Summary

Biomass is one of the most important renewable energy carriers worldwide. Biomass is obtained from numerous sources, including by-products from the timber industry, agricultural crop residues, forest residues and household waste. The use of biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, because it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as fuel, and the whole process chains have low climate impact. The use of biomass also reduces the energy dependency on fossil fuels, and opens new chances for regional economy and agriculture. Its low sulphur content helps to perform a less acidifying combustion than in the case of coal. Ashes from biomass combustion contains insignificant amount of heavy metals leading to reduced environmental pollution.

Most of the biomass that is currently used for domestic energy and fuel applications is utilized through combustion. But biomass enables also to generate high-value secondary energy such as electricity and synthetic fuels or bulk chemicals, whereas heat can also be supplied using ambient heat or low-tech thermo-solar systems. A key technology for what high-value applications of biomass are developed is gasification, the production of synthesis gas (or fuel gas, in other words). Due to the function of synthesis gas as platform chemical gasification permits a flexible use of biomass with the aims of electricity generation, the production of liquid and gaseous secondary biofuels as well as supplying the chemical industry consuming synthesis gas or hydrogen. Electricity can be alternatively generated in a combustion based cycle such as the water steam cycle. The efficiency of gasification based processes employing a reciprocating engine cycle as cyclic process in much higher in the small and medium power range. Due to the function of synthesis gas as platform chemical, electricity generation, the production of liquid and gaseous secondary biofuels as well as the chemical industry consuming synthesis gas or hydrogen will be markets for the gasifiers.

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