1,721,219 research outputs found
A General Introduction to International Bioenergy Trade
No full textThe development of functional international markets for bioenergy has become an essential driver to develop bioenergy potentials, which are currently under-utilised in many regions of the world. Technical potential of bioenergy may be as large as 500 EJ/yr by 2050. However, large uncertainty exists about important factors such as market and policy conditions that affect this potential. Potential deployment levels by 2050 could lay in the range of 100–300 EJ/yr. Realizing this potential represents a major challenge but would substantially contribute to the world’s primary energy demand in 2050. The possibilities to export biomassderived commodities for the world’s energy market can create important socioeconomic development incentives for rural communities. But bioenergy markets are still immature, relying on policy objectives and incentives, that prove to be erratic in many cases. Further improvement is needed to develop both supply and demand in a balanced way and avoid distortions and instability that can threaten investments. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop and exploit biomass resources in a sustainable way and to understand what this means in different settings. In some markets, prices of biomass resources are volatile, including indirect effects on price of raw material prices for e.g. the forest industry as well as on food. Sustainability demands serve as a starting point for policies supporting bioenergy in many countries. The proliferation of initiatives registered worldwide to develop and implement sustainability frameworks and certifi cation systems for bioenergy, can lead to a fragmentation of efforts. This asks for harmonization and for international collaboration
Governing the heat transition: Exploring challenges and opportunities for local governments and energy communities to decarbonise heating systems in buildings
No full textThe climate crisis, with rising sea levels and extreme heatwaves, underscores the urgent need to reduce energy demand and transition to sustainable energy. Heating, responsible for nearly half of global energy consumption, plays a central role in this transition. Moving from fossil fuels to low-carbon heating alternatives in buildings—through electrification, energy efficiency, and renewable solutions like district heating and biogas—can significantly cut CO2 emissions, improve energy security, and build more resilient communities. However, while heating is critical in reaching climate goals, many countries have only recently begun adopting supportive policies, leaving gaps in how nations, largely reliant on fossil fuels, are addressing this shift.
Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, this thesis examines the technical, economic, regulatory, and organizational challenges and opportunities faced by local governments and citizen-led Thermal Energy Communities (TECs) in advancing the heat transition in buildings. The Dutch context, undergoing a recent shift away from natural gas, provided this thesis with a valuable case study. Here, the central government has designated municipalities as key players in local heat strategies and acknowledges the vital role of citizen energy communities in advancing the heat transition.
The research highlights that local governments face significant challenges in crafting effective local heat strategies. Limited central government support in terms of regulation and financing are two key missing ingredients, namely the lack of binding regulations and affordable alternatives to drive the switch to sustainable heating. Additionally, a shortage of internal municipal capacity - a very prominent challenge for small and medium municipalities - make these efforts particularly challenging. Last, technical uncertainties are also present. While current techno-economic models are valuable for identifying the optimal heating solution for each neighborhood, the thesis reveals uncertainties in determining the best system. Additionally, these models are often too complex for municipalities to manage on their own, leading them to rely heavily on costly external consultants.
Further, the research explores the pros and cons of transitioning to public ownership for district heating systems, which could promote transparency and affordability. However, a one-size-fits-all approach to public ownership may limit the adaptability needed to meet local needs effectively. This thesis suggests that implementing regulations protecting public values and enabling the coexistence of public, private or public-private configurations tailored to each unique local context could be an alternative, as successful district heating sectors abroad demonstrate.
Finally the thesis highlights that TECs are essential players in the heat transition. By examining the Netherlands alongside Denmark and Germany, the thesis illustrates how policy support and economic incentives have fueled TEC growth, especially in promoting renewable heating solutions and engaging communities. However, scaling TECs remains a challenge in both the Netherlands and Germany, underscoring the need for improved institutional frameworks to help these initiatives expand and thrive.
In conclusion, this thesis offers a comprehensive analysis of the heat transition, identifying key barriers and proposing actionable solutions for local governments, policymakers, scientists, and TECs. Its findings contribute valuable insights to the ongoing efforts to decarbonize heating in buildings and bolster climate resilience
Energy from biomass and waste
No full textBiomass, a broad term for all organic matter of plants, trees and crops, is currently regarded as a renewable energy source which can contribute
substantially to the world's energy supply in the future. Various scenarios for the development of energy supply and demand, such as compiled
by the World Energy Council (WEC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Shell and the Stockholm Environmental Institute
(SEI), indicate that biomass has the potential to make a large contribution to the world's energy supply. Estimates of this potential in the year
2050 vary from 14% to 50% of the total supply, or from 100 to about 300 EJ/yr. It is estimated that currently biomass contributes 10-14% of the energy supply, which is equivalent to about 40-55 EJ/yr. The use of firewood in developing countries makes up a large part of this 40-55 EJ, but
there it is for a large part non-commercial and non-sustainable use of biomass.
In recent years there has been renewed interest in biomass as a commercial and sustainable source of energy. There are three main reasons for
this:
1. Technological developments, in the field of crop production and conversion technology permit the more efficient and cleaner utilisation of
biomass at lower costs. These developments make bioenergy more competitive with energy produced from fossil fuels.
2. The agricultural systems of especially the European Union and the United States are producing food surpluses. This situation has led to
policies whereby agricultural land is 'set-aside', resulting in depopulation of rural areas. The continuously increasing productivity in agriculture
might strengthen these trends. There is therefore a desire to develop alternative crops. Energy crops could be a suitable alternative since there
is virtually an infinite market for this, provided the costs are competitive with those of fossil fuels.
3. There is a threat of global climate change due to the rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, especially CO2 in the
atmosphere, resulting mainly from the large scale use of fossil fuels. If produced sustainably, biomass can be a carbon neutral alternative for
fossil energy carriers.
If biomass is to make a substantial contribution to the world's energy supply it will have to include not only biomass residues - such as from
commercial forestry (e.g. thinnings) and agriculture (e.g. straw) - and organic wastes, but also energy crops. Perennial crops seem to be a
particularly promising energy source. Crops like Short Rotation Coppice (e.g. Willow and Eucalyptus) and grasses (e.g. Miscanthus) give a
relatively high net energy yield per hectare, have a low environmental impact and produce relatively cheap energy. The use of such crops in a
Biomass Integrated Gasifier/Combined Cycle (BIG/CC) plant to produce electricity or combined heat and power, and the gasification of these
crops to produce fuels like methanol and hydrogen appear to be promising routes for achieving high energy conversion efficiency at relatively
low cost.
However, despite the promising outlook, various barriers are hampering the large scale development and implementation of commercial biomass
energy systems. Currently, the commercial use of biomass to generate electricity is limited mainly to the utilization of zero- or low-cost biomass
waste or residues. At the moment specially cultivated biomass is too expensive an option. However, biomass is able to compete on a significant
scale in countries, like Sweden, Denmark and Brazil, where government policies support its use financially or have actively discouraged the use
of fossil fuels (such as by the introduction of a carbon tax).
The complexity of large scale bioenergy systems is also a barrier. Furthermore, biomass has a relatively low energy density. The production of
biomass is bound up with seasons and makes high demands on organization and logistics. Furthermore, it involves many different actors
involved in the production and utilisation of energy crops: farmers, utilities, industries, governments, etc. Difficulties concerning public
acceptability and uncertainties concerning the ecological effects of the large scale production of use of biomass be form another problem. Last
but not least, the availability of land may be a major problem if the large scale production of energy crops is being considered. If agriculture is
not modernizing, especially in developing countries, there might be very little room left for alternative crops. Energy farming may then conflict
with food production, a situation which is highly undesirable.
This thesis focuses on a number of aspects relating to the utilization of biomass and waste for energy purposes. The general objective of this
work is as follows: "To analyse the possibilities for biomass (both crops and wastes) as a modern energy carrier in the Dutch energy system."
Therefore this thesis has the following specific objectives:
1. To analyze of the technical, economic and environmental characteristics of Biomass Integrated Gasifier/Combined Cycle technology for the
conversion of biomass and waste streams.
2. To examine the potential energy supply of energy farming, biomass residues, organic waste streams and waste in the Netherlands.
3. To analyze of the potential costs and benefits of different biomass energy systems (including waste treatment) in the Netherlands
Developments in international bio-energy markets and trade
No full textA reliable and sustainable supply of biomass is vital to any market activity aimed at bioenergy production. Given the high expectations for bioenergy on a global scale and of many nations, the pressure on available biomass resources is increasing rapidly. Due to high prices for fossil fuels (especially oil, but also natural gas and to a lesser extent coal), the competitiveness of biomass use has strongly increased. In addition, the development of CO2 markets (emission trading), as well as ongoing learning and subsequent cost reductions for biomass and bioenergy systems, has strengthened the economic drivers for increasing biomass use, production and trade. Last but not the least, various policy incentives (in particular for biofuels for transport) drive demand up
World wide biomass resources
No full textIn a wide variety of scenarios, policy strategies, and
studies that address the future world energy demand
and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, biomass
is considered to play a major role as renewable
energy carrier. Over the past decades, the modern use
of biomass has increased rapidly in many parts of the
world and many countries have ambitious targets for
further biomass utilization in the light of the Kyoto
GHG reduction targets. Rising oil prices have also
increased the level of interest in bioenergy
Exploring the evolution of biofuel supply chains: An agent-based modeling approach
No full textOne of the challenges of the twenty-first century is the transition to a sustainable energy system. Road transport biofuels can play an important role in this energy transition. Indeed, biofuels have the largest global share as a mitigation measure in the road transport sector. In 2012, biofuels accounted for 3.4% of global road transport fuel demand (2.3%of total transport fuels). Biofuels are also considered as a promising strategy to decarbonize other transport sectors such as marine and aviation in the short-medium term. Nevertheless, biofuels are not cost competitive compared to fossil fuels and thus require government intervention to stimulate their production and consumption...Energie and Industri
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