Shandong hosts China’s largest biomass energy project, capable of producing over 6.6 million cubic meters of natural gas per year

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Shandong hosts the largest biomass energy project in the north, capable of producing over 6.6 million cubic meters of natural gas per year. Recently, the largest biomass energy project in the north was established in Nancun Town, Qingdao, Shandong; it is able to generate more than 6.6 million cubic meters of natural gas per year, as well as over 22,000 tons of solid organic fertilizer and more than 20,000 tons of biogas slurry fertilizer. 　　As a renewable energy source, biomass energy has gained popularity in the market in recent years, and our country is also providing strong support for the development of related industries. Whether it is the rise of the cogeneration model or the opportunities presented by clean heating in autumn and winter, the biomass energy industry is expected to continue to gain momentum. With a market worth nearly 200 billion yuan emerging, the fields of biomass energy for power generation and heating are attracting more capital investment. 　　Recently, the **Energy Bureau issued guiding principles, emphasizing the need to strengthen and plan the management of biomass power generation in our country. In the future, our country will vigorously promote co-generation of heat and electricity from agricultural and forestry biomass, innovate models and technologies, to further reduce the costs of biomass power generation. Furthermore, the recommendations also encourage the participation of private capital in operation and construction to improve power generation and operational efficiency. 　　In fact, since the end of 2016, when the **Energy Administration released the 13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Biomass Energy**, China has continued to see favorable policies for the development of the biomass energy industry. As a large country rich in agricultural and forestry waste and facing the urgent need to recycle urban waste, biomass energy for power generation and heating will contribute to environmental protection and resource recycling. 　　It is predicted that by 2020, new investment in China’s biomass energy industry will approach 200 billion, indicating significant development potential. By the end of 2016, there were over 600 projects in operation across the country, with an installed capacity connected to the grid exceeding 12 million kilowatts. According to CIC Consulting’s estimates, over the next 5 years, the installed capacity of the biomass power generation sector in China is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 9%, with the installed capacity expected to reach more than 21 million kilowatt-hours by 2021. 　　Furthermore, the rise of the cogeneration model has also brought new opportunities to the biomass power generation industry. Due to the high demand for heat during the heating season in our country, especially in the northern regions, it is imperative to replace traditional coal-based heating with clean and renewable energy sources for heating. Under the requirements for air pollution control, biomass energy heating is expected to provide an additional green source of power for clean heating. 　　The issuance of the \"Notice on Carrying Out Demonstration Projects for Clean Heating Supply in Counties through Biomass Cogeneration\" is another step taken to explore this model, and the implementation of these demonstration projects undoubtedly sends a positive signal for its promotion across the country. As the northern regions continue to be plagued by autumn and winter fog, and as practices such as burning coal and using small boilers for heating gradually fade away, biomass energy will, along with other clean energy sources, fill the gap in heating supply. 　　It is worth noting that the key factors behind the expansion of biomass energy utilization are technological advancements and the implementation of relevant projects. It is reported that the largest biomass energy project in the north has been established in Nancun Town, Qingdao, Shandong, and it officially went online for operation not long ago. This project utilizes state-owned proprietary patents from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to achieve comprehensive treatment of straw and vegetable waste, thereby providing a continuous supply of natural gas and organic fertilizer. It is estimated that the project will generate over 6.6 million cubic meters of natural gas per year, more than 22,000 tons of solid organic fertilizer, and over 20,000 tons of biogas slurry fertilizer. 　　In addition, Zhanjiang in Guangdong is home to the world’s largest biomass power plant—the Zhanjiang Biomass Power Plant. This power plant helps rural areas make use of waste materials such as tree bark, straw, and sugarcane residue; it saves nearly 300,000 tons of standard coal per year, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 480,000 tons, and generates over 600 million units of electricity annually. Currently, the power plant is also focusing on research into “second-generation” pure biomass fuels represented by Phragmites australis. 　　With such a large market size, it naturally attracts capital inflows, and related companies also reap significant benefits from this new wave of development. According to statistics from the China Biomass Energy Alliance, among the top 10 companies in terms of installed capacity for agricultural and forestry biomass power generation connected to the grid as well as annual electricity output in 2016 were China Energy Conservation Group, Everbright Green Environmental Protection, Kaidi Ecology, Guangdong YueDian, and others. In terms of installed capacity and electricity output for waste-to-energy generation connected to the grid, Jinjiang Group, Hanlan Environment, Yuefeng Environmental Protection, and others also figured prominently on the list. (This article is reprinted from other media outlets; it is intended to provide more information and does not imply approval of its views or responsibility for their accuracy.) Source: China Energy Network. )