Biomass Energy
Biomass energy is the generation of energy from organic waste. The burning of bio materials produces energy which can be used to produce electricity. It can be created from wood, wood pellets, coppicing, sawdust or municipal waste. Crops such as sunflowers and rapeseed can also be used.
Because the organic material absorbs carbon whilst it is growing, this can offset the emissions created by burning, although harvesting and transportation vehicles will also create emissions which should be considered.
Installation of a Biomass system makes most sense for businesses that produce a by-product that can be used as a fuel, either alone or in combination with bought-in biomass fuels. Space for fuel storage must also be considered.
According to the Carbon Trust, "a 20kW thermal boiler typically consumes 0.6m3 of wood chip daily in winter, and the volume of one tonne of dried wood is about 6m3."
It's best if the fuel can be stored close to the biomass boiler. Boilers will be larger than traditional gas-fired boilers, and businesses wishing to install such a system will also need to comply with legislation such as the Clean Air Act, as well as the building regulations and local planning rules.
The time it takes to recoup capital costs will largely depend on whether a business by-product is being burned, potentially as a zero-cost fuel source, or whether fuel is being bought in.
The Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution has produced a report on biomass fuels which is available here Thames Valley Energy |
