Evaluation of a Local Heating Network Supplied by a Pyrolysis Plant

Abstract

In order to mitigate climate change, a wide range of negative emission technologies, such as pyrolytic carbon capture and storage, must be used in the future. This study therefore examines a specific application example for the energy supply with a pyrolysis plant that is operated with locally available biomass in the smallest district of the city of Freiburg. It is shown that such a supply concept is feasible and that the economic efficiency of the supply concept depends on the system output as well as the amount of local biomass and the revenues from the sale of the biochar. Of the six pyrolysis plants examined, two proved to be a promising alternative to the current wood chip boiler. By switching to an energy supply with a pyrolysis plant, the district could save several hundred tons of CO2 per year. The resulting total negative emissions would amount to almost 1200 tons of CO2 per year.