Source AChBIOM, AVEBIOM y ENERGÉTICA XXI
The keys of the sector in the next years according to AChBIOM
How is the development of biomass expected in the industrial sector in Chile in the next 3 years?
Regarding the use of chips for industrial use, in the opinion of Francisco Riquelme, Operations and Logistics Manager at Energía Rio Claro SA, and Director of the Chilean Association of Biomass AG, broad perspectives of growth are not seen in the short term. The current use of this type of biomass is in general to be consumed in cogeneration plants of existing investments. The current price of energy is low and therefore values between 45-55 US $ / MWh are required to equal the cost of supplying these biomass and without paying for the operation. This is mainly due to the low price of oil and that the low growth in demand is being covered by other sources of electricity supply: run-of-river, wind and solar power plants.
However, what we expect is to improve the efficiency in the production and consumption of industrial biomass, as well as an evolution to be treated as a source of thermal energy that measures and values its benefits. Generally, the small plants that have been able to measure the value of a conditioned biomass and its benefit in the useful life of the boilers and efficiency in consumption have resulted in lower costs and greater profitability.
Is Chilean society open to the use of certified pellets, chips or firewood in the residential sector?
Of course. Moreover, if the wood has remained in spite of the problems generated by its misuse, it is logical to think that, if it is regulated, the population is educated about its good use and its social, environmental and economic benefits are disseminated, the use will increase.
The misuse of firewood in Chile, has placed it as "the cause of all evils: air pollution, deforestation, etc.", and this stigmatization is what seeks to alleviate the work of AChBIOM and reverse this perception to improve the prestige of the biomass and promote the good use of it, both its traditional use as firewood and the technical use of biomass in the form of pellets and chips, through quality certification, traceability, sustainable management, fair trade, among others modern business management practices.
Unfortunately, today in Chile, measures have been taken to prohibit wet firewood in certain cities, in the residential sector, which have especially discouraged the formal market for certified firewood. Due to the latest regulations, the objective is to massify the use of pellets, chips and certified firewood, obviously combined with equipment with enough technology to control emissions below the legislation.
In the southern regions of Chile, more than 75% of the population uses wood heating, and therefore work to purge its use and not its prohibition or substitution by fuels such as gas or other fossil fuels, which provide GHG, practically not they employ locally and are between 2 and 4 times more expensive than biomass.
How has AVEBIOM recently helped the association get going?
The celebration of a Business Round in Valladolid (Spain) with Chilean professionals, during the previous edition of EXPOBIOMASA, and of the I Chilean Spanish Biomass Seminar, organized by AVEBIOM, held in May of 2016 in Santiago de Chile, which included 129, Chilean and Spanish professionals, have been an important boost to the biomass sector in Chile. The seminar was inaugurated by the President of the Chilean Chamber of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and by the President of the Spanish Association for Biomass Energy Valorization (AVEBIOM), which made a plea before all present, businessmen, professionals and officials, of the idea of strengthening a Chilean association aimed at promoting the sustainable use of biomass and the interrelation between Spanish and Chilean companies as a key factor to advance with firm step in the technified development of the sector in Chile, a country that consumes 20 million cubic meters of firewood annually.
How was the first assembly of the new Chilean Biomass Association?
Focused mainly on the development of a work plan for the next 6 months, the Chilean Association of Biomass AG (AChBIOM) held its first General Assembly of Members last Thursday 27 in April, in dependencies of the College of Engineers in Santiago. As a trade association, AChBIOM seeks to unite the main actors in the energy generation sector based on biomass, covering its entire value chain, establishing itself as an instance of dialogue and collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as disseminating information on the good use of biomass as a renewable and sustainable fuel.
In this sense, Rodrigo O'Ryan, President of AchBIOM and general manager of the company
John O'Ryan Surveyors, expressed his satisfaction for the consensus reached in the first assembly. "The AChBIOM day by day, by means of low-profile initial work, but with a clear and sustained increase in its notoriety and participation both within the private sector and with the authorities associated with the issue, will be positioning and fulfilling its mission for the which was created, promoting the good use of biomass, which is considered an energy that brings huge benefits for the country for reasons of employability, energy independence, neutral in GHG and renewable, "he said.
He also said that they will work to raise awareness and educate the population in general about the good use of this raw material, which in its different formats is present in more than 74% of households in the country, and in a large proportion of the industries that need thermal energy.
Meanwhile, the vice president of AChBIOM and commercial manager of Ecomás, Felipe Salazar, stressed that the association will provide benefits to all products derived from biomass. "Among its associates there is a diversity that demonstrates this, including much more than just producers of fuels derived from wood, but also all those who in one way or another are part of this productive chain," said Felipe Salazar.
For his part, the national secretary of the National Firewood Certification System (SNCL) and also Director of AChBIOM, Jaime López, values the launch of an association that brings together the entire sector linked to the use of biomass for energy purposes. “For those of us who promote the good use of firewood in heating, we have no doubt that it means a tremendous advance for the sector, in order to modernize it, professionalize it, correct market imperfections and make known the multiple benefits that the use of firewood gives us. forest biomass as a totally renewable and carbon neutral fuel, ”said López.