Biomass News

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was first launched by the US Department of Agriculture as a pilot national biomass incentive program in 2008, has since been published with additional rules and reactivated this month. Under the finalized rules, the US government will resume funding for up to 75% of producers’ costs in the establishing of a wide variety of biofuels. Materials that qualify for the scheme range from wood chips and crop residues to switchgrass, woody plants, algae and animal and food waste.

Through the implementation of the revised program, the US hopes to promote production of fuel from renewable sources and meet renewable energy demands. With the government’s boosted support for biofuels, questions below remain:

• Will this majorly change the role of the US as a key biomass supplier to Europe and the World?
• Are existing and future market demands expected to be sufficient to absorb the increased influx of supply?

The Biomass Trade & Power Americas to be held in Atlanta on 25-26 February 2011 invites all top stakeholders to participate and critically analyze the impact on global trading. The program agenda for the conference is soon to be finalized and updated shortly. Those with enquiries on early registration or for more program details can email Reema Patnaik at reema@cmtsp.com.sg.

After a successful first Biomass Trade & Power conference in Rotterdam earlier in March which attracted over 150 attendees from 26 countries, CMT and ardent supporter, IEA Bioenergy Task 40 are proud to announce Biomass Trade & Power Americas to be held in Atlanta on 23-25 February 2011.

2011 Biomass Trade & Power Americas will feature experiences from experts plus discussions on the latest regulatory, strategic, economics including technological factors shaping the US’ biomass industry and utilisation.

Some of the key Program Highlights include;

• DOE’s direction on biomass utilization in energy/utilities sectors
• US & European utilities’ expectations for biomass-based initiatives
• Changes in renewable energy policy & impact on trade
• Opportunities in Southeast’s biomass to energy
• Identifying gaps between technological & capital investments
• Getting in the specifics of wood pellets & wood chips for export & co-firing
• Making economics from logistics & handling of biomass

But for now, check out the details below on the participant mix and feedback from the last Biomass Trade & Power, Rotterdam in March 2010

DELEGATE PROFILE:

THEIR TESTIMONIES:

“Truly impressed! I have no pre-conceptions but the honesty of the speakers and mix of participants provided a medium for understanding across the biomass complex.” Dong Energy

“A valuable contribution to realising the biomass market through clear communication of the practical realities:” E.ON Climate & Renewables

“Good topics, useful networking, business chances.” Eco-Frontier

“Very well organised, high quality topics and topics.” Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development

“A good opportunity to meet important players of biomass. Growing market!” Kema Consulting

“Biomass a powerful opportunity” CCI Italy

The last decade has witnessed a change in biomass power generation in Asia, where most of the plants are now designed for multi-fuel operation.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a considerable change in biomass power generation in Asia. Indeed, owing to the scarcity and cost of biomass fuel, most power plants are in fact designed for multi-fuel and unconventional fuels. This creates several challenging issues in combustion and boiler maintenance, demanding improvised combustion technologies, modern fuel preparation and handling systems, for example.

In the last decade, several new approaches to power plant implementation and technology have also been introduced. Despite these challenges, the regional potential for agricultural and wood based multi-fuel biomass power plants is very high and the market is attractive. The highest potential in Asia exists in the sugar sector, followed by palm oil, rice, and wood industries and multi-fuel biomass power plants.

The most common and predominant biomass power plant fuels used in Asia are: bagasse, palm shell, palm fibre, rice husk and wood waste. Apart from these fuels, unconventional materials such as empty fruit bunches, corn cob, cassava rhizome, coffee husk and such like are also increasingly being used.

Source: Renewable Energy World.com, 5 Aug 2010

For more information on Biomass business opportunities in Asia, attend Biomass Pellets Trade Asia on 27-29 September 2010 in Jakarta as invited speaker panel discusses;

• Growth in co-firing & impact on wood pellets’ market dynamics
• Rise of agro biomass & energy crops (Palm Kernel Shells (PKS), Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB), Rice Husk, Sugar Bagasse, Jatropha, Miscanthus, etc)
• Pricing, specification & sustainability criteria for biomass
• Investment & setting up pellets facility in Asia
• Terminal investment, storage & handling
• Economics of pretreatment technologies (Pelletizing, Torrefactions, etc)

Click here for Biomass Pellets Trade Asia full agenda.