Quantitative analysis of potential power production and environmental benefits of Biomass Integrated Gasification Combined Cycles in the European Union

Biomass Integrated Gasification Combined Cycles (BioIGCC) are a promising technology, alternative to fossil fuels for power generation. Significant reduction of CO₂ emissions could be achieved, although important changes in the gas turbines and gasifiers design and further technological development would be necessary. The aim of this work is to study quantitatively the benefits of using BioIGCC plants instead of fossil fuel technologies, in terms of power supply and CO₂ emission avoidance, including the study of pre-combustion CO₂ capture. Different biomass substrates are analysed and compared and the required land use in each case and for different scenarios is also studied and quantified. The power generation and greenhouse gas emission avoidance potential of BioIGCC technology in Europe is also studied and the viability of this technology in different circumstances is discussed. In several cases BioIGCC plants are found to be viable from the point of view of availability of biomass resources and the cost of the produced kWh. In the whole EU-27 the potential hovers around 30 GW and a reduction of nearly 4% of the total EU emissions in 2009 in a conservative scenario, and up to 100 GW and 15% of emission reduction in a more optimistic one.