Under the patronage of Saxony’s State Minister for the Environment and Agriculture, Mr. Thomas Schmidt, the “Biomass to Power and Heat” conference was held on June 6 and 7 at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for the seventh time. The event welcomed over 80 participants, who engaged in lively discussions on a wide range of issues related to decentralized electricity and heat generation from solid biomass. The speakers and participants had traveled from all over Germany, as well as from Italy, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. The main focus of the event has always been the intensive exchange between science and practice—an added value that is appreciated both by the practice-oriented researchers at Zittau/University/Görlitz and by those companies and institutions that deal with the topic of energy from biomass on a daily basis in a very practical way.

For this reason, a specialized seminar titled “Wood-Electricity-Heat—Rethinking Practice” was held for the first time this year. With the help of key speakers from academia and industry, important practical topics were comprehensively explored, discussed, and documented for future developments.

In the plenary session, in addition to the aspects and possibilities of sustainable biomass supply and efficient energy utilization of biomass, the presentation of various system solutions for combining Stirling engines with biomass combustion was also a key focus. Insight was also provided into the political processes surrounding the bioeconomy in Germany. In addition, extensive project results on the evaluation of biomass gasification plants in South Tyrol, as well as opportunities for increasing efficiency and measures to reduce pollutants in biomass-fired plants, were presented. Finally, representatives from the Czech Republic and Switzerland presented the characteristics and potential applications of biochar produced through various processes.

In parallel with the two-day plenary event, various companies from the industry once again set up small exhibition booths, providing conference participants with additional opportunities to ask detailed questions and offer suggestions.

Conference chair Prof. Tobias Zschunke gave a positive summary of this year’s “Biomass to Power and Heat”:

“It’s a great pleasure to discuss biomass as an energy source for electricity and heat with practitioners and scientists and to learn about the problems that arise and potential solutions. I am convinced that policymakers will find a way to provide temporary, special funding for biomass energy that will allow us to develop the already robust technologies and process chains to the point of self-sustaining economic viability. After all, reliable power from bioenergy is an indispensable building block in the modernization of the energy system.”

A business exchange featuring online speed dating as well as laboratory tours at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences campus rounded out the event program. Further information about the event can be found on the event website.

All photos: Beata Spychalska/HSZG