This report is concerned with the technologies, markets and development of indirect biomass energy conversion from primary energy source to secondary fuel. Biomass is the largest form of renewable energy, with a greater contribution than hydro power, wind or solar power. Resources are constantly being created either through growth of crops and forests, or through the waste generated from organic sources.

Biomass is a major source of energy, supplying 11% of the world’s energy requirement and it is used at different levels of technology. It can be used “directly”, as in household fires or wood burning cookers, or “indirectly” after conversion into another form of energy, such as biodiesel, gas or biopower. Indirect use is the focus of much technological development.

Biomass resources:
The report surveys the resources available for indirect biomass use - crops, waste, residue and by-products from manufacture, agricultural and industrial processes.

Technologies:
The report surveys the technologies which have been developed to convert primary biomass into a secondary fuel.
-MSW (Municipal Solid Waste)
-Biopower
-Biomass Heat
-Landfill and biogas
-Liquid Fuels

Markets and national development:
Different regions of the world and individual countries have developed the various technologies for indirect exploitation of biomass. The status of biomass usage is assessed for each region of the world and surveyed in 28 leading countries, including the USA, the EU countries, China, India, Brazil, Mexico and smaller countries. Where possible the report gives statistical estimates of biomass usage and potential by country. Future prospects for the technologies are also assessed.

Environmental benefits and restriction:
Using biomass does not add to global warming. Plants use and store carbon dioxide (CO2) as they grow. This is then released when the plant material is burned. As they grow, other plants then use the CO2 which has been released. As plant life stores carbon it is a form of “carbon sequestration”. Carbon is converted from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and stored in carbon “sinks” or forests planted for the purpose. So using biomass closes this cycle of storing carbon dioxide. The process and implications are examined. Prominent among these is co-firing of biomass with fossil fuels in power generation, to reduce carbon emissions. This already receiving a large boost in the EU following the LCPD (Large Combustion Plant Directive).

Databases of biomass capacity:
The report contains a database of installed biomass energy generating capacity in MW from 1990 to 2001 for the major countries in the following sub-groups.

-Total Capacity
-Industrial Waste (Non-Renewable)
-Municipal Waste
-Solid Biomass
-Gas from Biomass
-All biomass

Manufacturers Directory:
A Directory of 480 manufacturers of biomass equipment and plant is provided in a separate Excel file.


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Publication Date: Rev.: May 2008
Publisher: Energy Business Reports