Bioenergy in IrelandStatus and potential

Tom Knitter

SEAI Renewable Energy Information OfficeClonakilty, Co. Cork

German Irish Chamber17th May 2011 Dublin

SEAI REIO - Background

• Created in 1995, based in Clonakilty, West Cork

• Established to promote the use of renewable

resources and provide independent information and

advice on the financial, social and technical issues

relating to renewable energy development.

Outline

• Introduction/Overview

• Technologies - status and potential

– Solid biomass for heat

• Wood chips, wood pellets, miscanthus

– Solid biomass for heat and electricity

• Biomass CHP

• AD-CHP

• Bioenergy - GIS

• Summary

Introduction

The challenges we face

Combating climate change and rising greenhouse gas emissions

Security of supply and increasing dependence on imported oil and other fossil fuels

Rising energy costs and falling competitiveness for Ireland

Ireland’s Import Dependency

Source: SEAI –Energy in Ireland 1990 -2008, website etc.

Ireland: 89%

Dependency/targets Ireland

Germany: ?

Gross final energy consumption

EU: 53%

Overview – policy drivers

• Government White Paper – Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland, 2007– Set renewable energy targets 2020

• 12% RES-H, 10% RES-T, RES-E 33% (to 40% 2008)• RES: 16% target

– 30% co-firing with biomass at the 3 peat power plants (2015)

– 800 MW of CHP by 2020• Emphasis on biomass (AD-CHP/Biomass-CHP)

• National Bioenergy Action Plan 2007 – Contains 50 actions including targets for biomass

heating etc.

• National Renewable Energy Action Plan – Launched June 2010– The Renewables Directive requires each Member

State to produce an action plan showing how they intend to meet their renewable obligations

REFIT

• Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (launched 2010)

– Biomass-CHP• 14 ct/kWh ≤ 1.5 MW (Maximum Export Capacity)• 12 ct/kWh > 1.5 MW (MEC)

– Anaerobic-digestion

• 10 ct/kWh > 500 kW AD (non CHP)• 11 ct/kWh ≤ 500 kW AD (non CHP)• 13 ct/kWh > 500 kW AD CHP• 15 ct/kWh ≤ 500 kW AD CHP

– “CHP utilising biomethane, displaced from the source of biomethane, will qualify for REFIT on that portion of the fuel mix deriving from bioenergy” (NREAP)

• 15 ct/kWh

– Biomass Combustion (including co-firing in existing plant [subject to a change in the Refit terms and conditions to permit this]):

• Energy crops: 9.5 ct/kWh; other biomass: 8.5 ct/kWh

– Index linked 15 years

– Terms and conditions will be published

Important documents

Demand/Supply

COFORD roundwood supply forecast to 2028

COFORD forest-based wood biomass demand to 2020

COFORD: Council for Forest Research and Development (Forest sector Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Bioenergy_Roadmap.pdf

Bioenergy Roadmap 2050

Main contributors: grass silage and waste material

www.coford.ie

Solid biomass

Potential

• Forest based biomass resource potential – National biomass demand for energy production to meet

national RE target 2020 ROI 53m GJ (5.5m t at 40-45%)

– Forest-based biomass can supply 9m GJ– Biomass from waste can supply 9m GJ– Agricultural residues can supply 8m GJ– Balance 27m GJ

• Short rotation forestry (e.g. eucalyptus, fast growing species) • Short rotation coppice (e.g. willow), miscanthus• Increase in recovery of resources• Imports

www.coford.ie

Status solid biomass

– Wood pellets

• 7,000 domestic installations

• 3 production facilities in Ireland

– D-Pellet, Laois Sawmill, Balcas (NI)

– Wood chips (WC)

• App. 200 commercial installations

– Commercial installations (>25 kW)

– Installation with high heat demand, ROI 3-5 years

• 1,100 ha willow will be planted by the end of 2011

– Miscanthus

• 2,800 ha will be planted in Ireland by end 2011

• Different characteristics to WC (chemical parameters, bulky etc.)

• Annual harvest (20% dry matter content) with farm machinery, 11-15 t dm/ha

– Grant for planting energy crops willow/miscanthus available

(Bioenergy Scheme, 50% of the cost, DAFF)

• Approximate demand:

– 40,000 t/a wood-pellets, 75,000 t/a chips (2010)

– Demand increasing

• 55 solid biomass suppliers (list on website)

• Peat Power station (Edenderry, app. 10%)

• Proven supply chain and technology in Ireland

• Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme launched 2010 (WFQA)

– Scheme will certify organisations involved in the manufacture/

supply of solid biomass

– The main objectives of the scheme are to:• Support the delivery of a product which meets and exceeds the

requirements of customers

• Instil confidence in the marketplace

• Ensure the production of sustainable wood fuel

– Web: www.wfqa.org , so far 3 supplier certified

Status solid biomass

Biomass-CHP

Biomass-CHP

• Input: Solid biomass

• Commercially available technology

• Capacities: 2 MWel. (3.0 MWth.) – 20 MWel. (60 MWth.)

• Producing continuously electricity and heat

• Efficiency rates up to 90% (15-25%el.; 65-75%th.)

• 2 installations ROI: Munster Joinery (3/9MW) and Grainger Sawmill (1.8/3.5 MW)

Examples Biomass-CHP

• Munster Joinery, Ballydesmond, Co. Cork

– 3 MWel., 9 MWth.

– Input: wood by-products

– Maximum output:

• 24,000,000 kWhel.; 72,000,000 kWhth.

– CO2 savings: app. 35,000 t/a

• Grainger Sawmill, Enniskeane, Co. Cork

– 1.8 MWel., 3.5 MWth.

– Input: sawmill by-products– Maximum output:

• 14,000,000 kWhel./a

• 28,000,000 kWhth./a

– CO2 savings: app. 14,000 t/a

Anaerobic Digestion-CHP

Biogas: an Energy all-rounder

• Feedstock: organic material– Energy crops (grass silage, sugar beet, grain), slurry, dung, BMW etc.

• 4 digestion steps by different enzymes and bacteria (no O2)

• End products: – Biogas (60% CH4, 38% CO2)– Digestate (high value fertilizer)

• Usage Biogas: – CHP (heat + electricity)– Upgrading (Methane >95%)

• Injection gas grid• Vehicle fuel

• Efficiency rates up to 90%

• Can be stored, dispatchable power, close to demand

• All technologies are commercially available!

Biogas: an Energy all-rounder

Installations Biogas plants Germany (on-farm)

Producer On farm LandfillSewage sludge

Production (MWh)

Upgraded Biogas (m3)

Ireland 295

(3-4 heat, 1-2 commercial heat + electricity)

14 10119,000(2009)

0

AD plants in Ireland 2010 (own estimation):

Example AD Irelandcommercial on farm plant

• David McDonnell, Limerick (dairy, poultry farmer)

• Feedstock: Poultry litter, slurry, food waste

• Main components: Reception hall, disinfection, 1 main digester,

2 covered storage tank, separator, 250 kWel./heat containerized

Gas-CHP incl. heat exchanger, fully automated

• Producing electricity and heat (8,200 hr/a)

– 2.000 MWh electricity (exported), 2.000 MWh heat (heat use: plant,

pasteurization, poultry sheds, house)

• German engineering, German/Irish components, Irish service

AD potential:Agricultural facts

• Population Ireland: 4.2m (Germany: 82m)

• Land area 6.8m hectare (Schleswig-Holstein, HH, Niedersachsen)

• Agri-food sector one of the most dynamic elements of Irish economy (app. 9 % GDP (Germ. BIP 1%), 9 % employment, 10% exports)

• Ireland is largest net exporter of beef in the northern hemisphere and 4th largest in the world (550.000 t/a; sources: Farmers Journal) – 90% of 1.6m slaughtering are exported

• New agricultural policy, landfill directive, landfill levy, nitrates directive, legislation drive solutions/alternatives (AD)

Potential: Agriculture

• Ireland has less than 1% of population in the EU but 8% of cattle population– Ireland highest cattle to human ratio (4.2m to 6.7m heads)

• Irish agriculture (source: DAFF, CSO)– 6.7m cattle (Germany: 13.0m)– 1.4m pigs – 5.0m sheep– 12.5m poultry heads

• 36m m3/a collectable slurry, app. 450.000 t/a slaughterhouse waste– 28 modern slaughtering and processing facilities

Potential: AgricultureEnergy crop

• Energy Crop: grass silage– 4.3m ha farmland, 80% grassland (3.4m ha); 700.000 ha

arable land– Gras dominant crop in Ireland– Gras high yielding crop 11-15 t dry matter/ha (25% dm)– Farmers are familiar with grass, a lot of experience and

expertise in the country

Potential: organic waste material

http://www.intertradeireland.com/researchandstatistics/ourmarketreports/

• Waste companies extremely interested (see also directives and increasing landfill levies)

– Sept 2011: 50 Euro/t

– July 2012: 65 Euro/t

– July 2013: 75 Euro/t

• Market report on the Composting and Anaerobic Digestion sectors, May 2009

• Biodegradable Municipal waste from households; solid waste: 650.000 t/a

• Commercial organic BMW: 330.000 t/a

• Industrial organic waste 600.000 t/a

Upgrading Biogas (AD)

• Biogas (55% CH4) upgraded to Methane (>95 %CH4)

• Commercially available technology

• Technique: PSA or scrubber (water, amine)

• Usage Biomethane: – Vehicle fuel (Sweden)– Injection in gas grid (Germany)

• Usage in CHP or domestic gas boiler

• Stakeholder show interest (Bord Gais)

Upgrading Biogas (AD) Grid injection

• The Future of Renewable gas in Ireland (launched March

2010)

• Report by Bord Gais in support with E&Y, UCC, EPA,

SEAI

• Investigating the market overview and potential of

Biomethane in Ireland

• Good gas-network for Biomethane injection in Ireland

(connected to 650,000 customers and recently

upgraded)

– 1.4m dwellings in Ireland in total

• Conclusions of the report:

– Technology contributes to all RES target (esp. T and H)

– Realistic baseline scenario: 7.5% of natural gas can be

replaced by biomethane (2.6% of final energy demand)

– App. 200 upgrading digester estimated (long term)

– Recommendations to the government to drive that

particular technology

Bioenergy Geographical Information System (BGIS)

Why a Bioenergy-GIS?

• BGIS = Bioenergy Geographical Information System

• BGIS enables geographic visualisation of Bioenergy data

– In coordination with Teagasc, Department of Agriculture etc.

• “Google based” system

• The bioenergy GIS helps us to answer the questions of:

– What (e.g. Energy Crops, demand etc.)?

– Where (where planted, where suitable)?

– How much is planted/available (e.g. ha, t)?

• That leads to:

– Demand analysis (industrial biomass boilers, WWTP)

– Resource analysis

– Scenario building (feasibility study)

http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Bioenergy/

Resource location

Locate resources:• SRC Willow• Miscanthus• Other energy cropsDemand:• Residential and commercial

(granted) installations• Large industrial biomass users

Optimise supply chains

Match resources to demand• Measure distances• Cluster resources and end-

users• Analysis

Bioenergy-GIS

Bioenergy-GIS

• The BGIS can assist with:

– Identifying opportunities

– Feasibility studies

– Supply chain optimisation

http://maps.seai.ie/bioenergyhttp://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Bioenergy/

Summary

Summary Bioenergy (1)Opportunities

• During the last 2 years much development in the Bioenergy market

• Bioenergy will play a significant role in the future energy market in Ireland– Potential to supply constant electricity, heat, gas, transport fuel

• Bioenergy contributes to all RE-targets– Can be stored-dispatchable power– Production close to demand (less transmission losses)– Getting energy independent

• National targets have to be achieved– Electricity just 17% from gross final energy consumption (wind, wave)– 10% electric vehicles contribute a portion to RES-T target (1.1% of 10%

target, study undertaken by UCC 2009)

• New agricultural policy, landfill directive, landfill levy, nitrates directive, legislation drive the market

• Creating and supporting rural jobs and opportunities for several years – Farmer harvesting energy, new opportunities – Ongoing employment after construction (supply chain, operation,

maintenance)

• Bioenergy in Ireland is a “Sleeping Giant”

– Very interesting market in the near future

• Ireland has a significant unexploited resource potential for Bioenergy and AD

• High potential feedstock (agricultural residues, forestry, energy crops etc.) and farming knowledge

• Support is available (EU projects, Leader groups, RD+D, REFIT)

• Market update, reports, software available (BGIS, literature on website)

– Ireland joined 4 IEA Bioenergy Task 2011 (e.g. Energy from Biogas, UCC)

Summary Bioenergy (2) Opportunities

Further information on www.seai.ie/bioenergy

• Technical Guides

• Handbooks

• Lists of consultants, registered boilers, suppliers

• Calculators

• Case studies

• Statistics

• References Installations in ROI

• Presentations of conferences

• Newsletter (news, upcoming events)

• Etc.

Thank you/Vielen Dank

Tom Knitter

SEAI - Renewable Energy Information Office

Unit A, West Cork Technology Park

Clonakilty, Co. Cork

Ireland

tom.knitter@reio.ie

+353 (0)23-88 63 237+353 (0)87-68 27 688