BIOMASS GOES TO WASTE

Currently the two most suitable words to describe the biomass energy i ndustry are waste and recycling. However, there are several ways of lo oking at this. The first is a literal one. This reflects the current c hanges which are taking place in waste treatment as a consequence of n ew environmental initiatives. These are predicted to intensify as and when new Community Directives come into force through national legisla tion within the European Union (EU). The most significant will be the packaging directive, and other measures aimed at reduction of waste an d increased recycling of organic materials and packaging in particular . At the same time biomass, in the true sense, both goes to waste as c rops are not used and generates waste in terms of resources as unecono mic ventures are funded for political reasons. Here, the recycling is of old concepts, such as energy balances - which one hoped had been pu t to rest some time ago. The net result is a depleted industry, in som e sectors, and one based on false hopes in others. At the same time th ere is also some clarity emerging in respect of end use, with most act ivities focussing on decentralised electricity generation and the form ation of liquid transport fuels.