ABSTRACT
Biomass heating and combined heat and power systems have become a major component of the lowcarbon strategy for many projects, as they can provide a large renewable energy component at a relatively low initial cost. The biomass family includes biofuels, which are being specified in city centre schemes, but which provide lower energy outputs and could transfer farmland away from food production. Biomass’ position in the zero-carbon hierarchy is a little ambiguous in that its production, transport and combustion all produce carbon emissions, albeit most is offset during a plant’s growth cycle. A wide range of technologies have been developed for processing various forms of biomass, including anaerobic digesters and gasifiers. The issues that city-centre biomass schemes face in connection with storage, transport, emissions and supply chain management might be better addressed by industrial users or their energy suppliers in low-cost locations rather than by developers in prime city-centre sites.
