SmartBiomassHeat – Heat from Solid Biofuels as an Integral Part of a Future Energy System Based on Renewables

Abstract

AbstractSince the global climate agreement of Paris 2015, backed by scientific facts and adopted on highest political level, the world's population has to redirect its energy supply from coal, gas, and oil towards renewables. Germany is one of the leading countries in transitioning its energy system, which resulted in a new term called “Energiewende”. A transition to renewable energies will result in a more decentralized system with more local fluctuation in supply, worldwide. In order to provide a guaranteed supply at the required level, new technologies of energy conversion, storage, and utilization are required, especially when looking at the heating sector and heat from solid biofuels. Two types of technology fulfilling the future requirements for a smart bioenergy usage stand out: integrated back‐up stoves with few kW of thermal output and mini‐ and micro‐combined heat and power (CHP) units with less than 50 kW electrical output.