SUSTAINABLE OR NOT... ? BIOENERGY

Generating and using energy in such a way that it doesn’t impact the environment has been pursued for many years, but the green future vision now seems more realistic than ever. While a number of sustainable forms of energy have proven successful and are being scaled up in capacity, other forms of energy are still in their infancy. This is the time to join forces, to apply and combine knowledge and expertise from different sectors. Together we are responsible and together we can make a difference.

When we are talking about renewable energy, bioenergy is an interesting topic. This is because there is a lot of criticism since bioenergy does not seem as ‘clean’ as other forms of renewable energy. Therefore there are various views when you ask the question: how sustainable is biomass? It’s interesting when you consider that in the Netherlands no less than 60% of the sustainable energy comes from biomass (2019) and that biomass is the most important sustainable energy source worldwide. Esther Stam, Manager Sales at PTH Hout CV, has a clear opinion on this: "Biomass can really be burned very cleanly, as long as you know what you are doing." In this article we will be looking at the various applications of biomass.

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There are various views.

What exactly is bioenergy?

Energy from biomass can be obtained in several ways, namely by combustion or by fermentation or gasification. It always involves the processing of biological or organic material. From VGF waste from households to sewage sludge from water treatment plants and from vegetable oil and fat from the food industry to manure from cattle farms. Biomass combustion (especially wood) creates energy that can be used as electricity or heat. Fermentation or gasification produces biogas that (after processing) can be used as green gas or biofuel .

Ester Stam, Manager Sales at PTH Hout CV