Biomass

Biomass is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel.

In the first sense, biomass is plant matter used to generate electricity with steam turbines & gasifiers or produce heat, usually by direct combustion. Examples include forest residues (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard clippings, wood chips and even municipal solid waste. In the second sense, biomass includes plant or animal matter that can be converted into fibers or other industrial chemicals, including biofuels. Industrial biomass can be grown from numerous types of plants, including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow, sorghum, sugarcane, and a variety of tree species, ranging from eucalyptus to palm oil.

Biomass is used in co-firing plants (coal + biomass) or dedicated installations. Biomass can be obtained from management of forests or from dedicated forest rotation programs. Biomass can be found in the form of wood chips or wood pellets (which is pressed saw-dust).

While wood chips can only be used in dedicated fluid beds plants, wood pellets can be used in both dedicated and co-fired plants.

We are helping our clients to find sustainable biomass and we look for new sourcing opportunities outside Europe (with a special focus in North America and Asia).