Bioenergy it will be

Bioenergy it will be

The European Union has decided to double the use of renewable energy from current 6 percent to 12 percent by the end of 2012. This target will be met mainly with the help of energy crops and wood-based energy. Even the EU has no magic wand to bring about futuristic sources of sustainable energy.

Finland is a strat performer within the Uninon, with sustainable energy accounting for one quarter of all energy consumption. The future role of the agricultural sector in the production of bioenergy is still open. Renewable energy could become its main product, or bio-energy could just as well remain a scattered small-scale countryside matter. Finland has the technology to produce sustainable energy, but a strong political will is required to develop Finland’s future role in the energy trade and to use these resources effectively.

Different government departments, institutes, and universities have conducted numerous national and global studies into the production and utlization of bio-energy. Decision-makers need precise information about e.g. how much bio-energy Finland is able to produce and where its production and processing could be located.

There are three ways to use energy crops. The biomass can be burnt for power; distilled into ethanol to be used as a motor fuel; or, finally, gassified to produce bio-gas. It is important to know exactly when to use each of these three ways in order to gain maximum profit. The consumers will play a decisive role. Will they be prepared to pay extra for switching to bioenergy? The way energy prices are going no sweeteners are needed to make people switch form oil heating to wood pellet fired heating. Comparison betwwen pellets and electricity is a more complex affair.

Consumers Make the Final Call

So, what can be done? Several studies have shown that it is economically, ecologically, technologically and socially best to increase the use of wood chip, recycled fuels and energy crops as energy sources. Finland aims to increase the production and use of wood-based fuels by 4-5 million cubic metres per year. The volume of technically and economically feasible energy wood It is currently estimated at 10-16 million cubic metres per year. Today, wood chips are mainly used to heat houses and in some small local thermal plants. The larger thermal plants and power plants use mainly harvesting waste and industrial wood waste.

As far as availability is concerned, the use of wood chips and energy crops could be increased in thermal plants and power plants, but it will take social and industrial investments to achieve the bioenergy goals set for the following decades.

RIITTA EKHOLM