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Sustainable biomass and biogas power

Biomass includes all land- and water-based vegetation, as well as all organic wastes. As a renewable energy source, biomass is used for facility heating, electric power generation, and combined heat and power (CHP). For the cities, the preferable way of the utilization of biomass for electricity generation is in CHP plants with supply to a district heating network since this is the most effective way to use biomass. CHP is typically consisting of a biomass-fired boiler whose steam is used to propel a steam turbine in addition to the extraction of steam or heat for process use. The benefit of using biomass for electricity generation is its ability to be stored, and thus it can easily be used for peak load generation. 

Ways to release the energy stored in biomass include pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and conversion to gas/liquid fuel. Methods are selected depending on the types of biomass. Woody biomass is most often combusted or gasified to generate electricity. Biomass like wheat straw and very wet wastes are converted into gas in an anaerobic digester.

Biogas produced by anaerobic digestion is used to produce electricity, heat or as a vehicle fuel. In Europe, most the modern anaerobic digestors provide electricity and heat in electricity-only, heat-only, or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Biogas production can be used for self-production/consumption.

In high-income countries, biogas is used primarily in electricity-only and CHP plants. About 50% of total biogas consumption in Europe was used for heat production.    

Figure: from EU project VALUE WASTE: https://valuewaste.eu/

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Climate resilienceEnergyIndustrySustainable fuelTechnology
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