12 September 2013

Authors

Esa Vakkilainen, Katja Kuparinen,

Jussi Heinimö
Lappeenranta University of Technology
www.lut.fi

Published in 12th September 2013

Cover pictures by Foster Wheeler, Esa Vakkilainen and Andritz

Disclaimer

This report was written for IEA Bioenergy Task 40. The sole responsibility for the content of this
publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IEA or the
members of the IEA Bioenergy Implementing agreement. IEA Bioenergy Task 40 has reviewed and
approved this report, but is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information or
opinions contained therein.
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Terms

Bioenergy
Bioenergy refers to energy derived from biofuel.

Biomass
Refers to the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agriculture (including
vegetal and animal substances), forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable fraction
of industrial and municipal waste.

Biofuel (=biomass fuel)

Fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass. The fuel may have undergone mechanical,
chemical or biological processing or conversion or it may have had a previous use. Biofuel refers to
solid, gaseous and liquid biomass-derived fuels.

Energy biomass
Refers to biomass that is utilised for energy purposes.

Conversion factors
Following conversion factors are used in this report:

Wood pellets lower heating value 17.0 MJ/kg

Ethanol lower heating value 21.2 MJ/l density 0.8 kg/l
Biodiesel lower heating value 37.3 MJ/kg density 0.88 kg/l
Charcoal lower heating value 22.0 MJ/kg
Pyrolysis oil lower heating value 17.0 MJ/kg density 1.2 kg/l
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Executive summary

The markets of energy biomass are developing rapidly and becoming more international. More and
more biomass is sourced from abroad, expecially by large biomass-users. Comprehensive information
of the current bioenergy market is an essential factor for contributing the market development.

The objective of the study is to obtain a global overview of the biomass use in industrial and
transport sectors and to compose lists of the largest users of energy biomass in the world. Various
statistics, databases, reports, and reviews, most of them publicly available, have been utilised during
the study to examine plants that either refine biomass for use in transportation and heating purposes
or plants that convert biomass into heat and power. The plant lists presented are based on the
prevailing situation in the end of the year 2012; due to lack of comprehensive and accurate plant-
specific information and rapidly changing situation, the results should be used with care.

Currently, the scope of energy biomass trade is about 1 EJ/yr representing about 5% of the total use
of biomass for energy in industrialised countries. Direct trade of biofuels is increasing strongly,
whereas indirect trade, which includes imported industrial round wood and wood chips that end up
as energy, has been quite stable within the recent years. Especially the trade volumes of biodiesel
and wood pellets have been growing lately.

Majority of the biomass energy use, in 2009 66%, is residential use mainly in developing countries.
Excluding residential use, the most important user countries are Brazil, the US and India. Biomass use
in industrial and transportation sectors concentrates in a small number of countries; in 2009 the
fifteen largest users consumed 78% of biofuels in the industrial sector and 95% in the transportation
sector. Large plants that process or refine biomass are located primarily in the industrialised
countries. The largest plants are producing ethanol and biodiesel; pellet plants are slightly smaller
and gasification, torrefaction and pyrolysis facilities are rare and significantly smaller.

Examination on industrial biomass use at plant level shows that recovery boilers and ethanol mills
cover together more than half of the use. Global biodiesel production capacity is only slightly smaller
than ethanol production capacity, but the utilisation rate is low, about 35%. Comparison of the global
capacities (PJ/a) of biomass user plants and the share of the fifteen largest plants in each category at
the end of 2012 showed that they are using large amounts of biomass but in no category (with
perhaps an exception in the co-firing category) do they dominate the biomass usage. Large new
plants can however greatly affect the biomass markets at country level.

The fifteen largest pulverised firing boilers co-firing biomass cover up to 43% of the biomass co-firing
capacity. For other boilers as well as wood pellet, biodiesel, and ethanol production the share of the
fifteen largest plants is around 10 to 20% of the sectors capacity. Actual use of biomass in the fifteen
largests plants exceeds 20% of the sector’s use for biodiesel plants, pulverized fuel boilers and CFB
boilers, while for other categories, it is close to 10%. Most part of the biomass feed (counted
according to the capacity of the plants) used in the largest plants comes from a local source;
imported biomass is used primarily in biodiesel plants and pulverised firing boilers. Most part of
imported biomass is used in Europe. While the use of raw biomass will likely remain local, the trade
of refined biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel and wood pellets will likely continue to increase in
the near future.
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Contents
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Starting point ........................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Targets of the study................................................................................................................. 6
1.3 Methodology and implementation of the study ..................................................................... 6
2 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE STATISTICS AND DATA SOURCES ............................................................... 8
2.1 Statistics................................................................................................................................... 8
2.1.1 National energy statistics ................................................................................................ 8
2.1.2 International statistics ..................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Unofficial databases and statistics .......................................................................................... 9
2.3 Reports and reviews .............................................................................................................. 10
2.4 Evaluation of data sources .................................................................................................... 11
3 DEVELOPMENT OF SOLID AND LIQUID BIOFUELS TRADE IN 2004–2011 ...................................... 12
3.1 Direct and indirect trade of biofuels ..................................................................................... 12
3.2 Biofuels trade volumes in 2004–2011 ................................................................................... 12
4 MODERN ENERGY USE OF BIOMASS IN COUNTRY LEVEL ............................................................. 14
4.1 Global energy use of biomass ............................................................................................... 14
4.2 Biomass use in industry for energy ....................................................................................... 15
4.3 Biomass use in transportation sector .................................................................................... 17
5 LARGE INDUSTRIAL PLANTS USING BIOMASS ............................................................................... 18
5.1 Plants that process and refine biomass to biofuels .............................................................. 18
5.1.1 Pellet mills ..................................................................................................................... 18
5.1.2 Ethanol mills .................................................................................................................. 20
5.1.3 Biodiesel plants.............................................................................................................. 22
5.1.4 Other plants ................................................................................................................... 24
5.2 Plants that convert biomass into energy............................................................................... 28
5.2.1 Recovery boilers ............................................................................................................ 28
5.2.2 Biomass gasifiers ........................................................................................................... 30
5.2.3 Co-firing in pulverized boilers........................................................................................ 32
5.2.4 Combined heat and power production with biomass in industry and CHP .................. 33
5.2.5 Utility power production with biomass ......................................................................... 36
6 IDENTIFICATION OF BIOFUEL AND BIOENERGY PROJECTS UNDER PLANNING ............................. 39
6.1 Plants that refine or process biomass to biofuels ................................................................. 39
6.1.1 Pellet mills ..................................................................................................................... 39
6.1.2 Ethanol mills .................................................................................................................. 39
6.1.3 Biodiesel plants.............................................................................................................. 40
6.1.4 Other projects................................................................................................................ 41
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6.2 Plants that convert biomass into energy............................................................................... 42

6.2.1 Recovery boilers ............................................................................................................ 42
6.2.2 Biomass gasifiers ........................................................................................................... 43
6.2.3 Other biomass projects ................................................................................................. 43
6.2.4 Market view of biomass-fired power boilers ................................................................ 44
7 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................... 46
8 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................... 50
REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 52
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Appendixes

Appendix 1 List of the largest pellet mills

Appendix 2 List of the largest ethanol mills

Appendix 3 List of the largest biodiesel plants

Appendix 4 List of the largest recovery boilers

Appendix 5 List of the largest biomass gasifiers

Appendix 6 List of pellet mills under planning

Appendix 7 List of ethanol mills under planning

Appendix 8 List of biodiesel plants under planning

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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Starting point
Currently, biomass covers approximately 10% of the global energy supply. Roughly two thirds
(34 EJ/a) of the energy use of biomass took place in developing countries for cooking and heating.
The remaining use of biomass (about 18 EJ/a) took place in industrialised countries, where biomass is
utilised both in industrial applications within heating, power and road transportation sectors and for
heating purposes in the private sector, Figure 1-1. In 2009, about 13% of biomass use was consumed
for heat and power generation while the industrial sector consumed 15% and transportation sector
4%. The global consumption of biofuels in transportation equaled to about 2% of the total fuels’ use
of the transport sector. In the same year, biomass use in power, heat and CHP plants was
approximately 7 EJ.

Figure 1-1 Various energy sources in relation to the world’s total primary energy supply in 2009. Total primary
energy supply was 509 EJ in 2009 [1].

The markets of energy biomass are developing rapidly and becoming more international. The areas
from which biomass is procured, especially by large biomass-users, are expanding quickly, and more
and more biomass is being sourced from abroad, including from other continents. Comprehensive
information of the current bioenergy market is an essential factor for contributing the market
development.

IEA Bioenergy Task 40 has a vision to contribute to the development of vital and well-functioning and
sustainable bioenergy market. Previously, the global status of the direct and indirect energy biomass
trade was carried out within the task in 2008–2009 [2]. That study covers the years 2004–2006. Since
then, a few separate market overviews have been published for example for solid biofuels and
ethanol, but a comprehensive update on the previous study has not been done. It can be assumed
that the biomass market, especially the direct trade, has developed rapidly. During the past years,
numerous large-scale green power plants have been introduced worldwide, for example in East Asia
and Europe, and most of them are based on imported biomass. It seems that the economically

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feasible production of second-generation biofuels will require large or even giant-scale plant sizes.
These factors will change the markets of bioenergy and boost the international trade of energy
biomass. Especially industrial stakeholders of bioenergy markets (energy, biofuel and technology
companies) need to evaluate how the individual projects (plant level) affect the use of biomass.

1.2 Targets of the study

The first objective of the study is to obtain a global overview of the biomass use in industrial and
transport sectors. The second aim is to compose lists of the largest users of energy biomass in the
world. These lists include both energy producing plants and biofuel production plants. The challenges
related to the identifying of the largest industrial users of energy biomass are evaluated. The share of
the biomass usage worldwide, biomass trade worldwide and biomass used by large users is
investigated using the global biomass usage of 2011 as the base level. Thirdly, the trends of large
biomass users are investigated by comparing the current lists to the lists of future projects.

The largest users of energy biomass are listed both at country level and at plant level. At country
level, especially the biomass use in transportation and industrial sectors is studied. Large biomass
user plants examined in this study include biomass refining and processing for energy carrier
purposes (biofuels) as well as biomass conversion into heat and power. Both operating facilities and
plants under planning are studied. An effort is made to find out what kind of biomass the large users
utilise and whether they use domestic or imported feedstock. The aim is to find out what kind of an
influence large biomass users have on the global biomass trade.

1.3 Methodology and implementation of the study

This study has been done using literature, statistics, databases, reports and reviews publicly available
and relevant to the study. The used categorisation of the biomass users used in this report is
represented in Figure 1-2. The largest users of biomass are assumed to be either plants that refine
biomass for use in the transportation sector and heating purposes or plants that convert biomass
into heat and power.

Figure 1-2 Categorisation of biomass users applied in the study. Biomass use figures are from the year 2009.

For reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph, the study concentrates on these categories. Plants
that refine biomass include ethanol mills, biodiesel plants, pellet mills and other, such as torrefaction

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and pyrolysis plants. Heat and power generation can be divided into plants that use liquid biofuels,
such as black liquor boilers and pyrolysis oil boilers, and plants that use solid biomass fuels, such as
fluidized bed boilers, pulverised fuel fired boilers, grate boilers and various types of gasifiers. The
plant lists presented in this report are based on the prevailing situation in the end of the year 2012. It
should be taken into account that: 1) the plant-specific information presented in this report is based
on published but sometimes/often unverified information and therefore the results should be used
with care, and 2) not all of the new biomass plants under planning and construction will ever be
realised and 3) some of the plants operating in 2012 have stopped operating or changed the amount
of biomass they use.

The structure of the report is as follows. Section 2 gives an overview of the available data sources on
biomass use for energy at country and plant level. In section 3, the status of solid and liquid biofuels
trade is updated until the year 2011. Section 4 reviews the biomass use at country level and gives an
overview on the largest biomass users at country level. In section 5, an attempt to identify the largest
energy biomass processing plants and energy plants using biomass fuels is made. Section 6 presents
the large projects under planning or construction related to energy biomass processing and biomass
based energy generation. The results and methodology of the study are discussed in section 7, and
finally, conclusions are given in section 8.

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2 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE STATISTICS AND DATA SOURCES

2.1 Statistics
2.1.1 National energy statistics
National Energy statistics are explored in the case of countries which according to wide-ranging
statistics are large users of biomasses, and more specific information is required of the biomass use
in industrial and transportation sectors. The availability and accuracy of data differ from country to
country. The national energy statistics of various countries such as Finland, Sweden, Germany and
Brazil offer accurate information relevant to this study.

In Finland, official statistics, including Energy Statistics, are published annually by Statistics Finland.
Energy Statistics include information of the production, consumption, imports, exports and prices of
energy as well as information on the investments and emissions related to energy production and
consumption. Finnish Forest Research Institute produces annual reports on the use of wood fuels in
energy generation. The reports also contain information on the production and consumption of
wood pellets and the volume of foreign trade [3].

Swedish administrative agency Statistics Sweden produces official statistics for the Swedish
government and other statistical data for different agencies and companies. Swedish Energy Agency
is the statistical authority responsible for the official energy statistics in Sweden [4].

German Energy Statistics are produced by the Federal Statistical Office. Energy statistics contain
information on the economic situation in energy supply, energy production data and energy use.
Statistics on energy production include data on part of the renewable energy sources, such as
feeding electricity from renewable sources into the general supply network [5].

Brazilian Federal Government Ministry of Energy and Mines publishes annually Brazilian Energy
Balance which contains data of energy supply and consumption, conversion processes and foreign
trade [6].

Each European Union Member State has provided a National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP)
for the European Commission. The plans present projections for renewable energy development in
the member states in order to fulfil the EU target of generating 20% of its energy consumption by
renewable sources by 2020.

2.1.2 International statistics

The Energy Statistics Division of the IEA collects energy-related data from both the OECD member
countries and countries beyond the OECD. The data of renewable energy in 2009 covers renewable
energy production and use in 136 countries. IEA statistics provide country level data on the use and
production of solid, gaseous and liquid biomasses and also waste used for energy purposes. Also data
on the consumption of biomasses in different sectors for example industrial and transportation
sectors, residential use and power and heat generation in each country is available. The industry
sector in IEA statistics includes iron and steel, chemicals and petrochemicals, machinery and many
others. Energy industry is not included in the industry sector but is presented separately. In addition
to the four transport modes which are road, rail, air and national navigation, the transport sector
covers pipeline transport [1].

The European Union statistical office in Luxembourg provides statistics at European level. Eurostat
energy statistics contain country level information for example on energy production, usage, import
and export, and the data covers the 27 European Union member countries and additionally Croatia,
Turkey, Iceland and Norway. Data is collected by the member countries and consolidated by

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Eurostat. The data is collected from countries by an annual questionnaire, and the accuracy of it
depends on the accuracy of national statistical systems in each country [7].

The IEA, Eurostat and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) collect data for
annual energy statistics using joint questionnaires about oil, coal, gas, electricity and renewables
from their member countries.

FAO maintains statistical database including information on world charcoal production at country
level. The charcoal production statistics are partly collected using unofficial statistics and estimations
because of the lack of official statistics in several countries. This affects the reliability of the statistics,
especially because many of the largest biomass utilizing and producing countries are developing
countries where reliable official statistics are frequently not available [8].

2.2 Unofficial databases and statistics

There are countless unofficial databases and statistics related to energy use maintained by various
associations and organisations. The following databases and statistics have been estimated to be the
most relevant for this study.

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) [9] collects data related to the Brazilian
sugarcane industry. UNICA’s database includes for example the annual production data of sugarcane,
ethanol and sugar production and ethanol fuel consumption data [10]. UNICA has released a publicly
available list of plants producing sugarcane-based ethanol in Sao Paulo region, where 54% of the
Brazilian ethanol production capacity is located. The list includes locations and capacities.

The Union of Bioenergy Producers (UDOP) is a Brazilian union that represents the producers of
ethanol, sugar, bioelectricity and biodiesel. UDOP maintains a list of its members, including ethanol
mills and distilleries in six states in Brazil [11]

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is a national trade association for the US ethanol industry.
RFA releases statistics of US ethanol production and industry but also worldwide production data.
RFA maintains a list of US ethanol plants, both operating and under planning units. The list includes
companies, plant locations and capacities [12].

The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) in the US maintains a publicly available list of its members. The
list contains currently information of 154 biodiesel plants in the US including plant locations and also
the capacity of most of the plants. NBB also releases biodiesel production statistics [13].

The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) maintains lists on biodiesel and ethanol plants in
Canada. The list contains company names, plant locations, feedstocks and nameplate capacities [14].

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) produces annually data on biodiesel production at country level
in Europe. The statistics include also production capacity data. [15]

Reuters published in 2010 in Internet lists of European biodiesel plants and ethanol mills. The lists
contain most of the plants with the capacity of at least 50 000 tons a year in Germany, France, Italy,
Spain, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Poland and Hungary. Smaller plants are not listed. The lists
contain company information, location, capacity and completion stage of the plants. Also plants
under planning or construction at the survey time are listed. The lists are compiled through surveys
of companies, producer groups and market sources [16, 17].

Bioenergy International Magazine carries out a survey of pellet plants in the world annually. The
latest “World of Pellets” map was published in January 2013, and it includes company names,
location and capacity of 760 pellets plants. Plants with capacities under 10 000 tons a year are
excluded [18].

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Ethanol Producer Magazine maintains a list and a map of ethanol plants in US and Canada with
information on company, location, feedstocks and capacities. Existing plants and plants under
construction are listed separately [19].

German Biofuels Industry Association (Verband der Deutschen Biokraftstoffindustrie, VBD) offers
information on biofuel industry in Germany. The members of VBD combine about 80% of German
biofuel capacity [20].

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the US maintains BioEnergy Atlas, which contains
two interactive maps which include biomass feedstocks, biopower and biofuels data from the US
Department of Energy (DOE), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA). The BioFuels map includes data of biomass feedstocks and biofuels by location
and also plant level information of the US biofuel plants. The BioPower map contains data of biomass
feedstocks and biopower by location [21].

The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the US published in 2010 a gasification database,
where world gasifiers, both coal and biomass using, are listed. In addition to the plant and company
information, gasifier location, technology, feedstock, product classification and capacity are available
in the list [22].

The Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) Publishes annually
statistics, which contain information also of biofuels in Brazil. Annual statistics include a list of
Brazilian biodiesel plants with producers, locations and capacity and production data [23, 24].

IEA Bioenergy task 32 [25] has compiled a list of plants that do or plan to do biomass co-firing.
Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) has previously compiled a list of large recovery boilers
in pulp and paper mills [26]. This list includes recovery boilers constructed since the year 1935
around the world, apart from China. Utrecht University has compiled a database of fluidized bed
boilers and published an article [27] based on the database information; both have been utilised in
this study.

2.3 Reports and reviews

IEA Bioenergy Task 40 country reports contain country level information on biomass usage,
resources, prices and biomass import and export in Task 40 member countries. The reports have
been made by each member, and the information for the reports has been collected using statistics
and databases in each country. The contents vary from report to report, although in each report
there is common information of biomass usage and trade in the country at issue. There are
differences in the particularity and accuracy of the information. The reports of Canada, Italy, Japan
and the Netherlands also provide some plant level information on biomass users. Task 40 study
“Global wood pellet industry- Market and trade study” includes information on pellet production
relevant to this study [28].

Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) of the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) publishes reports on agricultural economy, products and issues in foreign countries.
Information in GAIN reports is collected by the US Foreign Service officers working in more than 130
countries, but it is not official USDA data. The GAIN reports relevant to this study are Biofuels Annual
Reports from countries producing large amounts of biodiesel and ethanol. The contents of the
reports vary [29].

Bridgwater’s [30] article presents a list of currently and recently operational industrial scale fast
pyrolysis plants. IEA Bioenergy Task 40 study on torrefaction and biomass trade [31] includes
examples on torrefaction plants.

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National Renewable Energy Action Plans by EU member countries clarify how they plan to meet the
targets of the renewable energy directive (2009/28/EC) for the year 2020. The plans are publicly
available. Beurskens et al. at the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) have collected
data from the NREAP’s to a summary report and a database [32]. This summary report focuses on the
numbers and figures in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans. The textual information in the
National Renewable Energy Action Plans is omitted.

Large biomass processing projects under planning and under construction have been looked for from
various publicly available sources. These include for example biomass conversion related seminars,
company websites and press releases, and energy related magazines.

Examples of large industrial projects utilizing biomass under planning in the EU area are found from
the website of the European Commission NER300 funding programme for innovative low-carbon
technologies [33]. The goal of the programme is to endow commercial scale projects of carbon
capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy sources (RES) technologies.

2.4 Evaluation of data sources

The most important data sources of the study have been collected to Table 2-1. In the table, data
sources have been evaluated according to their relevancy for this study. Official statistics are usually
most reliable, but non-official data sources may from time to time give a needed different point of
view to the studied matter.

Table 2-1 Evaluation of data sources

Data source The features relevant to this study

IEA Energy Statistics  Energy use information of 136 countries

 Classified by different biomass uses
 Classified by biomass type; waste, liquid, gaseous and solid biomass
National statistics  More specific country level information of energy use than in
international statistics
 Classifications and availability of information vary
Country reports by IEA  Country and plant level information of bioenergy use
bioenergy tasks and USDA  Both history data and future estimations
 Information of plants, their status and feedstock use
 Information in the reports vary
Plant databases by associations  Information of operational plants and capacities
 Lists of plants under construction and under planning
 The accuracy of the lists vary
Statistics and reports by  Biomass use information both at continent and country level
associations  Specific data of the field of each association
Company websites and press  Recently updated websites and latest press releases give timely
releases information on planned projects and the status of company’s facilities
Separate reports and reviews  Information about the status and research of developing
technologies, such as torrefaction and pyrolysis

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3 DEVELOPMENT OF SOLID AND LIQUID BIOFUELS TRADE IN 2004–

2011
3.1 Direct and indirect trade of biofuels
Imported biomass or a product that includes biomass can be processed in the import country into
more refined final products which are then consumed within the country or exported forward.
Foreign biomass that has entered the country can be used as fuel (e.g. wood pellets). Nevertheless,
some products, such as ethanol or some forest industry by-products, can be used for both energy
and raw material purposes, which makes it necessary to know where the products are consumed.
Biomass is also traded for biofuel production, as in the case of palm oil for biodiesel, and in the
future, this may be a more common trend when large biorefineries produce liquid biofuels for the
transport sector. Eventually, most of the products that include biomass end up in recycling and
energy production. Ethanol, vegetable oils, fuel wood, charcoal and wood pellets are the most
important products that are traded internationally for energy purposes. Nevertheless, the
international trade of these products is much smaller than the international trade of biomass for
other purposes.

The forest industry imports wood primarily to be used as raw material. Nevertheless, during the
manufacturing of the primary products, a considerable amount of the raw wood ends up in energy
production or is converted into by-products that are utilised in energy production. Biofuel purchase
and this kind of use is referred to in this study as indirect import of biofuels, and the corresponding
export is called indirect export of biofuels. The wood streams described above jointly constitute the
indirect trade of biofuels. Comprehensive information on international trade of energy biomass is
important for market actors, policymakers and other stakeholders aiming to contribute to the
development of biofuels markets for increasing the energy use of biomass.

Previously, the global status of direct and indirect energy biomass trade was carried out within the
IEA Bioenergy task 40 during 2008–2009 by Heinimö and Junginger [2]. That study covered the years
2004–2006. Since then, some other market analyses have been published for liquid and solid biofuels
[34, 35]. Those studies focused, however, on net trade of biofuels and excluded the indirect trade. In
this study, the global status of solid and liquid bioenergy cross trade will be updated to cover the
years 2007–2009. Furthermore, this study considers the cross streams of energy biomass trade. The
aim is to find out the scale of the trade and the trend of trade figures, not to focus on the accurate
country level trade figures and market analysis.

3.2 Biofuels trade volumes in 2004–2011

Figure 3-1 includes the development of indirect and direct trade of energy biomass in 2004–2011.
The figures are cross trade streams. In the case of ethanol and palm oil (and other vegetable oils), the
final use is not always clear, and some assumptions had to be made, as to how much of the total
trade is earmarked for fuel use. The values should therefore be considered as an indicative showing
the scales of various energy biomass trade streams. Still, the figure shows that while indirect trade
has fluctuated between 500-680 PJ between 2004 and 2011, direct trade has more than doubled
between 2004-2008, but since then also remained between 440 -500 PJ.

Currently, the scope of energy biomass trade is about 1 EJ/yr representing about 2% of the global
energy use of biomass or 5% of the total use of biomass for energy in industrialised countries. Since
2004, the volume of energy biomass trade has been on the increase. Especially the direct trade of
biofuels has increased strongly. The indirect trade has been quite stable during the past years. During
2008 and 2009, the indirect trade decreased due to the global economic recession. At the same time,
the direct trade continued its growth. The importance of direct trade has increased remarkably. In

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2004, the direct trade covered less than a fourth of the total trade. In 2011, the proportion of direct
trade had increased to the same level with the indirect trade.

Figure 3-1 Development of direct and indirect biofuel trade in 2004–2011. Indirect trade figures include the
proportion of imported industrial round wood and wood chips that end up as energy [36].

Figure 3-2 depicts the development of direct trade of energy biomass in 2004–2011 by various types
of energy biomass. In practice, the volume of direct trade has more than doubled during the period
of 2004–2011. Biodiesel has become a new important commodity in the market during that period.
Also the trade volumes of wood pellets have been on the strong increase.

Figure 3-2 Development of direct biofuels trade by the type of biofuel in 2004–2011. Biodiesel figures
exclude intra EU-27 trade [36].

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4 MODERN ENERGY USE OF BIOMASS IN COUNTRY LEVEL

4.1 Global energy use of biomass
According to the Energy Balance of the World by IEA [1], the total use of biomass for energy was
52 EJ (as primary energy) in 2009. Figure 4-1 shows the global biomass consumption in various end-
use sectors. Most of the biomass use is inefficient residential use, mainly in developing countries for
cooking and heating purposes. Industry is the second largest user, followed by electricity plants and
transportation sector. The modern use of biomass excludes residential and other use sectors but
covers other sectors.

Figure 4-1 Biomass use for energy purposes in 2009. Data obtained from the IEA [1].

Figure 4-2 represents 15 most important biomass user countries (modern use of biomass) in
industrial, transportation and power and heat production sectors in 2009. The figure shows how
modern biomass use is distributed between the various sectors in these countries. The reported
biomass use includes solid, liquid and gaseous biomass but excludes waste. Apart from heat and
power production, energy industry use includes also its own use. In the energy industry sector the
largest countries by their biomass usage are Brazil (16% of the global use in sector), US (9%) and
Germany (7%). The 15 largest countries use 65% of the global use. There are several developing
countries among the largest biomass user countries. Biomass use data in developing countries is
typically based on outside estimates because of the lack of official internal statistics. Therefore,
values reflecting the industrial usage are not necessarily accurate. For example, in Congo, Nigeria and
Tanzania the biomass usage is estimated to be close to 90 % of the total energy usage. Therefore, the
estimated industrial and energy use is also high.

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Figure 4-2 Most important biomass energy user countries in industrial, transportation and energy production
sectors in 2009, and the global use of biomass per sector. In 2009, the total use of biomass in these sectors was
15 EJ, and the 15 largest user countries covered 71% of the total consumption. Data obtained from the IEA [1].

4.2 Biomass use in industry for energy

Countries that used most biomass for energy purposes in the industrial sector in 2009 are listed in
Table 4-1. Industrial use is mostly primary solid biomass, which is used over 7 EJ a year. Also
biogases, liquids, and wastes are used, but significantly less than solid biomass. In total the countries
listed use 5.9 EJ of biomass a year, which is 80% of the global biomass use in the industrial sector.

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 12 September 2013

Table 4-1 The largest countries using biomass in the industrial sector in 2009 [1]
1
No. Country Liquids Biogases Primary Total Share of
solid industrial global use
2
biomass use
PJ PJ PJ PJ
1 Brazil 0 0 1 317 1 317 18%
2 India 0 0 1 195 1 195 16%
3 United States 4 104 1 063 1 171 16%
3
4 Nigeria 0 0 379 379 5%
5 Canada 0 0 287 287 4%
6 Thailand 0 0 283 283 4%
7 Indonesia 0 0 272 272 4%
8 Democratic Republic of 0 0 185 185 3%
3
Congo
9 Sweden 0 0 169 169 2%
10 Pakistan 0 0 135 135 2%
11 Finland 0 1 111 112 2%
12 Australia 0 0 105 105 1%
13 Germany 16 13 71 100 1%
14 France 0 1 97 98 1%
15 Japan 0 0 89 89 1%
Other countries 2 5 1 495 1 503 20%
World 22 124 7 220 7 366 100%
1) Biogases include gases from the anaerobic fermentation of biomass and thermal processes (e.g. gasification and pyrolysis) of solid
biomass.
2) Primary solid biomass includes here any plant matter used directly as fuel or converted into other forms before combustion, covering e.g.
charcoal and black liquor.
3) Mostly used in non-specified industry, use estimated by the IEA based on economic activity.

Biomass used in the industrial sector in India is for example bagasse, rice husk, straw and cotton
stalks, which are used for power generation. Bagasse is used especially in sugar mills. Biomass is also
used significantly in pulp and paper mills [37]. In Brazil, in total 21% of the energy used in the
industrial sector was derived from sugar cane bagasse and 7% from other renewable primary sources
in 2010. The majority of sugar cane bagasse for energy is used in the food and beverage sector,
where it covers 75% of the sector energy demand [6]. The industrial sector is also the main consumer
of wood based energy in Brazil, as 33% of the wood energy is charcoal used mainly in iron- and steel
industry and 27% of wood used for energy goes otherwise to industrial use. Wood residues are
consumed for energy purposes mainly in the pulp and paper industry, while firewood is used mainly
in food and beverage sector and ceramic industry [38].

In the United States, most of the biomass used in the industrial sector is derived from forest, and
more than half of this is black liquor. A third of the total industrial biomass energy use is wood and
wood wastes used primarily in wood processing industry [39]. In Sweden, the industrial sector
consumed 41% of the total biomass use in 2010, and 90% of this was used by pulp and paper
industry. In Swedish statistics, biomass includes also waste and peat [4]. In Finland, the largest
industrial energy user is the wood processing industry. In 2010, Finnish wood processing industry
covered 54% of the total industrial energy use. The wood processing industry uses especially wood
based biomass, which composed 45% of the total industrial energy use in 2010. In Finland, black
liquor is the most important source of bioenergy in the industrial sector [3].

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4.3 Biomass use in transportation sector

The largest biomass users in the transportation sector in 2009 are listed in Table 4-2. According to
the IEA energy statistics, Sweden is the largest country utilising biogas in the transport sector. In
other countries, biogas use in transport has been more negligible. In 2009, the global usage of liquid
biofuels for transportation was 74.4 Mt equalling to 2.1 EJ, of which the 15 largest user countries
consumed 95% [1]. The majority of the biofuel consumption in the transport sector takes place in the
US, Brazil and in the EU-27. In the US and Brazil, ethanol is the major transport biofuel, while in the
EU area, biodiesel dominates the liquid biofuel market.

Table 4-2 Biofuel consumption in the transportation sector in 2011, the largest users [1, 4-7, 40].

No. Country In total Gas Biodiesel Ethanol Share of

global use
PJ PJ PJ PJ
1 United States 917 0 55 863 43%
2 Brazil 531 0 38 494 25%
3 EU-27 498 1 381 95 23%
Germany 124 0 107 17 6%
France 102 0 85 17 5%
Italy 49 0 44 5 2%
Other EU-27 223 1 145 56 10%

4 China 52 0 11 42 2%
5 Canada 33 0 3 30 2%
6 Thailand 23 0 16 8 1%
7 Belarus 18 0 18 0 1%
Other countries 57 0 53 25 3%
World 2 131 1 574 1 557 100%

The United States consume nearly half of the global production of liquid biofuels used for
transportation. Biomass based fuels account for about 2.5% of transport fuel use in the US. Ethanol is
the most important biofuel in the US. In 2010, biodiesel accounted only for 2.7% of the renewable
energy consumption in the US transportation sector. [39] In Brazil 2010, as much as 17.3% of the
total fuel consumption in the transportation sector was alcohol, mainly ethyl alcohol but with some
methanol [6]. On average, 87% of ethanol produced in Brazil is used as fuel [41].

In 2010, biodiesel covered 78% of the biofuel use in the EU-27; 21% was ethanol and ETBE and 1%
other biofuels. Between 2005–2010, the annual growth of ethanol use in the EU-27 has been 40%
while biodiesel use has grown 36% [32]. In 2010, the share of biofuels was 5.8% of the fuel
consumption in the transportation sector in Germany. In 2007, the share of biodiesel was 72%, after
which the consumption of biodiesel and vegetable oil has decreased while the consumption of
ethanol has continued increasing. The most used biofuel was still biodiesel [42].

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 12 September 2013

5 LARGE INDUSTRIAL PLANTS USING BIOMASS

To find out what share of the industrial biomass usage can be attributed to large industrial plants,
plant lists were put together for different end use categories according to the categorisation shown
in Figure 1-2. Data for plant lists was sourced mostly from various public data sources (see section 2).
Due to the variable quality of data sources and large total number of biomass plants, the plant lists
will include some incorrect and outdated information.

5.1 Plants that process and refine biomass to biofuels

Plants that process and refine biomass to biofuels include pellet mills, ethanol mills, biodiesel plants
and other similar plants that process biomass for energy purposes. The aim was to identify the
largest (TOP15) plants, their production capacity and actual yearly production (biomass utilization).
For plants making charcoal from biomass, the review was done only at country level.

5.1.1 Pellet mills

In 2011, the global wood pellet production was estimated at 18.3 million tons [43], and the global
production capacity is estimated to be about 35 million tons. According to these estimations, 52% of
the capacity was in use. Therefore, the pellet production has a large overcapacity in the world. Most
of the pellet production takes place in North America and Europe. The 15 largest pellet producer
countries and their production in 2011 are shown in Table 5-1.

Table 5-1 The fifteen largest pellet producer countries in 2011 [7, 43-47].

No. Country Production1000 t Production Share of global

PJ production
1 United States 4 700 80 26%
2 Canada 1 750 30 10%
3 Germany 1 741 30 10%
4 Russia 1 590 27 9%
5 Sweden 1 288 22 7%
6 Austria 940 16 5%
7 Portugal 650 11 4%
8 Latvia 633 11 3%
9 France 550 9 3%
10 Italy 483 8 3%
11 Poland 418 7 2%
12 Estonia 360 6 2%
13 Finland 310 5 2%
14 Belgium 300 5 2%
15 United Kingdom 300 5 2%
Other countries 2 239 38 12%
World in total 18 252 310 100%

According to a survey published in Bioenergy International Magazine [18], there are globally about
600 operational pellet mills with the annual installed capacity of more than 10 000 tonnes calculated
for 24/7 operation. Of these, 71 are mills with the annual installed capacity of more than 100 000
tonnes. These largest pellet mills are located in 21 countries, mainly in Northern America and
Europe. Most of them are in Canada, Germany, Sweden, the US and Russia. The combined capacity of
the mills listed in the survey is more than 42 million tons a year, including also mills under

18
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construction or planned [18]. The global pellet production capacity in 2012 can be estimated to be
around 40 million tons (680 PJ/a), of which the capacity of the 15 largest mills covers 14% (95 PJ/a).
Table 5-2 shows these 15 largest pellet mills and their capacities. For pellet mills, there was not
enough plant level data available to evaluate the actual production at mill level. Applying the above
mentioned 52% utilisation rate of production capacity, the production of the 15 largest pellet mills
was estimated to be about 50 PJ. More large pellet mills are listed in Appendix 1.

Table 5-2 The fifteen largest pellet mills, which together have 14% of the global pellet production
capacity. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known) [18, 48-50]

No. Company Location Country Feedstock Production

origin capacity
kt/a PJ/a
1 Vyborgskay Cellose Leningrad Region Russia L 900 15
2 Georgia Biomass (RWE) Waycross GA USA L 800 14
3 Green Circle (JCE Group) Cottondale FL USA L 550 9
4 Biowood1 Averøy Norway I 450 8
5 Pinnacle Pellet Burns Lake BC Canada L 400 7
6 Enviva Hertford, Ahoskie, NC USA ? 380 6
7 Pacific BioEnergy Prince George BC Canada L 360 6
8 German Pellets Wismar Germany ? 256 4
9 German Pellets Herbrechtingen Germany ? 256 4
10 Arkaim Khabarovsk Russia L 250 4
11 Fram Renewable Fuels, Baxley, GA USA L 220 4
Appling Country Pellets
12 Pinnacle Pellet Meadowbank Strathnaver BC Canada L 200 3
13 Ankit Bengalooru India ? 200 3
14 Hongyi Biofuels Linyl, Shandong China ? 200 3
15 Premium Pellet Vanderhoof BC Canada L 190 3
1) Production ended in 2013

The largest pellet mills listed in the table use mainly sawdust and wood residues as feedstock.
Vyborgskay Cellose mill in Russia uses chipped wood logs, and the company leased a number of
forest lands in the Northwest Federal District when the plant was under construction. Feedstock is
local in most of the mills listed in the table. The Biowood mill in Norway used imported wood chips
from US, Canada, Liberia, Baltic region and Russia, but the production at the mill ended in 2013. The
production of the largest pellet mills is mainly aimed for European markets [48]. The EU is the main
destination for the wood pellet trade. European pellet production could in 2010 still cover the EU
demand, but the consumption has since then been increasing faster than the production [28].

In Canada, most of the pellet production is located in British Columbia. In 2010, 72% of the pellet
production capacity in Canada was utilised, and 94% of production, 1.4 million tonnes, was exported,
of which 90% to Europe [51]. In the US, most of the pellet mills are small. The average capacity of a
US pellet mill is between 30 000 and 70 000 tonnes per annum. Most of the mills use sawmill residue
as their feedstock. Currently, the lack of suitable raw material is limiting their production [39]. Many
of the new, large pellet mills do not use sawmill residue, which enables them to concentrate on
export [28]. For example, the production of Georgia Biomass and Green Circle mills, 800 000 t/a and
550 000 t/a, respectively, is targeted to the European market. The Georgia Biomass mill is shown in
Figure 5-1. Domestic pellet use in the US is on the rise due to government policies supporting
renewable energy use, and in spite of the increasing export, 80% of the US pellet production goes to
domestic use [39].

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 12 September 2013

In Russia, wood pellet production is increasing; both large Russian mills listed in Table 5-2 are new
mills. Most pellet mills are located in the North-West region, where transportation costs to the EU
are low due to the short distance. Domestic wood pellet consumption in Russia is around 30% of the
production. There are currently around 150 pellet mills in Russia, but in 2009, nine producers
produced 75% of the country’s total production [28].

Figure 5-1 Georgia Biomass (RWE) pellet plant in Georgia, US, produces wood pellets to be used in RWE coal-
fired power plants in Europe [52].

In the European area, pellets are produced to either domestic use or for export to other European
countries. Germany is the largest pellet producer in Europe with the production capacity of 3.2
million tonnes in 2010, when the actual production was 1.7 million tonnes. Nearly 70% of the
production goes to domestic use, and the rest is exported to other European countries, mainly to the
United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark. In Sweden, the largest pellet producers use saw dust and
shavings as raw material. The competition of raw material is intense, and pellets are consumed more
than produced. In 2010, 30% of the consumption was imported. The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania have good pellet production conditions due to ample forest resources and low labour and
energy costs. Latvia is one of the largest pellet producers in Europe, and the production is mainly
exported—the most important destinations are Denmark and Sweden. [28]

5.1.2 Ethanol mills

First generation ethanol production chains can be divided into two categories: 1) integrated ethanol,
power and sugar production from sugarcane and 2) ethanol and fodder production [53].
Lignocellulosic (second generation) ethanol production technologies are still in developing phase;
currently there are no large-scale commercial plants in operation.

According to the statistics of Renewable Fuels Association [12], in 2011 as much as 87% of world fuel
ethanol was produced in the US and Brazil. Therefore, this study concentrates on ethanol production
in these countries. Table 5-3 shows the ethanol production in 2011 by continent and the largest
producer countries. In Brazil, ethanol is primarily produced using sugarcane as feedstock while in the
US the feedstock is mainly corn. Based on the ethanol production capacities in the US and Brazil, it is
here estimated that the global ethanol production capacity is around 109 000 Ml (2 300 PJ) per

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 12 September 2013

annum. According to this estimation, the average utilisation rate of ethanol capacity was almost 80%
in 2011.

Table 5-3 World fuel ethanol production in 2011 [12].

Continent PJ Country PJ
North and Central America 1 156 United States 1 115
Canada 37
South America 463 Brazil 447
Europe 94
Asia 71 China 45
Australia 7
Africa 3
Total 1 794

Table 5-4 shows the 15 largest ethanol mills of the world. These mills are located in the US apart
from the Abengoa Bioenergy mill in the Netherlands. Brazilian mills are mainly significantly smaller
than the mills in the US, as can be seen in the list of 100 largest ethanol mills in Appendix 2. The 15
largest mills are able to produce annually nearly 10 200 million litres (216 PJ) of ethanol, which is
about 9% of the global production capacity. These mills use corn as feedstock apart from the
Tharaldson Ethanol which uses also milo and the Abengoa Bioenergy mill which uses also wheat.
There were no mill specific information available about the realised production of ethanol, and
therefore, the total production of 15 largest ethanol mills was estimated to be 170 PJ. The estimation
was based on the 80% capacity utilisation rate.

Table 5-4 The fifteen largest ethanol mills [12, 54].

No. Company/Plant Location Country Production capacity

Ml/a PJ/a
1 Archer Daniels Midland Columbus, NE USA 1 136 24
2 Archer Daniels Midland Decatur, IL USA 1 098 23
3 Archer Daniels Midland Cedar Rapids, IA USA 1 041 22
4 Archer Daniels Midland Cedar Rapids, IA USA 908 19
5 Archer Daniels Midland Clinton, IA USA 897 19
6 Cargill Blair, NE USA 738 16
1
7 Aventine Renewable Energy Pekin, IL USA 606 13
8 Tharaldson Ethanol Casselton, ND USA 568 12
9 Valero Renewable Fuels Jefferson Junction, WI USA 492 10
10 Abengoa Bioenergy Rotterdam Netherlands 480 10
11 Green Plains Renewable Energy Bluffton, IN USA 454 10
12 Green Plains Renewable Energy Obion, TN USA 454 10
13 Valero Renewable Fuels Aurora, SD USA 454 10
14 Absolute Energy St. Ansgar, IA USA 435 9
15 BioFuel Energy - Buffalo Lake Fairmont, MN USA 435 9
Energy1
Production capacity PJ/a corresponds to the maximum possible annual production. Production PJ corresponds to the actual or calculated
production in 2012.
1) Halted in September 2012 due to the lack of feedstock

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 12 September 2013

In the US, there are over 200 industrial ethanol mills, and the total ethanol production capacity is
about 56 000 million litres annually. The largest ethanol producer company is Archer Daniels Midland
(ADM) having eight mills in the US. The combined capacity of the ADM mills is 6 510 million litres of
ethanol per annum. Aventine Renewable Energy has six mills in the USA with a combined capacity of
1 741 Ml/a, two of the mills are currently operational. All the large mills use primarily corn as
feedstock. [12] Ethanol imports have been decreasing since the year 2007 in the US, and exports
have been minimal [39]. Since 2011 the US has however exported ethanol to especially Brazil, EU and
Canada [55]. The US is the world’s largest corn producer and also the largest exporter. Only small
amounts of corn have been recently imported from Brazil for animal feed [56]. Therefore, it is
assumed that the ethanol producers in the US use local corn.

In Brazil, there were 443 biorefineries producing ethanol in 2012. The combined capacity of Brazilian
ethanol plants was about 43 billion litres annually of which Barros [41] estimates that 59% was in
use. Sugarcane is the primary feedstock of ethanol in Brazil, and most of the mills are located near
the sugarcane production areas. Due to the mill locations and large amounts of sugarcane produced
in Brazil, it can be assumed that Brazilian ethanol is produced from local feedstock. Most of the mills
produce both sugar and ethanol, varying the portion of product according to demand. According to
the Ministry of Energy And Mines in Brazil [6], 83% of the total ethyl alcohol (including also
methanol) produced in Brazil was consumed by the Brazilian transportation sector. Significant
amounts of fuel ethanol has also been exported since 2004, mainly to the US, South Korea and Japan
[38].

5.1.3 Biodiesel plants

Biodiesel is produced more in Europe than in other continents. The largest biodiesel producer
countries in 2011 are listed in Table 5-5. Global Biofuels Center [57] has estimated that the biodiesel
production capacity in the 25 largest producer countries is 57 billion litres equalling to 1.9 EJ. The
global biodiesel capacity can be estimated to be about 2.0 EJ. In 2011, the global biodiesel
production was nearly 600 PJ, which means that about one third of the production capacity was
utilised.

Table 5-5 The largest biodiesel producer countries in 2011 [7, 43, 46].

No. Country Biodiesel production Share of global production

PJ
1 United States 120 17%
2 Germany 107 15%
3 Argentina 91 13%
4 Brazil 88 12%
5 France 68 10%
6 Indonesia 50 7%
7 Spain 25 4%
8 Italy 22 3%
9 Netherlands 18 3%
10 Portugal 14 2%
Other countries 100 14%
World in total 702 100%

In Europe, biodiesel has been mainly produced using rapeseed oil as feedstock, and in the US, the
primary feedstock is soybean oil. The soybean oil share is increasing also in Europe, and also palm oil
and fats are in use in Europe. In 2010, in Germany, there were 51 biodiesel plants, of which 39 were

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operational. Germany both imports and exports biodiesel. Imports come mainly from the
Netherlands; however, the countries of origin were mainly Argentina and Indonesia. Exports go to
other European countries. [42] Biodiesel is consumed in Germany nearly as much as produced; in
2009, the consumption was 2.4 million tonnes (91 PJ) [20].

Biodiesel production in Brazil is increasing—from 2009 to 2010 the increase was 49%—and the
production goes primarily to domestic consumption, 76% of it to road transport use in 2010 [6].
Biodiesel is produced mainly from soybean, but also animal fat is used. In 2011, the five largest
biodiesel plants produced 34% of the country’s total production [38]. The US is ranked by the Global
Biofuels Center [57] to be the largest country by biodiesel production capacity in 2010. However, less
than half of the capacity has been in use, although in 2011 and 2012 the production has been
increasing. In 2010, only about 15% of the capacity was used, and in 2011, the utilisation rate was
about 46% [58].

The fifteen largest biodiesel plants globally are listed in Table 5-6. These plants use vegetable oils,
mainly palm oil and rapeseed oil as feedstock, and their capacity covers about 13% (?? PJ) of the
global biodiesel production capacity. Also soybean oil, waste animal fat, sunflower oil and canola oil
are used. The largest plants use typically either imported or mixed feedstock. A more extensive list of
biodiesel plants can be found in Appendix 3. The total biodiesel production of the TOP15 plants was
estimated to be 205 PJ. The utilisation for those plants whose actual biodiesel production figures
were not available was assumed to be 80%.

Table 5-6 The fifteen largest biodiesel plants. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known)
[13, 17, 23, 48].

No. Company/Plant Location Country Feedstock Production capacity Production

origin 1000 t/a PJ/a in PJ
2012

1 Neste Oil Rotterdam Netherlands I 800 29.8 25.3

2 Neste Oil Singapore Singapore I 800 29.8 25.3
3 Biopetrol Rotterdam Netherlands ? 650 24.2 -
4 Infinita Renovables Castellon Spain M 600 22.4 -
5 Archer Daniels Hamburg Germany ? 580 21.6 -
Midland
6 Neste Oil Porvoo Finland I 525 19.6 16.6
7 Ital Green Oil Verona Italy ? 360 13.4 -
8 Imperium Grays Hoquiam, WA USA M 333 12.4 -
Harbor
9 Oleoplan Veranópolis, RS Brazil L 333 12.4 7.8
10 ADM Rondonópolis, Brazil ? 303 11.3 4.9
MT
11 Infinita Renovables El Ferrol Spain M 300 11.2 -
12 Green Earth Fuels of Galena Park, TX USA ? 300 11.2 -
Houston, LLC
13 Granol Cachoeira do Brazil L 296 11.0 6.8
Sul, RS
14 Louis Dreyfus Claypool, IN USA L 293 10.9 -
Agricultural
Industries
15 Archer Daniels Velva, ND USA L 283 10.6 -
Midland
Capacity PJ/a corresponds to maximum possible production. Production PJ corresponds to actual or calculated production in 2012.

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 12 September 2013

Neste Oil biodiesel plant in Singapore is shown in Figure 5-2. In 2011, palm oil, stearin and palm fatty
acid distillate (PFAD) were the major feedstocks, which originated from Southeast Asia. Also waste
animal fat from Europe, Australia and South America was used as well as small amounts of other
vegetable oils from around the world [59]. Biopetrol uses rapeseed oil as feedstock. Infinita
Renovables uses soya, rapeseed and palm oils from both domestic and foreign sources.

Figure 5-2 Neste Oil biodiesel plant in Singapore [59].

5.1.4 Other plants

Charcoal production

Charcoal manufacturing by carbonisation is today a very similar process to what it has been for
hundreds of years, and large-scale producers or plants were not found during this study. In 2010, the
global charcoal production was about 1 EJ. The largest wood charcoal producer countries in 2010 are
listed in Table 5-7. The largest producer country is Brazil, where in 2010 wood charcoal was produced
6.3 million tonnes, equalling to 14% of the world total production [8]. More than 80% of it was used
by the industrial sector in Brazil. In 2010, charcoal consumption formed 4.7% of the total energy
consumption in the industrial sector in Brazil. Brazilian charcoal is produced from local round wood
and other forest biomass [6].

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Table 5-7 The largest wood-based charcoal producer countries in 2010. The production figures of
Brazil, Madagascar and USA are official; others are FAO estimates [8].

No. Country Production Production Share of global

1 Brazil Mt
6.3 PJ
139 production
14%
2 Nigeria 3.9 87 9%
3 Ethiopia 3.7 82 8%
4 India 2.9 63 6%
5 Democratic Republic of the Congo 2.0 45 5%
6 China 1.7 38 4%
7 United Republic of Tanzania 1.6 35 4%
8 Ghana 1.6 35 4%
9 Egypt 1.4 30 3%
10 Thailand 1.4 30 3%
11 Madagascar 1.2 26 3%
12 Zambia 1.0 23 2%
13 Colombia 1.0 23 2%
14 Sudan 1.0 23 2%
15 Somalia 1.0 21 2%
Other countries 13.2 291 29%
World in total 45.0 991 100%

Torrefaction plants

Torrefied biomass for energy production is a rather new product. During the past few years,
torrefaction has been under intensive research and development worldwide. Several torrefaction
plants for piloting and detailed studies have been constructed, and the first industrial-scale plants
were introduced recently. The technology is likely to become commercial in the near future. The
largest operational or currently commissioning torrefaction plants are listed in Table 5-8. Many
torrefaction plants are not operating at the full capacity due to start-up problems. Currently, the
torrefaction capacity is negligible being about 10 PJ (0.01 EJ). The actual production figures of
torrefaction plants were not evaluated as the global torrefied biomass use is negligible. Existing
plants use mainly wood waste, wood chips and wood residue as feedstock. The plants of which
information was available use local biomass.

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 12 September 2013

Table 5-8 The largest torrefaction applications. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ?
(Not known) [31, 48, 60-63].

No. Company/Plant Location Country Details Feedstock Production Production

origin 1000 capacity
t/a PJ/a inPJ/a
2012
1 Canadian Biocoal/ Terrace, BC Canada Start-up ? 110 2.4
Group’s Vikoma 2011

2 Stramproy Green Steenwijk Netherlands Start-up L 90 2.0

Investment (SGI) 2010

3 New Biomass Quitman, USA Expanded L 80 1.8

Energy MS 2012

4 Topell Nederland Duiven Netherlands Start-up L 60 1.3 1.0

2011

5 LMK Energy/ Mazingarbe France Commission ? 40 0.9 0

Thermya ing

6 River Basin Laramie, USA Semi- ? 40 0.9

Energy WY commercial

7 Torr-Coal Dilsen- Netherlands Start-up L 35 0.8

Stokkem 2010

8 ETPC Umeå Sweden Start-up ? 30 0.7 0.1

2011

9 Bio Energy Örnsköldsvi Sweden Start-up ? 25 0.6

Development k 2011
North AB
10 Idema (Grupo Urnieta Spain Start-up L 20 0.4
Lantec) 2011
Capacity (PJ/a) corresponds to maximum possible production. Production corresponds to actual or calculated production in 2012.

Torrefaction is typically combined with pelletisation to produce a denser feedstock that can be
blended with coal [31]. Torrefaction is most profitable when there is a need for long haul shipments
because it is a cheap method to convert biomass to a more stable and dense form. In the case of
biomass trade, the logistics are one of the principal challenges. Currently, it is often profitable to use
biomass only near its origin. Torrefaction carried out near the biomass origin might enable biomass
transportation to become more profitable, making thus large scale plants based on imported
biomass possible.

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Pyrolysis oil plants

Table 5-9 Industrial scale fast pyrolysis plants currently and recently operating and their status in the
end of 2012. [30, 48, 64]

No. Company/Plant Location Country Status Production capacity Production in

2012
1000 t/a PJ/a PJ/a
1 Dynamotive Guelph Canada Not in operation 67 0.76 0
2 Dynamotive West Lorne Canada Not in operation 47 0.51 0
3 Ensyn Renfrew Canada Operational 37 0.23
4 Pyrovac Canada Demonstration 34 0.33 0
plant, not in
operation
5 Abritech Canada Not known 18 0.20
6 BTG Netherlands Not in operation 17 0.19 0
7 KiOR Columbus, USA Commissioned in 50 0.09
2012
MS
8 Anhui Yineng Bio- China Not known 5 0.06
energy Ltd.
9 Lurgi LR Germany Pilot plant, 4 0.05
operational
10 Metso, UPM, Tampere Finland Pilot plant, project 3 0.04 0
terminated
Fortum

Currently, operating pyrolysis plants are mainly pilot and demonstration scale plants. Like for
torrefaction, the global pyrolysis capacity is small (less than 10 PJ/a). The largest pyrolysis plants
found during this study are listed in Table 5-9. Many of the plants in the list are not operating any
more. Dynamotive and Ensyn have been using sawdust and wood shavings as feedstock. The actual
production figures of fast pyrolysis plants were not evaluated as the global bio-oil capacity is
negligible and several plants are not in operation.

Commercial scale pyrolysis plants have mainly been operated by Canadian companies. Ensyn has six
small pyrolysis plants, the largest of which is located in Renfrew. The production is sold to USA, both
to food and chemical markets and to be used for heating buildings. Dynamotive has had two
pyrolysis oil plants in Canada, with the capacities of more than 30 000 tons a year, but these have
both been shut down in 2008. Titan Clean Energy has a small plant in Canada, the objective of which
is char production [51]. Metso and UPM in Finland have been developing pyrolysis technology with
Fortum and the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). Their pyrolyser is shown in Figure 5-3.

Pyrolysis oil density is very high compared to that of biomass, which means that the transportation
cost is respectively lower. According to the calculations of Bridgwater [30], it is more recommendable
to convert biomass by pyrolysis at small processing facilities at or near the biomass source than to
transport it to a large scale processing facility.

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Figure 5-3. Integrated pyrolyser by VTT, Metso, UPM and Fortum [65].

5.2 Plants that convert biomass into energy

According to the IPCC estimates, about 1.3 PJ/a electricity and heat is produced from biomass,
including MSW and biogas, with the average efficiency of 32%. This means that about 4.0 PJ/a of the
primary energy is used [53]. IPCC further estimates that the modern biomass usage has a large
carbon mitigation potential. The mitigation potential for electricity generation from biomass reaches
1,220 Mt CO2eq for the year 2030; a substantial fraction of it at costs lower than USD2005 19.5/t CO2.
From a top-down assessment, the total economic mitigation potential of biomass energy supplied
from agriculture is estimated to range from 70 to 1,260 Mt CO2eq/a at costs of up to
USD2005 19.5/t CO2eq. It could extend from 560 to 2,320 Mt CO2eq/a at costs of up to
USD2005 48.5/t CO2eq. The overall mitigation from biomass energy coming from the forest sector is
estimated to reach 400 Mt CO2eq/a up to 2030.

The European Climate Foundation has found that there is a large inherent cost improvement
potential in biomass-generated power and heat as volumes and experiences grow—15 to 40 percent
compared to the prevailing situation in 2010. Capturing these cost improvements would make
biomass cost competitive with coal and gas in a broad range of applications at a carbon dioxide price
of 30 to 50 EUR per ton in 2020 [66]. But they also found out that for Europe to reach its targets, a
significant increase in the international biomass trade is needed.

There is a wide held belief that biomass utilization in modern boilers in combination with CCS
techniques could provide a platform to ultimately result in industry sectors whose overall emissions
are below zero and which could then offset the emissions in other sectors where reductions are
more difficult to attain [67].

5.2.1 Recovery boilers

In 2012, 75% of the world’s total wood pulp production was chemical wood pulp [68]. The chemical
wood pulp production process can be divided into two major processing lines: fiber and chemical
recovery. The fiber processing line extends from the wood chips cooking to the pulp bleaching
section, passing by the brown pulp washing and screening steps. An aqueous solution containing
NaOH and Na2S as active compounds is used as the cooking liquor. The main goal of the fiber line is
to provide conditions for the wood delignification and to achieve high brightness pulp in the end
bleaching sequence.

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When wood chips for pulping are produced in the mills, residues such as barks and fines are
generated. In mills that particularly produce pulp, they are typically burned in auxiliary boilers to
generate surplus heat. However, these residues could be better utilized if converted to alternative
fuels, which would allow pulp mills to export biofuels and in turn reduce the continuous demand for
fossil fuels. Furthermore, depending on the profitability of the biofuel production, additional biomass
could be brought from the forest specifically for this purpose.

Pulp mills in Scandinavia and Brazil have a large potential because different types of biomass can be
used as energy sources in each country. The pulp mills, for example, generate a significant amount of
lignocellulosic residues. The lignocellulosic compounds represent the most significant percentage of
vegetable biomass and the largest source of organic compounds in the biosphere. They contain
varying amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and a minor amount of extractives.

One of the largest brands of biomass fired boilers is the kraft recovery boiler. Kraft recovery boilers
are used to burn organic residue from chemical pulp manufacture. In the world about 131 million
tons of chemical pulp were produced in 2011 [8]. This corresponds to about 190 million tons of black
liquor or 1.8 EJ of energy generated (not including the process energy to chemicals recovery), see
Figure 1-2. They are responsible for about a quarter of all industrial biomass use in the world.
Globally, there are about 630 recovery boilers in use in chemical wood pulp mills. The total biomass
capacity of these boilers is about 2.70 EJ. The fifteen largest recovery boilers are depicted in

Table 5-10. They use 13% (227 PJ) of the total biomass burned in recovery boilers. An example of the
modern recovery boiler is shown in Figure 5-4, that produces energy from biomass to industry as
steam and electricity is Santa Fé in Nacimento Chile. The 385 MWth boiler can produce 125 MWe
electricity with 111 kg/s of steam at 85 bar(a) and 485 °C.

Figure 5-4 Recovery boiler at Santa Fe, Nacimento Chile.

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Table 5-10 The 15 world largest recovery boilers [26].

No. Company/Plant Location Country Feedstock Production capacity Biomass

origin use in 2012
tBLDS/d PJ/a PJ/a
1 APP Riau Kerinchi Indonesia L 7 000 28.7 18.1
2 APP Rizhao China L 7 000 28.7 18.1
3 Aracruz Guaiba Brazil L 6 130 25.1 25.7
4 APP Hainan Hainan China L 5 000 20.5 16.9
5 Suzano Papel e Celulosa Mucuri, Bahia Sul Brazil L 4 700 19.2 16.9
6 Metsä-Botnia Fray Bentos Uruguay L 4 450 18.2 19.2
7 Wisaforest Pietarsaari Finland L 4 450 18.2 12.7
8 Celulosa Arauco y Nueva Aldea Chile L 4 400 18.0 16.3
Constitución
9 Veracel Eunapolis, Bahia Brazil L 4 000 16.4 16.8
10 CMPC Nacimiento Chile L 3 800 15.6 12.3
11 PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Kerinchi, Sumatra Indonesia L 3 800 15.6 12.9
Paper
12 PT Riau Andalan Pulp & RAPP 2, Kerinchi, Indonesia L 3 800 15.6 10.9
Paper Sumatra
13 UPM-Kymmene Kuusankoski Finland L 3 600 14.8 10.7
14 Mondi Syktyvkar Russia L 3 560 14.5 10.6
15 Cenibra Ipatinga Brazil L 3 500 14.4 9.1
Capacity PJ/a corresponds to maximum technical black liquor use. Biomass in 2012 corresponds to actual or calculated production in 2012.

5.2.2 Biomass gasifiers

Biomass gasification is in use in a number of pilot and demonstration plants but only in a few
industrial scale operational units. In 2001, Spielthoff [69] listed 35 gasification applications, most of
them demo- or semi-commercial plants. During this study, 15 operating gasifiers (at least 1 MWth)
were found. The annual biomass gasification capacity can be estimated to be around 15 PJ. The
largest operating biomass gasifiers found during this study are listed in Table 5-11. The actual
biomass use in gasifiers at plant level was not evaluated as the global biomass gasification capacity is
negligible. Gasifiers that use waste as feedstock have also been noticed in this list because of the
small amount of operating large scale gasifiers. The ten largest gasifiers are all in quite a small area in
Europe. Small facilities are in operation around the world, mainly in Europe, but also for example in
the US and Japan.

The largest operational gasifiers use mainly wood-based feedstock, like forest residue, bark, waste
wood and wood pellets. The status of gasification at country level depends on the background of
industry and energy production in the country. In countries where gasification has been most used,
there are typically widespread forest or pulp and paper industry and amply indigenous biomass.
Gasifiers are currently used for co-firing purposes, for power production using gas engines and for
fuel and chemicals production. There are ambitious plans for large scale (more than 100 MW th)
facilities for renewable diesel, ethanol and SNG production [70].

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Table 5-11 The largest operational biomass gasifiers. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not
known). [22, 48, 71]

No. Company/Plant Location Country Feedstock Production capacity Biomass

origin use in 2012
MWfuel PJ/a PJ/a
1 Lahti Energia Lahti Finland L 160 4.0 2.3
2 Vaskiluodon Vaasa Finland L 140 3.5 0.5
3 Voima
Rüdersdorfer Rüdersdorf Germany ? 65 2.5 1.2
Zement
4 Essent Geertruidenberg Netherlands ? 55 2.1 1.5
5 Electrabel (GDF Ruien Belgium ? 50 1.8 1.0
Suez)
6 Metsä Fibre Joutseno Finland L 30 1.2 0.5
7 Södra Cell Värö Väro Sweden L 25 0.9 0.7
Pulp Mill
8 Agnion Pfaffenhofen Germany ? 20 0.8 0.2
Technologies
9 Corenso United Varkaus Finland M 20 0.8 0.4
10 Skive Fjernvarme Skive Denmark L 20 0.8 0.6
Capacity PJ/a corresponds to maximum possible biomass use in a gasifier.

Vaskiluodon Voima Oy gasifier (Figure 5-5) in Vaasa, Finland is a 140 MW gasifier commissioned in
the end of the year 2012. Vaskiluodon Voima is gasifying locally sourced forest chips, field biomass
and side-products of the sawmill industry. The gas is co-fired with coal in a boiler for CHP production
[72]. The gasifier facility of Lahti Energia Oy in Finland consists of two 80 MW gasifiers with gas cooler
and cleaner units manufactured by Metso Oyj. Feedstock is locally sourced recovered fuel, including
biomass such as wood waste. The produced gas is used in a boiler for CHP-production [73]. Metsä
Fiber gasifier in Joutseno is a part of the company’s pulp mill. The gasifier is currently in the testing
phase, and it is scheduled to start operating in fall 2012. The gasifier is Andritz technology, and it
uses locally sourced bark as feedstock. The gas is used to replace fossil fuels in the mill’s lime kiln
[74]. Corenso gasifier in Varkaus is developed by the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and
Foster Wheeler Energia Oy, and it is used for gasifying aluminium containing reject material. The
gasifier has been in operation since 2001, and it produces 50 MW gas to a boiler. Also the aluminium
in the feedstock is recovered from the process for re-use [75].

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 12 September 2013

Figure 5-5 Vaskiluodon Voima biomass gasification facility. Metso Power Oy gasifier with fuel pre-treatment
equipment and dryer connected to a coal-fired power plant in Vaasa, Finland was commissioned in the end of
the year 2012 [72].

Gasifiers in Ulm and Villach are dual fluidized bed gasifiers, which is Austrian technology. The first
dual fluidized bed gasifier application was constructed in Güssing, Austria in 2002, and it is still
operating. Choren Industries Beta-plant in Freiberg, Germany is the first commercial BTL plant. The
45 MW plant was commissioned in 2009. Choren Industry has been declared bankrupt, and the plant
is not operational. The Choren Carbo-V technology was in 2012 sold to Linde Engineering Dresden,
who has intentions to develop it further [76]. Carbo-V process is a three-stage gasification process for
syngas production.

The first biomass IGCC plant was built in Värnamo, Sweden by Sydkraft AB. The 18 MWth plant
operated during 1993–1999 using wood as fuel and producing electricity and heat. In 2004, the plant
was acquired by Växjö Värnamo Biomass Gasification Center (VVBCG), and the objective was to
upgrade the plant for syngas production. VVBCG is now looking for an industrial partnership to be
able to follow through the project [77].

Coal-fired gasifiers are in use in many energy production plants around the world, also in large scale.
It would be possible to co-gasify biomass in some of these gasifiers, but this is not generally done. An
example is the NUON plant in Buggenum, Netherlands. It is a 235 MWe coal-fired IGCC-plant, and it
has been modified to co-gasify demolition wood with biomass input up to 30 wt-%. Biomass co-
gasification has been operating since 2007 [71].

5.2.3 Co-firing in pulverized boilers

The increasing demand for larger volumes of affordable, reliable and sustainable biomass that can
meet the EU sustainability criteria is growing [78]. There are regions where biomass is widely
available and relatively cheap, such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, Brazil, Africa, Canada and
the US. Therefore, importing biomass to Europe to help it to fulfil the renewable quote would be
possible. There are financing hurdles and a tendency to wait and see. The investments in thermally
treated biomass are limited, but significant investments in wood pellet plants are happening.

In the EU, there are tough conditions for biomass co-firing in many countries, and it has not yet
started up. This means that the investors suffer from uncertainties. One of the reasons is that the
renewability of biomass is not undisputed for political reasons. However, co-firing it in existing power
plants would be feasible, especially as it is proven technology and in existing power plants, high
thermal efficiencies can be achieved. “Co-firing and full scale coal to biomass conversion could be a
solution to meet short term renewable targets in both EU and US” [78].

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According to IEA Task 32 database [25], there were globally about 110 plants able to co-fire biomass
in pulverized firing boilers in 2009. The global co-firing capacity can be estimated to be about
400 PJ/a. The fifteen largest pulverized firing boilers (PF) that co-fire biomass (Table 5-12) have the
total capacity of 171 PJ of biomass usage per year. The actual biomass usage in pulverized fired-
boilers in 2011 was estimated to be about half (200 PJ) of the total capacity as many operations were
still in the start-up phase. The actual biomass use of the TOP15 biomass co-firing plants was using the
same criteria assumed to be about 55 PJ.

Table 5-12 The fifteen largest pulverized firing boilers that co-fire biomass based on their biomass consumption
capacity usage. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known) [25, 48].

No. Company/Plan Location Country Total Biomas Production capacity

t Power s origin (bio)
output
MWe MWfuel(bio) PJ/a
1 Electrabel Rodenhuize Belgium 180 I 840 21.2
2 RWEnpower Oxfordshire UK 2100 I 656 16.5
3 Drax Power North Yorkshire UK 4000 I 625 15.8
4 DONG Energy Copenhagen Denmark 365 I 592 14.9
5 RWE Essent Geertruidenberg Netherlands 600 I 577 14.5
6 British Energy Yorkshire UK 1960 I 460 11.6
7 Electrabel Liège Belgium 80 I 420 10.6
8 Scottish Power Scotland UK 2400 M 375 9.5
9 Vattenfall Copenhagen Denmark 80 I 330 8.3
10 SSE Yorkshire UK 2035 I 327 8.2
11 E.ON Kent UK 2034 I 318 8.0
12 E.ON Nottinghamshire UK 2010 I 314 7.9
13 EDF Energy Nottinghamshire UK 2000 I 313 7.9
14 SSE Lancashire UK 1995 I 312 7.9
15 EDF Energy Nottinghamshire UK 1980 I 309 7.8
MWfuel(bio) corresponds to the maximum tehnical capacity of primary biomass feed into the boiler. Capacity PJ/a corresponds to maximum
possible biomass usage.

5.2.4 Combined heat and power production with biomass in industry and CHP
Fluidized bed boilers (Figure 5-6) are common in heat and power production from biomass due to
their fuel flexibility. Large boilers (more than 200 MWth) used typically for utility power production
are typically circulating fluidised bed (CFB) boilers. These are discussed in more detail in section
5.2.5. Bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) boilers are smaller but commonly used in industry and CHP
production.

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Figure 5-6 Fluidized bed boilers; bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) on the left and Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) on
the right.

Biomass for energy generation has been commonly defined as virgin wood, energy crops, agricultural
residues, solid wastes and industrial co-products. It is predominantly used as the largest energy
source for fuel in the share of bioenergy within renewables, since there are not much limited
requirements for its store, transportation, load and applications at the location and time of energy
consumption [79].

Especially important for the development of biomass utilization in large scale has been the
development and introduction of fluidized bed boilers which are very suitable to fire various
biomasses. A lot of progress has been made in understanding the role of certain harmful elements in
biomass. These include chlorine, potassium, sulfur, nitrogen and silicon. Especially alkali and chlorine,
which are found in high quantities in certain biomass types, such as straw but also in hardwoods,
affect biomass boiler operation by causing corrosion [80]. The second problem is the agglomeration
and related problems in the bed material, which can be solved with proper operation [81]. It is the
circulating fluidized beds (CFB) that have achieved the largest sizes, but much larger fraction of
bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) boilers is currently burning biomasses [27, 82, 83].

Koornneef et al. [27] have analyzed fluidized bed boiler markets and found that there is still room for
both technical and economic improvement. They found a progress ratio of about 0.90 for the
fluidized bed boiler market. This means that the specific investment prices (in €/kWe) decline with
10% with every doubling of cumulative installed capacity (in MWe). An example of large fluidized bed
boilers that produce energy from biomass as electricity and heat to industry as steam is the DALKIA
Facture biomass boiler. The 124 MWth boiler can produce 29 MWe electricity with 47 kg/s of steam at
119 bar(a) and 520 °C while burning bark, sawdust, wood chips, sludge, forest residue and recycled
wood, Figure 5-7.

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 12 September 2013

Figure 5-7 Dalkia Facture biomass power plant, France (foto: Metso Power).

As mentioned above, most of the biomass utilised in fluidized boilers in industry and CHP are burned
in BFB type of boilers. Most of the plants use both biomass and fossil fuels. The 15 largest BFB boilers
that fire biomass are listed in Table 5-13. This list includes BFB boilers that are known to fire biomass.
Boilers that fire only for example coal are excluded. Peat firing has not been included into the
biomass capacity. The largest non-biomass BFB TVA Paducah, KY, USA boiler at 305 MWth was idled
at 2011. In the next section, CFB boilers are looked at in more detail.

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Table 5-13 The fifteen largest Bubbling fluidized bed boilers that fire biomass (BFB) Feedstock origin: L (Local), I
(Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known). [27] [Vendor data]. Total biomass usage capacity of the TOP 15 plants is
about 60 PJ and estimated biomass use about 42 PJ.

No. Company/Plant Location Country Biomass Production capacity Biomass

origin (bio) in 2012
MWfuel(bio) PJ/a PJ/a
1 Southern Power Nacogdoches USA L 292 6.6 5.4
2 Fortum Uimaharju Finland L 235 5.3 2.7
3 Kymin Voima Kuusankoski Finland L 188 4.1 2.3
4 Zespół Elektrowni Dolna Szczecin Poland L 183 4.6 4.0
Odra
5 Fortum Joensuu Finland L 180 4.5 3.4
6 Bomhus Energi Gävle Sweden L 170 4.3 3.7
7 Segezha Pulp&Paper Mill Sezezha Russia L 165 4.2 3.0
8 Iggesund Paperboard Workington Great L 135 3.4 1.5
Britain
9 Grupo Ence Huelva Spain L 135 3.4 3.0
10 P.T. Wirakarya Sakti Jambi Indonesia L 131 3.3 2.3
11 Övik Energi, Örnsköldsvik Sweden L 130 3.3 3.0
12 Dalkia Łódź Łódź Poland L 125 3.2 1.5
13 Dalkia France SCA Facture France L 124 3.1 0.9
14 Rauma Paper Rauma Finland L 124 3.1 2.1
15 Arauco Cholguan Chile L 123 3.1 2.7
Capacity PJ/a corresponds to maximum possible annual biomass usage.

Koornneef et al. [27] and Hupa [82] have studied the BFB boiler markets. The total BFB boiler
capacity in 2011 was 24 000 MWth. It will increase by 10 000 MWth from 2010 to 2020. They also
estimate that about 72% of the fuel usage is biomass. This would mean that the current biomass use
in BFB plants is 435 PJ and would increase by 181 PJ by 2020. Currently, there are approximately 600
biomass fired BFB-boilers globally. The total biomass consumption capacity in these boilers is
estimated to be 540 PJ. The fifteen largest biomass power plants with BFB technology consumed
about 42 PJ of biomass in 2010 which represents about 10% of the biomass use of BFB boilers
worldwide.

5.2.5 Utility power production with biomass

Biofuel firing for power generation has been marginal. As biomass boilers were small, fuel
procurement chains non-existent and relative fuel price high, the utilities tended to ignore biomass
usage [84]. Now with the international drive to decrease CO2 carbon dioxide emissions, the biomass
has become a more interesting fuel for power generating utilities and the market for utility biomass
boilers has intensified. Utility boilers tend to be large, and therefore the CFB boiler technology is
preferred.

An example of large circulating fluidized bed boilers that produce energy from biomass to both
industry as steam and community as district heat and electricity is Kaukaan Voima (Figure 5-8) in
Lappeenranta, Finland. The 385 MWth boiler can produce 125 MWe electricity with 149 kg/s of steam
at 115 bar(a) and 550°C.

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 12 September 2013

Figure 5-8 Kaukaan Voima in Lappeenranta Finland

Koornneef et al. [27] and Hupa [82] have studied CFB boiler markets. Based on their data, the CFB
boiler capacity in 2011 was 122 000 MWth. It will increase by 65 000 MWth from 2010 to 2020. They
also estimate that about 11% of the fuel usage is biomass. This would mean that the current biomass
usage is 240 PJ and would increase by 130 PJ by 2020. Currently, there are approximately 250 CFB
boilers that use biomass globally. The total biomass consumption capacity of CFB boilers is estimated
to be 300 PJ. The 15 largest biomass power plants with CFB technology are depicted in Table 5-14.
These plants use about 55 PJ of biomass which represents more than 20% of the biomass use in CFB
boilers. There are also many plants using a mix of biomass and fossil fuels; for example Alholmens
Kraft uses a mixture of coal and biomasses.

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Table 5-14 The 15 largest circulating fluidized bed boilers (CFB) Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M
(Mixed), ? (Not known) [27] [Vendor data].

No. Company/Plant Location Country Biomass Capacity (bio) Biomass

origin in 2012
MWth(bio) PJ/a PJ
1 GDF Suez Polaniec Poland L 556 10.0 8.0
2 Kaukaan Voima Lappeenranta Finland L 400 5.7 5.8
3 Alhomens Kraft Pietarsaari Finland M 550 7.9 5.5
4 Guangdong Yudean Zhanjiang China L 2*155 5.2 5.2
5 Stora Enso Ostroleka Poland L 164 2.4 3.6
6 Söderenergi Södertälje Sweden L 240 3.5 3.5
7 Indah Kiat P& P Peravang Indonesia L 171 2.5 3.5
8 Rhein energie Köln Germany L 236 3.4 3.4
9 Shaw Virginia USA L 200 2.9 2.9
10 Klabin Brazil L 197 2.8 2.8
11 EC Tychy Tychy Poland L 184 2.7 2.7
12 Oulun energia Oulu Finland M 315 4.5 2.6
13 ZE PAK Konin Poland L 157 2.3 2.3
14 Stora Enso Maxau Germany L 156 2.3 1.7
15 Jyväskylän Energia Jyväskylä Finland L 597 2.6 1.6
Capacity PJ/a(max) corresponds to the maximum possible biomass usage, Biomass in 2012 PJ/a corresponds to the actual or calculated
biomass usage in 2012.

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6 IDENTIFICATION OF BIOFUEL AND BIOENERGY PROJECTS UNDER

PLANNING
6.1 Plants that refine or process biomass to biofuels
6.1.1 Pellet mills
Large pellets mills are under planning especially in the US and Canada. The mills are located in areas
where woody biomass is plentifully available, and the pellets are mostly aimed for export to
Europebut also to Asia. The largest pellet mill projects found during this study are listed in Table 6-1.
The list reflects the state at the end of the year 2012, and it is not comprehensive. There were 41
pellet mills found (capacity at least 1PJ/a) under planning with the total capacity of around 243 PJ/a.

Suzano Energia Renovavel is planning to construct three wood pellet mills in Brazil by year 2014; the
annual capacity of each would be one million tons [85]. Suzano is also planning to build two more
mills in year 2018 or 2019. The production of the mills is destined for European markets. The listed
facility of Biomass Secure Power (BSP) planned to be constructed in the US is intended for the
production of white pellets, but the company is also planning a second phase, which would mean
building a production line for 340 000 tonnes a year of torrefied pellets. There are also other plans
for the production of torrefied pellets. Zilkha Biomass Fuels intends to produce black pellets similar
to torrefied pellets in Selma, Alabama, US. The facility with the capacity of 275 000 tonnes a year (4.7
PJ/a) is under construction and is to be operational in 2013 [86]. Miktech Oy in Finland is planning a
torrefied pellet mill with the capacity of 200 000 tonnes a year (3.4 PJ) [87].

Table 6-1 The largest wood pellet mill projects under planning or under construction at the end of 2012. Not a
comprehensive list. [28, 48, 49, 85]

No. Company/Project Location Country Feedstock Production

origin capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a
1 Suzano Energia Renovavel Maranhão Brazil 1 000 17.0
1
2 x3
Biomass Secure Power Baton Rouge, LA USA 1 000 17.0
3 German Pellets Tyler, TX USA L 550 9.4
4 Protocol Biomass Ontario Canada 500 8.5
5 Fram Renewable Fuels Hazlehurst, GA USA 500 8.5
6 Franklin Pellets Franklin, VA USA 500 8.5
7 Enviva LP Courtland, USA L 500 8.5
Southampton, VA
8 Enviva LP Northampton County, USA 500 8.5
NC
9 Enviva LP Wiggins, MS USA 500 8.5
10 Enova Energy Group Edgefield County, SC USA 450 7.7
11 Enova Energy Group (First Waynesville, GA USA 450 7.7
12 Georgia BioEnergy)
Enova Energy Group Warrenton, GA USA 450 7.7
13 Canadian Bio Pellets Ingleside Canada 450 7.7
14 General Biofuels Georgia Sandersville, GA USA L 440 7.5
15 Point Bio Energy Baton Rouge, LA USA 400 6.8
1) Project abandoned in 2013

6.1.2 Ethanol mills

The largest ethanol production projects currently under planning or under construction are listed in
Table 6-2. During the study, 23 ethanol mills (capacity at least 1 PJ/a) under planning were found; the

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 12 September 2013

ttotal capacity of the mills was about 80 PJ/a. The list reflects the state at the end of the year 2012,
and it is not comprehensive. The Brazilian Government is going to support small start-up ethanol
producers and thus promote ethanol industry by decentralising [88]. These small units will be
allowed to sell ethanol directly to customers, and therefore, this is not likely to affect the ethanol
exports from Brazil. The investments on new ethanol mills in Brazil have been decreasing recently,
and at the same time, ethanol imports from the US have been increasing [9, 24].

Table 6-2 The largest ethanol mills under planning or under construction at the end of 2012. Not a
comprehensive list. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known). [19, 48]

No. Company/Project Location Country Feedstock Feedstock Production capacity

origin Ml/a PJ/a
1 Poet Emmetsburg, IA USA Corn fiber, cobs, ? 473 10.0
stalks
2 Montana Advanced Great Falls, MT USA Wheat, barley ? 435 9.2
Biofuel
3 Vivergo Fuels Hull United Wheat L 420 8.9
Kingdom
4 Coskata undisclosed USA ? 379 8.0
5 Bioethanol North United Corn L 250 5.3
Killingholme Kingdom
6 Vireol Grimsby United Wheat/other grains L 200 4.2
Kingdom
7 GeneSyst U.K. Malta Non-food biomass I 180 3.8
8 Mascoma Kinross, MI USA Woody biomass ? 151 3.2
9 BP Biofuels Highlands USA Energy grass ? 136 2.9
County, FL
10 Canabrava Rio de Janeiro Brazil Sugarcane L 120 2.5
11 Verenium USA ? 114 2.4
12 Abengoa Brazil Sugar cane straw ? 100 2.1
and bagasse
13 Abengoa Bioenergy Hugoton, KS USA Agricultural ? 95 2.0
residues,
switchgrass
14 Poet Emmetsburg, IA USA Corn cob ? 95 2.0
15 Louisiana Green Fuels Lacassine, LA USA Sugarcane bagasse L 95 2.0

6.1.3 Biodiesel plants

Biodiesel production projects under planning are listed in Table 6-3. The list reflects the state at the
end of the year 2012, and it is not comprehensive. During this study, 24 biodiesel projects under
planning were found; the total capacity of these was 633 PJ, most of this in Indian projects. By 2017,
the Indian government aims to achieve the 20% blending rate of biodiesel in diesel fuel. The aim is
followed by the target of planting 11.2 to 13.4 million hectares of land by jatropha by 2012 for
biodiesel production. At present, the blending target seems unattainable because of the lack of
feedstock for biodiesel production; also most of the biodiesel units are not operational most of the
year. [37] Indian Railways is planning to construct two large biodiesel plants to be commissioned in
2013, and two other plants are also under planning.

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 12 September 2013

Table 6-3 The largest biodiesel projects under planning or under construction at the end of 2012. Not a
comprehensive list. Feedstock origin: L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known) [14, 48].

No. Company/Project Location Country Feedstock Feedstock Status Production

origin capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a
1 Indian Railways Tondiarpet India Not known ? P 257 163 257
2 Indian Railways Raipur India Not known ? P 257 163 257
3 Brasil Eco Energia Brazil Soybeans ? P 27 373 27.4
4 Biodiesel of Las Las Vegas, USA Multi-feedstock ? U 12 414 12.4
Vegas NV
5 Canadian Bioenergy - Lloydminster, Canada Canola ? P 8 691 8.7
Northern Biodiesel AB
6 ADM Lloydminster, Canada Canola ? U 8 690 8.7
AB
7 BioStreet Canada Vegreville, Canada Oilseed ? P 7 773 7.8
AB
8 REG New Orleans St. Rose, LA USA Multi-feedstock ? U 7 572 7.6
9 REG Emporia Emporia, KS USA Multi-feedstock ? U 7 448 7.4
10 Great Lakes Biodiesel Welland, Canada Multi-feedstock ? U 5 591 5.6
Ontario
11 Bioversel Sarnia Sarnia, Canada Multi-feedstock ? P 5 576 5.6
Ontario
12 Four Rivers Wilton United Used cooking ? U 4 472 4.5
Bioenergy Kingdom oil, virgin soy
and rapeseed oil
13 BIOX Bayonne Canada Waste grease ? PP 3 280 3.3
and oil
14 TRT-ETGO Bécancour, Canada Vegetable oil ? P 3 280 3.3
Quebec
15 Viridis Fuels Oakland, CA USA Used vegetable L P 2 483 2.5
and animal fats

A few renewable diesel production projects were also found during the study. UPM is constructing a
renewable diesel production facility with the capacity of 100 000 tonnes a year (3.7 PJ) in
Lappeenranta, Finland. The plant will use local crude tall oil as feedstock, and it is planned to be
operational in 2014. UPM is also planning a BTL-plant which would be located either in Rauma,
Finland or Strasbourg, France. The plant capacity would be about the same as in Lappeenranta, and it
would produce renewable diesel from woody biomass. Vapo is planning to construct a BTL-plant in
Kemi, Finland. The plant would be producing 100 000 tonnes a year (3.7 PJ) renewable diesel from
wood-based raw material. [48]

6.1.4 Other projects

There are a few commercial scale fast pyrolysis plants currently under planning. These have been
listed in Table 6-4. The list reflects the state at the end of the year 2012, and it is not comprehensive.
The listed plants are planned to be using woody biomass as feedstock, for example forest residue,
sawmill residue or wood waste. Fortum fast pyrolysis plant is to be built next to the existing CHP-
plant in Joensuu, Finland, and it is planned to be operational by the end of 2013. Figure 6-1 shows
the process of the plant.

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 12 September 2013

Table 6-4 Commercial scale fast pyrolysis plants under planning or consideration. The list is not
comprehensive. [48, 64]

No. Company/Project Location Country Capacity

PJ/a
1 Pyrogrot Skärblacka Sweden 2.8
2 KiOR Natchez, MS USA 2.6
3 Green Fuel Nordic Savonlinna/Iisalmi Finland 1.9
4 High North BioResources High Level, Alberta Canada 1.6
5 Fortum Joensuu Finland 0.9
6 Renewable Oil Corporation (ROC) Australia 0.8

Figure 6-1 Fortum’s fast pyrolysis plant for bio-oil production to be built in Joensuu, Finland.

Industrial scale torrefaction plants are planned in Canada and Netherlands. Global Bio-Coal Energy in
British Columbia, Canada has an intention to construct a plant with the capacity of 300 000 t/a
(6.6 PJ/a). In the Netherlands, Fox Coal is planning a plant with the annual capacity of 96 000 t/a
(2.1 PJ/a). [48]

6.2 Plants that convert biomass into energy

6.2.1 Recovery boilers

Pulp mill construction activity has sifted to South-America and Asia. In Europe, the printing paper
production declines and overcapacity is evident.

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Table 6-5 Recovery boiler projects planned (P) or under construction (U). [26]

No. Company/Project Location Country tBLds/d Status Capacity

PJ/a
1 Suzano Maranhaõ Brazil 7000 U 28.7
2 Eldorado Três Lagoas Brazil 6800 U 26.8
3 Montes del Plata Montes del Plata Uruguay 5710 U 23.4
4 Fibria Três Lagoas Brazil 5300 U 21.7
5 CMPC Celulose Riograndense Guaiba Brazil 5000 U 20.3
6 Stora Enso Beihai China 4000 U 18.1
7 Asia Pulp and Paper Kalimantan Indonesia 8000 P 30.8
8 Suzano Piauí Brazil 7000 P 28.5
9 Ilim Group Bratsk Russia 4500 P 17.2
10 Angara Paper Eniseyskiy Russia 4000 P 15.4

6.2.2 Biomass gasifiers

The largest gasifier projects planned or under construction are listed in Table 6-6. These gasifiers use
mainly woody biomass, such as forest residue as feedstock. Feedstock origin is not known.

Table 6-6 Gasifier projects planned (P) or under construction (U). [22, 33, 48, 64]

No. Company/Project Location Country Products Status Capacity

PJ/a
1 E.ON Bio2G Landskrona Sweden SNG P 5.0
2 Sundrop Fuels Alexandria, LA USA Renewable U 4.0
gasoline
3 GoBiGas phase 2 Gothenburg Sweden SNG P 2.5
4 OMV Vienna Austria Hydrogen P 1.3
5 BTL-project, owner confidential France Liquid fuels P 0.6
6 Wärmeversorgung Großenhain/ Germany CHP P 0.5
Großenhain / POW Naundorf
7 Göteborg Energi, GoBiGas Göteborg Sweden Gaseous U 0.5
fuels, SNG
8 VERBIO Straw Schwedt Germany Methane P 0.5
9 H2Herten GmbH Herten Germany Power, H2 U 0.3
10 KIT Karlsruhe Institut of Karlsruhe Germany Liquid fuels, U 0.1
Technology BTL

6.2.3 Other biomass projects

In addition to the existing biomass boilers/utilities, there is a set of projects currently planned which
will further expand the biomass usage in the world. Some of them are building new biomass plants,
whereas many other projects consist of converting totally or partially a previous fossil fuel burning
into biomass firing.

For instance, Drax power station case in Great Britain should be commented. Currently, it consists of
six units of 660 MWe each, burning coal with maybe a small share (12,5%) of biomass co-
combustion. It is the largest power station in Europe [89]. Measures and projects are being carried
out to convert three of its units to biomass-firing from 2013 to 2017. Moreover, a new additional

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300 MWe unit which will burn biomass is also under planning to start working on 2017 [90, 91]. This
all means yields into a consumption of 142PJ per year from the final delivery.

Also, Samcheok (Korea) power station project should be mentioned due to its size. According to the
planner Foster Wheeler, when this project will be finished, the power station will combine several
renewable energy sources up to the total capacity of 5 GWe. It will have 8 co-fired (coal and biomass)
supercritical CFB boilers producing a power of 550 MWe. [92, 93]. The estimation of biomass usage is
almost 105PJ per year.

Other data and estimation related to other biomass-burning projects can be found in the following
table.

Table 6-7 The largest biomass boiler projects under planning or under construction. Feedstock origin:
L (Local), I (Import), M (Mixed), ? (Not known) [84, 89-100].

No. Company/Project Location Country MWth (bio) Year of Capacity Burning

delivery PJ/a technology
1 Drax Group Drax UK 6000 2017 141.9 CFB
2 KOSPO Samcheok South Korea 4400 2015 104.1 CFB
3 Eggborough Power Eggborough UK 2000 2014 47.3 CFB
4 International Staffordshire UK 1026 ca 2015 26.1 CFB
Power/Rugeley
5 Dong Hull UK 857 2015 20.3 CFB
6 MGT Teesport UK 789 2016 18.7 CFB
7 MGT Power Teeside UK 750 2015 17.7 CFB
8 OPG Ontario Canada 625 2014 14.8
KoEslöv Lund
9 Örtofta, Lund Sweden 500 2015 11.8 CFB
Kraftvärmeverk
Rothschild,
10 We Energies USA 293 2013 6.9 CFB
Wisconsin
Gainesville
Renewable Energy
11 Gainesville, Florida USA 286 late 2013 8.7 CFB
Center
12 Cate street capital Berlin, New USA 197 late 2013 6 BFB
13 EC Tychy Hampshire
Tychy Poland 184 late 2013 4.4 BFB
14 Tullis Russell Markinch UK 155 2013 3.7 BFB
15 Papermakers
Kuopion Energia Kuopio Finland 149 2013 3.5 BFB

6.2.4 Market view of biomass-fired power boilers

According to the IEA Task 32 database [25], in 2009, the existing co-firing potential was
approximately 15 000 MW. Beurskens et al. [32] state that based on the EU-27 member states NREP-
reports, the solid biomass electricity generation will increase from 76 800 GWh in 2010 to 154 900
GWh in 2020. They also state that the total solid biomass electric capacity will increase from
14 400 MW in 2010 to 27 700 MW. This corresponds to the yearly growth of 6.8% or roughly 13 000
MWe per year. This would mean 0–2 large CFB boilers and 3–8 BFB boilers. There would be new co-
firing in 4–8 large PF boilers. Most probably no totally new recovery boilers will be built, but
replacing existing old capacity with new capacity that produces double the electricity will happen.
Thus 0–2 new recovery boilers per year are predicted. The annual biomass use would increase 30 to
35 PJ. Then assuming that the large new CFB’s utilize imported biomass, the biomass imports for
electricity production would increase 8–15 PJ/year.

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 12 September 2013

Beurskens et al. [32] further state that based on the EU-27 member states NREP-reports, the EU own
forest biomass usage will increase by 2020 only about 33% of the 2010 usage.

The representatives of large-scale biomass boiler manufacturers Metso, Andritz [101] and Foster
Wheeler [102] have been interviewed during the study in order to clarify the market view of fluidized
bed boilers. According to their estimations, the potential for large biomass boilers is mainly in the US.
In Europe, most interesting development will be in the UK, Benelux and Poland. In the EU area, the
financial support is cut down. Both large and small biomass fired boilers will be commissioned in the
future.

Realization of large biomass-fired plants in coastal areas is depending on the behaviour of the pellet
market. Keen competition between the circulating fluidised bed and pulverised fuel boilers is to be
expected. Very few biomass boiler projects were proceeding in early 2013, mainly due to the low
coal price. The current low prices of CO2 in the EU ETS have created a temporary setback for pellet
use in co-firing.

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7 DISCUSSION

This study has utilized various statistics, databases, reports and reviews relevant to the study, most
of them publicly available to examine plants that either refine biomass for use in transportation and
heating purposes or plants that convert biomass into heat and power. Country-level data has been
compiled using both national and international statistics. Also unofficial statistics by associations
have been used to determine the amounts of refined biomass. The challenges in determining
accurate country-level data have been related to the variability and comparability of the figures from
different sources. The only way to determine the plant-level data was to use numerous, primarily
unofficial public sources including reports, reviews, plant databases and listings as well as company
web pages and press releases. There is a wide variation in the accuracy of the data in these sources.
Therefore, the comparability has been a major challenge. Plant level data was supplemented by non-
public data and information provided by various companies, for example boiler manufacturers and
electric utilities.

Despite these uncertainties, the figures do reveal interesting trends. Figure 7-1 compares the global
biomass usage capacities of different categories of plants using biomass and displays the share of the
TOP15-listed plants of the global capacity. Torrefaction, pyrolysis and gasification applications are
not shown because of their share of the total global biomass plant capacity is very small. The capacity
of biodiesel plants is 22% of the capacity of the TOP15 plants, the recovery boilers have 25%, ethanol
mills have a 19% share and biodiesel 22%.

Figure 7-1 Comparison of the global capacities (PJ) of various types of biomass plants and the share of the
TOP15-listed plant capacities at the end of 2012. Ethanol, biodiesel and pellet mills capacity is measured by the
energy content of the final product, and for boilers the capacity reflects the energy content of the biomass
portion of the used fuels. The black lines represent the estimated margins of error for the total capacity.

46
 12 September 2013

Pulp and paper industry biomass usage is still evident as the recovery boilers top the biomass
utilization capacity. It can be seen that solid biomass firing in boilers is still small compared to the
biomass use for liquid biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel). In all categories, the TOP15-plants represent a
bit more than 10 % of the total capacity. The only exception is the pulverized fuel fired boilers.

Figure 7-2 compares the amounts of used biomass in the TOP15-plants with the global biomass use
of the sector. The comparison is made according to known or estimated biomass use in the year
2012. Similarly to the plant capacities in Figure 7-1, the biomass use in Figure 7-2 reflects the energy
content of input (fuel and feed) for plants that refine biomass and the share of bioenergy in the fuels
for boilers. The share of biomass use in the TOP15-plants exceeds 20% of the sector’s use for
biodiesel plants, pulverized fuel boilers and CFB boilers, while for other categories, it is close to 10%.

Figure 7-2 Estimated or known biomass use in TOP15-plants compared to global biomass use in various sectors
in 2011. For boilers the figures are fuel consumption; for ethanol, biodiesel, and pellet mills the figures
represent fuel production volumes.

Figure 7-3 shows the distribution of the capacity of the TOP15-listed plants between countries. The
largest share or 25% of the large plants’ capacity is located in the United States. This is because the
United States is represented well in all categories. In Brazil, the share of 10% is mainly in ethanol and
recovery boiler categories. These two are followed by the United Kingdom, Finland and the
Netherlands. Sweden is only on place 19 because in Sweden, small- and medium scale plants are
much more common.

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Figure 7-3 The distribution of the capacity (PJ) of the TOP15-listed plants between countries.

The distribution of imported, local and mixed feedstock in the TOP15-listed plants according to the
capacities is represented in Figure 7-4. More than half (62%) of the biomass feed (counted according
to the capacity of the plants) used in these plants comes from a local source. Imported biomass
capacity is used mainly in pulverized firing boilers (65%) and biodiesel plants (32%). Biodiesel plants
rely for 68% of their capacity on mixed biomass. Imported and mixed biomass is used mainly in
Europe, whereas all non-EU countries in the top 10 of figure 7-3 (the US, Brazil, Indonesia, China,
Russia and Chile) rely almost exclusively on local feedstocks. For 10% of capacity, the feedstock origin
remained unknown.

Figure 7-4 The feedstock origin in the TOP15-listed plants, the state at the end of 2012.

The study included an attempt to identify large biomass projects that are under planning or under
construction. The information was gathered from public sources and via personal communication

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utilising Task 40 networks. It turned out that there were hundreds of biomass projects under
discussion. Some of these projects are in their initial phase, and a significant part of them will never
be realised. It is also probable that a large portion of the planned projects is not identified as often
the planning is not published due to commercial reasons. Within the limited resources of the study, it
was not possible to investigate these projects in more detail, and therefore, the results should be
considered as indicative. Figure 7-5 shows how projects currently under planning or under
construction will affect the global capacity in each sector. It should be noticed that the most part of
the biodiesel production capacity under planning consists of the capacities of the two plants planned
in India (see Table 6-3).

Figure 7-5 The capacity of the projects under planning or construction at the end of the year 2012 compared
with the global existing capacity.

Beurskens et al. [32] sum up that based on the EU-27 member states NREAP-reports, the EU biomass
electricity generation would more than double from 2010 to 2020. As most of this capacity increase
would happen in category ‘Other boilers’, the red portion of that bar should approach the size of the
blue portion. As mentioned earlier, the summary is based on predictions around 2010. We can
conclude that they have not yet fully materialized. We can see that there is higher growth in
biodiesel than in ethanol.

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8 CONCLUSIONS

The use of biomass for energy purposes is growing in the world. According to the results of this
study, a significant number of new large plants both to refine and process biomass for energy carrier
purposes (biofuels) as well as convert biomass into heat and power are being built around the world.

Most part of energy biomass is used in the residential sector in developing countries. Industrial and
transportation use is however concentrated into quite a small part of the world. Industrial use of
biomass forms 15% of the global biomass use, and nearly half of it takes place in India, Brazil and the
US. Industrial sector uses primarily solid biomass for energy purposes, especially industrial and
agricultural residues. Biomass consumption in transportation sector is also concentrated into only a
few countries. Brazil and the US use the most part of fuel ethanol, and biodiesel is consumed mainly
in the EU area.

Large plants that process or refine biomass are located primarily in the industrialised countries. The
largest plants are producing ethanol and biodiesel; pellet plants are slightly smaller and gasification,
torrefaction and pyrolysis facilities are rare and significantly smaller. Biomass is processed mainly
near the biomass source using local feedstock; an exception of this is the biodiesel production. It
seems that the situation will remain similar in the future.

Pellets are produced mainly in areas where woody biomass is easily available, most of them in North
America and Europe. Traditionally, pellet mills have been located near sawmills, in which case the
feedstock, typically saw dust, has been acquired directly. Currently, large pellet mills use also wood
residues and in some cases wood logs as raw material, but the feedstock is mainly local. Pellets are
used mostly in the EU area, and therefore the major pellet trade streams are from North America to
Europe. Most large pellet mill projects under planning are located in North America, and the
production of them is aimed almost entirely for the export to Europe. These plans, if realised, will
increase further the pellet trade streams from within next few years.

Ethanol is produced and used mainly in the US and Brazil. The majority of the largest ethanol plants
are located in the US, where ethanol is made using corn as raw material. Brazilian ethanol is
sugarcane-based, and there are more ethanol mills, but they are significantly smaller than in the US.
Large ethanol producers use local feedstock. Planned ethanol mills found for this study are smaller
than the largest existing ones; the capacity of the largest one is 10 PJ/a while the largest existing mills
is able to produce 24 PJ/a. Planned mills will be located mainly in the US.

Biodiesel is produced mostly in the EU area, United States, Brazil and Argentina, and the largest
plants are located in the EU area and Singapore. Vegetable oils such as palm oil and rapeseed oil are
the main feedstocks, and in the largest plants, the feedstock is typically imported or a mixture of
imported and local material. Vegetable oils are widely traded and have a high energy density, which
enables efficient transportation. Biodiesel plants are under planning in many industrialised countries,
but the largest ones in India and Brazil. Despite these, the planned plants are substantially smaller
than the existing ones. In the US, Finland and France there are plans for facilities producing
renewable diesel from lignocellulosic feedstock.

Comparison of the global capacities (PJ/a) of biomass user plants and the share of the TOP15-listed
plants at the end of 2012 showed that they are using large amounts of biomass but in no category
(with perhaps an exception in the co-firing category) do they dominate the biomass usage. Large new
plants can however greatly affect the biomass markets at country level. And while the use of raw
biomass will likely remain local, the trade of refined biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel and wood
pellets will likely continue to increase in the near future.

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The aim of this study was to identify the largest biomass plants and their biomass use. As biomass
energy use is increasing relatively rapidly, new projects are introduced continuously and new plants
are taken into operation continuously. Thus the data in this report will become outdated soon.
Therefore, there is a clear need to update the plant lists. The authors hope that this work can provide
a starting point for further studies to increase information availability on how energy biomass
markets will develop in coming years.

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55
 Appendix 1 List of largest pellet mills (1/3)

List of largest pellet mills

No. Company Location Country Capacity Capacity PJ/a
1000 t/a

1 Vyborgskay Cellose Leningrad Region Russia 900 15

2 Georgia Biomass (RWE) Waycross GA USA 800 14
3 Green Circle (JCE Group) Cottondale FL USA 550 9
4 Biowood Averøy Norway 450 8
5 Pinnacle Pellet Burns Lake BC Canada 400 7
6 Enviva Hertford, USA 380 6
Ahoskie, NC
7 Pacific BioEnergy Prince George BC Canada 360 6
8 German Pellets Wismar Germany 256 4
9 German Pellets Herbrechtingen Germany 256 4
10 Arkaim Khabarovsk Russia 250 4
11 Fram Renewable Fuels, Appling Baxley, GA USA 220 4
Country Pellets
12 Pinnacle Pellet Meadowbank Strathnaver BC Canada 200 3
13 Ankit Bengalooru India 200 3
14 Hongyi Biofuels Linyl, Shandong China 200 3
15 Premium Pellet Vanderhoof BC Canada 190 3
16 Graanul Invest Incukalns Latvia 180 3
17 Southern Resources Ho Chi Minh Vietnam 180 3
18 SIA Graanul Invest Launkalne Latvia 180 3
19 Graanul Invest, Helme Graanul Patkula Estonia 180 3
20 SCA BioNorr Härnösand Sweden 160 3
21 Latgran Jekabpils Latvia 155 3
22 Latgran Kraslava Latvia 155 3
23 Houston Pellet (Pinnacle-Canfor) Houston BC Canada 150 3
24 Pfeifer Kundl Austria 150 3
25 IBV Burtonville Belgium 150 3
26 Pinnacle Pellet WL Williams Lake BC Canada 150 3
27 Vattenfall Biopillefabrik Köge Denmark 150 3
28 German Pellets Sachsen Torgau Germany 150 3
29 Biogy Chiriqui Panama 150 3
30 Pfeifer (Anton Heggenstaller) Unterbernbach Germany 150 3
31 Bo'en Bioenergy Guangzhou, China 150 3
Guangdong
32 Stelmet Zielona Gora Poland 144 2
33 Vinafood Dong Thap Vietnam 140 2
34 Vapo Vildbjerg Denmark 140 2
35 Binderholz Deutschland Kösching Germany 140 2
36 Lignetics of West Virginia Glenville WV USA 140 2
37 Enviva Pellets Wiggins Perkinston MS USA 136 2
38 Barlinek Barlinek Poland 135 2
39 Trebio, GF Energy Portage-du-Fort, Canada 130 2
QC
 Appendix 1 List of largest pellet mills (2/3)

40 Ug Rusi Rostov-on-Done Russia 130 2

41 Skellefteå Kraft Hedensbyn, Sweden 130 2
Skellefteå
42 German Pellets Ettenheim Germany 128 2
43 Plospan Bio-Energy Waardenburg The 125 2
Netherlands
44 Piveteau Sainte Florence France 120 2
45 Enerpellets Pedrograo Portugal 120 2
Grande
46 Atikokan Renewable Fuels Atikokan ON Canada 120 2
47 Energex Pellet Fuel Lac-Mégantic, QC Canada 120 2
48 Granules LG St-Félicien, QC Canada 120 2
49 NRW Pellets (German Pellets/RWE) Erndtebrück Germany 120 2
50 EKO Energy Germany 120 2
51 Italiana Pellets Pavia, Lombardia Italy 120 2
52 Pinewells (Visabeira) Arganil Portugal 120 2
53 Enisey Krasnoyarsky Russia 120 2
Region
54 Lesozavod 25 Arkhangelsk Russia 120 2
55 Neova Vaggeryd Sweden 120 2
56 Huafeng agr. Biotechn. Yangzhong, China 120 2
Jiangsu
57 Hengsen Bioenergy Taicang, Jiangsu China 120 2
58 Gregor Ziegler Thermospan Plössberg Germany 120 2
59 EC Bioenergie Mittenaar Germany 115 2
60 Lee Energy Crossville AL USA 115 2
61 Viridis (former Enligna) Upper Canada 110 2
Muquodoboit NS
62 Laxå Pellets, (OK Eco. För.) Laxå Sweden 110 2
63 Graanul Invest Ebavere Graanul Estonia 110 2
64 Holzindustrie Schweighofer Sebes Romania 110 2
65 Maine Wood Pellets Athens ME USA 110 2
66 Techpellet Famalicao Portugal 110 2
67 Pellets Power 2, Gesfinu Group Setubal Portugal 105 2
68 Graanul Invest Imavere, Paide Estonia 105 2
69 BioEnergi i Luleå Luleå Sweden 105 2
70 Holzindustrie Schweighofer Radauti Romania 105 2
71 Energy Pellets Moerdijk Moerdijk The 104 2
Netherlands
72 Erda Bertrix Belgium 100 2
73 Pellets Power, Gesfino Group Viseu Portugal 100 2
74 2F Investissement Aire-sur-l´Adour France 100 2
75 Baltic Wood Mazeikiai Lithuania 100 2
76 Canadian Biofuel Springford, ON Canada 100 2
77 Shaw Resources Belledune NB Canada 100 2
78 Vapo Vilppula Finland 100 2
79 EDF Trading (earlier VisNova) Schwedt Germany 100 2
80 Hungaropellet, Raklap es Tüzep Lajosmizse Hungary 100 2
81 Stora Enso Grums Sweden 100 2
 Appendix 1 List of largest pellet mills (3/3)

82 Balcas Brites Invergordon, United 100 2

Scotland Kingdom
83 Drax Yorkshire United 100 2
Kingdom
84 Low Country Biomass Ridgeland, SC USA 100 2
85 Biomass Energy, EBRE Burnpass VA USA 100 2
86 Curran Massena NY USA 100 2
87 Nature's Earth Pellet Energy Reform, AL USA 100 2
88 MDL Metra Duta Lestari Merauke Indonesia 100 2
89 Xianhu Shenyang, China 100 2
Liaoning
90 Xintiandi Bioenergy Feicheng, China 100 2
Shandong
91 Sanli New Energy Nanyang, Henan China 100 2
92 Xuzhou Wanguo Bioenergy Tech Xuzhou, Jiangsu China 100 2
93 Dingliang Bioenergy, Guangde, China 100 2
Anhui
94 Foshan Woodsun Wood Industry Foshan, China 100 2
Guangdong
95 Lantmännen Agroenergi Norberg Sweden 96 2
96 B&B Bioenergie Betriebstätte, Germany 90 2
Calau
97 Bear Mountain Forest Products Brownsville OR USA 90 2
98 Binderholz Fügen Austria 90 2
99 BioPell GmbH Germany 90 2
100 Enviva Amory USA 90 2
 Appendix 2 List of largest ethanol mills (1/3)

List of largest ethanol mills

No. Mill Location Country Capacity Capacity
Ml/a PJ

1 Archer Daniels Midland Columbus, NE USA 1 136 24.1

2 Archer Daniels Midland Decatur, IL USA 1 098 23.3
3 Archer Daniels Midland Cedar Rapids, IA USA 1 041 22.1
4 Archer Daniels Midland Cedar Rapids, IA USA 908 19.3
5 Archer Daniels Midland Clinton, IA USA 897 19.0
6 Cargill, Inc. Blair, NE USA 738 15.6
7 Aventine Renewable Energy, LLC Pekin, IL USA 606 12.8
8 Tharaldson Ethanol Casselton, ND USA 568 12.0
9 Valero Renewable Fuels Jefferson Junction, WI USA 492 10.4
10 Abengoa Bioenergy Netherlands Rotterdam Netherlands 480 9.6
11 Green Plains Renewable Energy Bluffton, IN USA 454 9.6
12 Green Plains Renewable Energy Obion, TN USA 454 9.6
13 Valero Renewable Fuels Aurora, SD USA 454 9.2
14 Absolute Energy, LLC St. Ansgar, IA USA 435 9.2
15 BioFuel Energy - Buffalo Lake Energy, LLC Fairmont, MN USA 435 9.2
16 BioFuel Energy - Pioneer Trail Energy, LLC Wood River, NE USA 435 9.2
17 Flint Hills Resources LP Fairbank, IA USA 435 9.2
18 Golden Grain Energy, LLC Mason City, IA USA 435 9.1
19 Sunoco Volney, NY USA 431 8.8
20 Vivergo Fuels Hessle UK 420 8.8
21 ABE Fairmont Fairmont, NE USA 416 8.8
22 Aventine Renewable Energy, LLC Mount Vernon, IN USA 416 8.8
23 Arkalon Energy, LLC Liberal, KS USA 416 8.8
24 Big River United Energy Dyersville, IA USA 416 8.8
25 Flint Hills Resources LP Menlo, IA USA 416 8.8
26 Flint Hills Resources LP Shell Rock, IA USA 416 8.8
27 Guardian Energy Janesville, MN USA 416 8.8
28 Hankinson Renewable Energy, LLC Hankinson, ND USA 416 8.8
29 NuGen Energy Marion, SD USA 416 8.8
30 Pennsylvania Grain Processing LLC Clearfield, PA USA 416 8.8
31 Platinum Ethanol, LLC Arthur, IA USA 416 8.8
32 POET Biorefining - Chancellor Chancellor, SD USA 416 8.8
33 Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC Council Bluffs, IA USA 416 8.8
34 The Andersons Clymers Ethanol LLC Clymers, IN USA 416 8.8
35 The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC Greenville, OH USA 416 8.8
36 Valero Renewable Fuels Albert City, IA USA 416 8.8
37 Valero Renewable Fuels Charles City, IA USA 416 8.8
38 Valero Renewable Fuels Ft. Dodge, IA USA 416 8.8
39 Valero Renewable Fuels Hartley, IA USA 416 8.8
40 Valero Renewable Fuels Welcome, MN USA 416 8.8
 Appendix 2 List of largest ethanol mills (2/3)

41 Valero Renewable Fuels Albion, NE USA 416 8.8

42 Valero Renewable Fuels North Linden, IN USA 416 8.8
43 Valero Renewable Fuels Bloomingburg, OH USA 416 8.7
44 White Energy Plainview, TX USA 416 8.7
45 São Martinho Pradópolis, SP Brazil 412 8.6
46 Columbia Pacific Biorefinery Clatskanie, OR USA 409 8.4
47 Glacial Lakes Energy, LLC - Mina Mina, SD USA 405 8.4
48 Ensus Wilton UK 400 8.4
49 Suncor St. Clair Ethanol Plant Ontario Canada 400 8.2
50 Flint Hills Resources LP Iowa Falls, IA USA 397 8.0
51 Murphy Oil Hereford, TX USA 397 8.0
52 Tate & Lyle Loudon, TN USA 397 8.0
53 New Energy Corp. South Bend, IN USA 386 8.0
54 Archer Daniels Midland Peoria, IL USA 379 8.0
55 Archer Daniels Midland Columbus, NE USA 379 8.0
56 Big River Resources Galva, LLC Galva, IL USA 379 8.0
57 Big River Resources, LLC West Burlington, IA USA 379 8.0
58 Cardinal Ethanol Union City, IN USA 379 8.0
59 Glacial Lakes Energy, LLC Watertown, SD USA 379 8.0
60 Green Plains Renewable Energy Lakota, IA USA 379 8.0
61 Green Plains Renewable Energy Central City, NE USA 379 8.0
62 Heartland Corn Products Winthrop, MN USA 379 8.0
63 Homeland Energy New Hampton, IA USA 379 8.0
64 Illinois River Energy, LLC Rochelle, IL USA 379 8.0
65 Louis Dreyfus Commodities Grand Junction, IA USA 379 8.0
66 Marquis Energy, LLC Hennepin, IL USA 379 8.0
67 One Earth Energy Gibson City, IL USA 379 7.4
68 Patriot Renewable Fuels, LLC Annawan, IL USA 379 7.4
69 Southwest Georgia Ethanol, LLC Camilla, GA USA 379 7.4
70 White Energy Hereford, TX USA 379 7.2
71 CropEnergies AG Zeitz Germany 360 7.1
72 Little Sioux Corn Processors, LP Marcus, IA USA 348 7.1
73 POET Biorefining - Cloverdale Cloverdale, IN USA 348 7.1
74 Equipav Sao Paulo state Brazil 347 6.7
75 Illinois Corn Processing Pekin, IL USA 341 6.3
76 Abengoa Bioenergy Corp. Madison, IL USA 333 6.0
77 Abengoa Bioenergy Corp. Mt. Vernon, IN USA 333 5.9
78 Abengoa Bioenergy Corp. Ravenna, NE USA 333 5.5
79 Da Barra Brazil 316 5.5
80 BioWanze Wanze Belgium 300 5.5
81 Tereos Origny France 300 5.5
82 POET Biorefining - Big Stone Big Stone City, SD USA 299 5.5
83 Husker Ag, LLC Plainview, NE USA 284 5.5
84 Colorado Guaíra, SP Brazil 277 5.5
 Appendix 2 List of largest ethanol mills (3/3)

85 POET Biorefining - Gowrie Gowrie, IA USA 261 5.5

86 POET Biorefining - Jewell Jewell, IA USA 261 5.5
87 POET Biorefining - Alexandria Alexandria, IN USA 257 5.3
88 POET Biorefining - Fostoria Fostoria, OH USA 257 5.2
89 POET Biorefining - Leipsic Leipsic, OH USA 257 5.2
90 POET Biorefining - Marion Marion, OH USA 257 5.2
91 POET Biorefining - Mitchell Mitchell, SD USA 257 5.2
92 POET Biorefining - North Manchester North Manchester, IN USA 257 5.0
93 POET Biorefining - Portland Portland, IN USA 257 4.9
94 Tereos Lillebonne France 250 4.8
95 AB Bioenergy France Lacq France 250 4.8
96 São José - Macatuba Macatuba, SP Brazil 248 4.8
97 Santa Elisa Sertãozinho, SP Brazil 247 4.8
98 Osage Bio-Energy Hopewell, VA USA 246 4.8
99 POET Biorefining - Corning Corning, IA USA 246 4.8
100 Vale do Rosario Sao Paulo state Brazil 245 4.8
 Appendix 3 List of largest biodiesel plants (1/3)

List of largest biodiesel plants

No. Company Location Country Capacity Capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a

1 Neste Oil Rotterdam Netherlands 800 29,8

2 Neste Oil Singapore Singapore 800 29,8
3 Biopetrol Rotterdam Netherlands 650 24,2
4 Infinita Renovables Castellon Spain 600 22,4
5 ADM Hamburg Germany 580 21,6
6 Neste Oil Porvoo Finland 525 19,6
7 Ital Green Oil Verona Italy 360 13,4
8 Imperium Grays Harbor Hoquiam, WA USA 333 12,4
9 Oleoplan Veranópolis (RS) Brazil 333 12,4
10 ADM Rondonópolis (MT) Brazil 303 11,3
11 Infinita Renevables El Ferrol Spain 300 11,2
12 Green Earth Fuels of Houston, LLC Galena Park, TX USA 300 11,2
13 Granol Cachoeira do Sul (RS) Brazil 296 11,0
14 Louis Dreyfus Agricultural Industries, LLC Claypool, IN USA 293 10,9
15 ADM Velva, ND USA 283 10,6
16 ADM Mainz Germany 275 10,2
17 Bio-Oelwerk (Prokon) Madgeburg Germany 275 10,2
18 Biocapital Charqueada (SP) Brazil 261 9,7
19 Diester Industrie Grand-Couronne France 260 9,7
20 Diester Industrie Grand-Couronne II France 250 9,3
21 Diester Industrie Le Meriot France 250 9,3
22 Diester Industrie Montoir/ST-Nazaire France 250 9,3
23 Diester Industrie Capelle-la-Grande France 250 9,3
24 Diester Industrie Bordeaux/Bassens France 250 9,3
25 Cargill Höchst Germany 250 9,3
26 Vesta biofuels (Mercuria Group) Brunsbüttel Germany 250 9,3
27 Verbio Diesel Schwedt (Verbio Group) Schwedt Germany 250 9,3
28 Harvest Energy Teesside United Kingdom 250 9,3
29 Argos Oil Rotterdam Netherlands 250 9,3
30 Novaol (Diester Industrie International) Livorno Italy 250 9,3
31 Bionex Badajoz Spain 250 9,3
32 Bio-Oils Huelva Spain 250 9,3
33 Entaban Bilbao Spain 250 9,3
34 Skotan Katowice Poland 250 9,3
35 Ineos Verdun France 230 8,6
36 Agrenco Alto Araguaia (MT) Brazil 209 7,8
37 Diester Industrie Sete France 200 7,5
38 Biopetrol (Glencore) Rostok Germany 200 7,5
39 Cargill/Agravis Wittenberg Germany 200 7,5
40 Louis Dreyfus Wittenberg Germany 200 7,5
 Appendix 3 List of largest biodiesel plants (2/3)

41 Verbio Bitterfeld Germany 200 7,5

42 Greenergy Imminghan United Kingdom 200 7,5
43 Mercuria Energy (Vesta Biofuels?) Amsterdam Netherlands 200 7,5
44 Eco Fox Vasto Italy 200 7,5
45 Ital Bi Oil Bari Italy 200 7,5
46 Mythen Cosenza Italy 200 7,5
47 Novaol (Diester Industrie International) Ravenna Italy 200 7,5
48 Oil B Varese Italy 200 7,5
49 Oxem Pavia Italy 200 7,5
50 Ecoil Priolo Italy 200 7,5
51 Abengoa Huelva Spain 200 7,5
52 Acciona Bilbao Spain 200 7,5
53 Entaban El Ferrol Spain 200 7,5
54 Entaban Tarragona Spain 200 7,5
55 Grupo SOS Andujar Spain 200 7,5
56 Saras Cartagena Spain 200 7,5
57 American Energy Producers, Inc. Tina, MO USA 200 7,4
58 FELDA IFFCO, LLC Cincinnati, OH USA 200 7,4
59 Caramuru Ipameri (GO) Brazil 198 7,4
60 Caramuru São Simão (GO) Brazil 198 7,4
61 Granol Anápolis (GO) Brazil 194 7,2
62 Petrobras Candeias (BA) Brazil 191 7,1
63 Olfar Erechim (RS) Brazil 190 7,1
64 JBS Lins (SP) Brazil 177 6,6
65 Owensboro Grain Owensboro, KY USA 167 6,2
66 Bioverde Taubaté (SP) Brazil 159 5,9
67 DP Lubrificanti Aprilia Italy 155 5,8
68 Biopetrol (Glencore) Schwarzheide Germany 150 5,6
69 Rheinische Bio Neuss Germany 150 5,6
70 Tecosol Ochsenfurt Germany 150 5,6
71 Cereal Docks Vicenza Italy 150 5,6
72 Biotel Cuenca Spain 150 5,6
73 Bioagra Oil Tychy Poland 150 5,6
74 Mercuria Energy (J&S) Stobno Poland 150 5,6
75 Mercuria Energy (J&S) Skarbimierz Poland 150 5,6
76 Rossi&MOL Komarom Hungary 150 5,6
77 Lake Erie Biofuels dba HERO BX Erie, PA USA 150 5,6
78 Binatural Formosa (GO) Brazil 143 5,3
79 Bsbios Passo Fundo (RS) Brazil 141 5,2
80 Delta American Fuel, LLC Helena, AR USA 133 5,0
81 EOP Biodiesel Falkenhagen Germany 133 4,9
82 Fiagril Lucas do Rio Verde (MT) Brazil 130 4,8
83 Camera Ijuí (RS) Brazil 127 4,7
84 Nord Ester (Daudruy) Dunkerque France 120 4,5
 Appendix 3 List of largest biodiesel plants (3/3)

85 ADM Leer Germany 120 4,5

86 Comlube Brescia Italy 120 4,5
87 Western Dubuque Biodiesel Farley, IA USA 120 4,5
88 Green Valley Biofuels, LLC Warrenville, SC USA 117 4,3
89 Brasil Ecodiesel Iraquara (BA) Brazil 114 4,3
90 Brasil Ecodiesel Porto Nacional (TO) Brazil 114 4,3
91 Brasil Ecodiesel Rosário do Sul (RS) Brazil 114 4,3
92 Brasil Ecodiesel São Luís (MA) Brazil 114 4,3
93 Bsbios Marialva (PR) Brazil 112 4,2
94 Cooperbio Cuiabá (MT) Brazil 108 4,0
95 Comanche Simões Filho (BA) Brazil 106 4,0
96 Fertibom Catanduva (SP) Brazil 106 3.9
97 Biocarburantes CLM Toledo Spain 105 3.9
98 Biodiesel Aragon Huesca Spain 100 3.7
99 Biopaliwa (Elstar) Malbork Poland 100 3.7
100 Blue Sun Biodiesel, LLC St. Joseph, MO USA 100 3.7
 Appendix 4 List of largest recovery boilers (1/3)

List of largest recovery boilers

No. Company Location Country Capacity Capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a

1 APP Riau Kerinchi Indonesia 18.1

7000
2 APP Rizhao China 18.1
7000
3 Aracruz Guaiba Brazil 15.7
6130
4 APP Hainan Hainan China 12.9
5000
5 Suzano Papel e Celulosa Mucuri, Bahia Sul Brazil 12.9
4700
6 Metsä-Botnia Orion, Fray Bentos Uruguay 12.2
4450
7 Wisaforest Pietarsaari Finland 12.7
4450
8 Celulosa Arauco y Constitución Nueva Aldea Chile 11.3
4400
9 Veracel Eunapolis, Bahia Brazil 10.8
4000
10 CMPC, Santa Fe Nacimiento Chile 10.3
3800
11 PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper Kerinchi, Sumatra Indonesia 10.9
3800
12 PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper Kerinchi, Sumatra Indonesia 10.9
3800
13 UPM-Kymmene Kuusankoski Finland 10.7
3600
14 Mondi Syktyvkar Russia 10.6
3560
15 Cenibra Ipatinga Brazil 9.1
3500
16 Oji Paper China 9.4
3400
17 BSC Brazil 8.7
3300
18 SCA Östrand Sweden 8.7
3300
19 PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Perawang, Sumatra Indonesia 9.5
3300
20 PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Perawang, Sumatra Indonesia 9.5
3300
21 PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper Kerinci, Sumatra Indonesia 9.0
3300
22 Enso-Gutzeit Oy Kaukopää Mills Finland 8.9
3300
23 Stendahl Stendahl Germany 8.4
3250
24 Södra Cell Mönsterås Sweden 8.2
3200
25 Metsä-Botnia Joutseno Finland 8.2
3150
26 PPT Kiani Kalimantan Indonesia 8.4
3150
27 Celulosa Arauco y Constitución Valdivia Chile 8.3
3100
28 Värö Väröbacka Sweden 7.9
3100
29 UPM-Kymmene, Kaukas Lappeenranta Finland 7.5
3100
30 OJS Ilim Bratsk Russia 8.2
3000
31 Oy Metsä-Rauma Rauma Finland 7.5
3000
32 Enocell Oy Uimaharju Mills Finland 8.1
3000
33 Howe Sound Pulp & Paper Port Mellon, BC Canada 8.1
3000
34 International paper Campti, Louisiana USA 7.7
2860
35 Weyerhaeuser Valiant, OK USA 7.7
2860
36 PT Wirakarya Sakti Tebin Tinggi Mill, Jambi Indonesia 7.8
2800
37 PT Indah Kiat Pulp and Paper Perawang, Sumatra Indonesia 7.8
2800
38 Repap, Skeena Prince Rupert, BC Canada 7.7
2770
39 Union Camp Savannah, GA USA 7.7
2721
40 Nippon Paper Industry Iwakuni Japan 7.5
2700
41 Alberta Pacific Boyle, AL Canada 6.8
2635
 Appendix 4 List of largest recovery boilers (2/3)

42 Celgar Pulp Castlegar, BC Canada 7.4

2610
43 Celgar Castlegar, BC Canada 7.4
2610
44 Skutskär Skutskär Sweden 7.5
2600
45 Kemi Kemi Finland 6.8
2600
46 CMPC Laja Chile 6.6
2500
47 VCP Jacareí Mill Jacareí Brazil 6.9
2500
48 Stora Paperboard Gruvön Sweden 6.8
2500
49 Alabama Pine Pulp Perdue Hill, AL USA 6.8
2500
50 Leaf River Forest Products Leaf River USA 7.0
2500
51 Naheola Cogeneration Naheola, AL USA 7.1
2450
52 Packaging Corporation of America Valdosta, GA USA 6.9
2400
53 Celbi Figueira da Foz Portugal 7.3
2400
54 Soporcell Figuera de Foz Portugal 6.2
2400
55 Oji Paper Yonago Mill Japan 7.2
2400
56 Oji Paper Kasugai Mill Japan 7.2
2400
57 Westvaco Covington, VA USA 6.0
2270
58 Weyerhaeuser Paper Columbus, MS USA 6.0
2270
59 ITT Rayonier USA 5.9
2222
60 Stora-Enso Skoghal Skoghal Sweden 5.6
2200
61 Aracruz Celulose Aracruz Brazil 6.9
2200
62 Weyerhaeuser Grande Prairie Canada 5.9
2180
63 Weyerhaeuser Oglethorpe, GA USA 5.9
2177
64 PT Tanjungenim Lestari P&P Musi, Sumatra Indonesia 6.1
2120
65 Union Camp Eastover, SC USA 5.8
2100
66 Celulosa Nipo Brasileira Ipatinga Brazil 5.7
2050
67 Federal Paperboard USA 5.6
2041
68 Georgia-Pacific Crossett, AR USA 5.6
2041
69 Weyerhaeuser Valiant, OR USA 5.6
2041
70 Weyerhaeuser USA 5.6
2041
71 Aracruz C Aracruz Brazil 5.6
2041
72 Bowater, Calhoun Calhoun, TN USA 5.6
2041
73 Georgia Pacific Woodland, ME USA 5.2
2041
74 Nekoosa Papers Ashdown, AR USA 5.8
2041
75 Federal Paper Board Augusta, GA USA 5.3
2041
76 Potlatch Cloquet, MN USA 5.6
2040
77 Georgia Pacific Brunswick, GA USA 5.9
2040
78 Weyerhaeuser Kamloops, BC Canada 5.9
2040
79 Tiger Forest & Paper Group Changsha, Hunan China 5.8
2000
80 Sateri Bahia Pulp Brazil 5.8
2000
81 Burgo Ardennes Virton Belgium 5.1
2000
82 Arauco Arauco Chile 5.4
2000
83 Celimo (Aussedat Rey) Saillat Vienne France 4.6
1955
84 Aracruz, Guaiba (Riocell) Gauiba Brazil 5.8
1950
85 Zellstoff Pöls Pöls Austria 5.3
1900
86 Oji Paper Kure Japan 5.8
1900
 Appendix 4 List of largest recovery boilers (3/3)

87 Hokuetsu Paper Mills Niigata Japan 5.5

1900
88 Stora Enso, Kaukopää Kaukopää Finland 4.2
1900
89 Skutskär Skutskär Sweden 5.4
1900
90 Tembec Témiscaming Canada 3.9
1880
91 Union Camp Savannah, GA USA 3.8
1837
92 Celpac Mininco Chile 5.5
1837
93 Husum Husum Sweden 3.5
1815
94 Cariboo Pulp & Paper Quesnec, BC Canada 3.5
1810
95 Ence Navia Spain 3.4
1800
96 Domtar Lebel Sur Quevillon Canada 1800 3.4
97 Inland-Rome Rome, GA USA 1800 3.4
98 MacMillan Bloedel Pine Hill, AL USA 1800 3.4
99 Aracruz Celulose Vitoria Brazil 1800 3.4
100 Westvaco Covingtona, AL USA 1799 3.4
 Appendix 5 List of largest biomass gasifiers (1/1)

List of largest biomass gasifiers

No. Company/Plant Location Country Capacity Capacity
MWth PJ/a

1 Lahti Energia Lahti Finland 160 4.0

2 Vaskiluodon Voima Vaasa Finland 140 3.5
3 Rüdersdorfer Zement Rüdersdorf Germany 100 2.5
4 Essent Geertruidenberg Netherlands 85 2.1
5 Electrabel (part of GDF Suez) Ruien Belgium 50 1.3
6 Södra Cell Värö Pulp Mill Väro Sweden 35 0.9
7 Agnion Technologies Pfaffenhofen Germany 33 0.8
8 Corenso United Varkaus Finland 32 0.8
9 Skive Fjernvarme Skive Denmark 32 0.8
10 Babcock & Wilcox Vølund Kani-city, Gifu prefecture Japan 12 0.3
11 NSE Biofuels Varkaus Finland 12 0.3
12 Ortner Anlagenbau Oberwart Austria 9 0.0
13 FICFB Güssing Güssing Austria 8 0.2
14 Babcock & Wilcox Vølund Yamagata Japan 8 0.2
15 Chalmers Technical University Göteborg Sweden 4 0.1
 Appendix 6 List of pellet mills under planning (1/1)

List of pellet mills under planning, capacity at least 1 PJ.

The list is not comprehensive.

No. Company/Project Location Country Capacity Capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a

1 Suzano Energia Renovavel x3 Maranhão Brazil 1 000 17.0

2 Biomass Secure Power Baton Rouge, LA USA 1 000 17.0
3 German Pellets Tyler, TX USA 550 9.4
4 Protocol Biomass Ontario Canada 500 8.5
5 Franklin Pellets Franklin, VA USA 500 8.5
6 Enviva LP Courtland, VA USA 500 8.5
7 Enviva LP Northampton County, NC USA 500 8.5
8 Enviva LP Wiggins, MS USA 500 8.5
9 Enova Energy Group Edgefield County, SC USA 450 7.7
10 Enova Energy Group (First Georgia BioEnergy) Waynesville, GA USA 450 7.7
11 Enova Energy Group Warrenton, GA USA 450 7.7
12 Canadian Bio Pellets Ingleside Canada 450 7.7
13 General Biofuels Georgia Sandersville, GA USA 440 7.5
14 Point Bio Energy Baton Rouge, LA USA 400 6.8
15 F.E. Wood & Sons Baldwin, ME USA 350 6.0
16 Fram Renewables Lumber City, GA USA 350 6.0
17 Westervelt Renewable Energy Aliceville, AL USA 309 5.3
18 Zilkha Biomass Energy Selma, AL USA 275 4.7
19 Biomass Secure Power Vancouver Island, BC Canada 250 4.3
20 Pacific Bioenergy Kitwanga Canada 250 4.3
21 Pacific Bioenergy Kitwanga Canada 250 4.3
22 Fulgrum Fibres Augusta, GA USA 200 3.4
23 Miktech Ristiina Finland 200 3.4
24 Woodlands Resources Meigs, GA USA 165 2.8
25 General Biofuels Canada Terrace Canada 150 2.6
26 New Forest Industries Quebec Canada 125 2.1
27 Atikokan Renewable Fuels Ontario Canada 120 2.0
28 Beaver Wood Energy Fair Haven, Vermont USA 110 1.9
29 Highland Biofuels Lexington, Kentucky USA 100 1.7
30 SEGA Biofuels Nahunta, GA USA 100 1.7
31 Graanul Invest Baltics 100 1.7
32 Wagner Ontario Forest Management Ignace, ON Canada 85 1.4
33 Varn Wood Products Hoboken, GA USA 80 1.4
34 Whitesand First Nation Armstrong, ON Canada 80 1.4
35 KD Quality Pellets New Liskeard, ON Canada 75 1.3
36 Wawasund Group Greenstone, ON Canada 67 1.1
37 Viridis Energy Monte Lake, BC Canada 60 1.0
 Appendix 7 List of ethanol mills under planning (1/1)

List of ethanol mills under planning, capacity at least 1 PJ

The list is not comprehensive.

No. Company/Project Location Country Capacity Capacity
Ml/a PJ/yr

1 Poet Emmetsburg, Iowa USA 473 10.0

2 Montana Advanced Biofuel Great Falls, Montana USA 435 9.2
3 Vivergo Fuels (BP, DuPont, ABFuels joint venture) Hull United Kingdom 420 8.9
4 Coskata undisclosed USA 379 8.0
5 Bioethanol North Killingholme United Kingdom 250 5.3
6 Vireol Grimsby United Kingdom 200 4.2
7 GeneSyst U.K. Malta 180 3.8
8 Mascoma Kinross, MI USA 151 3.2
9 BP Biofuels Highlands County, FL USA 136 2.9
10 Canabrava Rio de Janeiro state Brazil 120 2.5
11 Verenium USA 114 2.4
12 Abengoa Brazil 100 2.1
13 Abengoa Bioenergy Hugoton, KS USA 95 2.0
14 Poet Emmetsburg, IA USA 95 2.0
15 Louisiana Green Fuels Lacassine, LA USA 95 2.0
16 GeneSyst U.K. Malta 90 1.9
17 Range Fuels Soperton, GA USA 76 1.6
18 Bluefire Fulton, MS USA 72 1.5
19 Vinema Multióleos Vegetais Rio Grande do Sul Brazil 69 1.5
20 Vinema Vegetais Rio Grande do Sul Brazil 69 1.5
21 Iogen Shelley, Idaho USA 68 1.4
22 CEG Plant Goswinowice Goswinowice Poland 60 1.3
23 Green Future Innovations (ITOCHU, JGC joint venture) Isabela Philippines 54 1.1
24 BEST Crescentino Italy 51 1.1
 Appendix 8 List of biodiesel plants under planning (1/1)

List of biodiesel plants under planning, capacity at least 1 PJ

The list is not comprehensive.

No. Company/Project Location Country Feedstock Capacity Capacity
1000 t/a PJ/a

1 Indian Railways Tondiarpet India Not known 6 900 257

2 Indian Railways Raipur India Not known 6 900 257
3 Brasil Eco Energia Brazil Soybeans 734 27.4
4 Canadian Bioenergy - Lloydminster, Canada Canola 233 8.7
Northern Biodiesel Alberta
5 ADM Lloydminster, Canada Canola 233 8.7
Alberta
6 BioStreet Canada Vegreville, Alberta Canada Oilseed 209 7.8
7 Great Lakes Biodiesel Welland, Ontario Canada Multi-feedstock 150 5.6
8 Bioversel Sarnia Sarnia, Ontario Canada Multi-feedstock 150 5.6
9 Four Rivers Bioenergy Wilton United Used cooking oil, virgin 120 4.5
Kingdom soy and rapeseed oil
10 BIOX Corp. Bayonne Canada Waste grease and oil 88 3.3
11 TRT-ETGO Bécancour, Canada Vegetable oil 88 3.3
Quebec
12 Viridis Fuels Oakland, CA USA Used vegetable and 67 2.5
animal fats
13 Kyoto Fuels Corp Lethbridge, Canada Multi-feedstock 58 2.2
Alberta
14 Argent Energy Motherwell United Tallow and cooking oil 44 1.6
Kingdom
15 Methes Energies Canada Sombra, Ontario Canada Multi-feedstock 44 1.6
16 Biocardel Quebec. Richmond, Canada Multi-feedstock 35 1.3
Quebec