IEA Update 41.Indd

Biomass and Bioenergy International Energy Agency ‘This article was produced by the Implementing Agreement UPDATE 41 on Bioenergy, which forms part of a programme of international energy technology collaboration undertaken under the auspices of the International Energy Agency.’ News from the Secretariat Term Report prepared by the Secretary received positive comments. This report is available on the IEA Bioenergy website. The new Strategic Plan The 64th meeting of the Executive Committee for the period 2010-2016 was also favourably was held in Liege, Belgium on 30 September - 2 received. The Chairman made a presentation October, with Josef Spitzer as Chairman and John at both committee meetings to achieve this Tustin as Secretary. The meeting was hosted by encouraging outcome. the Centre Wallon de Recherches Agronomique (CRA). The Chairman expressed the appreciation ExCo64 Workshop of the ExCo to Yves Schenkel for the excellent A very successful workshop titled ‘Algae – the meeting and study tour arrangements. Some of the Future for Bioenergy?’ was well attended by ExCo outcomes of the meeting are detailed below. Members, Task Leaders, and Observers from Belgium. The presentations made at the workshop Changes in the Executive Committee (listed below) are available on the IEA Bioenergy A new Alternate Member is Ms Martina Ammer, website. Austria and Mr Mihai Tomescu is no longer an • The Promises and Challenges of Algal-derived Alternate Member for the EC. Biofuels - Al Darzins, NREL, USA • Algae for Biofuel Production: Process Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman Description, Lifecycle Assessment and Some Dr Josef Spitzer, the Member for Austria was Information on Costs – Pierpaolo Cazzola, IEA re-elected Chairman and Mr Birger Kerckow, Secretariat, France the Member for Germany was re-elected Vice • Fuel from the Sea? - Michele Stanley, The Scottish Chairman for 2010. Association for Marine Science, Scotland • BIOTREMA - a Collaboration on Biogas - Sten Contracting Parties Björk, Trelleborg Municipality, Sweden Both Korea and Turkey have received formal • Algae Biofuels: Challenges in Scale-up, invitations to join the Implementing Agreement. Productivity and Harvesting - John Benemann, They attended the meeting as Observers. Korea Benemann Associates, USA plans to join Task 39 in 2010 and Task 32 in 2011. • Algae Growing Systems - Peter van den Dorpel, Turkey plans to join Tasks 32, 33, 37 and 42 Algaelink, The Netherlands in 2010. • Microalgae for Production of Biofuels and Bulk Chemicals - René Wijffels, Wageningen Extension of the Implementing Agreement University, The Netherlands The extension of the Implementing Agreement • Algae Production Systems: Open or Closed – to 31 December 2014 in now approved following Lessons Learned from the Last Three Years - a review by the REWP and CERT. The End-of- Marc Van Aken, SBAE Industries NV, Belgium Biomass and Bioenergy International Energy Agency At the beginning of the workshop the Chairman prospects (early 2010), and then be available as posed some questions that the workshop should a focus for coordination of international efforts try and answer. The results were as follows: ExCo65 Workshop • When is the technology likely to be ready The theme for the next workshop will be for commercial exploitation? There is an ‘Bioenergy Trade and Associated Sustainability extensive and well-documented history of Issues’. The planning committee is Adam Brown research on algae with a recent resurgence of (Convenor), Tat Smith, Kieran Power, Kees interest in national programmes. Commercial Kwant, Paul Grabowski and Koji Kobayashi. exploitation will depend on the extent of R&D and demonstration activity, but some niche Progress with Current Initiatives applications with co-product production could be • New Strategic Plan. The new Strategic Plan was available within 5-10 years, and bulk production printed and distributed in November. in the longer term. • Bioenergy Technology Review. The Executive • What are the critical stages still required – R&D, Summary has been produced as a stand alone trials, demonstrations? Given the wide range publication. The main report will be published of unresolved issues, a balanced programme in January 2010. of R&D coupled with larger scale trials and • Handbook of Pellet Production and Utilisation. demonstrations is necessary. The use of algae Production is on schedule, with printing of the to produce a range of products via a ‘biorefi nery’ handbook planned for February 2010. approach is likely to be an attractive option. • Report on Bioenergy and Land Use Change. • What are the likely costs of producing energy Göran Berndes is leading the project which is from algae? Current estimates of productivity co-fi nanced with the Swedish Energy Agency. vary widely. Similarly, cost estimates also vary One report for policy makers and another for widely and current costs are often unattractive, the scientifi c community will be produced. Final but there is considerable scope for reduction and approval is expected at ExCo65. optimisation, depending on co-product values. • LCA strategic paper. Production has been Best estimates of costs are promising at this stage delayed so that signifi cant new material can be of technology development. incorporated. A new version is expected to be • What are the likely CO2 savings? There is available in December 2009. signifi cant potential for CO2 absorption but • Collaboration with RETD. The joint project on matching seasonal absorption potential with ‘Better Use of Biomass for Energy’ is completed. sources may be challenging. A fi nal version was presented at the RETD side • What are the main barriers to be overcome event at COP15. – technical and non-technical including • Collaboration with AMF. The proposal from fi nancial? Currently there are a wide range of AMF for co-sponsorship of a joint project ‘Fuel technical, institutional, and fi nancial barriers, and Technology Alternatives for Buses’ has been but there is plenty of room for improvements and accepted. Finland, Germany, and the European breakthroughs. There are many different options Commission will participate through Task 41, available for consideration and these are likely Project 3. to continue as different systems will fi t various climatic conditions and ranges of products. Collaboration with FAO • What role can IEA Bioenergy best play? In Mr Miguel Trossero, Senior Forestry Offi cer with the short-term IEA Bioenergy will provide an FAO, was an Observer at ExCo64. He has been authoritative review of international activity and the long standing contact for the Agreement and Biomass and Bioenergy International Energy Agency very experienced and dedicated Task Leaders have ‘passed the baton’ to new leaders for the upcoming triennium. At ExCo64 Chairman Josef Spitzer paid tribute to the long and expert service from the outgoing Task Leaders: Jim Richardson, Task 31; Sjaak van Loo, Task 32; Suresh Babu, Task 33; Tony Bridgwater, Task 34; Niranjan Patel, Task 36 and Arthur Wellinger, Task 37. He expressed the appreciation of the Executive Committee for their expertise and commitment over the last decade and made a presentation to those in attendance. ExCo64 Study Tour Mr Miguel Trossero, FAO, Rome In conjunction with ExCo64, a total of 35 attendees took the opportunity to review progress with the participated in the study tour, which was designed MoU signed in 2000. He indicated good progress to showcase biofuels and biopower on the banks of with joint meetings, workshops, and seminars; in the river Meuse. The fi rst visit was to BioWanze SA, exchange of publications and newsletter material; at Wanze (Huy). BioWanze is a unique industrial and in joint studies. He said overall there has been plant producing bioethanol from cereals and pleasing progress, however there was scope for sugar-beet and equipped with a full cogeneration more active collaboration especially in the areas of plant burning their own biowaste. An excellent political awareness, sustainability, and bioenergy presentation on the Südzucker Group introduced market opportunities in developing countries. the visit. Südzucker is a worldwide company with 18,000 employees. The group is organised into The Chairman noted that this was Miguel’s last four business segments - sugar, special products, meeting as he would retire from FAO at the end cropenergies (bioethanol) and fruit (eg. fruit juice of the year. He expressed the appreciation of the concentrates). The group has fi ve bioethanol plants ExCo for the success of the MoU so far and said including the one at Wanze, which is Europe’s the ExCo would look forward to working with most innovative plant. It runs on wheat and sugar whoever succeeded him. He also wished Miguel a feedstocks and has an annual production capacity long and happy retirement. of 300,000 m3 of bioethanol. Innovative by-product concepts include gluten and Protiwanze® (animal Changing of the Guard feed). Raw material costs are very important to the At ExCo60 it was decided that Task Leaders fi nancial results and the excellent logistics at Wanze should only serve for two triennia, or in exceptional are also a key success factor. The investment at circumstances three triennia. The idea was to BioWanze was approximately €250 million. The create a change of leadership on a regular basis company claims to avoid 70% of the potential CO2 and at the same time provide more opportunity emissions by using biomass to generate its power. for wider Member Country involvement in Task The EU Directive on biofuels is a key driver for leadership. It was hoped that such rotation would facilities such as BioWanze, eg. the 2020 decision result in new ideas and stimulation of the Task on mandatory blending of 10% of renewable work programmes. As a result of this decision some energies in the transport sector. Following this Biomass and Bioenergy International Energy Agency ’State-of-the-art’ pellet unloading facility at the Electrabel Power Plant, Les Awirs, Belgium visit, the group transferred to a boat at the river Bioenergy in Belgium port of Huy and enjoyed a tour and lunch on the river Meuse.

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