Biomass Ppower generation: A pathway to carbon neutrality

Wei Du; Zhanpeng Cui; Jinze Wang; Yiming Qin; Jianhuai Ye; Nan Lin; Yuanchen Chen; Wenyan Duan; Zhaofeng Chang; Hao Li; Peng Zhang; Bo Pan

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173080

Biomass Ppower generation: A pathway to carbon neutrality

Sci Total Environ. 2024 May 10:933:173080. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173080. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Wei Du¹, Zhanpeng Cui¹, Jinze Wang², Yiming Qin³, Jianhuai Ye⁴, Nan Lin⁵, Yuanchen Chen⁶, Wenyan Duan¹, Zhaofeng Chang¹, Hao Li¹, Peng Zhang¹, Bo Pan⁷

Affiliations

¹ Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science & Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
² Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
³ School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China.
⁴ Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement and Early Warning Technology for Urban Environmental Health Risks, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
⁵ Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310032, China.
⁷ Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Carbon Sequestration and Pollution Control, Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science & Technology, Kunming 650500, China. Electronic address: panbocai@gmail.com.

PMID: 38735320
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173080

Abstract

In light of the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions, the biomass power generation industry has gained significant attention and has increasingly become a crucial focus in China. However, there are still considerable gaps in the historical background, status, and prospects of biomass power generation. Herein, the historical and current status of biomass power generation in China are systematically reviewed, with a particular emphasis on supportive policies, environmental impacts, and future projections. By 2022, the newly installed capacity for biomass power generation reached 3.34 MW with a total installed capacity of 41 MW. The power produced from biomass power generation is 182.4 billion kWh in China. The total installed capacity and generated power in 2022 were 1652 and 1139 folds higher than in 2006 when the first biomass generation plant was established. However, disparities in the distribution of biomass resources and power generation were observed. Key drivers of the industry development include tax, finance, and subsidy policies. Under the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan for renewable energy development and the goal of carbon neutrality, biomass power generation may achieve great success through more targeted policy support and advanced technologies that reduce air pollutant emissions. If combined with Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) technology, biomass power generation will make its contribution to carbon neutrality in China.

Keywords: Air pollutant emission; BECCS; Biomass power generation; Carbon neutrality; Greenhouse gas; Policy support.

Publication types

Review