Biomass Energy

Generation
By:
Caluna, Michael
Ducao, Joshua
Reyes, Elmer
December 2014

What is
biomass?
Animal Matter
Biological wastes

Plant Materials

Municipal Waste

Biomass is
a general
term for

Terminologies (1/2)
Biomass is any organic, i.e. decomposing, matter derived from

plants or animals available on a renewable basis. Biomass includes

wood, agricultural crops, herbaceous and woody energy crops,
municipal organic wastes and manure.

Bioenergy is energy derived from the conversion of biomass,

where biomass may be used directly as fuel or processed into
liquids and gases.

Traditional biomass use refers to the use of wood, charcoal,

agricultural residues and animal dung for cooking and heating in

the residential sector. It tends to have very low conversion
efficiency (10% to 20%) and often relies on unsustainable biomass
supply.

Terminologies (2/2)
Primary bioenergy supply refers to the energy content

of biomass feedstocks before conversion. Final bioenergy

consumption refers to the use of biomass in different enduse sectors. In some cases in energy statistics this
category is equal to the biomass input (e.g. buildings,
industry).

Useful bioenergy refers to the net-energy generation

(i.e. electricity, heat) excluding transformation losses.

Biofuels are liquid and gaseous fuels produced from

biomass .

Bio-power is electrical power derived from electric power

Biomass energy
Energy derived in
biomass comes
indirectly from the
sun via
photosynthesis.

Why harness biomass for electrical

generation?
1.) It is a genuinely
renewable and
sustainable energy
source
2.) Arguably the
most versatile
among renewable
energy sources,
comes in solid,
liquid and gaseous
form

Biomass
sources
Solid
Fuel
wood
Agricultu
ral waste
Forestry
waste

Gas

Liquid
Bioethan
ol
Biodiesel

Biogas
Sewage
Landfills
Anaerobic
digestion
and
thermal
processderived

Solid Biomass
Mainly these are wood
chips and pellets as a
by-product of
sustainable
deforestation.
Agricultural waste
such as bagasse from
sugarcane farming are
also widely utilized.

Wood Pellets

Bagasse

Liquid Biofuels

Production of
bioethanol in
Brazil

In this category, it is
majority on liquefied fuels,
such as bioethanol and
biodiesel that underwent
rigorous chemical
processes to achieve
usability and also higher
efficiency. These are mostly
used in transport sector.

Gaseous Biomass
Often are coming from gas
exuded by treatment of
wet-waste biomass (i.e.
wastewater treatment
plants). Also includes
biogas, sewage gas and
landfill gas. These may be
injected to natural gas grid.

Drying and gasification

in a sewage treatment
plant

Some biomass stats

Approximately 60% of total

biomass used for energy

purposes is traditional biomass

Traditional biomass is still the

main source of energy within
the 3 billion out of 6.6
billion earths inhabitants

Wood pellets account for only

around 12% of global solid
biomass demand, yet the
volume of consumption
continued to increase rapidly
during 2013

More biomass stats

The annual global primary production of biomass is equivalent
to the 4,500 EJ* of solar energy captured each year.

By the end of 2013, the bio-power capacity and generation

were at 88 GW and 405 TWh respectively.

Top 5 countries in terms of biomass generation and/or

capacity are as follows:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
* 1 ExoJoules = 10^18 Joules

United States
Germany
China
Brazil
India

Global Energy Supply from Biomass

Estimated Global Electrical

Energy Shares (as of 2013)

Status quo in the Philippines

As of the moment,

there are about nine

operational biomass
power plants
nationwide with a total
dependable capacity of
approximately 76 MW

Wind and biomass

power accounts for

less than 1% of the
total power generation

Status quo in the Philippines

RE firm invests $90M in 20-MW biomass plant
http://business.inquirer.net/181326/re-firm-invests-90m-in-20-mw-biomass-plant

(11/03/14)

Bronzeoak Philippines Inc., the leading player in solar power projects in the Philippines, is gearing up for another
renewable energy (RE) investment thrustthis time in biomass power. The companys board of directors approved a
$90-million investment for a 20-megawatt (MW) biomass power plant in Negros Occidental. The facility will use
sugarcane farm waste as feedstock to help boost the income of farmers in the area, said Bronzeoak director Don
Mario Dia. The biomass venture will be undertaken by San Carlos BioPower Inc., a joint venture of Bronzeoak
Philippines Inc. and European asset management firm ThomasLloyd Group.
San Carlos BioPower began work in April 2013. Equipment installation should start around April 2015 and
development could take up to 24 months, Dia said.The biomass project will be built alongside an ethanol facility of
San Carlos Bioenergy, and near the solar power facilities being undertaken by another joint venture of Bronzeoak
and ThomasLloyd Group, San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. Bronzeoak and ThomasLloyd Group have already completed
the first phase of their solar power lineup with a 22-MW facility in Negros Occidental and are expanding through
future builds.
Their partnership on biomass power covers four projects in the Philippines: the San Carlos BioPower project; the
$114-million 25-MW South Negros BioPower project; the $130-million 29.99-MW Central Tarlac BioPower project; and
the $114-million 24.99-MW North Negros Biopower project, which is still up for financial closing. ThomasLloyd Group
chair and CEO T.U. Michael Sieg said that the firms investments were all committed through the ThomasLloyd
Cleantech Infrastructure Fund. Once completed, the facility would begin delivering 140 million kWh to the high
growth Visayas grid. The Visayas grids power supply is wearing thin and Negros Occidental is presently importing 80
percent of its power requirement from different power plants in Cebu province. According to the Cebu Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, the province itself needs more electricity to support its expanding manufacturing, retail and
real estate sectors. --Riza T. Olchondra

HOW IT WORKS?
Operation and set-up

Power Plant Operation

Direct Combustion

Technologies involving direct

combustion
Fixed bed
There are various
configurations of fixed-bed
systems, but the common
characteristic is that fuel is
delivered onto a grate where
it reacts with oxygen in the
air blown through the
firebox. This is an exothermic
reaction that produces very
hot gases and generates
steam in the heat exchanger

Technologies involving direct

combustion
Fluidized bed
In either a circulating fluidized-bed or bubbling
fluidized-bed system, the biomass is burned in a
hot bed of suspended, incombustible particles,
such as sand. Fluidized-bed systems generally
achieve more complete carbon conversion,
resulting in reduced emissions and improved
system efficiency. In addition, compared to fixedbed systems, fluidized-bed boilers can use a wider
range of feedstocks. Fluidized-bed systems also
have a higher electric load than fixed-bed
systems due to increased fan power
requirements.

Technologies involving direct

combustion
Dust combustion
The system involves
biomass materials being
pulverize to dust like
particles and are fed
into the furnace.

Co-firing Technologies(1/3)
Direct
A simple and economic system
where biomass fuel are being
fed into the furnace. However,
the rate of replacing the 2nd
biomass fuel from the original
fuel is cost timely, also the ash
deposit and corrosion from the
biomass may shorten the
lifespan of the diverse device.

Co-firing Technologies(2/3)
Indirect
A complex and expensive system,
which the biomass fuel are being
process and extracted to make use of
the biogas from within the material.
Fortunately, the problems such as
corrosion, fouling smell, and slagging
are reduced. The form of system is
better than the direct co-firing
because this allow a larger
percentage of biomass to be mix with
coal, which reduces the potential
amount of contaminate being
burned.

Co-firing Technologies(3/3)
Parallel
This system have separate
combustion plants and boilers
for biomass resource and coal
resource. The steam produced
from the biomass combustion
plant are fed in the biomass
boiler, then the steam is
transferred into the coals boiler
and is upgraded into higher
temperature, and pressure by
the coals combustion plant.

Biomass gasification
Biomass undergoes oxidation
for gaseous fuel production

Synthesis Gas that

contains H2, CO, CH4, CO2,

H2O

Types
Fixed bed
Fluidized bed

Anaerobic digestion
In the absence of O2, bacteria is

responsible for decomposition of

organic matter

Feedstock include:
Agricultural, industrial & household
organic wastes

Sewage sludges
Animal by-products
Municipal wastes

Biogas (60-70% CH4 and 3040% CO2)

Anaerobic digestion

Pyrolysi
s
An endothermic process

that involves combination

of thermal decomposition of
biomass along with O2
results to:
Solid charcoal
Bio-oil or pyrolysis oil
Combustible Gases

Types
Fast
Slow
Flash

Power Plant
Set-up

Power Plant Components (1/2)

Super heater sets of boilers that are heated by the
furnace, which heat water into steam.

Storage area to place the supply of biomass which will

be feed to the furnace and burned.

Processing/Preparation Area Waste are processed to

make them into high heat content form of waste by
drying, adding special substances, and etc.

Power Plant Components (2/2)

Turbine are powerful motor that creates
mechanical/electrical power after being powered by
steam from the boiler.

Condenser/Cooling tower reusing the heated water back

to the boilers, with this the amount of time to heat
water is reduced, and excess heat from air cause by the
boilers are release.

BOTTOMLINE
Advantages, Disadvantages and Future
Outlook

Advantages of Biomass Energy

No Harmful Emissions
Clean Energy
Abundant

and

Renewable

Reduce Dependency on
Fossil Fuels

Reduce Landfills
Can be Used to Create
Different Products

Disadvantages of Biomass Energy

Expensive
Inefficient as Compared
to Fossil Fuels

Harmful to Environment
Consume More Fuel
Require More Land

Environmental impacts of biomass energy

Net positive CO2
emissions in cultivation
of biomass and use of
biomass since fossil
fuels are used

Transforming grassland
and removing forests to
cultivate biomass crops

Use of fertilizers cause

pollution

Environmental impacts of biomass energy

Large quantities of water are
needed for operation

It will intensify air pollution.

It may cause saltilization and
decrease to total size of the
arable land.

Looking ahead
Renewable energy is the fastest growing source of electricity
generation, according to theInternational Energy Agencys (IEA)
International Energy Outlook 2013Reference case, projecting an
average 2.8 percent per year growth from 2010 to 2040.

Bioenergy also presents an opportunity for rural development and

for the agricultural sector in particular, potentially helping to meet
key social development goals. Indeed, bioenergy signals a
significant new market for agricultural producers.

Future market for biomass

Renewable energy markets are projected to grow strongly
in the coming decade and beyond, led by policies such as
European Commission 2020 Directives to Member States.

The importance of bioenergy will continue to grow in

Europe as it is one of the cheapest renewable energy
options, and one of few to supply continuous renewable
heat and power on a large scale. However, as the price of
solid biomass increases, the search for non-forestry
alternative biomass options will continue to rise.

Upcoming
biomass
power
plant
projects in
the
Philippines

Upcoming
biomass
power
plant
projects in
the
Philippine
s

THATS
ALL,
THANK
YOU!

References
Biomass and Bioenergy Lecture
Statistical issues: bioenergy and distributed renewable

energy - (http://
www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/Statis
tical%20issues_bioenergy_and_distributed%20renewabl
e%20_energy.pdf
)

Global Potential of Sustainable Biomass Energy by

Svetlana Ladanai and Johan Vinterbck

Renewables 2014: Global Status Report - (http://

www.ren21.net/portals/0/documents/resources/gsr/2014
/gsr2014_full%20report_low%20res.pdf
)

References
http://www.ac3s.org/beta/list-of-power-plants-in-the-phil
ippines-renewable-vs-fossil-fuels
/

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/biomassheat.php