Bio-energy activities brochure
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Alternatives #8: Biomass, living energy
Bioenergy: naturally renewable
In the industrial sector and beyond, sustainable development has become a major concern. Burning biomass is a carbon-neutral way of producing energy. This is because trees, through photosynthesis, can capture and absorb the CO2 that is released during fuel combustion.
Reusing residue
Largely produced by nature, biomass is a virtually inexhaustible source of fuel. Whereas fossil fuels such as coal and gas have formed over several hundred million years, the fastest-growing biomass resources, such as sugar cane, can grow in a matter of months.
Bioenergy is the world’s second largest source of renewable energy. With over 2,650 MWe of global installed capacity for bioenergy plants, AREVA is a leader in the market. Its activities cover the design and construction of carbon-neutral biomass and biogas plants.
AREVA’s bioenergy plants can burn many types of commonplace residue, including:
- bagasse (sugar cane fiber),
- rice husks and chaff,
- wood (chips, bark and sawdust),
- straw,
- EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch resulting from the oil palm industry).
The most common of these types of residue are bagasse, rice husks and wood chips.
The 120 million metric tons of rice residue that is left unused globally each year could be converted into 15,000 MW of electricity.
A viable alternative
The use of natural residue to produce renewable energy opens up a host of possibilities for electric generation.
This industrial process creates new energy sources for local energy companies, enabling them to generate electricity on their grids and steam for industrial processes. Additionally, in some countries companies can sell the carbon credits they obtain from such bio-electricity production.
From localized markets to large-scale projects, AREVA provides project development assistance and financing support. AREVA Bioenergy is present throughout the life cycle of the project.
Bio-energy activities brochure
AREVA offers its customers (energy producers, industrialists, local authorities) integrated solutions for the design and construction of carbon-neutral bio-energy power plants transforming plant and animal residues into energy.
AREVA also supports its clients in obtaining carbon credits.
Developing biomass potential
AREVA is an established engineering expert in the bioenergy market. Today, it is focusing its R&D activities on finding innovative ways to use biomasses that are difficult to burn (straw, poultry litter, empty fruit bunch, etc.).
In addition, AREVA Bioenergy is designing dedicated plants with the capacity to burn several types of biomass together.
Spotlight on the benefits of biomass
- Provides ways to profit from otherwise unused organic matter
- Is CO2-neutral and avoids production of methane during the natural decomposition process of vegetal residues
- Creates jobs in rural areas, both directly and indirectly through biomass collection, within an approximately 50-kilometer radius of the plant
- Can be comprised of several types of fuel with AREVA mixed fuel design, ensuring that operations can continue outside of collection periods
- Is connected to the local power grid or to an industrial facility to supply electricity and possibly heat in cogeneration
Carbon credits offer
Under the Kyoto protocol, biomass-based power plants are eligible for carbon credits. AREVA offers its customers help in obtaining these credits by providing a comprehensive package for the development of carbon assets throughout the life of the project, from the feasibility study to the issuance and sale of credits. AREVA offers these services principally to its customers in Asia and Latin America.
AREVA assists its customers throughout the CDM (Clean Development Mechanism), JI (Joint Implementation) and voluntary standards processes, to the eventual sale of their carbon credits.
AREVA’s carbon services include:
- feasibility analysis of carbon credit issuance,
- preparation of required documentation,
- assistance on project validation by an external auditor and project registration,
- assistance on the regular monitoring and verification process of the emission reductions to generate carbon credits,
- assistance in selling carbon credits.
