What is biomass?
Biomass is, by definition, organic waste from agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture as well as biodegradable industrial and municipal waste. Biomass is carbon neutral material that, once converted into a fuel, can be used to generate renewable energy.
Using biomass energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels and helps to secure energy supplies. Biomass is very much a key component of the energy transition.
Our solutions for collecting and transforming biomass
With upwards of 500 projects worldwide, we handle our customers’ organic waste, all the way from collection to recovery as energy.
We recover and recycle biomass in two ways:
- as energy, using solutions to produce heat and electricity from biomass on behalf of our industrial and municipal customers;
- as material, using solutions that offer total recycling and recovery of wood waste and offcuts.
We handle the complete transformation cycle of four types of biomass:
- from forests: forestry waste, tree stumps, wood processing by-products, etc.
- from tree plantations: pine, coconut, palm, bamboo, etc.
- from agriculture and the agri-food industry: herbaceous plants, straw, corn stalks, nut shells, olive pits, etc.
- from wood processing: wooden packaging, black liquor from the papermaking industry, waste from landscapers, etc.
Biomass-derived energy and biogas
By-products generated during production and processing can also be utilized as renewable energy sources. Veolia's expertise can help our customers transform industrial waste into energy resources for further utilization, such as treating residues from brewing processes, industrial or municipal wastewater, etc.
We can transform these by-products into clean and relatively cheaper fuels or produce biogas through anaerobic digestion. These innovative and highly specialized solutions enable energy efficiency and also contribute to environmental purification.
Wood Biomass
As a pathway to reducing fossil fuel energy use, the practice of this new resource cycle—derived from organic components sourced from forestry, agriculture, industrial, and household waste—provides fuel or material directly for heat, cooling, and electricity. Biomass waste can be used as fuel to generate energy. Another method is the conversion of biogas (methanation) produced and captured during waste decomposition into energy. The use of such biofuels produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels.
Veolia has become a leading company in producing energy from wood biomass. Wood is considered a renewable resource in terms of carbon emissions, as the amount of CO2 released during combustion is almost equivalent to the amount absorbed during its growth. This recognition of its environmental advantages has contributed to Veolia's success in the wood biomass sector, where it maintains professional control at every stage of the wood energy chain.
To address wood supply and related pricing, Veolia offers localized solutions based on partnerships with local stakeholders such as forestry companies, farmers, paper manufacturers, sawmills, and furniture producers. Based on local conditions, Veolia designs customized hybrid energy solutions for each project, considering wood resources, wood waste, wood product factories, and specialty crop cultivation. Veolia's researchers provide expert advice during the initial stages and implement storage technology to ensure optimal combustion conditions. Efforts are made to maximize boiler efficiency while minimizing emissions.
Business Cases
Veolia is responsible for providing local heating services in the Kedong county.
Current heating area: 2.4 million m2
After upgrade and optimization works: 5 million m2 to local residents, companies and commercial entities
Use of traditional fuel and agricultural biomass to deliver green heat and electricity. Energy production is expected to be from 100% biomass in the long run.
75,700 tons CO₂ avoided in 2022
Through Yibin Yangchun, Veolia provides an uninterrupted and consistent supply of green energy with efficient emission standards to six industrial companies in Yangchun Industrial Park, Jiang’an County. Veolia uses local agricultural and forestry waste to produce the thermal power plant’s 100% green and clean steam and electricity to meet the energy needs of the park.
- 3 X 50 tons/hour industrial steam
- 25 MW power generation