mehr Geschwindigkeit weniger Eile***

The UK biomass industry is up and beginning to run.  Time for some reflection perhaps and maybe some lessons from Europe.

 

Twelve months ago the number of biomass projects of a reasonable size was still very limited, so we could hardly have predicted the phenomenal number of enquiries we now are getting from a host of different organisations.  If even half the plans being put forward get developed then this will be an exciting few years for all involved.

 

But before anyone gets carried away, now’s the time to look at what we have learnt in the past few years and how the market is likely to evolve.

 

For a long time we have been calling for consultants to bring fuel suppliers to the discussion table at the earliest possible moment.  The historic failure to consult has resulted in a number of installations experiencing early difficulties.  Fortunately, we can report that our message is slowly being taken on board and we are hearing about projects at a much earlier stage in the process.  Fingers crossed these problems will become a thing of the past.

 

Looking ahead, there is an urgent need to reappraise fuel specifications.  In the majority of the proposals we are being asked for wood chip fuel with a moisture content around 30-35%.  Whilst there are certainly installations – mainly the smaller ones – that require fuel at this level, there are far more that ought to relax the specification of the chip so that the moisture content goes up to 45-50%.  After all, this is what happens in Europe.

In addition there needs to be a strategic reappraisal of the use of biomass for large-scale power generation.  Great for big business and Government PR/spin, but is this the best way forward, the best use of precious biomass resources?  It has been suggested that there will soon be a need for as much 15 million tonnes of biomass wood fuel per year.  How sustainable is this?  What kind of a UK-wide strategy do we have? 

 

The headlong corporate dash for biomass power is in full flight, hastened by government financial incentives.  That’s great isn’t it?  Well they don’t think so in Europe one bit, and let’s be honest, they do know a little more about this than we do.

 

We’re thrilled about the buzz around biomass but it really is time for some rarely-displayed British humility:  we need to be taking lessons from Austria, Germany and Scandinavia.

 

*** German for “More speed, less haste”