Final Project Renewable Energy System : Biomass Iberian
Partnership for Technician Excellence, Summer 2012
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Introduction What is Biomass? Biological material derived from
living, or recently living organisms Most often plant matter
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History Prior to the industrial revolution, biomass satisfied
nearly all of man's energy demands Up until the 1860s, the United
States used biomass for nearly 91% of all energy consumption 14% of
the world still utilizes Biomass energy
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System Types Many different biomass systems Most common
residential application is direct combustion system Direct
combustion systems include: Fireplaces Heating Stoves Air and Air
Duct pellet stoves Water Boilers
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Example System- FL Biomass Heating system 3 Bed/ 2 Bath 1 floor
610 m / 2000 ft 4 persons Location: Tampa, FL System Design Air
duct circulation heating using a residential stove powered by
pellets
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Components Ducted Air Stove Ecoforest Suez 16kw Air duct stove
Pellet Storage Ecoforest 300l Hopper w/ auger, 2m Automatic feeding
Ecoforest Automatic feeding system (315W - 375W) Temp Control
Automatic Wireless Thermostat Ventilation Motor Ecoforest 300
motor, 50W Hot Air Ducts Ecoforest ducts, 102mm, 10m Chimney
Chimney Parts, ducting 80mm dia.
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Heating System
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System Cost
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Efficiency Wood pellets have a heat conversion efficiency
closer to fossil fuels and natural gas with much less emissions and
pollution It is a cheaper energy with a more stable price Wood
pellet heating units typically operate in 90% efficiency range
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Cost Comparison Total Heating Electrical consumption @ 50w/m
for 500m annually (heating 4hrs/day- 4mos/year) = 12,000kwh/ year
Cost of Electricity @ 0.05/kwh = $600/ year (FL) @ 0.19/kwh = 2280/
year (Spain) Cost of Biomass @ 0.07/kwh = $840/ year (Spain)
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Example System- Northern U.S. Biomass energy is thriving in the
Northeastern United States Most commonly utilized system is with a
pellet or log boiler
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Cooling with Biomass Rotartica Absorption Chiller Uses heat
instead of electricity to cool air Currently prohibitivly
expensive, but promising for the future of biomass cooling
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Cooling with Biomass
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Stirling Motors Stirling motor- A heat engine operating by
cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas at different
temperature levels Converts heat to mechanical work
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Why Biomass? Biomass is a renewable, low carbon fuel that is
already widely available throughout the US and World. Its
production and use brings additional social benefits, such as
industrial and agricultural growth Correctly managed, biomass is a
sustainable fuel that can deliver a significant reduction in net
carbon emissions when compared with fossil fuels
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Environmental Impact Biomass is a renewable energy with CO2
neutral cycle Reduced sulfur emissions and pollutants With proper
harvest techniques and management biomass is environmentally
sustainable Biomass energy use helps to: Reuse and recycle the
maximum amount of waste and by-products Recover energy efficiently
Promote self-sufficiency
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Sustainable Harvesting
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Opportunities Growth in the United States Currently the U.S.
leads the world in biomass power capacity The North American wood
pellet industry has become a major supplier to the EU This growing
demand creates a unique market for exporting renewable
resources
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Opportunities Industry Growth New Biomass power plants being
constructed and planned New manufacturers of stoves and boilers to
cater to the growing US and EU markets More pellet manufacturing
companies Job creation
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Opportunities Agricultural Growth A unique niche for local
farmers in rural areas Increased local energy production/ increased
local energy efficiency
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Conclusion Biomass is an efficient, sustainable energy source
Now a cheaper source of Energy Properly managed, biomass energy can
be indefinitely Encourages local power model Advancements will
allow for even cheaper and wider applications in the future
