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brower, Michael R; Morrison, James A; Spomer, Eric; Thimot, Carol A

2012-07-31

This project enabled Lyonsdale Biomass, LLC to effect analyses, repairs and upgrades for its biomass cogeneration facility located in Lewis County, New York and close by the Adirondack Park to reduce air emissions by improving combustion technique and through the overall reduction of biomass throughput by increasing the system's thermodynamic efficiency for its steam-electrical generating cycle. Project outcomes result in significant local, New York State, Northeast U.S. and national benefits including improved renewable energy operational surety, enhanced renewable energy efficiency and more freedom from foreign fossil fuel source dependence. Specifically, the reliability of the Lyonsdale Biomass 20MWe woody biomass combined-heat and power (CHP) was and is now directly enhanced. The New York State and Lewis County benefits are equally substantial since the facility sustains 26 full-time equivalency (FTE) jobs at the facility and as many as 125 FTE jobs in the biomass logistics supply chain. Additionally, the project sustains essential local and state payment in lieu of taxes revenues. This project helps meet several USDOE milestones and contributes directly to the following sustainability goals:  Climate: Reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with bio-power production, conversion and use, in comparison to fossil fuels. Efficiency and Productivity: Enhances efficient use of renewable resources and maximizes conversion efficiency and productivity. Profitability: Lowers production costs. Rural Development: Enhances economic welfare and rural development through job creation and income generation. Standards: Develop standards and corresponding metrics for ensuring sustainable biopower production. Energy Diversification and Security: Reduces dependence on foreign oil and increases energy supply diversity. Net Energy Balance: Ensures positive net energy balance for all alternatives to fossil fuels.

Energy from aquatic biomass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aresta, M.; Dibenedetto, A.

2009-01-01

Aquatic biomass is considered as a second (or third) generation option for the production of bio fuels. The best utilization for energy purposes is not its direct combustion. Several technologies are available for the extraction of compounds that may find application for the production of gaseous fuels (biogas, dihydrogen) or liquid fuels (ethanol, bio oil, biodiesel). [it

Waste biomass-to-energy supply chain management: a critical synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Iakovou, E; Karagiannidis, A; Vlachos, D; Toka, A; Malamakis, A

2010-10-01

The development of renewable energy sources has clearly emerged as a promising policy towards enhancing the fragile global energy system with its limited fossil fuel resources, as well as for reducing the related environmental problems. In this context, waste biomass utilization has emerged as a viable alternative for energy production, encompassing a wide range of potential thermochemical, physicochemical and bio-chemical processes. Two significant bottlenecks that hinder the increased biomass utilization for energy production are the cost and complexity of its logistics operations. In this manuscript, we present a critical synthesis of the relative state-of-the-art literature as this applies to all stakeholders involved in the design and management of waste biomass supply chains (WBSCs). We begin by presenting the generic system components and then the unique characteristics of WBSCs that differentiate them from traditional supply chains. We proceed by discussing state-of-the-art energy conversion technologies along with the resulting classification of all relevant literature. We then recognize the natural hierarchy of the decision-making process for the design and planning of WBSCs and provide a taxonomy of all research efforts as these are mapped on the relevant strategic, tactical and operational levels of the hierarchy. Our critical synthesis demonstrates that biomass-to-energy production is a rapidly evolving research field focusing mainly on biomass-to-energy production technologies. However, very few studies address the critical supply chain management issues, and the ones that do that, focus mainly on (i) the assessment of the potential biomass and (ii) the allocation of biomass collection sites and energy production facilities. Our analysis further allows for the identification of gaps and overlaps in the existing literature, as well as of critical future research areas. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Importance of biomass energy as alternative to other sources in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokcol, Cihan; Dursun, Bahtiyar; Alboyaci, Bora; Sunan, Erkan

2009-01-01

Energy plays a vital role in socio-economic development and raising standards of human beings. Turkey is a rapidly growing country; both its population and economy are expanding each year so its energy demand increases correspondingly and this increasing demand has to be met for keeping sustainable development in the economy and raising living conditions of mankind. Although Turkey has many energy sources, it is a big energy importer. Turkey has a lot of potential to supply its own energy, which could be put to use in order to avoid this energy dependence. Additionally, Turkey is a country that has an abundance of renewable energy sources and can essentially provide all energy requirements from indigenous energy sources. Biomass is one of the most promising energy sources considered to be alternative to conventional ones. This paper investigates the importance of biomass energy in Turkey. Additionally, the potential of biomass and its utilization in Turkey are presented in detail. Turkey has always been one of the major agricultural countries of the world. The importance of agriculture is increasing due to biomass energy being a major resource of Turkey. Like many developing countries, Turkey relies on biomass to satisfy much of its energy requirements

Sustainable biomass production for energy in Sri Lanka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perera, K.K.C.K.; Rathnasiri, P.G.; Sugathapala, A.G.T.

2003-01-01

The present study concentrates mainly on the estimation of land availability for biomass production and the estimation of sustainable biomass production potential for energy. The feasible surplus land area available for bioenergy plantation is estimated assuming two land availability scenarios (Scenarios 1 and 2) and three biomass demand scenarios (IBD Scenario, SBD Scenario and FBD Scenario). Scenario 1 assumes that 100% of the surplus area available in base year 1997 will be suitable for plantation without considering population growth and food production and that 75% of this surplus land is feasible for plantation. Scenario 2 assumes that future food requirement will grow by 20% and the potential surplus area will be reduced by that amount. The incremental biomass demand scenario (IBD Scenario) assumes that only the incremental demand for biomass in the year 2010 with respect to the base year 1997 has to be produced from new plantation. The sustainable biomass demand scenario (SBD Scenario) assumes that the total sustainable supply of biomass in 1997 is deducted from the future biomass demand in 2010 and only the balance is to be met by new plantation. The full biomass demand scenario (FBD Scenario) assumes that the entire projected biomass demand of the year 2010 needs to be produced from new plantation. The total feasible land area for the scenarios IBD-1, 1BD-2, SBD-1, SBD-2, FBD-1 and FBD-2 are approximately 0.96, 0.66, 0.80, 0.94, 0.60 and 0.30 Mha, respectively. Biomass production potential is estimated by selecting appropriate plant species, plantation spacing and productivity level. The results show that the total annual biomass production in the country could vary from 2 to 9.9 Mt. With the production option (i.e. 1.5 mx1.5 m spacing plantation with fertilizer application) giving the highest yield, the total biomass production for energy under IBD Scenario would be 9.9 Mt yr -1 for Scenario 1 and 6.7 Mt yr -1 for Scenario 2. Under SBD Scenario, the

Aspects of using biomass as energy source for power generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tîrtea Raluca-Nicoleta

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Biomass represents an important source of renewable energy in Romania with about 64% of the whole available green energy. Being a priority for the energy sector worldwide, in our country the development stage is poor compared to solar and wind energy. Biomass power plants offer great horizontal economy development, local and regional economic growth with benefic effects on life standard. The paper presents an analysis on biomass to power conversion solutions compared to fossil fuels using two main processes: combustion and gasification. Beside the heating value, which can be considerably higher for fossil fuels compared to biomass, a big difference between fossil fuels and biomass can be observed in the sulphur content. While the biomass sulphur content is between 0 and approximately 1%, the sulphur content of coal can reach 4%. Using coal in power plants requires important investments in installations of flue gas desulfurization. If limestone is used to reduce SO2 emissions, then additional carbon dioxide moles will be released during the production of CaO from CaCO3. Therefore, fossil fuels not only release a high amount of carbon dioxide through burning, but also through the caption of sulphur dioxide, while biomass is considered CO2 neutral. Biomass is in most of the cases represented by residues, so it is a free fuel compared to fossil fuels. The same power plant can be used even if biomass or fossil fuels is used as a feedstock with small differences. The biomass plant could need a drying system due to high moisture content of the biomass, while the coal plant will need a desulfurization installation of flue gas and additional money will be spent with fuel purchasing.

Energy potential of fruit tree pruned biomass in Croatia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bilandzija, N.; Voca, N.; Kricka, T.; Martin, A.; Jurisic, V.

2012-11-01

The world's most developed countries and the European Union (EU) deem that the renewable energy sources should partly substitute fossil fuels and become a bridge to the utilization of other energy sources of the future. This paper will present the possibility of using pruned biomass from fruit cultivars. It will also present the calculation of potential energy from the mentioned raw materials in order to determine the extent of replacement of non-renewable sources with these types of renewable energy. One of the results of the intensive fruit-growing process, in post pruning stage, is large amount of pruned biomass waste. Based on the calculated biomass (kg ha{sup 1}) from intensively grown woody fruit crops that are most grown in Croatia (apple, pear, apricots, peach and nectarine, sweet cherry, sour cherry, prune, walnut, hazelnut, almond, fig, grapevine, and olive) and the analysis of combustible (carbon 45.55-49.28%, hydrogen 5.91-6.83%, and sulphur 0.18-0.21%) and non-combustible matters (oxygen 43.34-46.6%, nitrogen 0.54-1.05%, moisture 3.65-8.83%, ashes 1.52-5.39%) with impact of lowering the biomass heating value (15.602-17.727 MJ kg{sup 1}), the energy potential of the pruned fruit biomass is calculated at 4.21 PJ. (Author) 31 refs.

Challenges and models in supporting logistics system design for dedicated-biomass-based bioenergy industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaoyan; Li, Xueping; Yao, Qingzhu; Chen, Yuerong

2011-01-01

This paper analyzed the uniqueness and challenges in designing the logistics system for dedicated biomass-to-bioenergy industry, which differs from the other industries, due to the unique features of dedicated biomass (e.g., switchgrass) including its low bulk density, restrictions on harvesting season and frequency, content variation with time and circumambient conditions, weather effects, scattered distribution over a wide geographical area, and so on. To design it, this paper proposed a mixed integer linear programming model. It covered from planting and harvesting switchgrass to delivering to a biorefinery and included the residue handling, concentrating on integrating strategic decisions on the supply chain design and tactical decisions on the annual operation schedules. The present numerical examples verified the model and demonstrated its use in practice. This paper showed that the operations of the logistics system were significantly different for harvesting and non-harvesting seasons, and that under the well-designed biomass logistics system, the mass production with a steady and sufficient supply of biomass can increase the unit profit of bioenergy. The analytical model and practical methodology proposed in this paper will help realize the commercial production in biomass-to-bioenergy industry. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic viability of present-day biomass energy installations; Wirtschaftlichkeit von heutigen Biomasse-Energieanlagen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Markus Sommerhalder, M; Schelske, O [Ernst Basler und Partner AG, Zuerich (Switzerland); Nussbaumer, T [Verenum, Zuerich (Switzerland); Engeli, H [Engeli Engineering, Neerach (Switzerland); Membrez, Y; Ndoh, M; Tacchini, C [EREP SA, Aclens (Switzerland)

2007-03-15

This illustrated, comprehensive report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at the economic viability of biomass energy installations. The installations examined included wood-fired installations, biogas installations and those using bio-diesel and bio-ethanol. The system boundaries involved are defined and various factors that influence cost calculations are examined. The resulting heat and electricity prices for various energy sources and systems are presented and discussed. Examples of small and large-scale installations are presented. For wood-energy, combined heat and power system producing electricity at powers of 1 to 5 MWe are looked at and the various factors influencing their viability are discussed. Biogas installations of various sizes are discussed and the differing investment costs involved are commented on. Here, large industrial installations using communal green wastes are also examined and the influence of communal waste-collection charges on the price for the electricity generated is discussed, as is the influence of the market for the residual compost produced. The production and use of biogas in public wastewater treatment plants is also looked at, including the use of co-substrates. As far as biogenic liquid fuels such as bio-diesel and bio-ethanol are concerned, the report takes a brief look at the situation concerning installations in Switzerland and reviews the production costs involved. Various conclusions are drawn for the various energy sources reviewed as well as for the prices for heat and electrical energy obtained.

Biomass energy policy in Africa: selected case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kgathi, D.L.; Hall, D.O.; Hategeka, A.; Sekhwela, M.B.M.

1997-01-01

The majority of the population in the continent of Africa depend on biomass as a source of energy. Woodfuel (charcoal and fuelwood), the most important source of energy, is a subject of major concern in developing countries mainly because of its increasing scarcity, and recently because of its importance to the debate on climate change as its use is associated with emission on the greenhouse gases (GHG's). The book discusses the biomass energy problem and the policy options for addressing it in Botswana and Rwanda. Though the studies mainly draw their material from the surveys undertaken in these countries, extensive use is made of the existing general literature on this subject. The two case studies on Botswana address the nature, extent, and policy implications of the fuelwood problem, including the extent to which it contributes to deforestation. The Rwanda case studies examine the seasonal and spatial variation of the consumption of biomass energy (woodfuel and residues) and the evolution of the energy policy process with particular reference to biomass energy. A number of policy recommendations are made which may not only be relevant to Botswana and Rwanda, but also to other developing countries in a similar situation. The book thus makes a valuable contribution to the scarce literature on energy and environment in Africa. The multi-disciplinarity of the book makes it more valuable to a large number of readers. It will be an important reference material for policy makers and researchers in Africa as well as other developing countries. AFREPREN The African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN) promotes research on energy issues relevant to the formulation and implementation of policy by African governments. It also aims to build research capability as well as mobilize existing expertise to address both near- and long-term challenges faced by the energy sector in Africa. (UK)

Biomass energy from wood chips: Diesel fuel dependence?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timmons, Dave; Mejia, Cesar Viteri

2010-01-01

Most renewable energy sources depend to some extent on use of other, non-renewable sources. In this study we explore use of diesel fuel in producing and transporting woody biomass in the state of New Hampshire, USA. We use two methods to estimate the diesel fuel used in woody biomass production: 1) a calculation based on case studies of diesel consumption in different parts of the wood chip supply chain, and 2) to support extrapolating those results to a regional system, an econometric study of the variation of wood-chip prices with respect to diesel fuel prices. The econometric study relies on an assumption of fixed demand, then assesses variables impacting supply, with a focus on how the price of diesel fuel affects price of biomass supplied. The two methods yield similar results. The econometric study, representing overall regional practices, suggests that a $1.00 per liter increase in diesel fuel price is associated with a $5.59 per Mg increase in the price of wood chips. On an energy basis, the diesel fuel used directly in wood chip production and transportation appears to account for less than 2% of the potential energy in the wood chips. Thus, the dependence of woody biomass energy production on diesel fuel does not appear to be extreme. (author)

Sustainability of biomass import for the Dutch energy economy. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rijssenbeek, W.; Van der Vleuten, F.; De Winter, J.; Corten, I.

1996-07-01

The current study is conducted with the aim of developing a number of general (qualitative) criteria which can be used to judge, from the perspective of sustainable development, the various options of importing biomass for the Dutch energy economy. The methods used during implementation of the desk study include: literature reviews on sustainable development and biomass energy conversion techniques; concept development and elaboration; internal discussions of the project team; international discussions through electronic mail in order to obtain the opinions of people outside The Netherlands, in particular from the potentially biomass exporting countries; an interim discussion meeting with representatives of involved (Dutch) actors; a final discussion meeting with representatives of involved (Dutch) actors; and reporting. The results of the desk study are presented. The context of energy from biomass in The Netherlands, and the Dutch policy concerning renewable energies is described. A selection is given of international comments on the idea of importing biomass for the Dutch electricity sector, to underline that the sustainability of this activity is not obvious without more detailed consideration. An overview of biomass energy technologies is presented in order to illustrate the numerous options of importing biomass for energy purposes. A concrete example of wood import from Estonia and Uruguay shows how a biomass import chain could look like in practice. Attempts to put the concept into practice are discussed. General criteria and framework conditions, that can be used in assessing the sustainability of the various alternatives of biomass import are presented. A method for the full evaluation process is proposed. The most important ideas that have been received through E-mail and Internet news groups discussions are listed along with an overview of biomass chains

Energy from biomass — Some basic physical and related considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Gloyne, R. W.

1983-09-01

The production of vegetable matter (biomass) by photosynthesis is determined by species and by meteorological factors (especially, but not exclusively, solar radiation). Annual net primary production of land-based biomass corresponds to only about 1/1000 of the intercepted irradiation at ground level, but even so, is 10 times the world's estimated energy needs. The exploitation of this energy potential at any one place is critically influenced by the economic, political and social factors, amongst which are the competition from agriculture (especially food crops), forestry, industrial and urban (including leisure) needs for land and resources. Social factors (e.g. population and population density) also constitute prime influences. Strategies for utilisation range from the cultivation of special energy crops (readily conceivable on the American/ Australasian continents); to the more efficient manipulation of current land-use patterns (including “opportunity” cropping); to the more effective exploitation of biologi cal wastes (e.g. methane from sewage), probably the only immediately practical possibility in any densely populated and highly industrialised country. The spatial pattern of solar irradiation at ground level is complex. In the summer, total daily irradiation in continental high latitudes can exceed that in maritime temperate regions; and this combined with species differences and the almost infinite variety of shape and orientation of plant parts, result in a photosynthetic production of biomass which does not conform completely to a zonal pattern, but in broad terms annual dry matter production varies from a few kg/ha in Arctic Tundra to tens of tonnes in temperate latitudes rising to nearly 100 t/ha for perennial tropical crops. If a species could be developed to grow throughout the year at the current seasonal rate, a yield of 150 t/yr, ha) seems possible.

Biomass I. Science Activities in Energy [and] Teacher's Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

Designed for science students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, the activities in this unit illustrate principles and problems related to biomass as a form of energy. (The word biomass is used to describe all solid material of animal or vegetable origin from which energy may be extracted.) Twelve student activities using art, economics,…

Use competitions with biomass. Effects of the intensified use of biomass in the energy sector on the material utilization in the biomass processing industry and their competitive ability by means of nationally sponsored financial incentives. Final report; Nutzungskonkurrenzen bei Biomasse. Auswirkungen der verstaerkten Nutzung von Biomasse im Energiebereich auf die stoffliche Nuzung in der Biomasse verarbeitenden Industrie und deren Wettbewerbsfaehigkeit durch staatlich induzierte Foerderprogramme. Endbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bringezu, Stefan; Schuetz, Helmut; Arnold, Karin [Wuppertal Institut fuer Klima, Umwelt, Energie GmbH, Wuppertal (DE)] (and others)

2008-04-25

In the contribution under consideration The Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, Energy (Wuppertal, Federal Republic of Germany) and Rhenish Westphalian Institute for Economic Research e.V. (Essen, Federal Republic of Germany) report on the analysis and evaluation of technically usable biomass potentials in Germany as well as on the influence of the promotion of the utilization of biomass in the energy sector regarding to the utilization competition between different uses. The economic effects of the increasing use of biomass for non-food applications were examined for the ranges biodiesel, grain and wood. For biodiesel from rape it is stated that this biodiesel in future represents no cost-efficient climatic protection strategy. In the range of woods efforts are necessary to the activation and expansion of the existing domestic raw material. During the mobilization of forest remainder wood ecological disadvantages and an impairment of long-term yields should be excluded.

Biomass energy and the environmental impacts associated with its production and utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, Tasneem; Abbasi, S.A.

2010-01-01

Biomass is the first-ever fuel used by humankind and is also the fuel which was the mainstay of the global fuel economy till the middle of the 18th century. Then fossil fuels took over because fossil fuels were not only more abundant and denser in their energy content, but also generated less pollution when burnt, in comparison to biomass. In recent years there is a resurgence of interest in biomass energy because biomass is perceived as a carbon-neutral source of energy unlike net carbon-emitting fossil fuels of which copious use has led to global warming and ocean acidification. The paper takes stock of the various sources of biomass and the possible ways in which it can be utilized for generating energy. It then examines the environmental impacts, including impact vis a vis greenhouse gas emissions, of different biomass energy generation-utilization options. (author)

PRODUCTION OF NEW BIOMASS/WASTE-CONTAINING SOLID FUELS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David J. Akers; Glenn A. Shirey; Zalman Zitron; Charles Q. Maney

2001-04-20

CQ Inc. and its team members (ALSTOM Power Inc., Bliss Industries, McFadden Machine Company, and industry advisors from coal-burning utilities, equipment manufacturers, and the pellet fuels industry) addressed the objectives of the Department of Energy and industry to produce economical, new solid fuels from coal, biomass, and waste materials that reduce emissions from coal-fired boilers. This project builds on the team's commercial experience in composite fuels for energy production. The electric utility industry is interested in the use of biomass and wastes as fuel to reduce both emissions and fuel costs. In addition to these benefits, utilities also recognize the business advantage of consuming the waste byproducts of customers both to retain customers and to improve the public image of the industry. Unfortunately, biomass and waste byproducts can be troublesome fuels because of low bulk density, high moisture content, variable composition, handling and feeding problems, and inadequate information about combustion and emissions characteristics. Current methods of co-firing biomass and wastes either use a separate fuel receiving, storage, and boiler feed system, or mass burn the biomass by simply mixing it with coal on the storage pile. For biomass or biomass-containing composite fuels to be extensively used in the U.S., especially in the steam market, a lower cost method of producing these fuels must be developed that includes both moisture reduction and pelletization or agglomeration for necessary fuel density and ease of handling. Further, this method of fuel production must be applicable to a variety of combinations of biomass, wastes, and coal; economically competitive with current fuels; and provide environmental benefits compared with coal. Notable accomplishments from the work performed in Phase I of this project include the development of three standard fuel formulations from mixtures of coal fines, biomass, and waste materials that can be used in

Incentives and market development to establish sustainable biomass systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matteson Gary, C.

2009-01-01

Business-as-usual is not acceptable when it comes to the future for biomass-to-energy/product conversion industry. Incentives and market development need to be applied to guide the owners and operators towards the sustainable practices. Sustainability for biomass is defined to be future energy fuels and bio products that are secure, renewable, and accessible locally, affordable, and pollution free. Intensives are required to convert biomass-to-energy/product conversion systems that are not sustainable into sustainable formats. (Author)

Methodology for estimating biomass energy potential and its application to Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez-Salazar, Miguel Angel; Morini, Mirko; Pinelli, Michele; Spina, Pier Ruggero; Venturini, Mauro; Finkenrath, Matthias; Poganietz, Witold-Roger

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Methodology to estimate the biomass energy potential and its uncertainty at a country level. • Harmonization of approaches and assumptions in existing assessment studies. • The theoretical and technical biomass energy potential in Colombia are estimated in 2010. - Abstract: This paper presents a methodology to estimate the biomass energy potential and its associated uncertainty at a country level when quality and availability of data are limited. The current biomass energy potential in Colombia is assessed following the proposed methodology and results are compared to existing assessment studies. The proposed methodology is a bottom-up resource-focused approach with statistical analysis that uses a Monte Carlo algorithm to stochastically estimate the theoretical and the technical biomass energy potential. The paper also includes a proposed approach to quantify uncertainty combining a probabilistic propagation of uncertainty, a sensitivity analysis and a set of disaggregated sub-models to estimate reliability of predictions and reduce the associated uncertainty. Results predict a theoretical energy potential of 0.744 EJ and a technical potential of 0.059 EJ in 2010, which might account for 1.2% of the annual primary energy production (4.93 EJ)

Performance of a regional study related to biomass energetic valorisation within the frame of the elaboration of the regional renewable energy scheme of the Languedoc-Roussillon region - March 20, 2011 - Final version

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moundy, Pierre-Jean

2011-01-01

After a recall of national objectives related to the share of renewable energies in final energy consumption, and of the defined content of a regional renewable energy scheme (determination of quantitative and qualitative objectives in terms of valorisation of the renewable and fatal energy potential within the region territory), and a recall of the different origins of biomass, the objective of this report was to compare potential energy usages with the available biomass resource (the present one and by 2020), in order to support the definition of regional objectives of development of biomass energy in the different geographical areas of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Wood resource is first analysed. Assessments and perspectives are discussed for the different origins: (forests, sawmill by-products, wood scraps, green wastes), and regional consumptions of wood under various forms are also commented. The next part addresses agricultural biomass, its origins (crops, trimming residues, other agricultural activities, and agri-food industries), and the case of energy-oriented crops. The next part addresses biomass from domestic wastes (resource type and destruction, disposal or valorisation processes). The last part discusses objectives and development opportunities by 2020 for biomass and for heat, and in terms of the role of agricultural cooperatives and industries. Development levers and tools are briefly discussed

Biomass production for direct generation of energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

In continuing its activities for the formation of public opinion the Deutsche Farming Association) held a colloquium in 1991 on the issue of biomass production and combustion. Its aim was to gather all current knowledge on this issue and, for the first time, to make a comprehensive appraisal of it. The following aspects were dealt with: Abatement of atmospheric pollution, ecologically oriented production, nature conservation, organisation of decentralized power plant operating corporations, state of the art in combustion technology, operational calculations and, not least, agrarin-political framework conditions. The meeting yielded important statements on remarkable innovations in the area of ecological biomass production and for its utilization as an energy source together with the conventional energy sources of oil, gas, coal and nuclear energy. (orig.) [de

Northeast regional biomass program. Second & third quarterly reports, October 1, 1995--March 31, 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-07-01

The Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NRBP) is comprised of the following states: Connecticut. Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. It is managed for the Department of Energy (DOE) by the CONEG Policy Research Center, Inc. The Northeast states face several near-term barriers to the expanded use of biomass energy. Informational and technical barriers have impeded industrial conversions, delaying the development of a wood energy supply infrastructure. Concern over the environmental impacts on resources are not well understood. Public awareness and concern about safety issues surrounding wood energy use has also grown to the point of applying a brake to the trend of increases in residential applications of biomass energy. In addition, many residential, industrial, and commercial energy users are discouraged from using biomass energy because of the convenience factor. Regardless of the potential for cost savings, biomass energy sources, aside from being perceived as more esoteric, are also viewed as more work for the user. The Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NRBP) is designed to help the eleven Northeastern states overcome these obstacles and achieve their biomass energy potentials. The objective of this program in the current and future years is to increase the role of biomass fuels in the region`s energy mix by providing the impetus for states and the private sector to develop a viable Northeast biomass fuels market.

Biomass energy: Another driver of land acquisitions?