Thanks to its versatility, biomass promises great potential for renewables and could fuel growth for the valve industry. In Germany alone, biomass accounts for 33 % of energy generated from renewables, second place behind wind energy with a share of around 36 %. Without a question, biomass has great potential.
As supply slowly dwindles, the era of fossil fuels such as gas, oil and coal is drawing to an end. Not every country welcomes nuclear energy. The energy sector has long realised the signs of the time. Companies from countries such as Germany and Austria are placing their bets on renewables, in parts thanks to subsidies from their respective governments. In Germany, biomass as an energy source is supported by the Renewable Energies Act (EEG). The act includes wood-fired biomass heating and power plants or fermentation of liquid manure from energy crops in biogas plants.
Its versatility makes biomass highly interesting. Biomass is “the only renewable that can generate all forms of required energy, such as heat, electricity and fuels“, underscores Germany’s “EnergyAgency.NRW“. As a source of energy, it is an all-rounder, regardless of its solid, liquid or gaseous state.
Important role in the energy mix
German power company RWE enjoys the benefits of using biomass, too. A lot of companies see similar potential. This kind of energy generation is therefore becoming of interest for valve and pump makers. It is namely quite simple: no valves, no biomass heating or power plant. In the biomass and gas boilers, in thermal and cooling cycles, at the injection point and steam temperature control valves such as main stop valves and steam slides are needed to control the process. Throttle valves, pressure reducing valves and safety valves are also needed. In addition, district heating pumps, feed pumps, condensate pumps and frequency converters can’t be done without.
German valve and pump maker KSB has discovered the attractive market for itself. The company already has long years of experience in power plant technology and is adapting to biomass power plants. “We offer individual solutions“ – a must for suppliers, as biomass comes in various states and can be utilised in many different ways. Plant dimensions can also vary to a high degree. They are used in market-gardens, public district heating systems, paper and pulp factories and entire industrial areas. KSB has the required pumps for feed water pumping, condensate transport and district heating in its product range.
The valve sector already is profiting from the biomass boom. VAG supplied the Dutch coal power plant Maasvlakte Power Plant 3 in Rotterdam with butterfly valves with a nominal diameter of DN 2000. They will be used as controlled pump-check valves in the main cooling line. As the seawater used for cooling is very aggressive, the pumps were made from stainless duplex steel. Apart from coal, the power plant also uses biomass.
Metso, a Finnish company, is also highly engaged in the biomass market. Valves and instrumentation were supplied to the Swedish GoBiGas project for sustainable and renewable gas production. Metso Power is constructing a biomass gasification plant for Göteborg Energi AB in the harbour of Göteborg. The worldwide first plant of its kind turns biomass into renewable biomethane for the gas grid. It includes a slew of control and on/ off valves and positioners for safety valves in both parts of the plant, i.e the gasification and methanation sections. In total, the order includes 320 valves, such as regulating flaps, rotary globe valves, segment and ball valves. The first section was finalized by the end of 2013.
Metso also received an order from Archangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill to construct a biomass steam boiler. The boiler for the Russian company will have a capacity of 60 mW and was put into operation in the first quarter of 2014.
Processes in biomass power plants also need to be defined as precisely and effectively as possible. Foster Wheeler chose systems from Emerson Process Management to automate its new, biomass-powered boiler in a power plant located in Polaniec, Poland. The Eastern European country has set ambitious goals for its energy sector. It is investing heavily into power generation from biomass to meet its goal of a 15 per cent share of renewables in energy production by 2020.
Converting coal plants
New plants are not the only thing promising lucrative orders. Coal power plants are being retrofitted to become environment-friendly biomass power plants. “One of our successful projects for instance is retrofitting a coal power plant in Amer, the Netherlands, and converting it into a biomass power plant more friendly to the environment,“ declares RWE. The former coal power plant in Tilbury, Great Britain, was also converted by the company into a biomass power plant with a capacity of 750 MW.
Thanks to the good outlook, companies are taking a closer look. Metso has started researching industrial use of biochar. The TISCO-Projekt (Torrefaction – Integration and Suitability for Co-firing) is examining the industrial-scale use of heating materials made by torrefaction as an aggregate in coal power plants. Emissions of wood-based heating materials throughout its entire life-cycle are being examined, from supply to electricity and heat generation. Metso considers it conceivable that biochar could replace coal used in power plants to a certain extent.
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