Bioenergy is an essential part of the bioeconomy and competes with other end use applications for biomass resource. In the UK,
bioenergy accounts for only a small proportion of total biomass resource use
and will only be one of several drivers of growth in the bioeconomy which is
developing globally, reducing reliance on fossil-fuels and improving
sustainability across all sectors.
A range of feedstocks, both domestic and imported, can be
utilised in a variety of processes and technologies of varying maturities.
Options range from domestic-scale biomass boilers producing heat; to energy
from waste (EfW), dedicated biomass combustion or co-firing in large existing
power-stations to generate electricity; to much more advanced technologies that
are not yet commercialised such as the conversion of a syngas (produced from
gasification) to hydrogen.
Within the energy system, bioenergy, while being by far the largest renewable source of energy, still meets only a small share of primary energy demand. In 2014 the UK’s primary energy demand was 2,342TWh; 7% of this was supplied by UK renewables of which over two thirds was from bioenergy. Over half of this was supplied as electricity, a fifth was supplied as heat, an eighth as transport fuel and the remainder as other bioenergy (incl. biomethane).
The largest bioenergy sector is bioelectricity that produced
over 17.5 TWh in 2014. This supports
around half of the input feedstock supply by energy (around 10 million tonnes
of feedstock) and a large proportion of this has been met from imports which
are able to supply high volumes of feedstock at competitive prices.
Conversely, the biomass heat sector as a consequence of more
efficient conversion technologies and less established end use markets, uses
around 1.25 million tonnes of wood pellets and chips annually, with the smaller
scale nature of facilities supporting local biomass feedstock supply.
Heat from biogas combustion and biomethane is also on the
increase with the former being combusted on-site for own-use or local
distribution, and the latter being fed into the national gas distribution
network and mixed with natural gas for use in gas-fired appliances and
industrial processes nationally.
The bioenergy value chain is complex, with a matrix of
potential inputs and outputs, derived through a wide range of technologies,
owned and operated by different types of individuals and organisations, and
incentivised by a multitude of support mechanisms.
NNFCC supports developers, investors and policy makers with
interests in the bioenergy sector to strategically plan and develop robust
supply chains, maximising returns from the complex matrix of financial incentives
that are available whilst also ensuring sustainability criteria are met.
Below are a list of relevant projects NNFCC has delivered in
For reports and our monthly review of news from the bioenergy
sector, see our publications store.