Biomass for heat and power production - opportunities for

land owners and buildings managers

Ian Tubby

Biomass Energy Centre

RRSP, October 2009

Aim of the presentation

• Give an overview of biomass fuel types• Describe the basics of the biomass market• Show fuel requirements and potential

carbon savings for different building types• Give details of where to get further

information

Biomass as a fuel

• Miscanthus and SRC• Waste wood• Products from forests

and woodlands• Dry agricultural residues

- straw• Food wastes, slurries• Oil seed crops and

cereals for liquid biofuel production

Short Rotation Coppice

• 1 + 3 years to first harvest

• 8 - 10 harvests before replanting

• Commercial yields around 8 odt ha yr

• 4,000 ha planted during last 10 years

• Usually associated with large power generation projects

Recovering wood from the waste stream

• 5 million tonnes from construction & demolition

• 4.4 million tonnes from other industry

• 1 million tonnes in MSW• Separation• Contamination• Waste incineration

directive

Existing woodland

• The resource already exists!

• Management could improve biodiversity

• New jobs• Growing number of

installations and woodfuel suppliers

• Does not compete for food or current liquid biofuels

Producing good quality chips• Use a woodfuel grade

chipper - inconsistent chip size can block augers

• Moisture content is critical

• CEN standards developed for use across Europe

• Chippers are expensive - consider hiring in unless you have large quantities to process

Fuel delivery

• Tipping trailers• Scissor lift trailers• Hook bins• Pneumatic delivery• Bags of pellets• Keep it simple

Fuel store and fuel feed

• Sometimes over looked during system design

• Adequate size to minimise fuel deliveries

• Beware of minimum fuel delivery volumes

• Compatible with chosen fuel delivery system

• Keep fuel dry• Keep dust within the store

and out of the boiler room

Improvements in efficiency

Reduction in emissions

Annual fuel use for heating different buildings types

Building kWh

Tonnes wood chips

(30% MC)

Tonnes wood pellets

(10% MC)

Domestic house 20,000 5.7 4.2Small industrial

unit 140,000 40 29Large farm with

outbuildings 400,000 114 83Hotel 660,000 190 138

Municipal complex 360,000 100 75District heating

scheme 600,000 170 125

Municipal buildings1,000,000 290 210

Outputs per hectareOutput per

hectare p.a.Energy per ha p.a.

(t/ha.a) MWh/ha.aFuel

2.9 (2 odt) 10.3

Forestry - small round wood, thinnings, residues (30% MC)

17.3 (13 odt) 63

12.9 (9 odt) 46

1.1 11.3

4.6 (3.7 odt) 17

2.3 17

4.4 33

5.3 29

0.88 4.9

SRC willow (30% MC)

Miscanthus (25% MC)

Wheat straw (20% MC)

Biodiesel (OSR)

Bioethanol (sugar beet)

Bioethanol (wheat)

Biogas (cattle slurry)

Biogas (sugar beet)

Is woodchip competitive with other fuels?

• Market price varies considerably £50 - £90 per tonne delivered typical

• Price of oil ~4.0p per kWh (@ 40p per litre)• Gas price currently around ~ 4.0p per kWh • 1 tonne of 30% MC woodchips contains 3500

kWh of energy• Paying anything less than £120 per tonne of

chips is competitive with oil and gas at today’s prices

Equipment purchase• Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP)

– UK wide

– Phase 1: Householders: £1,500 (or 30% of eligible costs) for boiler, £600 (or 20%) for stove

– Phase 2: Public sector, charitable bodies: £200,000 (or 50%)

– Products and installers registered with MCS

• Bio-energy Capital Grants Scheme– England only

– Industrial, commercial and community

– Max £500,000 (40%)

– Currently closed

Thank you

Biomass Energy Centre web:

www.biomassenergycentre.org.ukEmail:

biomass.centre@forestry.gsi.gov.ukTel: 01420 526 197