Reducing environmental impact through efficient utilisation of biomass in a cogeneration plant. Case study – Energy supply of an industrial company through biomass utilisation in a cogeneration plant with internal combustion engines

In the present paper there has been performed a multi-criteria analysis, including energy and economic, in order to demonstrate the feasibility of implementation of a cogeneration plant that uses syngas obtained from biomass gasification, for energy supply of an industrial company from wood processing sector. After the technological process there are wood wastes that are not completely re-used: bark, sawdust, wood chips. A part of these wastes is recycled and used as raw materials within a furniture and cellulose company, the rest of wastes can be used as biomass for gasification and then syngas can be used within a cogeneration plant for power and heat production. The economic criteria calculated for the cogeneration plant equipped with internal combustion engines meet all the conditions for economic feasibility (net present value is positive, internal rate or return is higher than actualisation rate (a), profitability criterion is higher than 1). Taking into account the positive results of the analysis it has been underlined the opportunity of implementation of a cogeneration plant with internal combustion engines using biomass for an industrial company from wood processing sector. The analysed solution has been proved as being efficient from the energy point of view – higher efficiency of cogeneration technology compared to separate energy production and also having a double positive environmental impact: fossil fuel savings – through biomass utilisation and through reduction of pollutant emissions – cogeneration technology.