Bioenergies in the Nordic countries - Situation and Outlook in 2009

http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/rapports/2009/smm09_067_US.htm

Publié le 1/11/2009 - 41 pages - pdf 940 Ko

Auteurs : BAUDOIN Antoine - KASPERSKI Guillaume - CANIARD Thomas - DUCLOS Jean-Louis - SALMON Emmanuel

The Nordic countries have set very ambitious environmental targets in the energy sector compared with many other countries including other European member states. It is to a large extent due to the development of bioenergy use to reduce the fossil fuel dependency after the oil crisis in the 70s.

The word "bioenergies" includes a broad variety of biomass uses: from simple and traditional firewood to modern and high-tech process like fluidized bed, gasification or fermentation. In both cases, the Nordic countries, especially Sweden and Finland which have huge forest resources, are pioneers compared with others European countries. The biomass, mainly waste and by-products from forests, is collected and used as a valuable product for energy in a very efficient way in the Nordic countries. Combined heat and power systems, delivering heat to the district heating or to industries and producing electricity when the need of heat is lower, is one of the main strength of this bioenergy sector. The first part of the present report describes the actual use of biomass converted into energy. It also presents the incentives decided by the governments such as green taxes, like carbon tax introduced in the Nordic countries in the early 90s.

Beyond the environment and energy issues presented in the first part, the second part of the report is focussed on research activity in biofuels. The Nordic approach to first generation biofuels is presented before considering ongoing research to develop the second and third generations of biofuels which won't compete with food agriculture. The laboratories and industries conducting research for the biochemical or thermo chemical conversion paths as well as the projects for pilot plants are described and listed in an appendix. Although several new very innovative approaches have been noticed, the most promising improvement underway in the Nordic countries are not breakthrough technologies towards second generation biofuels but a better organisation between sectors such as forest industry, pulp and paper industry, oil or chemical companies in dynamic clusters. The current economic crisis affects the forest and pulp and paper industries and forces them to look for new market opportunities which accelerate the development of that new approach. These actors have indeed strong advantages when it comes to collect and handle huge volumes of biomass thanks to their experience of sustainable and environmentally friendly forest management. In the Nordic Countries, the potential bioenergy share in the energy mix, currently around 15%, is assessed to be about 25% which constitutes good possibilities for further progress.

Just before the coming climate conference in Copenhagen to be held in December and during the Swedish presidency of EU, this report gives an overview of the biomass contribution in the energy sector within Nordic countries.

Contents:

Introduction
1. Overview: The situation in the Nordic countries
1.1 Proportion of biomass in renewable energy
1.2 The current landscape of bioenergy: the different sectors
- Wood
- Black liquor
- Peat
- Liquid biofuels for transport
- Biogas

2. A booming sector: policy objectives
2.1 General framework of political ambitions for the sector
- The Kyoto Protocol
- European Directives
2.2 Variation of major trends in each country, incentives put in place
- Green Taxation in the Nordic countries: the carbon tax
- Measures applicable to bioenergies

3. The future of bioenergies: research advances
3.1 New techniques for using biomass
3.2 The processes called "second generation"
- Thermochemical sector
- The biochemical sector
3.3 The processes called "third generation"
3.4 The potential of different sources: forest, black liquor, waste, energy crops

4. Conclusions

Appendix A - Use of Bioenergies in each country
- Finland
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Norway

Appendix B - Players and projects in the field of biofuels
- Existing installations, first generation
- Research projects and second-generation
- Research in universities and agencies

Appendix C - Conversion tables of units
 

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code rapport
ADIT : SMM09_067

Ambassade de France en Suède / ADIT - http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/rapports/smm09_067.htm