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Every year, sun energy corresponding to several times the earth’s energy needs is stored in biomass. A part of this can then be burned and the energy taken advantage of. Bio energy from forest fuel, energy crops and waste among other things, accounts for approximately eleven percent of the energy that is used in the world even today (the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). The carbon dioxide that is released on burning of bio fuel is used by the forest in order to build up new biomass. Accordingly, a circular flow is created and the carbon dioxide that is produced on the burning does not contribute to increasing the quantity of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Background and technical development
Three types of fuel contribute to electricity production from biomass: solid biomass, biogas and waste incineration. Biofuel consists principally of wood, energy crops and bioproducts from industries.
An area that has come more and more into focus is the use of different types of biobased automotive fuels, such as ethanol, biomethane, i.e. biogas that is purified to 95 -97 % methane content in order to obtain “natural gas quality” and biodiesel, e.g. RME (rape methyl ester). These are produced and used today. The next generation of biofuel includes fuel produced from synthesis gas from gasifying biomass such as chips or liquor, e.g. DME (di methyl ester), FT-diesel (Fischer-Tropsch diesel), methanol and hydrogen gas. The production technique for these fuels is under development and is expected to become commercial in approx. 15-20 years.
During recent years there has been a greater interest in trading in bioenergy, particularly in Northern Europe and Canada. Trading from and to Sweden has also increased. Sweden mainly imports residual products from the forest industry and peat from the Baltic states, tall oil and pellets from North America as well as domestic waste and recycled wood from Holland and Germany. Exports mostly consist of tall oil, peat and pellets. Previously, trade only took place locally but the fact that today it is possible to trade internationally will create new possibilities for bioenergy. The increasing trade is especially important for e.g. bioethanol as only 10% of all bioethanol is traded today. The introduction of international trading will lead to stable markets, better use of unexploited biomass and increased earnings for bioenergy as a whole (World Energy Council, Survey of Energy Resources).
Bioenergy in the world – support and objectives
Global
Several industrialized countries plan to increase their production of bioenergy significantly for environmental reasons. It is difficult to estimate the total extraction potential of bioenergy and it is limited chiefly by economic factors. The annual world “economic potential” of bioenergy is estimated to be 63,000 TWh, i.e. some 420 times Sweden’s annual consumption. The abundant global supply means that biomass is the greatest sustainable energy source on the planet notwithstanding that only a part of it can be utilized to produce energy at competitive prices. At present, biofuel meets approx. 11 % of the global energy production (the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation).
Bioenergy accounts for a quarter of the energy production in developing countries. In certain countries, bioenergy amounts to as much as 90 % (Uganda). Energy Information Administration estimates that over 2.6 billion people in developing countries will be dependent on bioenergy by the year 2030. This would mean that approx. 50% of the developing countries’ total energy consumption would come from bioenergy (World Energy Council, Survey of Energy Resources).
EU
Electricity from biomass constitutes 2% of the EU’s electricity consumption. Electricity from biomass has displayed high growth in recent years and amounted to 23% in 2005. If the strong development in evidence during 2004 continues until 2010, the total quantity of electricity from biomass would rise to 167 TWh, which corresponds to the production from biomass that is required in order to comply with the EU’s target of 21% electricity from renewable energy (the EU Commission).
Sweden
In Sweden 108 TWh biofuel is produced annually (2005) which corresponds to 17% of the country’s energy consumption which also means that biofuel is Sweden’s largest renewable energy source apart from hydro power (the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). Biofuel accounts for 73% of Sweden’s electricity production from renewable energy apart from large-scale hydro power. The majority of biofuel production for running vehicles is currently bioethanol, and a very minor amount of biodiesel. Sweden ranks second today in the EU25 in relation to production of bioethanol. The production of biodiesel is also increasing in Sweden. The production capacity of biodiesel increased by 333% during 2006 (the EU Commission).
Half of Sweden’s bioenergy production comes from fuel from trees and the other half from the pulp industry’s waste liquor and from waste incineration. Approx. 60% of Sweden’s district heating comes from biofuel. Each year, 3-4 TWh more biofuel is produced than the previous year. This is a greater supply than from hydro and nuclear power. The Swedish National Energy Agency estimates that Sweden’s energy supply from biofuel can amount to approx. 160 TWh by the year 2010. According to the Swedish Bioenergy Association, Svebio, today’s consumption can very well double in the longer-term to 220 TWh energy. Notwithstanding that the increase will just be 160 TWh it would correspond to the energy production of the entire Swedish nuclear programme (the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation). Biofuel constitutes a very environmentally friendly energy alternative. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels can be regenerated for the foreseeable future.
The use of biomass for heat and cooling is high in Sweden and exceeds 5 Mtoe. A tax relief system has recently been introduced in Sweden, which however will change in order to comply with the directive on EU taxation of energy products. Green taxes, as for example on carbon dioxide, promote biofuel in an indirect way. The Swedish government is now increasing the number of filling stations that offer alternative, renewable automotive fuel and has ensured that 36% of all government vehicles in use in 2006 are run, either wholly or partly, by biogas, ethanol or electricity (the EU Commission).
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