Bioenergy in Ireland
Status and potential
Tom Knitter
SEAI
Renewable Energy Information Office
Clonakilty, Co. Cork
German Irish Chamber
17th 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
Dependency/targets
Ireland
Ireland: 89%
Ireland’s Import Dependency
Germany: ?
EU: 53%
Gross final energy consumption
Source: SEAI –Energy in Ireland 1990 -2008, website etc.
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
Demand/Supply
Important documents
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)
www.coford.ie
Bioenergy Roadmap 2050
Main contributors: grass silage and
waste material
http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Bioenergy_Roadmap.pdf
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
Biomass from waste can supply
Agricultural residues can supply
Balance
•
•
•
•
9m GJ
9m GJ
8m GJ
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)
Status solid biomass
•
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
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
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!
Installations Biogas plants
Germany (on-farm)
AD plants in Ireland 2010 (own estimation):
Ireland
Producer
On farm
Landfill
Sewage
sludge
Production
(MWh)
Upgraded
Biogas (m3)
29
5
(3-4 heat,
1-2 commercial heat + electricity)
14
10
119,000
(2009)
0
Example AD Ireland
commercial 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: Agriculture
Energy 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
•
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
http://www.intertradeireland.com/researchandstatistics/ourmarketreports/
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 crops
Demand:
• Residential and commercial
(granted) installations
• Large industrial biomass users
Bioenergy-GIS
Optimise supply chains
Match resources to demand
• Measure distances
• Cluster resources and endusers
• Analysis
Bioenergy-GIS
• The BGIS can assist with:
– Identifying opportunities
– Feasibility studies
– Supply chain optimisation
http://maps.seai.ie/bioenergy
http://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)
Summary Bioenergy (2)
Opportunities
• 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)
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