The main technologies which were investigated by the B4B project were solid biomass heating plants for supplying low temperature, either individually, in-house or via a district grid. B4B focused on the mid-scale power range (0.1 to 20 MW nominal heat load); targeting the application of mature biomass to heat conversion technologies, utilising either (1) wood-chips from wood-based industry or forests, (2) wood pellets or (3) straw.
The projects’ first milestone was to identify, for each of the 11 target countries, three to four promising heat market segments in which mid-scale bioheat is expected to be competitive with fossil heat (please find the results in figure 1 and figure 2). 56 interviews with bioheat market actors (boiler manufacturers, planners, project developers and operators) were performed. The country reports and an overall summary report give detailed information on the available biomass potential and the target heat markets chosen, including structural data, fossil fuel utilisation, and the fuel switch and GHG mitigation potential. During the project, 2,220 visits to the related project website were recorded.
Moreover, existing bioenergy business models, regulations, support schemes and policies were assessed in a consistent manner. Interviews with representatives from banks revealed the financing requirements related to biomass heating projects. In order to investigate barriers, opportunities and needs of the target heat markets, 118 stakeholders of the demand and supply side and public authorities were interviewed. Those contents were discussed and complemented in the 1st round of bioheat policies workshops, where 200+ authorities and other market actors took part.
Focusing on the identified target heat markets, B4B offered comprehensive capacity building activities (info days, training seminars including field trips, and study tours) to key stakeholders of the target countries. Overall, more than 2,600 key stakeholders along the biomass value chain took part at the national events and were advised on the opportunities created by local biomass heat value chains. By means of a special tool-box, participants of training seminar were educated to assess and develop sustainable, economically sound biomass heating projects.
Furthermore, B4B advised public authorities about policy measures which are applicable to speed up the diffusion of bioheat technology in the target heat markets by creating a more investor friendly environment. Recommendations were given how national framework conditions should be adopted to allow for better replication of business strategies and models which are already successfully implemented in other European countries. In a 2nd series of bioheat policies workshops, more than 200 authorities and other market actors took part.
