Biomass has always been an important source of energy for mankind and today it accounts for 10% of primary energy consumption. Most of this is traditional fuels used for cooking and heating in the developing world. In the developed world until the end of the last century its use was mainly restricted to niche applications such as combined heat and power generation in the wood and paper industries. Today the perception of biomass is changing and it is being recognized once more as a valuable modern fuel that can provide a renewable energy to replace fossil fuel in power generation. As a consequence its use is growing at it is set to become one of the major renewable sources over then next two decades.

Biomass consists of all the plant material on the surface of the earth (and in the seas if algae are included). Almost two thirds of the total is regenerated each year during seasonal growth. The total regenerated is probably equivalent to more than three times total global energy consumption in 2008. Around 3% of this is used each year, mostly in the form of wood.

Key features of this report

• Analysis of biomass technologies concepts and components.

• Clarification of the market for biomass and future growth.

• Assessment of new renewable energy technology analysis including innovation, infrastructure investment.

• Insight relating to the most innovative product launches and potential areas of opportunity for manufacturers.

• Examination of the key technology introductions and innovations.

Scope of this report

• Achieve a quick and comprehensive understanding of how biomass market trends and infrastructure are influencing the development of the renewable energy market.

• Realize up to date competitive intelligence through a comprehensive review of biomass technology concepts in the recent electricity infrastructure and renewable energy market.

• Assess the emerging trends in renewable energy technology - biomass - grid connection and energy distribution.

Key Market Issues

• Environmental requirements: The growth of carbon dioxide emissions globally are creating a path for lower carbon emitting power generation technologies. Biomass as fuel is carbon neutral since while it releases carbon into the atmosphere when burnt, the growth of new biomass absorbs the same amount carbon from the atmosphere. As a consequence it offers a valuable renewable source of energy.

• Legislative issues: The use of biomass as an energy source raises a number of environmental and legislative issues. One of the most difficult is that of maintaining a balance between land for the production of energy crops and land for producing food. Additional questions arise when waste materials are used to produce energy. Agricultural wastes are a valuable fuel source but part of each crop must be returned to the land if soil quality is not to deteriorate. A significant part of municipal waste can be burnt too but some of it is better recycled. Additionally, the combustion of biomass produces a number of potential pollutants in addition to releasing carbon dioxide and these must normally be controlled.

Key findings from this report

• In 2005 biomass provided around 1.3% of total global electricity production. By 2050 this could rise to between 3.4% and 5.8% of total electricity production.

• By definition, biomass comprises all the plant life on the surface of the earth. In its 2001 Survey of Energy Resources, the World Energy Council put the total biomass on the surface of the earth at 220bn oven dry tonnes, equivalent to 4,500EJ of energy. This definition may require modifying if algae become a major source of biomass energy since algae grow in water.

• Actual usage today is around 50EJ, or 10% of the estimated 500EJ of total global energy consumption in 2008. This is roughly 77% of the total renewable contribution (including hydropower) to primary energy consumption.

Key questions answered

• What are the drivers shaping and influencing new technology development in the electricity industry?

• How will renewable energy technologies be connected and integrated into the existing grid network?

• What is the biomass power generation system going to cost?

• What are the components of the biomass power generation system?

• Which biomass types will be the winners and which the losers?

The Future of Biomass

Executive summary

Introduction

Biomass resources

Energy crops

Biomass power generation technologies

Environmental and legislative issues

The economics of biomass for electricity generation

The future of biomass power generation

Chapter 1 Introduction

Summary

Biomass development

The structure of the report

Chapter 2 Biomass resources

Introduction

The size of the resource

Types of biomass resource

Residues

Fuelwood

Energy crops

Regional resources

Chapter 3 Energy crops

Introduction

Types of energy crop

Energy crop infrastructure

Energy crop yields

Chapter 4 Biomass power generation technologies

Introduction

Direct firing of biomass

Stoker combustors

Suspension combustion

Fluidized bed combustors

Steam cycle improvements

Co-firing

Direct firing fuel considerations

Fuel handling

Gasification

Fixed bed gasifiers

Fluidized bed gasifiers

Power production using biomass gasification

Modular systems

Anaerobic fermentation of biomass

Biomass digesters

Chapter 5 Environmental and legislative issues

Introduction

The carbon cycle and atmospheric warming

Biomass and carbon dioxide

Atmospheric emissions other than carbon dioxide

Life cycle assessment

Energy crops

Waste fuel

Agricultural wastes

Forestry residues

Urban waste

Legislative issues

Issues affecting biomass energy crops

Chapter 6 The economics of biomass for electricity generation

Introduction

Installed costs of biomass generating plants

Fuel costs

Cost of electricity

Chapter 7 Future outlook

Introduction

Comparative costs of energy from biomass

Financial incentives and deterrents

Global biomass markets

Biomass growth and targets

Biomass prospects

Index

List of Figures

Figure 2.1: Breakdown of biomass contribution to primary energy consumption (%)

Figure 2.2: Bagasse annual potential availability (thousand tonnes), 2007

Figure 2.3: Global wood fuel consumption (PJ), 2007

Figure 2.4: Current and predicted EU biomass resources (Mtoe/y)

Figure 2.5: Current and potential US biomass resources (Million dry tonnes/y), 2005

Figure 2.6: Potential power generation from biomass among ASEAN countries (MW)

Figure 2.7: Breakdown of currently available biomass in China by type (%)

Figure 2.8: Maximum regional bioenergy production potentials (EJ/y)

Figure 4.9: Typical biomass combustion technology power generation efficiencies (%)

Figure 4.10: Typical wood gas composition (%)

Figure 4.11: Biogas energy content (MJ/m3)

Figure 4.12: Power generation systems for biomass (%)

Figure 5.13: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (ppm)

Figure 6.14: Estimated biomass generation installed costs in California ($/kW), 2007

Figure 6.15: Energy content of biomass fuels (MJ/kg)

Figure 6.16: Energy crop costs ($/tonne), 2007

Figure 6.17: Energy crop costs ($/tonne), 2007

Figure 6.18: UK wood fuel power costs (£/MWh), 2008

Figure 6.19: Estimated biomass generation costs in California ($/MWh), 2007

Figure 7.20: Levelized cost of electricity from power plants ($/MWh), 2009

Figure 7.21: Global biomass-based electricity production (TWh), 2007

Figure 7.22: Global biomass production by country (TWh), 2007

Figure 7.23: Biomass use in Europe (ktoe/%), 2007

Figure 7.24: US biomass-based electricity production (TWh), 2009

Figure 7.25: EU renewable energy roadmap targets (TWh), 2006-2020

List of Tables

Table 2.1: Breakdown of biomass contribution to primary energy consumption (%)

Table 2.2: Potential long term biomass supply by category, (EJ), 2000

Table 2.3: Bagasse annual potential availability (thousand tonnes), 2007

Table 2.4: Global wood fuel consumption (PJ), 2007

Table 2.5: Current and predicted EU biomass resources (Mtoe/y)

Table 2.6: Current and potential US biomass resources (Million dry tonnes/y), 2005

Table 2.7: Potential power generation from biomass among ASEAN countries (MW)

Table 2.8: Breakdown of currently available biomass in China by type (%)

Table 2.9: Maximum regional bioenergy production potentials (EJ/y)

Table 3.10: Properties of miscanthus and switchgrass as combustion fuels

Table 3.11: Typical energy crop yields

Table 4.12: Typical biomass combustion technology power generation efficiencies (%)

Table 4.13: Typical wood gas composition (%)

Table 4.14: Biogas energy content (MJ/m3)

Table 4.15: Power generation systems for biomass

Table 5.16: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations (ppm), 1700-2100

Table 5.17: Typical atmospheric emissions from combustion power plants (kg/MWh)

Table 5.18: Power plant total energy balance (kJ/kWh)

Table 6.19: Installed cost of biomass CHP and power-only

Table 6.20: Estimated biomass generation costs in California, 2007

Table 6.21: Energy content of biomass fuels (MJ/kg)

Table 6.22: Energy crop costs ($/tonne), 2007

Table 6.23: Energy crop costs ($/tonne), 2007

Table 6.24: UK wood fuel costs, 2008

Table 6.25: Cost of electricity from biomass CHP and power only installations

Table 6.26: Estimated biomass generation costs in California

Table 7.27: IEA global power generation scenarios (TWh), 2008

Table 7.28: The cost of electricity from power plants ($/MWh), 2009

Table 7.29: Global biomass-based electricity production (TWh), 2007

Table 7.30: Global biomass production by country (TWh), 2007

Table 7.31: Biomass use in Europe (ktoe/%), 2007

Table 7.32: US biomass-based electricity production (TWh), 2009

Table 7.33: EU renewable energy roadmap targets (TWh), 2006-2020