Section A: Generation & storage technologies for the future

Thursday, 14 September 2017, 09:30-10:00h/A02

Biomass as an attractive option in the transition phase – some Dutch examples

Dr. Wim Willeboer and Nikolaus Valerius, RWE Generation, Germany

Sustainable energy supply systems need storage

Even when, in future, the use of wind and solar energy will be maximized, stored (renewable) energy will be needed for about half of the total demand because solar and wind are not available 24/7.

Biomass is stored solar energy and it is plenty available

Biomass is stored and converted solar energy. It can be applied 24/7 and it can be stored for (very) long periods. Huge amounts of rest products from forestry, from wood industry and from agriculture are still unused in very many regions worldwide. Biomass fuel from such rest products can be produced in a sustainable way.

RWE Netherlands increases biomass co-firing: Amer goes to 80 % biomass, Eemshaven to 15 %

At the Amer power station in Geertruidenberg, Netherlands, RWE has built up a lot of experience in co-firing biomass with hard coal. Based upon subsidy tenders that RWE won recently, Amer and Eemshaven power stations are being converted and upgraded for large biomass volumes: Amer CHP (600 MW electricity and 350 MW heat) will run on 50 % biomass by the end of 2017 and on 80 % biomass in 2019. And at Eemshaven (2 x 800 MWe) two of in total eight mills will be converted to biomass, leading to at least 15 % of biomass in this station (figures based on yearly volumes). These conversion projects are being realized in 2017 – 2019. For next steps in the future, RWE is studying conversion to full biomass service for these plants. Further, RWE is cooperating with innovative chemical industries who focus on using biomass as their future feedstock, to develop the use of rest products from these bio refineries as future, sustainable fuel.