The UK is by far the biggest driver in Europe of the conversion of coal-fired power stations to the combustion of biomass in the UK, according to a new report from IHS Emerging Energy Research, Europe Biopower Markets and Strategies: 2012-2035.
Its market and installed capacity is more than three times that of its nearest rival, Denmark. However, nearly all of its demand for fuel is being satisfied by imports from other countries, notably the Americas.
The Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Poland are also fuelling the expansion of biomass use in power generation through imports.
By contrast, Italy, France and Spain are concentrating on feeding their power stations with home-grown products.
This is leading to calls for a home-grown supply chain to be supported.
Bioenergy is currently the “largest contributor to the UK renewable electricity supply”, according to the Renewable Energy Association (REA)'s survey Renewable Energy: Made in Britain. About 20% of this is currently supplied by 15 biomass power stations.
The government’s Bioenergy Strategy has recently identified a key role for biomass in a future low carbon energy mix.
The strategy says in particular that if biomass were to be excluded from any plan to decarbonise the energy system this would result in significantly higher costs to the taxpayer. This could be as high as £44bn by 2050, according to recent analysis by the Energy Technology Institute.
More of Britain's demand for biomass could easily be supplied in this country, with the right encouragement.
80% of UK woodland is privately owned, with only half of this actively managed. A mature wood-fuel supply chain would bring a greater proportion of this woodland back into active management, with particular benefits for wildlife and the public.
The Back Biomass campaign has called for the development of such a supply chain with a view to incentivising better managed woodland and the integration of biomass crops into farming crop cycles.
The National Farmers Union has also proposed that significant potential exists for “both energy crops and straw to provide new market opportunities for farmers".
All three bodies are calling for a stable policy framework for biomass power and biomass CHP to ensure that Britain's farmers can benefit from long-term supply contracts for straw and energy crops.
The REA report argues that therefore the “CHP uplift under the Renewables Obligation” should remain in place until 2017 in order to “allow current projects which have a long lead-in time to proceed.”
The government is keen that biomass should be sustainable. Its new Sustainability Criteria, which apply from next year, will ensure that no biomass power generator above 1MW in size will be eligible for support unless they can prove that their fuel was sourced sustainably, i.e. does not come from protected areas such as wetlands and primary forest, and that it results in a minimum 60% greenhouse gas saving when compared with fossil fuels.
Locally grown biomass would have a lower carbon footprint from transport.
Current projects in the UK include one by Helius Energy for a 100MW dedicated biomass project at the Port of Bristol, Avonmouth. It will cost around £300m to construct and will create approximately 450 full time jobs during construction and 40 new full-time long-term operations jobs. Further jobs will be created in relation to the maintenance and supply of the plant.
Construction is also starting on a 38MW, straw-burning, combined heat and power station at Sleaford, Lincolnshire, managed by ECO2, which will employ up to 250 people during construction and up to 80 people when operational in 2014, as well as more in the supply chain.
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