Study of the biomass market

In the autumn of 2009, the heating companies VEKS, Copenhagen Energy and the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission company (known as CTR) completed the project “Long-term heat planning for greater Copenhagen” which suggested that within a number of years, a large amount of biomass would be needed for the district heating plants.

 

In Århus there has been consideration given to converting unit 3 at Studstrup Power Station to wood pellets. Other power plants in Denmark may also be converted wholly or in part to wood pellet-firing, including unit 7 at Fyn Power Station, Skærbæk Power Station and Nordjylland Power Station. This means that the Danish consumption of biomass, including wood pellets, may more than double over the coming years.

 

Today, well over one million tones wood pellets is used annually, around half of this in the central power stations. In Europe, the annual consumption is around eight million tonnes, and the wood pellet market is developing rapidly.

 

Analysis of biomass prices, resources, demand and sustainability

Upon conclusion of the above study, the heating companies VEKS, Copenhagen Energy,  the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission company (known as CTR), Fjernvarme Fyn (Fyn district heating) and AffaldVarme Århus (Århus waste and district heating) asked Ea Energy Analyses to undertake a study of the biomass market. The study addressed the following questions:

 

• What is the price prognosis for biomass?
• How will the biomass market develop?
• How much biomass is available for energy production now and in the future?
• Which sustainability requirements can be set for biomass?
• How will international demand develop?

 

The project was carried out from November 2009 to April 2010.

 

 

 

Last update 01.09.2010