Biomass is gathering momentum
In South Africa, the interest in alternative fuel sources like biomass is growing among another 10% of Associated Energy Services (AES)'s current client base. This shift towards renewable energy is driven by a combination of factors, including the need to reduce carbon footprints and mitigate carbon taxes.
However, the use of biomass for industrial thermal energy applications, such as steam generation, in South Africa is currently limited and less common compared to other regions. While sectors like timber and sugar mills have been utilizing biomass for years, broader industrial adoption for thermal energy is still rare and considered an exception rather than the norm.
This discrepancy can be attributed to several factors. Sector-specific availability of biomass residues plays a significant role, with timber and sugar industries having internal by-products they can use directly onsite. Technical and operational challenges also pose a barrier, requiring skilled operators, proper design, well-maintained pressure vessels, and optimized combustion plants to effectively use biomass for thermal energy.
Moreover, the economic and energy policy context is a crucial factor. South Africa’s electricity grid heavily relies on coal power (78%), with biomass constituting only a minor part of the energy mix. Rising electricity costs and environmental considerations are driving interest in renewables, but biomass is still at a nascent stage for industrial thermal energy.
National policies focus more on solar, wind, and other renewables for power generation than on biomass thermal applications. The biomass market globally is evolving with innovations like biomass pyrolysis and co-firing, but commercial-scale biomass thermal technologies face barriers, such as high energy input requirements and emissions control, limiting rapid uptake.
Despite these challenges, biomass is gaining interest for industrial thermal applications. Companies considering biomass should partner with an experienced service provider that is technology- and fuel-agnostic. A FMCG client, for instance, has been using a state-of-the-art biomass boiler from Belgium for over 10 years, delivering on decarbonisation requirements but increasing operational costs.
Every user aims to access consistent and repeatable fuel specifications to select suitable technology and maximize efficiency. Biomass has low energy and bulk density, and its moisture content impacts the realisable calorific value of the fuel. Companies need to consider storage space and logistical considerations for transporting bulky biomass.
One successful example of biomass adoption is a dairy client that introduced a biomass boiler to offset fuel oil use, resulting in a substantial drop in carbon footprint and significant carbon tax savings. Another food manufacturer has a biomass hot water solution to offset the carbon footprint of liquid fuels, tied to a production plant expansion.
In contrast, regions such as Asia Pacific and parts of Europe show more advanced and widespread biomass power and thermal applications. Novel biomass uses and alternatives will be needed as traditional options like timber residue get taken up, making the process more complicated.
AES secures a reliable supply of biomass to prevent cost escalations as more companies adopt biomass energy. CO2 emissions from biomass combustion are deemed carbon-neutral, providing substantial carbon footprint and carbon tax benefits. However, coal is available at a relatively low cost locally, making decarbonization more challenging in South Africa.
In summary, biomass use for industrial steam and thermal processes in South Africa remains niche and concentrated in a few sectors that can internally source biomass residues, unlike other regions where biomass application in industry is more widespread and technology-driven. Adoption is influenced by technical, economic, and policy factors, including industry readiness, biomass feedstock availability, operational expertise, and the national energy strategy that currently emphasizes other renewables more strongly than biomass thermal energy.
- Among some retail sectors, there's a growing interest in sustainability, leading to the exploration of alternative energy sources like biomass.
- The retail industry in South Africa could potentially reduce its carbon footprint and mitigate carbon taxes by adopting biomass technology for transport purposes.
- Technology advancements in environmental science have enabled the development of innovative methods to convert biomass into energy, such as biomass pyrolysis.
- The finance industry should be aware of the potential benefits of investing in biomass projects, considering the carbon footprint and carbon tax benefits associated with such initiatives.
- In the coming years, the environmental-science industry may witness a surge in the development of alternative biomass feedstocks to replace traditional sources like timber residue, fostering industry growth and innovation.
