Bioenergy

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Bioenergy offers enormous potential value in moving the UK to a low carbon future because it is so flexible and versatile. We can convert biomass to deliver heat, power, gas and liquid fuels, helping to cut emissions across our national energy system.

Using biomass to generate energy creates an opportunity for capturing CO2 from the atmosphere, but it is only effective with proper management of the greenhouse gas lifecycle.

Across the UK energy system it is cheaper to reduce carbon emissions in some sectors than others. So it is not economic for all to have the same reduction targets. The emission saving associated with biomass growth and its effective conversion into bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage, gives the potential to buy headroom for other sectors by providing a national “carbon credit”. With widespread implementation at a national scale this may be the single, most cost effective lever for reducing CO2 emissions.

The relative size of the ‘carbon credit’ depends on the type of biomass grown, the existing land use,and the management options.

We need to produce biomass without undermining food production or other environmental impacts, and it needs to be acceptable to the public with a commercially viable business model for growers.

Why?

Energy from Waste

●● Project profiling waste arisings in the UK

●● Evaluated different conversion technologies

●● Identified technology development opportunities in the area of gasification and gas clean up

Energy from Waste represents an opportunity to produce clean, renewable energy from local sources that were previously destined for landfill sites.

This £1.4m project profiled the waste streams in the UK, the potential energy available from them and how this might change in the future.

The project also evaluated different conversion technologies to extract the energy from key waste streams.

Delivered by a consortium of industry and academia – Caterpillar, EDF, Cranfield University, CPI and Shanks Waste Solutions – the project has identified a significant technology development opportunity in the area of gasification and gas clean up. This is now progressing through our Waste Gasification Project.

What have we done to date?

£1.4mThis £1.4m project profiled the waste streams in the UK, the potential energy available from them and how this might change in the future

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Ecosystem Land-Use Modelling (ELUM)

●● Multi-site field trial

●● Studying the impact of bioenergy crops on soil carbon levels and greenhouse gas emissions to air

●● Assessing second generation bioenergy crops (short rotation Coppice, Willow, Miscanthus grass and short rotation forestry)

This project is studying the impact of bioenergy crop land-use changes on soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions.

It is developing a model to quantitatively assess changes in levels of soil carbon, combined with the greenhouse gas flux which results from the conversion of land to bioenergy.

The categorisation and mapping of this data using geographical information systems will allow recommendations to be made on the most environmentally efficient land use transitions to bioenergy.

What have we done to date? Continued

The consortium delivering the project are – The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Aberystwyth University, Forest Research, The University of Aberdeen, The University of Edinburgh, The University of Southampton and The University of York.

Biomass to Power with Carbon Capture & Storage

●● Engineering study on biomass to power with Carbon Capture & Storage as a combined technology

●● Assessment of the technology gaps and likely time scales for implementation

●● Informing both our Bioenergy and Carbon Capture & Storage programmes

This project was a high-level engineering study on biomass to power with CCS as a combined technology. It assessed the technology gaps and the likely time-scales involved for implementation.

The findings have informed further work and projects in both our Bioenergy and Carbon Capture & Storage programmes.

Biomass conversion to power combined with Carbon Capture & Storage could provide the UK with substantial net negative CO2 emissions.

The project was delivered by a consortium from academia and industry – CMCL Innovations, The University of Cambridge, Doosan, Drax, EDF, E4Tech, Imperial College London and The University of Leeds.

emissionsBiomass conversion to power combined with Carbon Capture & Storage could provide the UK with substantial net negative CO2 emissions

Biomass Systems Value Chain Modelling

●● Research project linking bioenergy crop growth with technology options for logistics, pre-processing and final use as heat, power or transport fuel

●● Development of a value chain model

●● Examining the economic and carbon impact of sustainably developing UK biomass resources whilst converting them to various energy vectors

This project has developed a spatial model that links bioenergy crop production with the technology options required for logistics, pre-processing and final use as heat, power or transport fuel.

It has developed a value chain optimisation framework and has looked at the economic and carbon impact of sustainably developing UK biomass resources whilst converting these to various energy vectors.

It has also analysed the relevant agronomic, techno-economic and geographic factors associated with the cultivation, collection, processing, transmission and utilisation of biomass.

Led by E4Tech with Agra Ceas Consulting, EDF, Eifer, this project was delivered by a consortium from academia and industry, with Forest Research, Imperial College London, Rothamsted Research and The University of Southampton.

What have we done to date? Continued

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Waste Gasification Project

●● Competition to design the most efficient, economical and commercially viable gasification demonstrator plant

●● Three companies selected for the competition

●● Plant designs will need to operate at a net electrical efficiency of at least 25% at 5-20MW scale

We have selected three companies to design the most efficient, economic and commercially viable gasification demonstrator plant. The winning design may be selected to move to a full-scale demonstration phase if proven viable.

The challenge for the shortlisted companies is that plant designs will need to operate a net electrical efficiency of at least 25%.

Advanced Plasma Power will design a demonstration facility with an electrical output of 6MWe to produce a clean syngas as a fuel for high efficiency power generation. Broadcrown Ltd will design a high efficiency demonstration facility with an electrical output of 3MWe promoting distributed waste management and power generation. Royal Dahlman will develop a plant with an electrical output of 7MWe that converts waste into a clean gas suitable for an efficient combined cycle power plant.

25%The challenge for the shortlisted companies is that plant designs will need to operate a net electrical efficiency of at least 25%

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5-10%

The UK could potentially capture 5-10% of the global market within select niches of bioenergy

£2-17tnGlobal bioenergy markets are estimated to have a cumulative turnover of £2-17tn

£42bnThe value of Bioenergy innovation to the UK from reducing energy system costs is calculated to be £42bn

£19bn

International business development in Bioenergy is calculated to provide further economic value to the UK of £19bn

Key facts and figuresThese figures are taken from the Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group Technology Innovation Needs Assessment on Bioenergy

£3bnAdvanced biofuel systems are estimated to provide £3bn in gross value added to the UK by 2050

BioenergyBioenergy is a resource with significant deployment potential in the UK and could meet around a fifth to a tenth of the UK’s total primary energy supply to 2050

£5bn

Biopower systems are estimated to provide £5bn in gross value added to the UK by 2050

£4bn

Bioheat systems are estimated to provide £4bn in gross value added to the UK by 2050

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