Alternative Energy CO2-GHG reduction_BEAT 2_A Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool free software for UK and UK-based companies

This post results from following a lead on combined Coal and Biomass use in power generation. ref1.

Ground-breaking technology that enables companies and organisations to measure their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) was unveiled for the first time (13 November 2008) at Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire.

The BEAT2 – Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool – computer program funded by UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the UK, Environment Agency, measures the impact on the levels of greenhouse gas emissions when biomass is used in a variety of energy generating processes.

Drax is the first major industrial installation in the UK to pilot the software.

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Drax Power Limited ("Drax") has announced that it has signed a £10 million ($18 million) Engineering, Procurement and Construction ("EPC") contract with Doosan Babcock Energy Limited ("Doosan Babcock") to supply direct injection biomass co-firing systems to all six coal-fired generating units at the 4,000MW Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.

Co-firing involves the mixing and burning of renewable biomass materials with coal and, given the carbon neutral status of biomass, is a recognised carbon abatement technology that has significant potential to reduce carbon dioxide ("CO2") emissions from coal-fired power stations. The direct injection firing systems represent a major component of the new co-firing facility at Drax and are designed to receive and transport processed biomass materials to the power station’s coal-fired boilers.

On completion, the biomass co-firing facility will be the largest of its type in the world, which alongside Drax’s existing co-firing capability will provide a total of 500MW of renewable electricity, or the equivalent output of over 600 wind turbines. The biomass co-firing facility will reduce Drax Power Station’s emissions of CO2 by over two and a half million tonnes per annum supporting Drax’s commitment to tackling climate change by reducing its CO2 emissions.

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Sources:
1. Materials World print edition Dec 2008.
2. The BEAT2 – Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool – computer program
3. Drax press release 13Nov. 08
4. Drax press release 1 Oct. 08

NB.1. BEST 2.

The aim of this tool is to provide the user with a means for assessing the potential benefits, as well as associated environmental impacts, of bioenergy technologies. It takes into account the diverse nature of possible bioenergy feedstocks and conversion technologies and also identifies a variety of potential environmental impacts. BEAT2 is a UK-based tool and cannot be used to assess bioenergy options outside the UK or to assess the impact of internationally sourced feedstocks.

NB2. Back-ground comment by Sophie Stammers