General information
Fuel pellets - a powerful growth market in Austria, Europe and worldwide
General information
BIOS has been active in national and international R&D projects in the field of densified biomass fuels (i.e. pellets and briquettes) in cooperation with the Institute for Process and Particle Engineering, Graz University of Technology, since 2000. The main activities of BIOS in this field are:
- Analyses and characterisation of pellets
- Development of pellet combustion technologies
- CFD-aided modelling / development of pellet furnaces
- Characterisation and reduction of PM emissions
In addition to these R&D activities BIOS is also active in planning of pellet production plants.
BIOS has a well established network to the most important pellet producing and consuming countries (i.e. Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden) via the International Energy Agency, Bioenergy Agreement, Task 32, “Biomass Combustion and Co-firing”. In addition, BIOS currently works in cooperation with the International Energy Agency, Bioenergy Agreement, Task 32, “Biomass Combustion and Co-firing” on an international pellet handbook, which will be published in spring 2010 in English language. The title of the book will be “The pellet handbook – production and thermal utilisation of pellets”.
- Development of pellet production, pellet consumption and pellet production capacity in Austria from 1995 until 2008 - Click to zoom
Latest information on the Austrian pellet market
Pellets have been available in Austria since around 1997 and they can be compared with oil or gas in regard to their applicability in automatic heating plants. The pellet market is thus growing rapidly because of their increased competitiveness as a result of the rise in oil prices. Pellets output in Austria increased to 700,000 tons in the year 2007. In 2008 a slight decline to 620.000 tons has been observed (see figure below). Forecasts for 2009 expect a pellet production of around 800.000 tons. These data mean that Austria is, despite its small area, under the six largest pellet producing countries worldwide.
The number of newly installed small-scale heating plants (most of them residential heating units with a nominal boiler capacity < 100 kWth) also experienced a steep increase. First pellet furnaces have been installed in 1997 (about 400) and reached more than 11,000 newly installed plants in 2008. In total, more than 62,000 small-scale pellet central heating systems are installed in Austria (end of 2008). In addition, about 20,000 pellet stoves are currently installed, which usually act as an additional (not main or only) heating system.
A further increase of both pellet production and use as well as of newly installed pellet furnaces is expected for the coming years.
The use of pellets in medium and large-scale heating plants in Austria is an interesting future application for pellets due to their homogeneity and energy density, provided that a cheaper price for pellets can be achieved (e.g. by producing an industrial pellet quality). In other countries, e.g. Sweden, the use of pellets is already standard in such medium and large-scale applications, and a first medium-scale market segment has also been established in Austria.
Latest information on the Austrian pellet market
- International comparison of pellet production developments - Click to zoom
The largest pellet producing countries are Canada, Sweden, Germany, USA, Russia and Austria (see figure below) and the largest pellet consuming countries are USA, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy. Related to the specific pellet consumption per capita the largest pellet consuming countries are Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium (with decreasing amounts in the given order). However, in the Netherlands and Belgium the consumption is virtually restricted to large power plants.
The completely different pellet market developments in different countries are quite interesting. In some countries like Austria the use of pellets is mainly confined to the residential heating sector. Other countries like Sweden use pellets mainly in medium and large-scale plants. On a worldwide basis about 55% to 60% of the pellets produced are used in small-scale applications in the residential heating sector and about 40% to 45% are used in medium and large-scale heating or CHP applications as well as in large power plants.
By summing up the amounts of pellets produced in all countries a total European pellet production (without Russia) of about 7.4 million tons per year and a worldwide pellet production of about 11.6 million tons per year result (based on data from 2006 to 2008). The total European consumption (without Russia) amounts to about 8.6 million tons per year and the consumption worldwide to about 11.8 million tons per year.