Commercial and Industrial Biomass Systems for the UK

Written-by

Janet Richardson

Reviewed-by

Richard Burdett-Gardiner

Updated on

Sep 05, 2024

Commercial and Industrial Biomass Systems for the UK

An introduction to commercial biomass solutions

Biomass systems installed for commercial, charity, public sector and non-profit organisations can significantly lower energy bills, and reduce CO₂ emissions (with all the benefits that arise from this).

This section will give you all the information you need if you are thinking of investing in Biomass for the heating demands of a commercial property or for specific ADHOC commercial reasons. If you have any questions then don’t hesitate to send us a ‘contact us’, ask on our forums or contact one of the nations installers listed in our database. 

Large scale biomass heating explained

A larger scale biomass system designed to produce heat for a number of buildings, be they domestic or commercial, can be run as a business. These systems can help lower CO₂ levels through the sustainable nature of biomass fuels and provide a considerable income.

Click here for more information on commercial biomass for district, council or community. Large scale biomass systems require a fairly large amount of space, they can however be housed outside or in a building, provided there is a sufficient access for fuel as most large scale units have large hoppers and fully automated fueling systems that draw the biomass from large stores nearby.

Although biomass systems and the processes they use produce and release some CO₂ into the atmosphere when combusted, it is no more than the amount absorbed by the plants during their lifetime (with the exception of fuel transportation). Biomass fuel is therefore regarded as being a low carbon technology, especially if the biomass fuel used is from sustainable and local sources. The way Commercial biomass boilers burn fuel and the biomass fuel they use make them as convenient to use and have installed as fossil fuel boilers are.

This means that your biomass system can help lower your business/organisations carbon emissions thereby improving your carbon accounting report.

This can lead to carbon credits and tax relief.

“With increasing government pressure to cut carbon emissions, organisations are looking at ways to leverage their energy saving spend. Companies that are investing in carbon cutting research and development can benefit from HMRC’s Research and Development (R&D) Relief. Research and Development (R&D) Relief is a corporation tax relief that may reduce your company’s tax bill by more than your actual expenditure on allowable R&D costs. Alternatively, if your company or organisation is small or medium-sized, you may be able to choose to receive a tax credit instead, by way of a cash sum paid by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) - but you can only claim R&D Relief if the company is liable for corporation tax.” 

Financial incentives for commercial biomass heating

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) in the UK is a government initiative aimed at promoting the adoption of renewable heating systems, including biomass boilers. Launched in 2022, the scheme offers grants to homeowners and small businesses to help cover the costs of installing low-carbon heating technologies. Eligible applicants can receive up to £7,500 towards the cost of a biomass boiler installation. The scheme seeks to reduce carbon emissions, lower heating costs, and enhance energy efficiency in buildings. By providing financial support, the BUS encourages the transition from fossil fuel-based heating systems to sustainable, renewable energy solutions.

Commercial CHP

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) refers to a technology that generates usable heat and power, usually electricity in a single process, with heat as a by-product.  CHP systems make extensive use of the heat produced whilst generating electricity sometimes in excess of 80% efficiency. This increase in efficiency compared to grid delivered energy is mainly due to the loss of power over distances through dispersion and the inefficient generation methods currently employed in the older power stations.

Through the decentralisation of energy technology, a higher efficiency can be achieved, leading to a reduction in fuel use and also to costs for localised demand. Simply put, if you are powering a factory or even a localised community, you can save money on your energy bills both for heating and electricity through this method. CHP delivers a range of environmental, economic and social benefits.

The main design criterion is that, to make the investment worthwhile, there must be a need for both the heat/cooling and electricity produced by the CHP unit onsite or at a very local level. For commercial buildings and small industrial spaces, a factory-assembled, ‘packaged’ CHP system is appropriate. Some industrial processes are particularly well-suited to CHP, those that use lots of heat and operate around the clock - the manufacture of paper, chemicals, food and drink products, as well as refineries, are among those that can benefit most from CHP. The general components of a CHP system are an electricity generator, heat exchanger, controls and either an engine or a turbine.

These components are packaged together into a CHP unit that can be connected to the heating and electricity systems of the building. Buildings or groups of buildings that operate around the clock like hotels, hospitals, and factories are generally particularly suited to CHP systems. A trigeneration system can also be used to produce space cooling/air conditioning through the use of a ‘chiller’.

Industrial CHP plants are usually designed and built for purpose and vary dramatically in size, however the largest CHP plants rival traditional power plants, delivering huge amounts of energy but at a much higher efficiency. CHP Biomass plants with outputs from 25kW to 1MW per module are available.  

Gasification Biomass

It is important to mention the modern/popular method for energy generation through biomass CHP. It’s known as gasification. This method catches 65-70% of the energy present in solid fuels by first converting it into combustible gas (syngas). The gas is then burned in the same way we burn conventional gas for energy.