Biomass Energy Utilization & Environment Protection

Commercial Reality and Outlook

Miro R. Susta,  IMTE AG, Switzerland

Dr. Sohif Bin Mat, Transtherm Engineering & Construction Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

IMTE AG

Power Consulting Engineers

Switzerland

POWERGEN ASIA 2003, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

September 2003

ABSTRACT

Rapid rate at which fossil and residual fuels are releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere has raised international concern and has spurred intensive efforts to develop alternative, renewable, sources of primary energy.

The solar energy stored in chemical form in plant and animal materials is among the most precious and most promising alternative fuels not only for power generation but also for other industrial and domestic applications on earth. It provides not only food but also energy, building materials, paper, fabrics, medicines and chemicals. 

Biomass absorbs the same amount of CO₂ in growing that it releases when burned as a fuel in any form. Biomass contribution to global warming is zero. In addition, biomass fuels contain negligible amount of sulphur, so their contribution to acid rain is minimal.

Over millions of years, natural processes in the earth transformed organic matter into today's fossil fuels: oil, natural gas and coal. In contrast, biomass fuels come from organic matter in trees, agricultural crops and other living plant material.

CO₂ from the atmosphere and water from the earth are combined in the photosynthetic process to produce carbohydrates that form the building blocks of biomass. The solar energy that drives photosynthesis is stored in the chemical bonds of the structural components of biomass. If we burn biomass efficiently oxygen from the atmosphere combines with the carbon in plants to produce CO₂ and water. The process is cyclic because the carbon dioxide is then available to produce new biomass.

Typical biomass resources include:

Ø      The forest

Ø      Waste from wood processing industry

Ø      Agricultural waste

Ø      Urban wood waste

Ø      Wastewater & landfill

Ø      Other natural resources (straw, peat, bagasse, etc.)    

Unlike any other energy resource, using biomass to produce energy is often a way to dispose of biomass waste materials that otherwise would create environmental risks.

Today, there are a range of biomass utilization technologies that produce useful energy from biomass.

·        Direct Combustion

·        Gasification

·        Anaerobic Digestion

·        Methanol & Ethanol Production

There are a number of challenges that inhibit the development of biomass energy. In this regard, formulation of sustainable energy policy and strategies in addressing these challenges is indeed a pre-requisite for the development and promotion of biomass energy. Major available biomass utilization technologies are described and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed in this paper.