Abstract
In 2006, the total biomass contribution to primary energy consumption in the European Union was 86.6 million tons oil equivalent (Mtoe). The main share of 66.4 Mtoe was provided by solid biomass, with the remainder provided by biogas, transport biofuels and renewable solid municipal waste [1]. The bioenergy supply potential has recently been assessed at global level by (among others) the IPCC, US EPA, World Energy Council, Shell, IASA and the Stockholm Environment Institute [2, 3]. Estimates of the share of biomass in the future global energy supply range from below 100 EJ/year to above 400 EJ/year in 2050, compared to a global primary energy consumption of 420 EJ for the year 2001 [4]. One of the major reasons for the large ranges observed is that studies differed widely in their estimates of land availability and energy crop yields, and, to a lesser extent, the availability of wood and residue resources. Studies at the European level also deliver widely ranging results. Conservative results on the total biomass potential come from the EEA study [8]: how much bioenergy can Europe produce without harming the environment? It estimates a total bioenergy potential from agriculture, forestry and waste of almost 300 Mtoe in 2030. Of this, 142 MTOE will come from agriculture only which is obtained from 19 million hectares of agricultural land. This is equivalent to 12% of the utilised agricultural area in 2030. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a perspective on solid agricultural biomass feedstocks in EU27 and to summarise relevant data that influence the availability and future supply of these feedstocks for energy and fuel production. To achieve this, the chapter is structured in sections that aim to provide a series of concise answers to key questions arising regarding biomass availability and supply:
-
• Which types of biomass feedstocks can be produced within the available land resources of EU27 and how much of them can be estimated as available.
-
• What are the key cost factors and the costs ranges for residual feedstocks and energy crops.
-
• What are the main concerns affecting their sustainable exploitation.
-
• What are the main future challenges and how they can be overcome.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Eurob’server: The state of renewable energies in Europe, Edition 2008
Berndes G, Hoogwijk M, van den Broek R (2003) The contribution of biomass in the future global energy supply: a review of 17 studies. Biomass and Energy 25:1–28
Fischer G, Schrattenholzer L (2001) Global bioenergy potentials through 2050. Biomass Bioenerg 20:151–159
IEA, OECD (2003) OECD balances of non-OECD countries 1999–2000, IEA/OECD, Paris
Dalianis C, Panoutsou C (1995) Energy potential of agricultural residues in EU. EUREC Network on Biomass (Bioelectricity) Final Report. Contract No: RENA CT 94-0053
Johansson TB, Kelly H, Reddy AKN, Williams RH (1993) Renewable fuels and electricity for a growing world economy – defining and achieving the potential. In: Johansson TB, Kelly H, Reddy AKN, Williams RH (eds) Renewable energy: sources for fuels and electricity, Island Press, Washington, DC
Kaltschmitt M, Neubarth J (2000) Biomass for energy – an option for covering the energy demand and contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions? Workshop Proceedings, Workshop on Integrating Biomass Energy with Agriculture, Forestry and Climate Change Policies in Europe, December 2000, Imperial College, London, UK
Kaltschmitt M, Dinkelbach L (1997) Biomass for energy in Europe – status and prospects In: Kaltschmitt M, Bridgwater AV (eds) Biomass gasification and pyrolysis – state of the art and future prospects, CPL Scientific, Newbury, UK
Lazarus M (1993) Towards a fossil free energy future. Boston: Stockholm Environment Institute 240
Hall DO, Rosilo-Calle F, Williams RH, Woods J (1993) Biomass for energy: supply prospects. In: Johansson TB, Kelly H, Reddy AKN, Williams RH (eds) Renewable energy: sources for fuels and electricity, Island Press, Washington, DC
Parikka M (2004) Global biomass fuel resources. Biomass Bioenerg 27:613–620
Wirsenius S (2000) Human use of land and organic materials – modelling the turnover of biomass in the global food system. Chalmers University 255
Swisher J, Wilson D (1993) Renewable energy potentials. Energy 18(5):437–459
FAO (2006) State of the world’s forests – 2006. www.fao.org
Panoutsou C, Namatov I, Lychnaras V, Nikolaou A (2005) Biofuels in Greece: production and environmental impacts. In Greek. RENES conference 23–25 February, Athens, Greece
FAO (2002) FAOSTAT-database 2002. http://ww.fao.org
FAO (1993) Energy conservation in the mechanical forest industries. Forestry Paper 93
Cosentino LS (2007) Personal communication
Dessus B, Devin B, Pharabod F (1992) World potential of renewable energies, CNRS-PIRSEM Paris 70
EEA (2006) European Environmental Agency. How much bioenergy can Europe produce without harming the environment?
WWF (2006) Sustainability standards for bioenergy, Authors: Fritsche UR, Hünecke K, Hermann A, Schulze F, Wiegmann K, Berlin, November 2006, Imke Lübbeke, WWF Germany
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (2004) Biomass as a renewable energy source. http://www.rcep.org.uk/bioreport.htm
Lychnaras V, Rozakis S, Soldatos P, Tsiboukas K, Panoutsou C (2007) Economic Analysis of Perennial Energy Crops Production in Greece under the Current CAP. Proceedings of the 15th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 7–11 May 2007 ICC Berlin Germany
Lychnaras V, Rozakis S, Soldatos P, Tsiboukas K, Panoutsou C (2007) Economic Analysis of Perennial Energy Crops Production in Greece under the Current CAP. Proceedings of the 15th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 7–11 May 2007, ICC, Berlin, Germany
Monti A, Fazio S, Lychnaras V, Soldatos P, Venturi G (2007) A full economic analysis of switchgrass under different scenarios in Italy estimated by BEE model, Biomass Bioenerg, 31(4):177–185
Soldatos P, Lychnaras V, Asimakis D, Christou M (2004) Bee – Biomass Economic Evaluation: A Model for the Economic Analysis of Biomass Cultivation, 2nd World Conference and Technology Exhibition on Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection, 10–14 May 2004, Rome, Italy
Allen J, Browne M, Hunter A, Boyd J, Palmer H (1996) Logistics management and costs of biomass fuel supply. Int J Phys Distrib 28(6):463–477
Siemons R, Vis M, Berg D, Chesney I, Whiteley M, Nikolaou A (2004) Bioenergy’s role in the EU energy market: a view of developments until 2020. Report to the European Commission
Faaij A (2006) Bioenergy in EU changing technology. Energ Policy 34(3):322–342
Christou M, Lychnaras V, Bookis I, Kontopoulos G, Panoutsou C, Alexopoulou E (2009) Could energy crops be an economic and sustainable option for heat and electricity? In 17th European Biomass Conference, Hamburg
JRC (2007) Proceedings of the expert consultation: short rotation forestry, short rotation coppice and perennial grasses in the European Union: agro-environmental aspects, present use and perspectives. In: Dallemand JF, Petersen JE, Karp A (eds) Short rotation forestry, short rotation coppice and perennial grasses in the European Union. Harpenden, United Kingdom: (European Commission Joint Research Centre)
BTG. Sustainability criteria and certification systems for biomass production: a report for DG TREN – European Commission. Biomass Technology Group; 2008
EEA (2007) European Environment Agency technical report #12/2007: estimating the environmentally compatible bioenergy potential from agriculture. European Environment Agency
Madlener R, Myles H (2000) Modelling socio-economic aspects of bioenergy systems: a survey prepared for IEA Bioenergy Task 29
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Panoutsou, C. (2011). Supply of Solid Biofuels: Potential Feedstocks, Cost and Sustainability Issues in EU27. In: Grammelis, P. (eds) Solid Biofuels for Energy. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-393-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-393-0_1
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-84996-392-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-84996-393-0
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)