Bioenergy, a safe and reliable alternative

Energy derived from biomass is considered an important source of renewable power generation.

Under bioenergy we understand energy which derives from organic matter (Biomass). Biomass originates from different sources such as agricultural residues (i.e. bagasse from sugarcane, corn fibre and nutshells), wood waste (i.e. sawdust and mill scrap), municipal waste, bioenergy crops and as well methane originating from waste water treatment stations and manure.

Biomass has got a lot of different uses. It  may be used to generate electricity, for heating or provides liquid fuels for vehicles such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Biomass is in the same time the worldwide most available source of energy and, if utilised, would replace fossile fuels to a large extend.

There are basically two different technologies for the production of bioenergy from biomass. First, direct combustion, which is the most common method. Here a boiler heated by biomass is used to generate steam which either drives a turbine or is used as a steam source in industrial processes.

Direct combustion system design is always made to the specfic conditions of the biomass.The other method, gasification, makes use of rotting processes to produce a combustible gas (methane), which carries up to 70% of the solid fuels energy.

This gas is then used to fire boilers for steam and electricity generation or are converted to synfuels (synthetic fuels).

The most common form of liquid biofuel is ethanol.

Ethanol production is based as well on a fermentation process, which converts starch contained in agricultural residues.

To use ethanol as a fuel in vehicles, engines have to be designed in a specific   way.  Therefore it is   usually blended with gasoline to power standard vehicles.

There are hundreds of opportunities and application forms under which bioenergy is a competitve replacement or addition to conventional power generation.