IEA Bioenergy feasibility studies

he International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy aims at advancing bioenergy utilisation. In one of the current tasks, Techno-Economic Assessments for Bioenergy Applications 1998-99, the objectives are (1) to analyze bioenergy systems to support organisations working with products and services related to bioenergy, (2) to build and maintain a network for R and D organisations and industry, and (3) to disseminate data on advanced biomass conversion technologies. These IEA resources have been maintained and improved since the original studies in 1982. State-of-the-art, performance, and feasibility analyses of biomass to (heat and) electricity (CHP), and liquid, gaseous, and solid fuel systems have been carried out. This paper presents technical and economic feasibility studies carried out for several advanced biomass power and fuel conversion technologies in Austria, Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States during 1998-99. The core technologies analysed include a flue gas condensing system for increased heat production integrated to a biomass boiler, fast pyrolysis for chemicals, small-scale steam boiler power plant compared with proposed new bio-power concepts, and fast pyrolysis liquid production for district heat production within a city.