Bioenergy development: Perspectives and Barriers Padova, 20th April 2007

Biomass in Italy: current utilization and perspectives

Giuseppe Caserta and Andrea Scarpini

Sources of data:
ENEA, CTI, Regione Lombardia, UNCEM, Assitol, ITABIA

Worked out by ITABIA

The Italian Biomass Association

On behalf of the
AEBIOM European Biomass Association

For the EU Project

KEY ISSUES FOR RENEWABLE HEAT IN EUROPE

BIOMASS TYPES
Solid biomass MSW ISW Biogas Liquid biomass

BIOMASS PRIMARY ENERGY BALANCE IN ITALY Present Availability of Primary Biomass Energy produced on national land : 20-25 Mtoe/y Accessible potential at present: 13-15 Mtoe/y Total Biomass Primary Energy Supply (TBPES) in the last couple of years (including non-commercial domestic
biomass and feedstocks imported from abroad)

7-8 Mtoe/y (3-4 % of the national TPES)

SHARE OF BIOMASS TYPES IN TOTAL BIOMASS ENERGY SUPPLY Biomass Solid biomass Percentage in total biomass 70-80 Origin
Wood from domestic and foreign trade; agri-forestal and industry residues Waste management Companies Livestock and urban effluents, wet fractions of MSW, landfills Over 70% of raw material is imported

MSW and ISW Biogas

15-18 4-5

Liquid biomass

3-4

END USES OF BIOMASS PRIMARY ENERGY Final energy Percentage in TBPES % 65 -70 30-32 3-4 Users Contribution to global national need (%) 9-10 1-2 0.5

Heat Electricity Transport: biodiesel

Household National grid Diesel enhancer

MATURE TECHNOLOGY CHAINS

Solid biomass 1. Small household appliances 2. District heating 3. Small co-generation 4. Thermal energy from self-produced agro-industry residues 5. Power plants 6. Trigeneration Biogas 7. Thermal energy and co-generation Liquid biomass 8. Electric energy and co-generation 9. Biodiesel as gasoil enhancer

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

1) Small household appliances N of plants MWth N users

6 mln
50 40 30 20 10 0 1995

30,000
T R E N D M W th in s ta lla ti

mln

MWthx10

2005

2015

anni

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

2) District heating N of plants MWth N of users

60

400
TREND MWth installati
2000

thousands

MWth

1500 1000 500 0 1995

2005

2015

anni

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

3) Small co-generation A few tens of MWe installed at present, but great expectation for the future
T R E N D M W e in s ta lla ti
350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1995

Mwe

2005

2015

anni

10

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

4) Thermal energy from self-produced agro-industry residues N of plants MWth

1,500

3,000

TREND MWth installati

3

M th 1 W x0

4 3 2 1 0 1995 2005 2015

anni

11

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

5) Power plants fed with pellets and chips N of plants MWe Users

40

350
TR E N D M W e installati
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 1995

domestic grid

Mwe

2005

2015

anni

12

Present status and prospects: solid biomass

6) Trigeneration from lignocellulosics Some hundreds of kW are installed at present, but the potential is high, especially in the space cooling sector and the conservation of agriculture produces.
T R E N D M W in s ta lla ti
3 ,5 3 2 ,5 2 1 ,5 1 0 ,5 0 2000

Mw

2008

2016

anni

13

Present status and prospects: biogas

7) Thermal energy and co-generation from biogas About 100 plants are installed for production of thermal energy used for the space heating of the breeding. A few tens of plants produce also electric energy. N of plants 23 MWe 42 Users Domestic grid

T R E N D M W e l in s ta lla ti
60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1995

Mwe

2005

2015

anni

14

Present status and prospects: liquid biomass

8) Electric energy and co-generation from liquid biofuels A few tens of MWe installed at present, but great expectation for the future
T R E N D M W e in stallati

Mwe
2000

2010

2020

anni

15

Present status and prospects: biodiesel

9) Production of biodiesel in Italy in comparison with other EU Countries
Source: Assitol 2006

1800 1600 1400 1200 '000t 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1998 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 prev 2006 prev Germania Francia Italia Altri UE

16

End use of biodiesel in Italy Present status and prospects

17

GLOBAL NEAR TERM PROSPECTS (all biomass)

Mean annual grow rate (2000/2004): 14-15% Expectation at 2010-2015: 16-18 Mtoe Further contribution from dedicated agroforestry cultures 5 Mtoe/y
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MAIN PRE-CONDITIONS FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEPLOYMENT

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Clear and consolidated legislation Standardization and chains certification Re-organisation of agriculture and forestry Pushing on profitable projects Stimulating demand System approach

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1. Legislation
Present Status: More than 60 laws and decrees have direct and indirect connection with bioenergy, generating confusion and uncertainty. Partial adoption of EU Directives. Future Requirements: New biomass action plan, in the frame of EU directives. Consolidated statutes for procedures. Specific incentives for biomass detached from other RES.

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2. Standardization and chainscertification

Present Status: Many rules concerning solid biomass. Very few concerning liquid and gaseous biofuels. Sectorial certification. Requirements: Additional standard for biodiesel and biogas. Certification of the whole biomass chain from production to end use.

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3. Re-organization of agri-forestry sector

Present status: A non-food agriculture policy is missing. About 2 mln ha of low productive and surplus lands are abandoned. Modern forestry is not practiced. Future requirement: Integrating the energy use of biomass with non-food agriculture. Forming modern forestall enterprises. Integrating biomass production with land protection.

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4. Pushing on profitable projects

Present Status: Limited access to innovative individual heating devices, as well as to district heating and cooling systems. Unnatural approach to bioelectricity, wasting 75-80% of biomass energy content. No bioethanol production. Future Requirements: Adoption of combined heat and power production (co generation). Burning biomass in mixture with fossil fuels (co-firing). Use, by little adjustments, already exiting plants (retrofitting). Activation of bioethanol chain. 23

5. Stimulating demand
Present status: Unawareness of environmental benefit. Lacking of levy policy. Lacking of product standards. Future Requirements: Information campaign. Relieving levies, through fiscal bonus and VAT reduction. Securing concrete benefits.

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6. System approach
Present status: Unilateral approach to bioenergy Future requirement: High integration with Many different non-energy uses (food, fiber, fertilizers) Eco-system preservation and land protection (restoring organic matter in the soils, reclaiming abandoned land, sequestering CO2, etc.) Facing socio-economic concerns (compatibility with local needs and expectations) 25

An intercrossing approach to bioenergy deployment

Eco-system

Non-energy uses

Sustainable biomass use Social concerns

Energy uses

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To get more information, as well as to join ITABIA, contact the ITABIAs office at the following address ITABIA - Italian Biomass Association Via Acireale 19 00182 ROMA Phone. +39 06.7021118 Fax +39 06.7030.4833 E-mail: itabia@mclink.it www.itabia.it

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