2011-1-19——One Question per Day for Environmental Protection Zones
Thread Content
On December 24, 2010, a statement on the Ministry of Finance’s official website indicated that the Ministry of Finance and the **State Taxation Administration jointly issued a notice titled \"On Exempting Pure Biodiesel Produced from Waste Animal and Plant Oils from Consumption Tax.\" This notice specified that pure biodiesel manufactured from such waste oils would be exempt from consumption tax, resulting in a reduction of the production cost per ton of biodiesel by approximately 900 yuan. In fact, biomass can be used to produce a variety of chemical products and energy sources. What are the known ways in which biomass is utilized? **Are there any related incentive policies?
This post was last edited by fangqiong on 2011-1-19 at 12:42. Biomass is also used for power generation, etc., and **there are subsidy policies as well.
Biomass energy is solar energy fixed on Earth through plant photosynthesis, and it is most likely to become one of the major new energy sources in the 21st century. It is estimated that the energy stored by plants each year is roughly 10 times that of the world’s major fuel consumption ； And its utilization as an energy source is less than 1% of the total amount. Most of this unutilized biomass releases its energy and carbon back into nature through natural decomposition, in order to complete the carbon cycle in the environment. In fact, biomass energy is the earliest, most widely used, and most directly utilized form of energy by humans. To this day, over 1.5 billion people worldwide still rely on biomass as their source of energy for daily life. Biomass combustion is a traditional method of utilization; it not only has low thermal efficiency but also requires heavy labor and causes severe pollution. Through biomass energy conversion technologies, biomass energy can be utilized efficiently to produce various clean fuels that can replace fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for power generation. It also reduces dependence on fossil fuels, protects **energy resources, and alleviates the environmental pollution caused by energy consumption. Experts believe that biomass energy will become an important part of sustainable energy in the future, with 40% of the world’s total energy consumption coming from biomass energy by 2015. 1.2 Energy and Environment: Humanity is facing dual pressures from development and the environment. The development of the economy and society relies heavily on energy as a driving force. The more the economy develops, the greater the energy consumption, particularly the increase in fossil fuel use. This presents two major problems: first, it leads to increasingly severe environmental pollution; second, the existing reserves of fossil fuels on Earth will eventually be exhausted. Based on consumption levels, the world’s oil resources will eventually be exhausted over the next 50 to 80 years. By 2059, the 200th anniversary of the drilling of the world’s first oil well, there will probably be very little oil left in the world. On the other hand, excessive consumption of fossil fuels leads to the rapid and premature depletion of these limited resources, resulting in the release of large amounts of excess energy and carbon. This disrupts the natural balance of energy and carbon, and is a direct cause of catastrophic consequences such as ozone layer depletion, global warming, and acid rain. In other words, if no new energy sources are developed to replace fossil fuels as the dominant force in the energy structure, severe and catastrophic energy and environmental crises will inevitably occur in the 21st century, representing one of the three most likely disasters that humanity will face in the coming century. 1. **Safety** Of course, developing biomass energy is not the only way to obtain new energy sources; humanity can also utilize high-tech methods to harness nuclear energy. However, the associated hazards are all too evident. Firstly, the development of nuclear energy is highly likely to introduce new sources of instability into an already unstable world, and may even pose a direct threat to the human living environment ； Secondly, energy development in the limited outer space areas that countries or groups can reach with the technological level of the next century will inevitably give rise to new conflicts or disputes, the consequences of which are self-evident. Biomass energy is not only the safest and most stable form of energy; through a series of conversion technologies, it can be used to produce various types of energy. For instance, solidification and carbonization yield solid fuels, gasification produces gaseous fuels, while liquefaction and processing of vegetable oils yields liquid fuels. If necessary, electricity can also be generated from it. Currently, countries around the world, especially developed ones, are striving to develop efficient and pollution-free technologies for utilizing biomass energy, in order to protect their domestic mineral energy resources and provide a solid foundation for the sustainable development of their economies. 2. Development status of biomass energy technology abroad. The development and utilization of biomass energy have long attracted the attention of governments and scientists around the world. Many ** have formulated corresponding development and research plans; examples include Japan’s Sunshine Project, India’s Green Energy Mission, the United States’ Energy Farms, and Brazil’s Alcohol Energy Program. Other countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Canada, and Finland have been carrying out their own research and development over the years, establishing unique systems for the research and development of biomass energy and possessing their own technical advantages. 2.1 Biogas technology mainly involves the anaerobic treatment of livestock and poultry manure as well as high-concentration organic wastewater; it is a relatively early-developed technology for biomass energy utilization. Before the 1980s, in developing countries, **biogas digester technology was primarily developed to produce biogas from agricultural crop residues and livestock manure, which was then used as fuel for cooking. Such as household biogas digesters in India and China ； In contrast, developed ** countries mainly develop anaerobic technologies to treat livestock manure and high-concentration organic wastewater. Currently, developed countries such as Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the United States generally employ anaerobic methods to treat livestock and poultry manure. Meanwhile, developing countries like India, the Philippines, and Thailand have also constructed large- and medium-sized biogas projects as demonstration projects for treating such manure. Adopt the new self-circulating anaerobic technology. The Dutch IC company has managed to achieve a gas production rate of 10 m³/m³·d in the anaerobic treatment of brewery wastewater, thereby **saving on investment, operating costs, and land area**. Developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy use biogas technology primarily for waste treatment. The Staten Island Waste Treatment Plant in New York, USA, invested $20 million in a wet-process waste treatment system that generates 260,000 cubic meters of biogas per day, which is used for power generation and fertilizer production; the benefits are significant, with an estimated recovery of the entire investment within 10 years. The UK generates 18 MW of power from biogas produced from waste, and it will invest another 150 million pounds over the next 10 years to build more waste-to-biogas power plants. 2.2 Pyrolysis gasification of biomass
As early as the 1970s, some developed countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and the member states of the European Community began researching and developing pyrolysis gasification technology for biomass. By the 1980s, there were 19 companies and research institutions in the United States engaged in the research and development of this technology ； Laboratories at 12 Canadian universities are conducting research on the technology of biomass pyrolysis and gasification ； In addition, developing countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia have also carried out research in this area. The Finnish company Tempele Power has begun building a waste wood gasification power plant in Sweden, with an installed capacity of 60 MW and a heat generation capacity of 65 MW; it is set to come online in 1996. The Swedish Energy Center has obtained a loan from the World Bank to build a power plant in Brazil with an installed capacity of 20–30 MW, utilizing advanced technologies such as biomass gasification and combined cycle power generation to make use of the abundant bagasse resources available there. 2.3 Biomass liquid fuels Another technology worthy of attention is biomass liquid fuels, which include ethanol, vegetable oils, etc. These can be used as clean fuels to directly replace petroleum-based fuels such as gasoline. Brazil is the most prominent country in terms of the development and use of ethanol fuel. In the mid-1970s, in an effort to reduce its reliance on imported oil, it launched the world’s largest program for ethanol production. By 1991, ethanol production had reached 13 billion liters. Of the 9.8 million cars in use at that time, nearly 4 million were powered by pure ethanol, while the rest used a fuel mixture containing 20% ethanol and gasoline; in other words, ethanol accounted for over 50% of total vehicle fuel consumption. In 1996, the U.S. Renewable Resources Laboratory developed a technology for producing alcohol from cellulose waste. The Husco Industrial Group in the United States established a 1MW rice husk power generation demonstration plant: it processes 12,000 tons of rice husks per year, generates 8 million kWh of electricity annually, and produces 2,500 tons of alcohol per year, achieving significant economic benefits. 2.4 Other technologies Additionally, biomass compression technology can be used to compress solid agricultural and forestry waste into compacted fuel that can serve as a substitute for coal. For example, the United States developed biomass pelletized fuel; third-world countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia have developed rod-shaped pelletized fuel. 3. Biomass energy in our country: Our country is primarily an agricultural nation, with the rural population accounting for over 70% of the total population. Biomass has always been one of the main sources of energy in rural areas, and it also holds an important position in the overall energy structure. 3.1 Biomass energy resources: China currently has 4.14 billion hectares of forests, grasslands, and arable land; theoretically, the biomass resources available could reach 65 billion tons per year. On a per square kilometer basis, the amount of organic carbon produced by plants through photosynthesis is approximately 158 tons per year. Based on an average calorific value of 15,000 kJ/kg, the theoretical resource amount is 3.3 billion standard tons of coal, which is more than three times China’s current annual total energy consumption. In fact, the biomass that can currently be used as an energy source mainly includes straw, firewood, livestock manure, household waste, and organic waste water. According to surveys, the amount of straw resources in our country has now exceeded 720 million tons, equivalent to about 360 million tons of standard coal. Of this amount, around 120 million tons are used for purposes such as feed, paper production, textiles, and construction materials, while the remaining 600 million tons can be utilized as energy. The main sources of firewood include forestry harvests, pruning for forest management, and fuelwood forests. One survey indicates that China’s annual firewood production is around 127 million tons, which is equivalent to 74 million tons of standard coal. The amount of manure from livestock and poultry is equivalent to about 130 million tons of standard coal ； The amount of urban waste generated is around 120 million tons, with a growth rate of 8%-10% per year. It is estimated that the total amount of biomass energy resources available for utilization in China amounts to about 700 million tons of standard coal. 3.2 Biomass Energy and Its Utilization In China, the majority of biomass energy is used for rural domestic purposes, with only a small portion being utilized in the industrial production of township enterprises. For a long time, the primary method of utilizing biomass energy has been direct combustion; it is only in recent years that new technologies have begun to be employed for this purpose, though on a limited scale. Its adoption is low; it accounts for an extremely small proportion in the energy mix of **, even in rural areas. The direct combustion of biomass not only has low thermal efficiency, but also the emission of large amounts of smoke and ash deteriorates people’s living environments, having extremely adverse effects on the ecosystem, society, and economy. 3.3 Market Demand It can be predicted that, with the development of the national economy and the improvement of people’s living standards, the market prospects for biomass energy utilization technologies and devices will become increasingly broad. 3.4 Current status and issues regarding the development of biomass energy technology in China. The Chinese government and relevant departments attach great importance to the utilization of biomass energy; several top leaders have repeatedly issued instructions to enhance the energy utilization of agricultural crop residues. **The Science and Technology Commission has included the research and application of biomass energy technologies as key research projects in three consecutive **five-year plans. As a result, a large number of outstanding research achievements and successful application examples have emerged, such as biogas production systems, biogas technology using livestock manure, biomass gasification for power generation and centralized gas supply, as well as bio-pellet fuels; these initiatives have yielded significant social and economic benefits. At the same time, our country has developed a high-level team of researchers, including renowned domestic research institutions and universities; it boasts a group of distinguished experts and scholars who are dedicated to the research and development of biomass pyrolysis and gasification technologies. a. Biogas technology is the biomass energy utilization technology that was developed earliest in China and once widely promoted. In the 1970s, to address the energy shortage in rural areas, our country made significant efforts to develop and promote household biogas technology, resulting in the construction of 5.25 million household biogas digesters across the country. In the most recent three consecutive Five-Year Plans, the development of new biogas technologies has been designated as a key scientific and technological research priority. A large number of research projects and demonstration projects related to biogas and its utilization have been planned. To date, China has built over 30,000 medium- and large-sized biogas digesters, with a total volume exceeding 1.37 million m³. These digesters produce 55 million m³ of biogas annually. There are more than 630 biogas projects with a capacity of over 100 m³ each; among them, 583 are centralized gas supply stations serving 83,000 households. The average annual gas consumption per household is 431 m³. These facilities are primarily used for treating livestock manure and organic wastewater. These projects have achieved certain environmental and social benefits, playing a positive role in developing the local economy as well as China’s anaerobic technology. Under the “Ninth Five-Year Plan”, highly efficient anaerobic technologies for treating high-concentration organic wastewater and municipal solid waste were designated as key projects for scientific and technological research. These projects are being carried out by the Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hangzhou Institute of Energy and Environment, respectively, and have now made the expected progress. The main problems in anaerobic technology and engineering in our country include limited research on related technologies, poor compatibility of auxiliary equipment, low level of automation, rough fabrication of custom-made equipment, high project costs, and severe secondary pollution from open-type pre- and post-treatment processes. b. In recent years, China’s biomass gasification technology has seen significant progress. The types of gasifiers have evolved from traditional updraft and downdraft types to the most advanced fluidized bed, fast fluidized bed, and dual-bed systems. In terms of applications, apart from traditional heat supply, the main breakthroughs have been in providing gas for rural households and biomass gasification-based power generation. “During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, the Science and Technology Commission launched a special research project on “technologies for biomass pyrolysis gasification and thermal utilization”, which yielded considerable results: by employing an oxygen gasification process, a gasification device capable of producing medium-calorific biomass gas was successfully developed ； Using the downward-draft fluidized bed process, a centralized biomass gasification system and equipment for 100 households have been successfully developed. Using the downward-draft fixed bed process, a biomass gasification and drying system and equipment for food and cash crops have also been successfully developed ； A 1,000-household biomass gasification centralized gas supply system and equipment have been developed using the fluidized bed dry distillation process. “During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, the **Science and Technology Commission allocated funds for a research project on \"biomass pyrolysis and gasification and related technologies,\" with a focus on developing 1MW large-scale biomass gasification power generation technologies as well as centralized gas supply systems using rural straw. To date, nearly 200 rural gasification stations have been built across the country, along with over 100 sets of gasification power generation units; the impact of gasification technology is gradually expanding. c. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, China began exploring and researching technologies for producing ethanol fuel from cellulose waste, focusing mainly on the dilute acid hydrolysis of such waste and related fermentation techniques; during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, these efforts entered the pilot test stage. Our country has conducted preliminary research on alternative fuels such as vegetable oils and biomass pyrolysis oils: initial experimental studies have been carried out on aspects such as the physicochemical properties of vegetable oils, esterification modification processes, and their combustion performance in diesel engines. “During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, a taxonomic survey of wild oil-bearing plants and the construction of breeding bases were carried out. There is also some research on biomass liquefaction in our country, but the technology is relatively backward, with research mainly focused on high-pressure liquefaction and pyrolytic liquefaction. d. In addition, during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, China also focused on conducting scientific and technological research on biomass compression molding technology. By introducing advanced foreign models and adapting them to local conditions, various types of biomass compression molding machines suitable for China’s circumstances were developed, which are used to produce rod-shaped, lump-shaped, or pelletized biomass fuel. In China, the service life of the screws in biomass screw extruders exceeds 500 hours, which is at the international advanced level. Although our country has achieved great success in the development of biomass energy, there is still a certain gap between our technical level and that of developed countries. For example: a. There is insufficient development of new technologies, and the utilization technologies remain limited. In the early days, biomass utilization in our country was mainly focused on biogas production. In recent years, more attention has been paid to the development and application of pyrolysis and gasification technologies, and certain advancements have been achieved; however, progress in other technologies has been very slow. There have been no breakthroughs in areas such as alcohol production, pyrolytic liquefaction, industrial direct combustion technologies, or the cultivation of fast-growing forests. b. Due to scattered resources and outdated collection methods, the scale of biomass energy utilization projects in our country is very small ； To reduce investment, most projects employ simple processes and rudimentary equipment; as a result, equipment utilization rates are low and conversion efficiency is poor. Therefore, biomass energy projects have low return on investment and high operating costs; they struggle to achieve economies of scale and thus cannot play their intended, significant role as an energy source. c. Compared to the actual research content, the investment is insufficient, resulting in low technological sophistication of the research. Most studies are of a low level and involve mere repetition; ultimately, several key technologies have not been resolved. For example: the gas production rate in anaerobic digestion remains low, and the degree of automation in equipment and management is poor ； The problem of tar in gasification utilization has not been completely resolved, posing serious issues for long-term application ； Biogas power generation and gasification power generation have relatively low efficiencies, and the associated secondary pollution problems have not been completely resolved. This causes many engineering systems to be frequently in a state of maintenance or malfunction, thereby reducing their operational capacity and efficiency. Furthermore, in the actual socio-economic environment of our country, there are also some negative factors that restrict or hinder the development, dissemination, and application of biomass energy utilization technologies. These factors are mainly as follows: a. Under the current energy price conditions, biomass energy products lack market competitiveness; low return on investment deters investors from making such investments, while high sales prices discourage consumers. b. Technical standards are not standardized, and market management is chaotic. In the development of straw gasification for gas supply and biogas projects, the lack of appropriate technical standards and strict technical oversight has led to many entities and individuals without the necessary technical expertise taking on responsibilities related to the implementation of such projects and the production of equipment for straw gasification. As a result, the quality of these projects is inadequate, they fail to meet their intended goals, and safety issues may even arise. This has a significant negative impact on future efforts to utilize biomass. c. At present, the policies aimed at supporting the development of biomass energy lack practicality; authorities at all levels should promptly establish relevant policies, such as price subsidies and other special incentives for power generation and grid connection. d. The public lacks sufficient awareness of biomass energy; efforts should be intensified to promote and disseminate relevant knowledge. e. **Due attention should be paid to the strategic importance of biomass energy. Developing biomass energy is a systematic project that should be regarded as a fundamental infrastructure effort for achieving sustainable development.** 4. Development directions and strategies: China is rich in biomass energy resources, and these resources are inexpensive. Moreover, the economic environment and level of development are favorable for the advancement of biomass technology. Based on these characteristics, the development of biomass in our country needs to draw on advanced foreign experiences while also emphasizing its own unique features. Therefore, the future direction of development should focus on the following aspects: a. Further leveraging the role of biomass energy as a supplementary source of energy in rural areas, providing clean energy there to improve the living environment and standards of life for the rural population. This includes practical technologies such as biogas utilization, straw gasification for energy supply, and small-scale gasification power generation. b. Strengthen the industrial application of biomass, increase the proportion of biomass energy usage, and enhance the role of biomass energy in the energy sector. Only in this way can the impact of biomass energy be significantly increased, creating the conditions for its large-scale use in the future; it is also the key to whether biomass energy can become an important alternative energy source in the years to come. c. Technologies for converting biomass into high-quality energy products, in order to enhance the utility value of biomass energy. This is an important technical foundation, the basis for utilizing biomass through various means in the future, and key to enhancing the role and significance of biomass energy. d. At the same time, utilize mountainous areas, wasteland, and deserts to develop new biomass energy resources; research, cultivate, and develop fast-growing, high-yield plant varieties. In areas where conditions permit, establish energy farms and forestry plantations to create biomass energy bases that can supply large-scale quantities of energy resources such as wood or vegetable oil. Countermeasures: Based on the aforementioned main development directions, whether biomass utilization technology in our country can develop rapidly in the future depends mainly on the following aspects: a. In terms of industrialization: it is necessary to strengthen the commercialization of biomass utilization technologies, establish strict technical standards, enhance technical supervision and market management, and regulate market activities in order to create a favorable market environment for the promotion of biomass technologies. b. In terms of industrial production and large-scale application: strengthen the link between biomass technology and industrial production, and address key technical challenges through demonstration projects. In terms of technical research: focus on resolving the technical problems that arise during dissemination and application, while improving and testing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of biomass energy technologies in practical production, thereby creating conditions for the large-scale use of biomass. c. In terms of technical research: it is necessary to focus on addressing the technical challenges that arise during implementation and application, such as tar treatment and biogas technologies for cold regions, while simultaneously exploring new technologies for biomass utilization, including research on advanced methods such as converting biomass into oil and oxygen. d. Formulate a **development plan for biomass energy**, introduce new technologies and processes, carry out demonstrations, development, and dissemination, in order to make full and rational use of biomass energy resources. In the 21st century, high-quality biomass energy products (in the forms of solid fuels, liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, etc.) will gradually replace some mineral fuels in order to address issues such as energy shortages and environmental pollution in our country. 4.3 Priority Areas: Utilization of straw as an energy source; treatment and conversion of organic waste into energy; treatment and conversion of industrial organic waste and wastewater into energy; biomass liquid fuels. 4.4 Key Technologies: Efficient biomass gasification for power generation; IGCC technology for converting organic waste into energy; efficient anaerobic treatment and biogas recovery technologies; technology for producing alcohol from cellulose; biomass pyrolysis and liquefaction technologies; cultivation and utilization of energy crops
As early as the 1970s, some developed countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada, and the member states of the European Community began researching and developing pyrolysis gasification technology for biomass. By the 1980s, there were 19 companies and research institutions in the United States engaged in the research and development of this technology ； Laboratories at 12 Canadian universities are conducting research on the technology of biomass pyrolysis and gasification ； In addition, developing countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia have also carried out research in this area. The Finnish company Tempele Power has begun building a waste wood gasification power plant in Sweden, with an installed capacity of 60 MW and a heat generation capacity of 65 MW; it is set to come online in 1996. The Swedish Energy Center has obtained a loan from the World Bank to build a power plant in Brazil with an installed capacity of 20–30 MW, utilizing advanced technologies such as biomass gasification and combined cycle power generation to make use of the abundant bagasse resources available there. 2.3 Biomass liquid fuels Another technology worthy of attention is biomass liquid fuels, which include ethanol, vegetable oils, etc. These can be used as clean fuels to directly replace petroleum-based fuels such as gasoline. Brazil is the most prominent country in terms of the development and use of ethanol fuel. In the mid-1970s, in an effort to reduce its reliance on imported oil, it launched the world’s largest program for ethanol production. By 1991, ethanol production had reached 13 billion liters. Of the 9.8 million cars in use at that time, nearly 4 million were powered by pure ethanol, while the rest used a fuel mixture containing 20% ethanol and gasoline; in other words, ethanol accounted for over 50% of total vehicle fuel consumption. In 1996, the U.S. Renewable Resources Laboratory developed a technology for producing alcohol from cellulose waste. The Husco Industrial Group in the United States established a 1MW rice husk power generation demonstration plant: it processes 12,000 tons of rice husks per year, generates 8 million kWh of electricity annually, and produces 2,500 tons of alcohol per year, achieving significant economic benefits. 2.4 Other technologies Additionally, biomass compression technology can be used to compress solid agricultural and forestry waste into compacted fuel that can serve as a substitute for coal. For example, the United States developed biomass pelletized fuel; third-world countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia have developed rod-shaped pelletized fuel. 3. Biomass energy in our country: Our country is primarily an agricultural nation, with the rural population accounting for over 70% of the total population. Biomass has always been one of the main sources of energy in rural areas, and it also holds an important position in the overall energy structure. 3.1 Biomass energy resources: China currently has 4.14 billion hectares of forests, grasslands, and arable land; theoretically, the biomass resources available could reach 65 billion tons per year. On a per square kilometer basis, the amount of organic carbon produced by plants through photosynthesis is approximately 158 tons per year. Based on an average calorific value of 15,000 kJ/kg, the theoretical resource amount is 3.3 billion standard tons of coal, which is more than three times China’s current annual total energy consumption. In fact, the biomass that can currently be used as an energy source mainly includes straw, firewood, livestock manure, household waste, and organic waste water. According to surveys, the amount of straw resources in our country has now exceeded 720 million tons, equivalent to about 360 million tons of standard coal. Of this amount, around 120 million tons are used for purposes such as feed, paper production, textiles, and construction materials, while the remaining 600 million tons can be utilized as energy. The main sources of firewood include forestry harvests, pruning for forest management, and fuelwood forests. One survey indicates that China’s annual firewood production is around 127 million tons, which is equivalent to 74 million tons of standard coal. The amount of manure from livestock and poultry is equivalent to about 130 million tons of standard coal ； The amount of urban waste generated is around 120 million tons, with a growth rate of 8%-10% per year. It is estimated that the total amount of biomass energy resources available for utilization in China amounts to about 700 million tons of standard coal. 3.2 Biomass Energy and Its Utilization In China, the majority of biomass energy is used for rural domestic purposes, with only a small portion being utilized in the industrial production of township enterprises. For a long time, the primary method of utilizing biomass energy has been direct combustion; it is only in recent years that new technologies have begun to be employed for this purpose, though on a limited scale. Its adoption is low; it accounts for an extremely small proportion in the energy mix of **, even in rural areas. The direct combustion of biomass not only has low thermal efficiency, but also the emission of large amounts of smoke and ash deteriorates people’s living environments, having extremely adverse effects on the ecosystem, society, and economy. 3.3 Market Demand It can be predicted that, with the development of the national economy and the improvement of people’s living standards, the market prospects for biomass energy utilization technologies and devices will become increasingly broad. 3.4 Current status and issues regarding the development of biomass energy technology in China. The Chinese government and relevant departments attach great importance to the utilization of biomass energy; several top leaders have repeatedly issued instructions to enhance the energy utilization of agricultural crop residues. **The Science and Technology Commission has included the research and application of biomass energy technologies as key research projects in three consecutive **five-year plans. As a result, a large number of outstanding research achievements and successful application examples have emerged, such as biogas production systems, biogas technology using livestock manure, biomass gasification for power generation and centralized gas supply, as well as bio-pellet fuels; these initiatives have yielded significant social and economic benefits. At the same time, our country has developed a high-level team of researchers, including renowned domestic research institutions and universities; it boasts a group of distinguished experts and scholars who are dedicated to the research and development of biomass pyrolysis and gasification technologies. a. Biogas technology is the biomass energy utilization technology that was developed earliest in China and once widely promoted. In the 1970s, to address the energy shortage in rural areas, our country made significant efforts to develop and promote household biogas technology, resulting in the construction of 5.25 million household biogas digesters across the country. In the most recent three consecutive Five-Year Plans, the development of new biogas technologies has been designated as a key scientific and technological research priority. A large number of research projects and demonstration projects related to biogas and its utilization have been planned. To date, China has built over 30,000 medium- and large-sized biogas digesters, with a total volume exceeding 1.37 million m³. These digesters produce 55 million m³ of biogas annually. There are more than 630 biogas projects with a capacity of over 100 m³ each; among them, 583 are centralized gas supply stations serving 83,000 households. The average annual gas consumption per household is 431 m³. These facilities are primarily used for treating livestock manure and organic wastewater. These projects have achieved certain environmental and social benefits, playing a positive role in developing the local economy as well as China’s anaerobic technology. Under the “Ninth Five-Year Plan”, highly efficient anaerobic technologies for treating high-concentration organic wastewater and municipal solid waste were designated as key projects for scientific and technological research. These projects are being carried out by the Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Hangzhou Institute of Energy and Environment, respectively, and have now made the expected progress. The main problems in anaerobic technology and engineering in our country include limited research on related technologies, poor compatibility of auxiliary equipment, low level of automation, rough fabrication of custom-made equipment, high project costs, and severe secondary pollution from open-type pre- and post-treatment processes. b. In recent years, China’s biomass gasification technology has seen significant progress. The types of gasifiers have evolved from traditional updraft and downdraft types to the most advanced fluidized bed, fast fluidized bed, and dual-bed systems. In terms of applications, apart from traditional heat supply, the main breakthroughs have been in providing gas for rural households and biomass gasification-based power generation. “During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, the Science and Technology Commission launched a special research project on “technologies for biomass pyrolysis gasification and thermal utilization”, which yielded considerable results: by employing an oxygen gasification process, a gasification device capable of producing medium-calorific biomass gas was successfully developed ； Using the downward-draft fluidized bed process, a centralized biomass gasification system and equipment for 100 households have been successfully developed. Using the downward-draft fixed bed process, a biomass gasification and drying system and equipment for food and cash crops have also been successfully developed ； A 1,000-household biomass gasification centralized gas supply system and equipment have been developed using the fluidized bed dry distillation process. “During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, the **Science and Technology Commission allocated funds for a research project on \"biomass pyrolysis and gasification and related technologies,\" with a focus on developing 1MW large-scale biomass gasification power generation technologies as well as centralized gas supply systems using rural straw. To date, nearly 200 rural gasification stations have been built across the country, along with over 100 sets of gasification power generation units; the impact of gasification technology is gradually expanding. c. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, China began exploring and researching technologies for producing ethanol fuel from cellulose waste, focusing mainly on the dilute acid hydrolysis of such waste and related fermentation techniques; during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, these efforts entered the pilot test stage. Our country has conducted preliminary research on alternative fuels such as vegetable oils and biomass pyrolysis oils: initial experimental studies have been carried out on aspects such as the physicochemical properties of vegetable oils, esterification modification processes, and their combustion performance in diesel engines. “During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, a taxonomic survey of wild oil-bearing plants and the construction of breeding bases were carried out. There is also some research on biomass liquefaction in our country, but the technology is relatively backward, with research mainly focused on high-pressure liquefaction and pyrolytic liquefaction. d. In addition, during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, China also focused on conducting scientific and technological research on biomass compression molding technology. By introducing advanced foreign models and adapting them to local conditions, various types of biomass compression molding machines suitable for China’s circumstances were developed, which are used to produce rod-shaped, lump-shaped, or pelletized biomass fuel. In China, the service life of the screws in biomass screw extruders exceeds 500 hours, which is at the international advanced level. Although our country has achieved great success in the development of biomass energy, there is still a certain gap between our technical level and that of developed countries. For example: a. There is insufficient development of new technologies, and the utilization technologies remain limited. In the early days, biomass utilization in our country was mainly focused on biogas production. In recent years, more attention has been paid to the development and application of pyrolysis and gasification technologies, and certain advancements have been achieved; however, progress in other technologies has been very slow. There have been no breakthroughs in areas such as alcohol production, pyrolytic liquefaction, industrial direct combustion technologies, or the cultivation of fast-growing forests. b. Due to scattered resources and outdated collection methods, the scale of biomass energy utilization projects in our country is very small ； To reduce investment, most projects employ simple processes and rudimentary equipment; as a result, equipment utilization rates are low and conversion efficiency is poor. Therefore, biomass energy projects have low return on investment and high operating costs; they struggle to achieve economies of scale and thus cannot play their intended, significant role as an energy source. c. Compared to the actual research content, the investment is insufficient, resulting in low technological sophistication of the research. Most studies are of a low level and involve mere repetition; ultimately, several key technologies have not been resolved. For example: the gas production rate in anaerobic digestion remains low, and the degree of automation in equipment and management is poor ； The problem of tar in gasification utilization has not been completely resolved, posing serious issues for long-term application ； Biogas power generation and gasification power generation have relatively low efficiencies, and the associated secondary pollution problems have not been completely resolved. This causes many engineering systems to be frequently in a state of maintenance or malfunction, thereby reducing their operational capacity and efficiency. Furthermore, in the actual socio-economic environment of our country, there are also some negative factors that restrict or hinder the development, dissemination, and application of biomass energy utilization technologies. These factors are mainly as follows: a. Under the current energy price conditions, biomass energy products lack market competitiveness; low return on investment deters investors from making such investments, while high sales prices discourage consumers. b. Technical standards are not standardized, and market management is chaotic. In the development of straw gasification for gas supply and biogas projects, the lack of appropriate technical standards and strict technical oversight has led to many entities and individuals without the necessary technical expertise taking on responsibilities related to the implementation of such projects and the production of equipment for straw gasification. As a result, the quality of these projects is inadequate, they fail to meet their intended goals, and safety issues may even arise. This has a significant negative impact on future efforts to utilize biomass. c. At present, the policies aimed at supporting the development of biomass energy lack practicality; authorities at all levels should promptly establish relevant policies, such as price subsidies and other special incentives for power generation and grid connection. d. The public lacks sufficient awareness of biomass energy; efforts should be intensified to promote and disseminate relevant knowledge. e. **Due attention should be paid to the strategic importance of biomass energy. Developing biomass energy is a systematic project that should be regarded as a fundamental infrastructure effort for achieving sustainable development.** 4. Development directions and strategies: China is rich in biomass energy resources, and these resources are inexpensive. Moreover, the economic environment and level of development are favorable for the advancement of biomass technology. Based on these characteristics, the development of biomass in our country needs to draw on advanced foreign experiences while also emphasizing its own unique features. Therefore, the future direction of development should focus on the following aspects: a. Further leveraging the role of biomass energy as a supplementary source of energy in rural areas, providing clean energy there to improve the living environment and standards of life for the rural population. This includes practical technologies such as biogas utilization, straw gasification for energy supply, and small-scale gasification power generation. b. Strengthen the industrial application of biomass, increase the proportion of biomass energy usage, and enhance the role of biomass energy in the energy sector. Only in this way can the impact of biomass energy be significantly increased, creating the conditions for its large-scale use in the future; it is also the key to whether biomass energy can become an important alternative energy source in the years to come. c. Technologies for converting biomass into high-quality energy products, in order to enhance the utility value of biomass energy. This is an important technical foundation, the basis for utilizing biomass through various means in the future, and key to enhancing the role and significance of biomass energy. d. At the same time, utilize mountainous areas, wasteland, and deserts to develop new biomass energy resources; research, cultivate, and develop fast-growing, high-yield plant varieties. In areas where conditions permit, establish energy farms and forestry plantations to create biomass energy bases that can supply large-scale quantities of energy resources such as wood or vegetable oil. Countermeasures: Based on the aforementioned main development directions, whether biomass utilization technology in our country can develop rapidly in the future depends mainly on the following aspects: a. In terms of industrialization: it is necessary to strengthen the commercialization of biomass utilization technologies, establish strict technical standards, enhance technical supervision and market management, and regulate market activities in order to create a favorable market environment for the promotion of biomass technologies. b. In terms of industrial production and large-scale application: strengthen the link between biomass technology and industrial production, and address key technical challenges through demonstration projects. In terms of technical research: focus on resolving the technical problems that arise during dissemination and application, while improving and testing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of biomass energy technologies in practical production, thereby creating conditions for the large-scale use of biomass. c. In terms of technical research: it is necessary to focus on addressing the technical challenges that arise during implementation and application, such as tar treatment and biogas technologies for cold regions, while simultaneously exploring new technologies for biomass utilization, including research on advanced methods such as converting biomass into oil and oxygen. d. Formulate a **development plan for biomass energy**, introduce new technologies and processes, carry out demonstrations, development, and dissemination, in order to make full and rational use of biomass energy resources. In the 21st century, high-quality biomass energy products (in the forms of solid fuels, liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, etc.) will gradually replace some mineral fuels in order to address issues such as energy shortages and environmental pollution in our country. 4.3 Priority Areas: Utilization of straw as an energy source; treatment and conversion of organic waste into energy; treatment and conversion of industrial organic waste and wastewater into energy; biomass liquid fuels. 4.4 Key Technologies: Efficient biomass gasification for power generation; IGCC technology for converting organic waste into energy; efficient anaerobic treatment and biogas recovery technologies; technology for producing alcohol from cellulose; biomass pyrolysis and liquefaction technologies; cultivation and utilization of energy crops
The development and utilization of biomass energy includes forms such as direct combustion technology, physicochemical conversion technology, biochemical conversion technology, and vegetable oil technology
China has developed various fixed-bed and fluidized-bed gasification furnaces to produce gas from straw, wood chips, rice husks, and tree branches. In 2006, there were over 800 units used for drying wood and agricultural by-products, and nearly 600 centralized straw gasification systems at the village and town level, producing 20 million cubic meters of biomass gas per year. China and its relevant departments also attach great importance to the utilization of biomass energy. For four consecutive five-year plans, research and application of biomass energy utilization technologies have been designated as key scientific and technological projects, and efforts have been made in the research and development of such technologies, including household biogas digesters, firewood-saving stoves, fuelwood forests, large and medium-sized biogas projects, biomass compaction, gasification and power generation via gasification, and biomass liquid fuels. Many outstanding results have been achieved in this area. In terms of policy, on February 28, 2005, the 14th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People’s Congress passed the Renewable Energy Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2006; subsequent supporting measures were introduced over the course of that year. This shows that China has **legally established the role of renewable energy, including biomass energy, within modern energy systems, and has provided substantial policy incentives to support it; as a result, the prospects for the development and investment in biomass energy in China are extremely promising.
Reply to 1# stony_wanghc: At present, the main forms of utilizing biomass energy include biodiesel, bioethanol, biomass power generation, biogas, and so on. It is understood that domestic projects are operating on the brink of profitability due to shortages or high prices of raw materials, with some even shutting down as a result of severe losses. In July 2010, **after the benchmark price for biomass and agricultural forestry power generation was raised, some biomass power generation projects were expected to turn a profit and see improvement.
Reply to 1# stony_wanghc: Fuel ethanol, biomass power generation; China’s current policies provide a subsidy of 0.25 yuan per kilowatt-hour for biomass power generation
After waste is dumped in a landfill and covered with a sealed membrane, biogas is produced. Biomass such as crop waste straws and forestry waste is used as the main raw material to produce green chemical products primarily consisting of fuel ethanol and lactic acid
Biomass refers to various organisms produced through photosynthesis using elements such as the atmosphere, water, and land; in other words, all living organic substances capable of growth are collectively known as biomass. It includes plants, animals, and microorganisms. Broad definition: Biomass includes all plants, microorganisms, as well as animals that feed on plants and microorganisms, along with the waste produced by them. Representative biomasses include crops, crop residues, wood, wood residues, and animal manure. In a narrow sense, biomass refers primarily to materials such as straws and wood-based cellulose (commonly known as lignin) from agricultural and forestry production processes, other than grains and fruits; waste products from the processing of agricultural products; agricultural and forestry residues; as well as animal manure and waste from livestock farming. Feature: Renewability. Low pollution. Widespread distribution. China has developed various fixed-bed and fluidized-bed gasification furnaces to produce gas from straw, wood chips, rice husks, and tree branches. In 2006, there were over 800 units used for drying wood and agricultural by-products, and nearly 600 centralized straw gasification systems at the village and town level, producing 20 million cubic meters of biomass gas per year. China and its relevant departments also attach great importance to the utilization of biomass energy. For four consecutive five-year plans, research and application of biomass energy utilization technologies have been designated as key scientific and technological projects, and efforts have been made in the research and development of such technologies, including household biogas digesters, firewood-saving stoves, fuelwood forests, large and medium-sized biogas projects, biomass compaction, gasification and power generation via gasification, and biomass liquid fuels. Many outstanding results have been achieved in this area. In terms of policy, on February 28, 2005, the 14th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People’s Congress passed the Renewable Energy Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2006; subsequent supporting measures were introduced over the course of that year. This shows that China has **legally established the role of renewable energy, including biomass energy, within modern energy systems, and has provided substantial policy incentives to support it; as a result, the prospects for the development and investment in biomass energy in China are extremely promising.
Reply to 1# stony_wanghc: Biomass exists mainly in the form of wood; it is humanity’s oldest source of energy, having been used as fuel for domestic and industrial activities throughout history. The traditional method of application is direct combustion, and this approach is still widely used in many parts of the world to this day. Biomass is an energy source that is relatively scattered, labor-intensive, and requires a large amount of land. The main problem with the current use of biomass energy is its low energy efficiency and irrational application, which leads to significant waste of resources. The conversion processes, whether biological or chemical, currently have low efficiency and high production costs, which hinder the widespread and effective use of biomass energy. However, given the huge potential of biomass energy, in this 21st century marked by high technology, its utilization is bound to reach a new level. The following introduces three bioenergy technology research programs that have received significant attention and have been implemented on a large scale. Two of them (bio-alcohol and charcoal) have reached a commercial level, and bioenergy is being produced on an industrial scale. The third option, biogas (i.e., anaerobic fermentation), has been widely adopted on a large scale in the rural areas of China and India.