There is increasing interest in using bioliquids, such as virgin or waste vegetable oils, to generate heat and electricity. The technology is particularly well suited to small-scale, urban and community-owned combined heat and power schemes. However, the Department of Energy and Climate Change-funded report released this month, which is now being used in the banding review of the Renewables Obligation in the UK, reveals that “uptake between now and 2020 is likely to be modest” due to “uncertainties regarding bioliquid availability – as well as sustainability, planning and financial issues”.
Under a low uptake scenario, the NNFCC predicts bioliquids could generate 4.0% of the Renewable Energy Strategy 2020 target for renewable electricity and 6.0% of the target for renewable heat.
Key deployment challenges include current policy framework, supply chain infancy and uncertainty over fuel costs. Another issue is that bioliquids include feedstocks which are often seen as controversial by the general public, such as palm or soy oil. These issues must be addressed if bioliquids are to fulfil their potential, suggests the authors of the report entitled “Evaluation of Bioliquid Feedstocks & Heat, Electricity & CHP Technologies, NNFCC 11-016”.
“The report provides an in-depth market assessment of the various technologies and feedstock availabilities; factors which are central to informing policy on bioliquids,” says lead author, Fiona McDermott. “Bioliquids must be used sustainably. Support should be given to applications which offer good greenhouse gas savings potential, a technologically effective solution to onsite generation needs, or fill the gap where other renewable technologies are not viable.”
The UK’s Renewables Obligation Order ensures energy suppliers provide a set amount of their electricity from eligible renewable sources. Suppliers meet their obligations by presenting Renewables Obligation Certificates, which are issued per MWh of energy produced and banded according to the technology used. The Renewable Energy Strategy for the UK requires 15% of UK energy demand be met by renewable sources by 2020.
For additional information:
National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials
