Biomass Energy

  • Biomass energy is a proven technology and has been successfully used in many European countries including Austria, Denmark and Finland
  • Biomass is available in many forms such as woodchips, woodpellet and logs.
  • Biomass fuel is a form of stored solar energy which is released by processes such as combustion (burning)
  • As a fuel source, biomass woodchip can provide heat and electrical power or combined heat and power (CHP)
  • A biomass CHP plant is where both the electricity produced and the thermal heat that is produced as a result of the electricity generation, is harnessed and utilised in a single process to increase the efficiency of the plant
  • Electricity generation occurs when a working fluid in a closed loop system is heated which causes the formation of vapour. This vapour acts as the prime mover for the generator which produces electricity. Another option is the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). This is where the working fluid is an organic silicone oil which has a lower evaporation point then water and so can produce electricity at lower temperatures and lower working pressures

Distribution:

  • Heat: District heating Network (DHN's)
    District heating is the means of transporting heat via a highly insulated pipe network to a number of separate sites from a centralised heat source. DHN's have been developed in continental Europe to heat entire cities with a variety of connected end users to include industrial, commercial, recreational and residential. To see a biomass district heating scheme in operation click here
  • Electricity
    The electricity generated from the plant is fed to the national electricity grid through a sub station.

The Benefits of Biomass Energy

Renewability and Sustainability:

  • Although burning biomass releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, this is offset by the carbon dioxide absorbed in the original growth of the biomass or in the new growth of biomass planted to replace the materials used
  • As a result biomass usage when including cultivation, harvesting and transport of the biomass results in very low net "lifecycle" carbon emissions, relative to conventional sources of heating such as fossil fuels or electricity

Environmental and Economic:

  • Biomass CHP is currently recognised as one of the most cost effective ways of using biomass for energy conversion purposes
  • Fossil fuel power stations waste c60% of its heat into the atmosphere through cooling towers. Biomass CHP plants in conjunction with a district heating network ensure the efficient use of fuel so that the waste heat created during the power generation process is used as a thermal energy source for district heating networks to increase the overall efficiency of the plant
  • There are fewer emissions created than in a fossil fuelled power station
  • Developing biomass CHP will help Governments to achieve challenging renewable energy targets
  • Not only can biomass energy reduce national expenditure on energy imports, but will also support direct investment and development back into the economy
Biomass Energy Diagram