A novel role for bioenergy: A flexible, demand-oriented power supply

Germany has set a target of a minimum of 80% renewable energy in the power sector for the year 2050. Among renewables, a very high share of fluctuating sources is foreseen, which may substantially decrease the security of the energy supply and grid stability. Biomass-based conversion systems offer technical alternatives for flexible power generation to compensate for such fluctuations and the resulting residual load. Demand-oriented electricity can be provided by storing untreated biomass or solid, liquid, or gaseous biofuels in the existing infrastructure or by developing biological and technical alternatives. Making existing plants more flexible will increase costs due to larger storage capacities and conversion units and reduced full-load hours, but higher income can be obtained by selling electricity at peak times and by taking advantage of legislative incentives. This paper summarizes the current legislative and market conditions in Germany for demand-oriented power generation, describes possible technical solutions based on solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels, and provides an economic assessment of selected technical concepts. The results show the potential for bioenergy, especially biogas and combined heat and power (CHP) systems to play a significant role in ensuring the security of the energy supply system that is in transition in Germany.