Gasification: technologies and place in the future energy system
Among the various renewable energy technologies, gasification has emerged as a promising solution, offering a versatile approach to converting organic materials into clean energy.
For the SAF platform, we have prepared a review of a report by the European Biogas Association (EBA), which details the technology of biomass and waste gasification in Europe.
Due to the size of the report, we will divide it into two parts. The first one is published now, and the next one will be posted later, with more details on syngas, gasification plants in Europe, and economic aspects of biomass and waste gasification.
Main points
According to the EBA white paper, Europe is currently home to approximately 141 biomass and waste gasification installations, with an additional 54 projects under development. Germany leads the way with 61 installations, while France, Finland, and Italy are also emerging as significant contributors to this growing market.
75% of the feedstock used in gasification comes from forestry and agricultural residues. Waste streams account for about 7%, while the remaining facilities utilise mixed feedstock sources.
The potential for gasification in Europe is significant, with estimates indicating a production capacity of 37 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2040, representing 33% of the total biomethane production potential (111 bcm). This highlights gasification as a critical component in diversifying and expanding biomethane production across the region.
Based on current estimates, Europe could avoid 536 million tons of CO2 emissions annually, provide renewable energy to 100 million European households year-round, or fuel 2 million LNG trucks annually.
Gasification in the future energy system
Gasification is a thermochemical process that converts organic materials — such as agricultural residues, forestry by-products, wood waste and organic fraction of municipal solid waste or solid recovered fuels (SRF) — into syngas (a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and other hydrocarbons).
This flexible solution is aimed at solving several problems at once. Market research agencies report that the global biomass gasification market size is expected to reach €204.03 billion by 2032, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.6% during the 2023-2032 forecast period. This technology is poised for significant growth and adoption across various sectors. However, further reductions in capital and operational costs are essential to the commercial success of this technology.
Several limitations constrain gasification widespread adoption in the energy future. A primary concern is biomass availability, which is inherently limited by land use competition and seasonal variations in feedstock supply.
Read the full material with a chapter on biomass gasification technologies on the SAF platform.
We remind you that UABIO is a partner of the Sustainable agribusiness platform (SAF).
SAF is a communication platform that brings together agribusiness stakeholders and aims to establish strong links between market players and introduce sustainable approaches in agriculture. For this platform, our team prepares verified professional content on the bioenergy sector.
