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Swedish Bioenergy – Something to Show – World Bioenergy 2006 in Jönköping a report by
Kjell Andersson Swedish Bioenergy Association (Svebio)
Sweden has already come a long way using biomass. Already, more than 25% of Sweden’s energy needs are satisfied by bio-energy. The growth of the Swedish bioenergy sector has been remarkable: from 41TWh in 1977 to 114TWh last year. In the last couple of years the increase has been 5–6TWh a year.
plans, and has reached the following conclusions:
The largest part of bio-energy is used in two sectors: use of biomass residues such as black liquor, bark and scrap wood in the forest industry, and solid biofuels, such as wood chips, bark, peat and household waste in district heating. Traditional use of firewood, in the countryside and in small communities, is also an important use. However, the growth rate is now particularly strong in three new areas: bioelectricity, biopellets and liquid biofuels.
• The production of biopower in the forest industry will grow from 4.2TWh in 2002 to 6.5TWh in 2010.
Bioelectricity
It is a common misunderstanding that biomass can only, or primarily, be used for heat production, but not for large-scale electricity production. In Sweden, and Finland, this is now proven to be wrong. More and more electricity is produced with biomass as fuel. The fast-growing production of bioelectricity in Sweden is due to the system of green certificates in the power sector, introduced in 2003. Investments take place both in new turbines in the forest industry and in combined heat and power plants (CHPs) in district heating. Bioelectricity is already the third largest power source after hydropower and nuclear, and the fastest growing. In 2005, the production of ‘biopower’ was around 9TWh, which is around 5.5% of the total electricity production in Sweden. Biopower now has passed the combined power production from fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), and is the third most important source of electricity, hydro and nuclear being the two leading ones. Svebio, the Swedish Bioenergy Association, has tried to monitor the plans for new biopower generation. It has asked all the large forest industry companies and the public utilities producing district heating about their 60
• The production of biopower in combined heat and power plants (CHP:s) connected to the district heating grids will grow from 3.1TWh in 2002 to 8.5TWh in 2010.
• The combined increase means that the production of biopower will more than double, from 7.3TWh to 15TWh in this period. In all of these power plants the excess heat can be utilised, either for district heating or for industrial purposes. As a rule, biomass is not used in condensing plants. For the future it is important to raise the electricity output (the alpha value) from biomass. This can be done by thermal gasification. Hopefully a full-scale gasification unit will be installed in the coming years. Fast-growing Pellets Market
The growth of the pellets market is a result of the high oil prices and the carbon tax on fossil fuels. The use of pellets grows with 20–25% a year and 80,000 family homes now have pellets heating. The sale of heating oil to the domestic sector decreased by 18% last year, while at the same time the sale of pellets to family homes increased by 34%. Within a few years heating oil will be driven out of the Swedish market. The Swedish pellets market is the largest in Europe. The numbers for 2005 show a use of 1.47 million tons of pellets, equivalent to 7.1TWh in energy. Much of this is used in large heat plants where pellets is burned in boiler originally built for coal or oil. The main reason for the fast growth of the pellets market is the high Swedish carbon tax, or CO2-tax, which is levied on all fossil fuels used for heating purposes. EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY REVIEW 2006
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World Bioenergy 2006 attracted the bioenergy world Held for the second time, this year’s edition of World Bioenergy was an unprecedented success. To this some 1,164 delegates from 60 nations, 102 exhibitors and 4,274 visitors can testify. Bioenergy has moved from local idealism to mainstream industry, summarised Dr. Tomas Kåberger chairman for the World Bioenergy conference. The fact that Sweden is a world leader in bioenergy and has the ambition to maintain leadership was emphasised by the Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson who gave the opening address. In his speech he presented his vision of breaking Sweden’s oil dependency by 2020. According to Prime Minister Persson, Sweden has an obligation to
“We have to go from know-how to
make Swedish bioenergy ‘know-how’
show-how to show the world what we
readily available to other countries.
have done to get this far”, commented Persson quoting the conference motto at the following press conference.
Many thanks to all visitors, exhibitors, speakers and conference delegates. Together we made World Bioenergy 2006 such a success.
Welcome back to the next World Bioenergy, 27 – 29 May 2008! Elmia AB, Box 6066, SE-550 06 Jönköping, Sweden. Tel: +46 36-15 20 00, Fax: +46 36-16 46 92, www.worldbioenergy.se SVEBIO, Torsgatan 12, SE-111 23 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel:+46 8-441 70 80, Fax: +46 8-441 70 89, www.svebio.se
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Liquid Biofuels for Transport
The growth of biofuels for transport also takes place thanks to strong stearing instruments, like tax exemptions. The current exemptions runs out in 2008, but the government has promised that the economic advantage for biofuels will be maintained. The discussion is now focused on a system with mandatory certificates similar to the ones used in the electricity sector. One ethanol factory was built in Norrköping in 2001 thanks to the tax break. The factory is owned by the Swedish farmers co-operatives (Lantmännen), and produces some 55,000 cubic metres of ethanol yearly using grain as raw material. This factory will soon be followed by at least two more. Lantmännen has already decided to build one factory twice as large as the one in operation, and hinted that they will build a third. A private company has presented plans to build an ethanol factory on the west coast. The location indicates that imported surplus grain could be used as raw material. Until these factories are in operation Sweden is for the main part dependant on imported ethanol, e.g. from Brazil. Research
Very promising research is carried out to make ethanol and other fuels from cellulose. There is one pilot plant producing ethanol from cellulose in Örnsköldsvik. Another research plant is developing the technology for gasification of black liquor in Pitea. Both of these facilities are located in northern Sweden. A third research centre in Värnamo in Southern Sweden develops the technology for producing synthetic gas from biomass. In this case, as well as in the Pitea case, the end product could be methanol or DME, a good substitute for diesel. Volvo, the Swedish manufacturer of heavy trucks, takes part in these projects. Although there is some production of rape seed oil (RME), and a couple of rape seed oil plants are now being built, finding sufficient amounts of biofuels to substitute diesel for trucks will be an even more difficult challenge than converting cars to biofuels. Sweden is so far well ahead of the EU targets for biofuels in the transport sector. In 2005 the target was set to 2% of the market for all of EU. Sweden reached 3%. From Know-how to Show-how
Svebio is the organiser of World Bioenergy 2006 in Jönköping in southern Sweden. World Bioenegy 62
2006 is not only a conference – it is a lot more than that. It is a fair and exhibition, a meeting point for the fast-growing bioenergy business, where deals are made and business relations can be formed. Most of all, it provides the opportunity to see bioenergy solutions in place by means of pre- and postconference tours and numerous daily excursions. The motto of the conference is “taking you from know-how to show-how”. There are numerous big conferences on bioenergy, or certain sectors of the bioenergy field, worldwide, but most of these conferences have a focus on theory. There is a lot of research, and a lot of talk, but too little action. In Jönköping we bring researchers, energy bureaucrats and business people together. We also create a market place for the best technology in the field. In Sweden, you can find a wide range of bioenergy technologies at work, not in the laboratory or at research facilities, but in full scale run by public utilities and private companies. These are solid, liquid, gaseous biofuels, small-, middle-, and large-scale solutions. Almost every city and town has a biomass fuelled heat plant. More and more of these are CHPs producing electricity. There are biogas plants producing biogas for use in local buses and cars – and even for a local train. There is a large number of pellets factories, often linked to the local saw mills using saw dust as raw material. Developing Markets as well as Technology
The European Commission recently published its Biomass Action Plan, asking the EU governments to speed up the introduction of bioenergy in their energy market. Bioenergy is the renewable energy source that is most readily available in all parts of Europe. Bioenergy has an economic advantage over many other renewables. Numerous application are cost effective at the current oil price levels. Biomass production also gives new opportunities for agriculture and forestry, and thus much needed new jobs opportunities in the countryside all across Europe. When agricultural surpluses need to be cut, biomass production is a welcome use of the fields not needed for food production. The challenge in the bioenergy field is not so much technology development as the development of markets. For this to happen there not only needs to be clear and long-ranging government policies, on national and a European level, with stearing instruments and incentives, but also the participation of strong business players. ■ EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY REVIEW 2006
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About ESTIF The European Solar Thermal Industry Federation represents manufacturers, service providers and national associations. Our 80 members hold more than 95% of the European market. ESTIF is a founding member of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC). ESTIF's mission is to achieve high priority and acceptance for Solar Thermal as a key element for sustainable heating and cooling in Europe and with immediate effect to work for the implementation of all steps necessary to realise the high potential of Solar Thermal.
Key activities of ESTIF: • • • • • • • •
Representing the sector at EU level Campaigning for a EU Directive to promote Renewable Heating and Cooling Promoting best practice policies for solar thermal at EU, national and local level Promoting the abolition of any barriers to trade in solar thermal products and services Publishing solar thermal statistics and market information Managing the Secretariat of the European Solar Thermal Technology Platform Organising major events such as estec, the European Solar Thermal Energy Conference Providing further services and information to its members
ESTIF contact details Renewable Energy House Rue d'Arlon 63-65 B-1040 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 2 546 19 38 Fax: +32 2 546 19 39
[email protected] www.estif.org
On 19-20 June 2007, estec2007, the 3rd European Solar Thermal Energy Conference, takes place again in Freiburg (Germany), just before the opening of Intersolar 2007, the largest solar trade fair in Europe. Around 400 important players in the international solar thermal industry, research sector and policy makers will gather together at estec2007 to exchange information and ideas on the latest developments in solar thermal energy. For more information: www.estec2007.org