Reduce fossil fuel dependency with biomass for energy

One of the most interesting developments in global commerce of biomass (biological matter that can be used as fuel) raw-material in recent years has been the substantial increase in the trade of biomass for energy generation. Much of the increase in shipments is the result of policies implemented by European governments to generate more green energy based on renewable resources as a substitute for fossil fuels. According Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ) biomass for energy (pellet production) was close to 10 million ton in 2008. It is estimated that production will double over the next four to five years and some industry experts forecast an annual growth of 25-30 percent; globally over the next ten years.

Europe is currently the major market for biomass for energy especially pellets, briquette and torrified wood , but the interest for non-fossil fuels in North America is growing. Biomass, i.e. all organic plant and animal products used to produce energy (or in agriculture), currently accounts for around half (44 to 65 percent;) of all renewable energy used in the EU. Biomass currently meets 4% of the EU's energy needs (69 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe)). The aim is to increase biomass use to around 150 million toe by 2010. The new leadership in the US government is going to have a positive impact on alternative fuel usage and the expected change in energy policy could very well result in increased imports of pellets, briquette and torrified wood from Canada to the US, which will eventually diminish the flow of biomass from North America to Europe. As a result, European consumers will have to search for alternative supply sources in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Russia.

Bi-products from sawmills have historically been the most commonly used wood fiber source for energy generation as well known as major raw material for this industry but because of higher demand for renewable energy and increasing costs for fossil fuels, it has increasingly become possible for power plants to also utilize higher-cost forest waste such as tree tops, branches and smaller trees. As this supply source has started to tap out, there is now an increased interest in searching for alternative fiber. It can be expected that European pellet manufacturers will increasingly use forest residues, urban wood waste and fast-growing tree species. They will also begin to compete more aggressively with pulpmills and wood-panel mills for sawmill chips and pulplogs. Imports of wood chips from overseas may also be an option for some pellet plants. Indonesia and Malaysia has well known as biomass rich countries especially from their forest residue, urban wood waste and oil palm industry residue. Now the hundreds million tonnes biomass waste that generate annually from Indonesia and Malaysia not yet expoitated, more become environmental problem than potential resources from bioenergy or salable commodity. Tropical climate and good soil fertility make these countries have huge potential for sustainable cycle of biomass for energy production.

A surprisingly large share of the global pellet production is being shipped to markets outside the producing country, not only between countries but also intercontinentally. According to the WRQ, an estimated 25 percent; of world production was exported in 2008. Most of the overseas volume was shipped from British Columbia (B.C), Canada to Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden, despite the seemingly prohibitively costly 15,000-km journey from the Interior of BC to the European market. This situation can be explained by the currently low costs for raw material (shavings and sawdust) in Canada and the high prices for wood pellets in Europe. B.C. is the centre of wood-pellet production in North America and roughly 90 percent; of B.C.’s wood pellets are exported, including more than 500,000 tonnes to Europe. The B.C. wood pellet industry has grown by 20 percent; each year over the last five years. More than 11,500 biomass installations in the European Union have generated over 260 million tons of CO2 credits, valued at over 5 billion Euro.

The rapid expansion in global trade of biomass (both wood chips and pellets) is likely to continue over the next three to five years as more countries favour renewable energy and as local, relatively inexpensive supplies of biomass reach their limits. The question is how long expansion of the overseas water-borne transport will continue to grow, given the uncertainty of future costs of oil and the paradox of consuming large quantities of low-refined heavy fuel oils for the shipments of green energy to European customers.

Then torrefaction become the ultimate solution for overcome the demand of biomass for energy over the globe. Torrefaction is considered to be a pre-treatment technology to make biomass more suitable for co-firing applications, which aims to produce a fuel with increased energy density by decomposing the reactive hemicellulose fraction. During torrefaction the biomass its properties are changed to obtain a much better fuel quality for combustion and gasification applications.Torrefaction of biomass is an effective method to improve the grindability of biomass to enable more efficient co-firing in existing power stations or entrained-flow gasification for the production of chemicals and transportation fuels.The E.U. currently produces 4 percent; of its electricity from biomass sources and intends to double its output by 2010 through the initiatives outlined in the E.U. Biomass Action Plan. The Commission identifies three sectors in which biomass use should be prioritised, namely heat production, electricity production and transport.

JFE to ready to become your business partner to convert your biomass waste into money (salable products) with advance continous pyrolysis technology. Multiplier effect from this business activity is huge beside its high profit such as create a lot of green jobs, reduce or eliminate biomass waste pollutant effect, reduce green house gas, government revenue from tax etc. Read all articles in this blog to get more to know about us comprehensively or you can simply contact us :
John Flottvik (British Columbia, Canada) 250-315-2226
Eko SB Setyawan (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) +6281328841805
Tara F Khaira (Jakarta,Indonesia) +62811879781