Biomass refers to organic matter that comes from living, or recently living organisms. Biomass solid fuel is produced from biomass resources through various processes like combustion, gasification, anaerobic digestion and many more. It is a renewable source of energy as biomass comes from resources that regenerate over time like forest and plant residues as well as organic waste.
Types of Biomass Solid Fuel
- Wood pellets & Wood chips
Wood pellets and wood chips are one of the most common types of Biomass Solid Fuel globally. Wood pellets are cylindrical solid biomass fuel usually about 6-8 mm in diameter and 10-25 mm in length. They are made by compressing pulverized and dried wood. Wood chips vary in size but are usually about 1-3 cm in length. Both are produced from various wood residues from forestry and wood processing industry.
- Agriculture & Agro-industrial residues
Agricultural residues like bagasse, rice husks, mustard stalks etc and agro-industrial residues like straw, empty fruit bunches, coconut shells etc are also used as solid biomass fuel. These residues are generated in large amount from farming and food processing industries. These are collected, dried and compressed into self-standing briquettes or pellets to be used as biomass solid fuel.
Advantages of Biomass Solid Fuel
Biomass solid fuel possesses some significant advantages over other conventional fossil fuels:
- Renewable source: Biomass comes from biological sources that regenerate, so it is a renewable source of energy.
- Carbon neutral: During combustion, biomass fuel releases carbon dioxide absorbed during plant growth. So the net release of carbon is close to zero making it carbon neutral.
- Domestic source: Many countries have abundant biomass resources within their borders that can help achieve energy security.
- Versatile fuel: Biomass solid fuel can be used for various applications like power generation, industrial heating, cooking etc.
- Employment generation: Biomass energy production and supply chain creates more job opportunities locally.
- Waste management: Some biomass fuels are produced from waste materials thus helping in waste management.
Global Production & Markets
- Leading producers of wood pellets
The top producers of wood pellets globally currently are the United States, Canada, Russia, Latvia and Germany. In 2020, the United States produced 11 million tonnes of wood pellets followed by Canada with 6.2 million tonnes. Other significant producers are Russia, Latvia and Germany.
- Major importers & key wood pellet trade flows
The major importers of wood pellets globally are European countries as they do not have enough domestic biomass resources. The United Kingdom imported over 5 million tonnes of wood pellets in 2020, becoming the single largest importer. Other major importers were Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland. Key trade flows are from the US and Canada to the UK and other European nations.
Issues and Challenges
While biomass solid fuel offers advantages, it also faces issues:
- Land use change: Large-scale cultivation of biomass crops can lead to land use change affecting biodiversity. Sustainable management is required.
- Emissions: Biomass combustion produces emissions like particulate matter that need proper control systems.
- Transportation: Biomass fuel has lower energy density than fossil fuels, increasing transport costs.
- Feedstock availability: Sustained supply of feedstock depends on competing demands and sustainable biomass production.
- Cost-effectiveness: High transportation and logistic costs affect the cost-competitiveness of biomass power.
