After Gutenberg

While there has been considerable study about co-generation, i.e., converting biomass, especially agricultural, lumber and municipal solid waste to heat and power, there remain areas for further development.

More CHP (Combined Heat and Power) from biomass is a recommendation of the IPCC Synthesis Report. According to European Commission Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, there has been a marked growth in European electricity generation from solid biomass “with a 16.2% increase between 2004 and 2005 (+6.1 TWh, i.e. a total of 44.1 TWh).” Still there is a need to improve electricity generation from the combustion of solid biomass, i.e., principally wood and wood waste, but also straw, crop harvest residues, vegetable and animal waste.

The Biopact team reports that the call has gone out for further increases of electricity production from biomass. With a request for proposals — FP7-ENERGY-2008-1 — the Seventh Framework Programme aims to extend applications to a wider range of biomass materials.

More needs to be known about the environmental consequences of the gasification of bio-solids, before the relative risks become overshadowed by the need for energy.

Projects should focus on:

1. Solving specific problems hindering the use of biomass in direct co-firing
2. Addressing technical challenges for advanced biomass gasification systems for efficient power production.

Demonstrations should aim at medium to large scale bio-electricity systems, covering the whole process chain from sustainable feedstock supply over energy conversion to the recovery of by-products. Preference will be given to the ambitious use of biofuels with still high exploitation potentials such as forest residues, energy crops, agricultural residues including straw, refuse derived fuels etc. Medium-to-large scale power generation from organic waste also comprises mass burning of solid municipal waste as well as the separate use of pretreated and pre-separated municipal waste fractions.

Emphasis is put on innovations with high penetration potential throughout Europe while also paying due attention to overall sustainability aspects. Stakeholders relevant for the commercialization of the innovation are expected to participate.

Proposals with bioenergy plants operating (at least partially) in combined heat and power (CHP) or combined heat, cooling and power (CCHP) will be preferred in case of similar performances in all other criteria.

Current costs of electricity from biomass are in the range of €0.05 – €0.08 /kWh. Development projects should be able to demonstrate improvements in biomass power generation and CHP plants at “power generation costs below EUR 0.04 /kWh in 2020, whilst operating on a variety of sustainably produced biomass feedstocks.”