Overview of recent developments in sustainable biomass certification

The objective of this paper is to give a comprehensive review of initiatives on biomass sustainability criteria and certification from different viewpoints of stakeholders, including NGOs, companies, national governments and international bodies. Special attention is given to recent developments in the Netherlands, the UK and the EU up until June 2007. Furthermore, opportunities and restrictions in the development of biomass certification are described, including lack of adequate methodologies, stakeholder involvement requirements and certification costs. It is concluded that criteria to ensure the sustainable production of biomass are needed urgently. To some extent criteria categories can be covered using existing systems, but others (such as GHG and energy balances, changing land-use) require the development of new methodologies. A gradual development of certification systems with learning (through pilot studies and research) and expansion over time, linked to the development of advanced methodologies can provide valuable experience, and further improve the feasibility and reliability of biomass certification systems. However, better international coordination between initiatives is required to improve coherence and efficiency in the development of sustainable biomass certification systems, to avoid the proliferation of standards and to provide a clearer direction in the approach to be taken. Finally, next to certification, alternative policy tools should be considered as well to ensure sustainable biomass production

Міжнародний пакт «Про громадянські і політичні права»

Прийнятий і відкритий для підписання, ратифікації і приєднання резолюцією 2200 А (ХХІ) Генеральної Асамблеї ООН 16.12.1966 р. Ратифікований Україною 19.10.1973 р. Набув чинності, в тому числі й для України, 23.ІІІ.1976 р

Learning in renewable energy technology development

Dutch energy policy is directed at 17 percent of electricity demand being covered by renewable energy sources by 2020. Martin Junginger has demonstrated that this can be achieved at considerably lower costs than is the case now. He also found that it might be more financially advantageous to realize part of the objective outside of the Netherlands because, for example, more space is available there for wind turbines or because more biomass is available there. Renewable electricity can make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing the dependence on fossil fuels. In particular the rate at which the production cost of electricity from land-based wind turbines can decrease, is something which most calculations and energy models have considerably underestimated up until now says Junginger (Copernicus Institute) in his Ph.D. thesis Learning in renewable energy technology development. Also the costs of electricity from wind parks at sea could fall by 25 to 39 percent by 2020. However several pilot plants will need to be constructed to realize this, and an improved exchange of knowledge will have to take place for the development of these technologies at a European level. The same applies to advanced power stations that gasify biomass with a high efficiency for electricity production. Therefore, the researcher also advises that learning processes and knowledge exchange for these technologies should be further stimulated at a European level. In the final chapter, the consequences of different scenarios of technological learning and of different policies for renewable electricity diffusion are evaluated. Results show that a target EU-25 of 24% renewable electricity can be obtained in 2020, but that the contributions of different renewable electricity technologies may vary depending on their technological development. The development of onshore wind farms is relatively robust in respect to technological development, while the potential for PV remains marginal in all scenarios. Wind offshore and biomass gasification may both contribute major shares. Junginger used the experience curve approach is his research. This approach describes the cost development of a product or a technology as a function of the cumulative production. A special empirical observation is that costs tend to decline almost at a fixed rate with every doubling of the cumulative production. This reduction is expressed in the progress ratio (PR), expressing the rate of unit cost decline with each doubling of cumulative production. For example, a PR of 0.8 implies that after one doubling of cumulative production, unit costs are reduced to 80% of the original costs, i.e. a 20% cost decrease. Researchers can use this to quantify cost reductions achieved in the past and to analyze possible future cost reductions. In his thesis, Junginger presents amongst others experience curves for onshore wind farms, offshore wind farms, biomass CHP plants, biomass digestion plants and fluidized bed boiler plants. In addition, Junginger carried out a qualitative analysis for various sustainable electricity technologies to determine which learning mechanisms can bring about further cost reductions

Solutions for biomass fuel market barriers and raw material availability

EUBIONET III will carry out analyses of bioenergy trends and reasons for change in different countries and provide an overview of solutions to specific barriers impeding the development of international biomass trade. Moreover, it will report opportunities for further biomass trade development. Special attention will be paid to those industrial sectors which to date have not been involved in bioenergy projects. These sectors will be identified during the project and could, for example include metal and construction material industries. Three expert group meetings and one international trade event will be organized to discuss the most important current market barriers and to formulate strategies and solutions to overcome barriers

Biomass use in the Dutch cement industry ENCI, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Based in the Netherlands, ENCI is a division of HeidelbergCement active in the Benelux countries. It possesses three main production facilities in the Netherlands, of which the biggest is the integrated production plant in Maastricht. ENCI has been generating cement from Maastricht since 1926, and directly employs 212 people. There, the full cement production process is realised, as limestone is extracted from the 135-hectare quarry and burnt in a kiln to make clinker, which is then ground into cement. ENCI has two further sites in the west of the Netherlands- in IJmuiden and Rotterdam - both of which are grinding plants, where clinker is supplied rather than produced. In the integrated site in Maastricht, mainly Portland cement is produced, while the two grinding plants in the west of the country are solely focused on blast furnace cement

Solutions for biomass fuel market barriers and raw material availability. WP2 - Biomass fuel trade in Europe – Country report: The Netherlands

The aims of this country report are: (1) To identify new industries in the Netherlands where biomass is used as an energy carrier, or has the potential to be used in the future, and to describe which drivers, bottlenecks and opportunities these sectors see for the (increased) use of biomass; (2) To analyse bioenergy trends and reasons for change in the Netherlands and point out barriers & opportunities for trade, By ‘new industries’ we do mean industries which are normally not directly associated with bioenergy. Examples of ‘new industries are: metal (e.g. steel, silicon carbide), cement, food processing and construction (brick producing) industries. The forestry, pulp & paper and the energy sectors should be excluded –they are ‘classic’ bioenergy users, and are in other parts of the EUBIONETIII project. Also, the agricultural production sector (including farmers, pig & poultry producers, greenhouse cultivation, and aviculture as suggested by EUBIONETIII partners) are excluded. However, use of biomass in the food-processing industries (e.g. processing table olives, cocoa, coffee, meat) are included

A General Introduction to International Bioenergy Trade

The development of functional international markets for bioenergy has become an essential driver to develop bioenergy potentials, which are currently under-utilised in many regions of the world. Technical potential of bioenergy may be as large as 500 EJ/yr by 2050. However, large uncertainty exists about important factors such as market and policy conditions that affect this potential. Potential deployment levels by 2050 could lay in the range of 100–300 EJ/yr. Realizing this potential represents a major challenge but would substantially contribute to the world’s primary energy demand in 2050. The possibilities to export biomassderived commodities for the world’s energy market can create important socioeconomic development incentives for rural communities. But bioenergy markets are still immature, relying on policy objectives and incentives, that prove to be erratic in many cases. Further improvement is needed to develop both supply and demand in a balanced way and avoid distortions and instability that can threaten investments. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop and exploit biomass resources in a sustainable way and to understand what this means in different settings. In some markets, prices of biomass resources are volatile, including indirect effects on price of raw material prices for e.g. the forest industry as well as on food. Sustainability demands serve as a starting point for policies supporting bioenergy in many countries. The proliferation of initiatives registered worldwide to develop and implement sustainability frameworks and certifi cation systems for bioenergy, can lead to a fragmentation of efforts. This asks for harmonization and for international collaboration

Statusdocument bio-energie 2010 - Nederland

Inleiding Het statusdocument bio-energie 2010 geeft de huidige status weer van bio-energie in Nederland, inclusief trends en verwachtingen voor de toekomst. Het doel van dit document is inzicht verstrekken aan overheden en marktpartijen in de ontwikkelingen van bio-energie. Doelstellingen en realisatie De kabinetsdoelstellingen voor hernieuwbare energie zijn conform de doelstellingen uit de richtlijn voor hernieuwbare energie (2009/28/EG), die is vastgesteld door de EC. Een algemene doelstelling uit de richtlijn voor hernieuwbare energie is dat 14 procent van het nationale bruto finaal eindgebruik in 2020 afkomstig is van hernieuwbare bronnen. Het door Nederland ingediende actieplan voor hernieuwbare energie verwacht dat 14 procent overeen komt met ongeveer 300 PJ hernieuwbare energie in 2020. De schatting is dat in 2010 ongeveer 91 PJ aan hernieuwbare energie is geproduceerd. De doelstelling uit de richtlijn voor hernieuwbare energie voor transport is dat minimaal 10 procent van de energie in de transportsector in 2020 afkomstig is uit hernieuwbare bronnen. De schatting is dat in 2010 4 procent van de gebruikte energie afkomstig was uit hernieuwbare brandstoffen. Hernieuwbare energie, waaronder ook energie uit biomassa is in dit document weergegeven als bruto finaal eindgebruik en daarmee in lijn met internationale statistieken en overheidsmonitoring. Omzetting van biomassa naar bio-energie Ongeveer driekwart van de geproduceerde hernieuwbare energie in 2010 is afkomstig van biomassa. De overige hernieuwbare energie komt bijvoorbeeld uit waterkracht, wind- en zonne-energie. Hernieuwbare energie uit biomassa is voor een groot deel afkomstig van afvalverbrandingsinstallaties, meestook in energiecentrales, gebruik van houtkachels en het gebruik van biobrandstoffen in de transportsector