www.reuters.com
25 May 2012
(Reuters)-Britain is placing Europe's biggest bet on biomass as an alternative to polluting oil and coal and expensive gas, but reliance on imports could challenge the plan's low-carbon credentials and Britain's energy security. Burning wood, sunflower husks or animal feces offers steady so-called "baseload" power, giving biomass an advantage over intermittent renewable rivals solar and wind. It also offers an alternative to Europe's gas-fired power plants, where profits have been eroded by rising natural gas prices.
One way biomass is finding a way into the UK's energy mix is through the conversion of coal-burning power plants, which saves up to 75% of the cost of building a new station. "Biomass is perfect for baseload generation capacity because it's always available, it's not like wind power or solar", said Hannes Lechner, head of bioenergy at consultancy Poyry. Britain's biomass plans are Europe's biggest, with 3 GWs in planning representing 20% of Europe's growth through 2035, according to IHR Emerging Energy Research. It is part of the UK's aim to get 15% of its energy from green sources by 2020.
Read More…
0 comments:
Post a Comment