Led by IEA Environmental Projects, (UK,) and involving Aston University, UK, VTT Processes of Finland, Exergia, Greece, and the Belgium-based European Biomass Association, the two-year initiative will assess commercial possibilities for cofiring biomass in China's coal-fired power stations to help cut the country's dependence on fossil fuels and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Cofiring involves the combustion of two different types of materials at the same time. Cofiring biomass, such as crops or agricultural waste, in existing coal-fired power stations means that less coal is used and no dedicated biomass power stations need to be built.
"Using biomass is environmentally friendly because, although it produces carbon dioxide when it burns, we are not adding to the bank of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because the crop uses up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis," explains Tony Bridgwater, head of Aston University's Bioenergy Research Group. "And the process reduces the amount of coal used: for every two tonnes of biomass used, one and a half tonnes of coal is left in the ground."
Biomass is also a cleaner fuel as it contains less sulphur than coal. But the logistics of biomass collection and transport in China are challenging. Aston University's Bioenergy Research Group will evaluate the potential of using various biomass feedstocks in different regions of China. The team will help to communicate the findings to the Chinese power industry and policymakers in the country, as well as helping to identify opportunities for technology transfer from Europe to China.
"The potential impact of substituting coal with a CO2-neutral fuel is huge," says Bridgwater. "If half of the biomass wastes currently produced in China could be utilised in the existing power plants it could displace over 200 million tonnes of coal."
Coal fuelled China's emergence as an economic powerhouse and today the country is the world's largest coal producer and consumer. With over 70% of all energy consumed in China coming from coal, the market is promising for EU companies keen to introduce cofiring technology to new markets.