An Overview about the Bioenergy Potential Analysis of the Australian Energy Industry

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Technologies description

3. Energy generation and consumption

4. Potential of resources

5. Advantages and challenges to solve

6. Conclusion

7. References

Abstract- The present report involves the study the Australian bioenergy potential. According to the natural sources of Australia, has agriculture experimented and optimal weather condition to the bioenergy technologies development.

The bioenergy generation represents 9.7% of the total production of renewable energies in Australia. In a similar way, the primary solid biofuel had the prevalence of the energy supplied from bioenergy with around 89% of production.

The region with the highest bioenergy generation in Australia was Queensland and New South Wales, whose main biomass is bagasse. Moreover, the principal type of feedstocks used on current projects was the municipal and industrial waste with 64% of predominance.

On the other hand. the waste management has a significant role in the current amount of urban waste due to improves local sustainability. At the same time, its influence on the expansion of bioenergy technologies allows improves processes and efficiency associated with the technology. What in turn increase the bioenergy potential

Keywords: Bioenergy, biomass, feedstock, waste management, sustainability

1. Introduction

This report contemplates the bioenergy potential analysis of the Australian energy industry with their diverse natural sources. Specifically, it involves the biomass classification available for the bioenergy generation.

The main purpose of this study imply knows the biomass perspective in different zones, identifying the sources associated with each state, understand the energy demand in the industry sector and analyse the market projections.

At the same time, this report develops three main aspects, such as economic, environment and social analysis relative to bioenergy energy. Additionally, allows knowing the biomass potential as the reliable replacement of fossil fuel and as the solution to decrease the local environmental impact and reduce the costs associated with the landfill area use.

2.Technologies description

Overall, there are three steps parts of bioenergy process, which involves the conversion of biomass into the useful bioenergy products, throughout various technology. The first scenario is the diverse feedstock available, which ranges from agriculture waste to animal residues. The next step involves the conversion of the biomass by a technology type that can be through thermo-chemical processes. Furthermore, the global products and the application market associated with bioenergy are electricity, heat, biogas, bio-oil and others. The detail described in Figure 1

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Figure 1: Stages of bioenergy process. Modified from [1]

According to the description of Figure 2, there are four main types of the conversion process of bioenergy. The combustion technology involves burning the biomass at low-moisture. In contrast, the gasification converts the biomass into gaseous fuel at high temperatures, between 700-1100°C. In the case of pyrolysis is used the decomposing process at range temperatures 450-700°C. Lastly, the anaerobic digestion applies microorganisms to decompose the biomass, generating methane and carbon dioxide [2]

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Figure 2: Types of the conversion process of bioenergy. Modified from [3]

Regarding the products obtained in the biofuel category, there are three types of biofuels generation. The first generation is from feedstocks that it can be consumed as food for the human. The second generation is from feedstock that is not usually consumed by the human. Lastly, the third generation is a product that involves improvements in biomass production [3]. The detail explained in Figure 3.

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Figure 3: Classification of biofuels generation from different feedstock [authors own work]

3.Energy generation and consumption

The renewable energies technologies generate around 17% of the total electricity in Australia, which represents 38,172 [GWh] of total renewable production in Australia. Specifically, the highest generation is Tasmania state with 9,153 [GWh]. On the other hand, the prevalence of the technologies is hydro and wind energies with 33.9% and 33.4%, respectively. As describes Figure 4 the fourth place is for bioenergy with 9.7% of generation[4]. However, projections establishing an increase of bioenergy around 3.7% in the electricity generation for period 2049-50 [5]

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Figure 4: Distribution of renewable energies generation.[4]

In an analogous way, the proportions of the primary energy supply from bioenergy in the year 2016. The detail was described in Figure 5. The highest supplement is primary solid biofuel with 187.62PJ/yr., and in second place is biogases with 17.59PJ/yr.

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Figure 5: Distribution of the total primary energy supply from bioenergy [6]

Regarding the primary consumption of bioenergy was 3.7% of the total of its category in the period 2014 and 2015, which represent 217.2 [PJ]. Specifically, the distribution of bioenergy applications described in Figure 6, where the food sector has a prevalence in the electricity and heat generation (E.g. in the sugar industry). In contrast, the lowest demand was the transport category with around 3% of consumption [3]. Nevertheless, according to the studies from the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics in Australia established an increase in the annual demand between 2014-15 to 2049-50 of 0.5%.

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Figure 6: Bioenergy application by industry in Australia[3]

Australia shows a total stationary bioenergy production of 3712 [GWh], between the years 2016-17. The distribution of the biomass generators described in Figure 7, where the preponderance of the production located in the eastern part of Australia. According to this, the highest generation in Queensland with 1701 [GWh], following by New South Wales with 1069 [GWh] [7]

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Figure 7: Bioenergy electricity generation capacity in Australia.[8]

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