Burning Solutions

摘要

There's no need to go out on a limb with biomass combustion technology. Very small scale CHP or "biorefinery" technology may be a different matter. The good news for Canadians hoping to use forest biomass for heat is that proven technology is readilyavailable at just about any scale, from wood-burning stoves to the largest commercial plant. The fibre supply and boiler still need to be carefully matched, and supply logistics analyzed in detail, but you shouldn't have to gamble with your capital investment. The same can be said for combined heat and power (CHP) or power generation at larger scales, say 10 MW or higher. But once you start looking at the smaller scale projects, and certainly below 3 MW, cost-effective examples of these are the exception rather than the rule in the current Canadian context. Similarly, once we start talking about "biorefineries", whether to create gas, liquid, or solid fuels, we're moving even farther into the experimental or prototype realm, where those new to the field or without deeper pockets should be careful. But first, to the relatively simple world of biomass combustion for heat, where industrial options include grate furnaces and fluidized beds.