Power Generation Potential of Biomass Gasification Systems

Abstract

Biomass has the potential to contribute a significant portion of the electricity consumed in industrialized nations and a major share of the power mix in developing countries. In addition to providing an alternative to fossil-fuel-based energy and creating new markets for agriculture, a renewable resource like biomass used in a sustainable fashion facilitates closure of the carbon cycle. To realize these benefits, particularly in the shadow of uncertainties cast by deregulation and recent changes in federal energy and agricultural policies, biomass power systems must be competitive with incumbent power-generation technologies in terms of generation efficiency and overall cost. Anticipated performance and cost of biomass-based integrated gasification, combined-cycle power systems are discussed. The electric power that can be generated worldwide using existing biomass resources (primarily crop residues and wastes) and the potential amount that could be generated from crops grown specifically for electricity generation are projected. Technical and economic obstacles that must be overcome before advanced biomass-power systems based on aeroderivative turbines or fuel cells can become fully commercial are identified. Research, development, and demonstration efforts under way or being planned to overcome those obstacles are described; developments in a major biomass gasification demonstration project taking place in Hawaii under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Hawaii are detailed.