Publications EUR 18303 EN: Biomass and Bioenergy - Catalogue of Contracts

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Publications : Agricultural Residues : Biological Conversion : Chemical Conversion : FAIR Area 1.1 - Biomass and Bioenergy Chain : JOULE/THERMIE Programme : Liquid Biofuels and Biogas : Solid Biofuels : Straw : Thermochemical Conversion : Vegetable Oil/Fat : Wood (Lignocellulose)

Foreword

Introduction

This catalogue covers all Bioenergy related research projects funded over the two specific programmes FAIR and JOULE-THERMIE funded under the fourth framework programme (1994-1998).

The FAIR specific programme was adopted on 26 April 1994 as part of the Community's Fourth Framework Programme. It concerns research and technological development in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fishery, aquaculture, and related food and non-food industries and is jointly managed by three Commission services, DG Vl-F11-3: Agricultural Research, DG Xll-E-2: Agro-Industrial Research, and DG XIV-C-2: Fisheries Research.

The "Biomass and Bioenergy chain" approach is specifically covered under area 1.1 of the programme. Area 1 as a whole tries to develop an "integrated production and processing chain" approach to the non-food agro-industrial and forestry sectors. This includes the production and processing of plant raw materials such as timber, fibres, carbohydrates and oils from new and traditional agricultural and forest crops, to the development of optimized, 'cleaner' processing methodologies and products with higher added value. The research emphasises the development of new markets, products, and processes for the raw materials coming from agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

The prime objectives of the specific programmes covering research and technological development including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, JOULE and THERMIE (1994-1998) are to improve energy security - ensuring durable and reliable energy services at affordable cost and conditions. Increasingly this involves recognizing how to protect the environment and to reduce the impact of the production and use of energy, in particular the emissions of carbon dioxide. Within this frame, JOULE-THERMIE also aims to strengthening the technological basis of the energy industry with benefits for the economy, employment and export potential, improving social and economic cohesion and contributing to cooperation with third countries, in particular Central and Eastern Europe.

JOULE and THERMIE merge within one programme both R&D and demonstration actions and introduce a new activity to support an overall energy RTD strategy in the inter-disciplinary area of energy-environment-economy. JOULE and THERMIE address non-nuclear activities and support the development of the energy research and technological development (RTD) strategy.

Activities in the area of "Energy from Biomass and Wastes" are included in the area "Renewable Energy" (RE). The overall objective of RE is to enable and stimulate the introduction into the energy system of renewable energies, which offer substantial advantages from the point of view of environmental protection, carbon dioxide emissions and long-term security of energy supply. In addition, new initiatives will be taken to enhance the integration of renewable energy into the economy and everyday life of society, with projects covering areas that include aspects of wind, hydro, solar and geothermal energy.

An integrated approach to Biomass RTD activities

Biomass and energy from waste projects have been funded under FAIR as well as through JOULE/THERMIE. FAIR activities cover the production of biomass energy crops, biological conversion processes and treatment of liquid wastes appropriate for biological conversion. Studies on thermal processes have also been funded. All these projects are linked to the supply requirements for a specific resource, or to identify key activities along the complete chain of the field to energy supply.

FAIR also supports a number of concerted action networks that allow experts to come together and exchange information and experiences to facilitate establishment of wider markets for biomass. The concerted actions focus on biomass energy production including energy crops and processing of such crops through pyrolysis. They cover specific grasses for biomass like Miscanthus and potential use of agricultural wastes as raw material for biogas. Other networks deal with life cycle analysis and collaboration with Central and Eastern Europe.

As far as conversion is concerned there are contrasting objectives in the concerted action covering anaerobic digestion (an established technology) which focuses on promotion of the technology on the market and that covering pyrolysis (PyNe Network). The latter network, that includes close interaction with the International Energy Agency (IEA), covers research activities yet to be commercialised.

Most of the funding is in shared cost projects. These projects, funded under FAIR, and JOULE -THERMIE, reflects the passage from raw material production, through research and development activities concerning conversion, to demonstration activities in thermal processes.

The overall content of the three programmes provide a balanced approach to increasing the knowledge concerning the production and use of biomass and wastes for energy within the European Union. The content of the programmes reflect that thermal conversion and electricity production are the priorities for EU in applying biomass energy as part of a renewable energy strategy to help meet carbon dioxide abatement targets, as discussed in the Commission's White Paper on Renewable Energy.

Analysis of projects and participants

Within the three programmes, over 100 shared cost and demonstration projects together with concerted actions have been funded. The total contribution made by the Commission is 100 million ECU out of a total project value of more than 500 million ECU. The 20% overall EU contribution to the total cost is distorted by the fact that EC contributions to demonstration projects (THERMIE), are lower on a proportional basis. On the other hand for shared cost RTD projects (FAIR and JOULE), the emphasis is on research and development, and here the EC contribution (45 MECU JOULE /20 MECU FAIR), represents around 60% of the total project budget. The figures reflect the mix of educational organisations, which receive additional costs and commercial organisations that provide 50% counter part funding.

As shown in Figure 1, both FAIR and JOULE attracted a large number of commercial participants and research institutions, many of which are non- academic in character. As well as decreasing the proportional funding provided by the EC, this reflects the increasing participation of industry in EC-funded programmes. In turn this provides a stronger guarantee that research discoveries will be exploited in the market place. Furthermore, at the demonstration level (THERMIE), all projects are managed by commercial organisations.

Figure 1. Distribution of participants by type

Figure 2. shows the distribution of projects and EC-funding within various activities for the programmes. The greater proportion of funding has been directed towards thermal processing, with a big emphasis on combustion as this technology moves towards demonstration.

Figure 2. Distribution of projects (top) and EC contribution to budget (bottom) by programme and project subject