BiomassBiomass – hay, wood chips, etc. – differs substantially from fossil fuels because when biomass is produced sustainably, the new trees and other plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and thus provide a natural carbon offset. When the biomass is burned, atmospheric emissions are actually recycled into the next generation of growing plants. Although slow-growing trees will take a long time before the released carbon is recaptured in the next generation of trees, fast-growing trees recycle carbon much faster. This means they displace fossil-fuel use with every growth cycle. Moving beyond the hypeRight now, biomass is one of the most highly promoted (and highly subsidized) fuel sources in the world. Its use has therefore become highly politicized. But here at Babcock & Wilcox Vølund, our job is not to promote a single technology, but to optimize the technologies at our disposal. As such, we have developed a range of grates and other innovative process units that ensure maximum energy recovery from biomass with minimal negative environmental impact. Denmark leads the wayCurrently in Denmark, over 70% of all renewable energy currently comes from biomass. Most of the fuel comes from straw, wood, and biodegradable waste. Over the past 30 years, use of biomass has increased by some 400%. And more increases are expected. As a Danish-based company, we are proud to have played an important role in making these efficiencies possible. For more information, please see: The Danish Energy Agency microsite http://www.klimaogenergiguiden.dk/Welcome-to-the-Climate-and-Energy-Guide.html |