The keys to our new European strategy for the imminent adaptation of the Bionenergy sector in Spain
The 10th International Bioenergy Conference, organised by AVEBIOM has enabled over 150 biomass professionals to access the latest information available they need in order to adapt their businesses to the regulatory and market development requirements that are just around the corner.
On September 22, within the framework of Expobiomasa 2015, the great challenges the biomass sector must face over the coming years were put on the table: guaranteeing sustainability and supply, increasing energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
From Europe: sustainability for bioenergy
The European Council has passed various climate and energy targets for 2030: reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GGE) by 40%, reaching a 27% quota of renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency by 27%. To meet these targets, the European Commission is preparing a strategy for heating-cooling and a new package of measures that includes a sustainability policy for biomass. This will be crucial for the bioenergy sector as it will establish a legal framework so that companies can develop their business from 2020 onwards.
Towards a low-emissions biomass sector
Marco Palazzetti, the combusition equipment manufacturer, presented the main effects that the Ecolabelling and Ecodesign Regulations, published this summer in the Official Journal of the European Union, will have on the biomass stove market and its current catalogue. The particle restrictions in the Ecodesign Regulation will affect 80% of the biomass stoves and 20% of the pellet stoves currently in production, and 100% of chimneys.
As for Ecolabelling, although the latest generation of pellet equipment can reach A++ rating, many will remain at A+. No great impact is expected in terms of the range of products on offer. Pellet stoves will see the most benefit.
Medium power installations – those between one and 50 MW – will have emissions limits and mandatory compliance dates set by the new directive from 2016 on.
The new Royal Decree for the Protection of the Atmosphere or Plan Aire, currently being worked on by the Spanish Agriculture, Food and Environment Ministry (MAGRAMA) will include the biomass regulation in the residential, commercial and institutional sectors and set values for emissions limits.
Emissions control technologies
Controlling emissions requires adopting good measures in the first place: choosing a suitable fuel, designing equipment well, regulating and maintaining properly and making sure users act in the right way.
On these lines, Alejandro Sánches, from LSolé, highlighted the importance of engineering and manufacturing strategy in order to achieve maximum combustion and minimum emissions from biomass boilers. Some pro-active practices that can be done right at home are decisive when minimizing emissions. Sanchéz also pointed out the relationship between good energy yield, minimized maintenance costs and emissions reductions.
José Luis Galiño, from DINAK, tackled the most important issues in smoke evacuation chimney design, from proper selection of materials to the installation of auxiliary equipment to enable compliance with norms and optimise the installation’s performance.
Emissions control in low-power installations should take into account steady-state operating conditions, the variation in concentration and composition of raw exhaust gases and their reliability. Various technologies aimed at this market are currently being developed or commercialised for the first time.
The European Directive for medium-power installations will strictly limit NOx, SO2 and PM emissions. Secondary measures will be needed, such as electrostatic filters, and hose filters, to keep particulate emissions below 20 mg/Nm3. That means between 16% and 25% of all investment in boilers from 1-2 MW according to Raquel Ramos, from CIEMAT.
Climate funding: support for biomass projects by means of CO2 emissions purchasing
Ramón López Pérez, from the Spanish Climate Control Office, presented the CLIMA Projects and the PIMA EMPRESA Plan. CLIMA is still buying CO2 emissions that have been avoided by biomass installations that substitute fossil fuels, by building rehabilitations and by new biomass district heating projects.
The PIMA EMPRESA Plan will include direct grants for using renewable energies and other end-user energies that are not fossil-based, energy efficiency activities and actions to reduce emissions of greenhouse effect gases. It is aimed at organisations included in the Register of Carbon Footprints, Compensation and CO2 Absorption Projects.
Photo:Speakers from Block 2:Towards a low-emissions biomass sector. From left to right: Raquel Ramos, CIEMAT; Elena Duato, PRODESA; José Luis Galiño, DINAK; Walter Haslinger, Bioenergy 2020+; Marco Palazzetti, PALAZZETTI; Alberto Orio, MAGRAMA; Nathalie Hemeleers, AEBIOM; Alejandro Sánchez, LSOLÉ.
Customer comments
No comments were found for The keys to our new European strategy for the imminent adaptation of the Bionenergy sector in Spain. Be the first to comment!