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Energy Research Institute
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Wake up and smell the willow
More plant matter could be burned in coal-fired power stations if this ‘green’ fuel was delivered pre-roasted like coffee beans, according to researchers from the University of Leeds.
Many UK power stations are now burning plant matter, or biomass, as well as coal in a bid to cut their carbon footprint. Unlike fossil fuels, plants like willow, Miscanthus and poplar are a virtually carbon-neutral source of energy: the carbon dioxide emitted when they burn is absorbed during photosynthesis by the next batch of 'energy crops' planted in their place.
But the environmental benefits of biomass are countered by some real practical and economic challenges that are forcing power stations to restrict the amount of biomass used. Biomass is moist and bulky, making it relatively expensive to transport and difficult to store for long periods without going mouldy. The fibrous plant matter is also extremely difficult to process in the mills that are used to grind dry lumps of coal into dust before they are burned.
More plant matter could be burned in coal-fired power stations
