The reason for this growth in renewable energy, to DW MD John Westwood, is the rising price of oil. According to Westwood, “The most significant change is likely to come from the growth in energy prices as oil shortages and rising demand increase the costs of conventional energy supplies and improve the competitive position of biomass as a power source.”

According to report author Bruce Knight, large thermal plants will account for 77% of “the installed commercial biomass capacity” by 2013. Anaerobic digestion plants will be the second most popular type of biomass power plant with Knight predicting Western Europe to have half of the world’s anaerobic facilities in its backyard. Landfill gas plants will be the least popular choice due to environmental objections and tapped landfill sites. However, Knight feels Asia will most likely adopt this form of biomass power generation.

For it all to work, however, Knight says there has to be will at all levels.

“Lack of consistent availability of biomass feedstock, on a long term basis, is a perceived disadvantage for the energy industry. For economically successful projects, the feedstock needs to be close to the power plants and in a form that is convenient to handle. This is one of the reasons why dedicated energy crops are favoured,” said Knight.

“Agricultural policies world-wide are primarily geared to food security and increasingly environmental land management. By contrast the energy industry requires certainty of feedstock availability for many years. In order to overcome this barrier continued development of flexible conversion plants, such as co-fired thermal systems, which can use both biomass and fossil fuel feedstock, will be important.

“More fundamentally, for biomass energy generation to reach its potential there needs to be better understanding between the energy industry and the agricultural and forestry industries. This will require closer liaison at all levels and strong encouragement from governments,” added Knight.