INDUSTRY NEWS
Why do Nordic countries lead in bioenergy?
he answer, according to Anders Holmgren of Swedish combustion plant manufacturer Jernforsen Energi System AB, is: “Because it’s a fuel we’ve always used”. Jernforsen’s long experience in the field of bioenergy solutions, including district heating, is invaluable to other countries that have only recently gone down the bioenergy route as the company discovered when it met more prospective customers from at home and abroad as an exhibitor at the recent World Bioenergy 2014 trade fair at Elmia in June. Despite its home-grown advantage, Jernforsen has chosen to grow slowly and establish a strong presence in the Baltic region, although it has recently gained a foothold in the UK. The
T
reason is that the company wants to maintain its reputation for good service in order to ensure the reliable operation of the grate-fired combustion systems it develops and manufactures.
The claim that bioenergy has
strong historical roots is underlined by the company’s name, Jernforsen. It comes from the hamlet of Järnforsen in Sweden where the company was founded. Today, there is also a production unit in Halmstad.
Spain consumes more pellets
The Spanish have gone from consuming 100,000 tonnes of pellets in 2010 to 380,000 tonnes in 2013 and forecasts published by various organisations indicate that by 2020 the 1.1 million tonne mark will have been passed. The Spanish Association for the Energy Valuation of Biomass (AVEBIOM) has used these forecasts and other data to analyse how the pellet market is behaving and what evolution there has been in equipment.
Reports by the industry
association highlight the growing importance of quality certification
for solid biofuels. The fact is that 87% of end-users of pellets in Spain prefer ENPLUS certified pellets for their installations as it gives a reference for quality. At the same time, pellet
production in Spain is growing in a sustainable way: there are now 30 plants with a production capacity of over 10,000 tonnes per annum and new projects are proliferating. Meanwhile, supply has adapted to meet increasing demand and that has led to pellet prices stabilising. Throughout the whole of last year, end-user prices rose by only 2.8%, which contrasts
favourably with the price rises for other energy sources such as gas or oil.
Both the current figures and forecasts provide a clear result: it is cheaper to heat using pellets than gas or oil in Spain and in today’s economic landscape it is vital to optimise resources to meet the strong demand for thermal energy in industry and well- being in households. AVEBIOM concludes that biomass offers an energy source that guarantees savings, security and sustainability in supply and, of course, comfort for users.
Versatile co-operation in Finland
UPM and the conservation organisation WWF Finland have agreed on versatile co-operation covering promotion of sustainable wood-based biofuels, as well as sustainable forest management and sourcing of raw materials in Finland.
“Promoting sustainable forest management and ensuring the
sustainability of biofuels produc- tion are extremely important from both biodiversity and climate point of view. We are very pleased that UPM contributes to the transi- tion from fossil fuels to biofuels produced outside the food chain. Sustainability aspects in this transi- tion need to be carefully evaluat- ed, which is also one of the main
contents of our co-operation,” said Liisa Rohweder, Secretary- General of WWF Finland. UPM aims to become a major player in advanced, high-quality biofuels for transportation. The wood-based biofuels developed by the company will considerably decrease dependence on fossil fuels.
SMALLTALK
Biomass CHP plant for Stockholm
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a 260 million Euro loan to the energy company Fortum Värme for the design, construction and operation of a new biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The plant will be located in Stockholm and deliver heat to the existing district heating system in Sweden’s capital and electricity to the public grid by 2016. The EIB is also financing the necessary biomass handling facilities and the upgrading of port facilities related to the plant.
Norwegian wood Scientists from Aston University in the UK are currently involved in the ReShip project, which will use low quality wood waste, chippings and unsalable wood left in Norwegian forests after logging has been carried out to produce new biofuels for the shipping industry.
Contract won A major bioenergy contract has been won by Opcon AB for Saxlund’s fuel handling and biomass combustion technology in the UK. The order value is approximately 35 million SEK with commissioning in 2015. The project, which is a joint development between Saxlund in Sweden and the UK, means that Saxlund will provide the fuel handling system, with push floor and conveyers, in addition to a biomass combustion boiler with an integrated high pressure steam boiler for a system utilising waste wood as fuel.
Competition prize Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy has launched an international competition with a prize of 100,000 Euros for the best biorefinery investment proposal in an attempt to spur investment in biorefineries within the country. The competition is open to international investors and closes on 4 December. The proposals must incorporate technologies that are not yet in commercial use. The winner will be announced in February, next year.
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