There are barriers to expanded bioenergy markets:

Supply infrastructure. If bioenergy is to play a larger role in the U.S. energy mix, energy generators will require a steady supply of biomass. However, this is not a small task—essentially, a new industry must be formed to harvest, transport and prepare biomass into a useable form. If biomass power plant operators must supply steady power year-round, there must be enough biomass available throughout the year to fulfill their obligations. Luckily, a recent report by the ORNL, the DOE and the USDA confirms that biomass is readily available to supply more energy to the energy sector, up to 30% by 2020, a tenfold increase. For the whole document, please visit http://feedstockreview.ornl.gov/pdf/billion_ton_vision.pdf.

Conflicting Demand. However, suppliers of biomass do not sell just to the energy market. For example, wood chips can go into mulch or animal bedding. Other wood waste can be recycled into new products. Thus bioenergy operators must compete with other industries for biomass. This means that they must pay enough money consistently to secure the supplies they need. Additionally, some biomass must be recycled into the natural cycle in order to replenish lost nutrients. Unsustainable harvesting of biomass can lead to increased erosion and degraded soil. Yet, nowhere near the amount of residue sitting on top of the soil can be recycled into the soil. For instance, only 10-15% of all corn stover generated from corn harvesting can be usefully returned to the ground.

Lack of familiarity. Professionals in the energy sector are usually not familiar with biomass, biomass energy conversion technologies, and biomass markets. As a result, project initiators often rely on local professionals with limited knowledge. Such professionals often “reinvent the wheel” when designing projects, thereby driving up costs or creating a less than optimal project. And few farmers have experience with growing, processing, storing, and transporting crops suitable for combustion. With biomass competing against fossil fuels for different applications, inconveniences based on inexperience are enough to discourage early adoption. Additionally, public perception of biomass and waste processing is not typically high. It is not as glamorous as the other renewable energy sectors, like wind or solar.

Technology challenges. There are still a number of challenges to mass commercialization of bioenergy. For example, co-firing can be difficult if the coal power plant has selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to comply with new, more stringent limits of nitrogen oxide emissions. The alkali content of biomass fuels may contaminate SCR technologies. Up to 70% of coal-fired power plants potentially capable of biomass co-firing are likely candidates of SCR retrofits.

Unwillingness to explore alternatives. In defending the nuclear energy industry, proponents often point out that nuclear already makes up 21% of the total energy generated nationally. To this they suggest that it would be more feasible to continue to pour money into revitializing this aging sector, instead of investing in new renewable ones. Often citing in conjunction with this fact that the renewable energy sectors make up considerably less, in total around 5%, of total energy generation and therefore are implied to be incapable of expansion due to slightly higher costs currently. In this author's opinion, that is particulary keen circular reasoning. Simple economics show that when invested in, economies of scale are set up and production cost declines, creating larger more dependable sectors. Without faith in the new technology and capitol to back it, renewables continually battle to gain market share.

Biomass Production Improvements

Improvements in agricultural practices will lead to increased biomass yields, reductions in cultivation costs, and improved environmental quality. Key elements include new plant genetics and breeding technology, new analytical techniques and evaluation techniques, and the development of tools to enable precision agriculture, such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS).

Biomass Material Handling
Materials handling systems for biomass constitute a significant portion of the capital investment and operating costs of a biomass conversion facility. Requirements depend on the type of biomass to be processed as well as the feedstock preparation requirements of the conversion technology. Biomass storage, handling, conveying, size reduction, cleaning, drying, and feeding equipment and systems are included.

Biomass Collection Logistics and Infrastructure
Harvesting biomass crops, collecting biomass residues, and storing and transporting biomass resources are critical elements in the biomass resource supply chain. [1]

Green Power Marketing
Green power marketing provides choices in restructured electricity markets for electricity consumers to purchase power from renewable or environmentally preferred sources, such as biomass. Green pricing allows customers to support a greater level of investment in renewable energy technologies by paying a premium on their electric bill to cover the incremental cost of the additional renewable energy. Both approaches can contribute to the growth of the biopower industry.

Job Creation

Investment in the bioenergy sector can create thousands of jobs, especially in rural communities which need support.

Sources Cited:

[1] Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy. www.eere.doe.gov