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POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY FROM BIOMASS IN THE UK

POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY FROM BIOMASS IN THE UK. Alex McBurnie ENV-2E02 Energy Resources. February 24 th 2005. LOOKING AT: Electricity Heat Transport 15-25 years in the future. BUT NOT: Energy from Waste Which would include : Straw Hedge Clippings Sawmill Waste

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POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY FROM BIOMASS IN THE UK

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  1. POTENTIAL FOR ENERGY FROM BIOMASS IN THE UK Alex McBurnie ENV-2E02 Energy Resources February 24th 2005

  2. LOOKING AT: Electricity Heat Transport 15-25 years in the future BUT NOT: Energy from Waste Which would include: Straw Hedge Clippings Sawmill Waste Which could provide much energy by themselves INCLUDING / IGNORING

  3. ENERGY FROM EXISTING FORESTS • 12% of Britain is woodland – 2.8 million hectares (Forestry Commission, 2004) • By 2020 Britain will be producing 10 million tonnes a year more wood than is currently used – and demand is falling (RCEP, 2004) • This level is sustainable assuming restocking matches or exceeds extraction

  4. HOW MUCH ENERGY COULD THIS PRODUCE? • 10 million tonnes of wood • Energy Content Estimated 20 GJ / Tonne • Will therefore contain (not accounting for energy used in extraction): • 200 million GJ • 200 PJper Year

  5. Wood Short Rotation Coppice -4 year cycle -20 year replacement Longer growth - 15 years Willow or Poplar Trees For heat, electricity and CHP production Non-wood Miscanthus Grass Oilseed rape for biodiesel Sugar beet for bioethanol 1 season cylce All have similar energy contents ~ 20GJ / tonne NEW PLANTING

  6. USING SET-ASIDE LAND • Under CAP an average (1999-2002) 640 ha land is under set-aside • Much of this lies fallow • At yields of 15 tonnes / hectare / year (conservative estimate) x 640 ha = 9600 tonnes per year • So 10,000 tonnes per year realistic estimate

  7. SET-ASIDE LAND CONTINUED… • 10,000 tonnes x 20 GJ = 200,000 GJ • 200,000 GJ = • 0.2 PJ per Year

  8. USING EXITING AGRICULTURAL LAND • Grade 5 land largely too poor • Grades 1, 2 & 3 best used for food production • Grade 4 ideal for fuel crops

  9. EXISTING LAND CONTINUED… • Grades 4 = 16% of UK agricultural land • NFU indicates 20% of UK crops are not needed for food • Suggests that use of grade 4 land will have no effect on food supply

  10. HOW MUCH? • 16% of UK’s 18.5 million hectares agricultural land = 3 million hectares (roughly) • At yields of 15 tonnes / hectare / year = 45 million tonnes • Assuming 20 GJ per tonne this could produce 900 million GJ = 900 PJ per year

  11. SUMMARY OF RAW ENERGY • From exiting forests = 200 PJ • From set-aside land = 0.2 PJ • From agricultural land = 900 PJ • Minus extraction and transport overheads of 0.2 GJ / tonne (from Thetford Forest practical) x 55,010,000 t = >12PJ • Total = 1088.2 PJ per year

  12. EFFICIENCIES CHP (or heat only) = 85% Straight electricity = 30% Road transport = 70% SO THE TOTAL USEABLE ENERGY PRODUCED COULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 325 PJ and 925 PJ HOW WILL THIS BE USED?

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