Arnhem, Netherlands — Utilities are facing major challenges in the coming decades. Current policy envisions a transition to a sustainable energy supply, while ensuring security of supply. Therefore, current energy policy is spuring utilities to improve the sustainability of their coal-fired power plants.

Co-firing biomass is one of the major measures widely applied to reduce CO2 emissions. Since the mid-1990s, power plants designed to burn pulverised coal have additionally been firing organic materials, such as wood and agricultural waste. However, coal-fired power plants are not designed to process biomass, which limits the co-firing percentage to some 5%-10%. With investments in dedicated supply chains and biomass pre-treatment equipment co-firing percentages of 25%-50% (thermal) have already been achieved.

via Torrefaction Cracks the Biomass Challenge | Renewable Energy World Magazine Article.