P24
By Christina Pedersen, Marketing Coordinator, Linka Energy
Biomass is one of the world’s most efficient and sustainable energy sources. Biomass provides more cost-efficient and sustainable heating than any other renewable energy source. However, the political and media focus has shifted to other alternative energy sources, and biomass no longer gets the attention it deserves.
Heat Incentive), has proven an efficient short-term model for encouraging a switch from fossil fuel to biomass in heating. However, if other countries follow the Danish model, and promote electrical solutions over biomass, the short-term CO2 emissions will only increase. To meet the fast approaching 2020 goals, a quicker solution is needed. WHY IS BIOMASS THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION? As a result of the Danish policies, lowered prices on electricity are expected to promote the use of heat pumps and excess heating. In Denmark, we are blessed with many opportunities for alternative energy, and we have already reached our goal for 2020. But to keep moving forward we need to focus on biomass.
In recent years, the focus on renewable energy has shifted. Biomass is no longer top-of-mind among energy professionals. EU’s Renewable Energy Directive’s strategy on biomass for heating or steam production lacks vision, and instead focuses on areas like wind energy, transportation and sustainable buildings. In Denmark, the government has chosen to endorse energy from wind, solar and electricity. With only two years left, many countries are challenged to reach their part in EU’s binding target, where 20 % of all energy consumption must be from renewable sources. Several of the 28 countries are falling behind in their goals for renewable energy for 2020. In the UK, one of their initiatives, RHI (Renewable
Biomass is already here and available, regardless of how we use it. Forests and fields are still needed for other purposes. When we burn biomass, some CO2 will be emitted into the atmosphere. However, if you don’t burn it, it will still release CO2 when decomposing on the field or in the forest. Burning biomass will therefore not produce more CO2 than otherwise, but instead we take advantage of our resources and reduce the amount of waste in our society. Biomass remains a CO2 neutral fuel, as the CO2 emitted from the heat production is consumed by the new growth of biomass. In addition, ash from the boiler plant is spread back onto the field or into the forest, where it serves as a natural fertilizer.
Source: eurostat
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