5. Conclusion

Introducing biomass by co-firing can rapidly reduce CO ₂ emissions from large plants currently running on coal. For contents of less than around 10% by mass, this introduction can be achieved with relatively minor modifications to the plant, by mixing with the fuel. For higher contents, more substantial modifications are required, such as separate injection into the furnace.

Care must be taken to select the right coal/biomass combination(s) to minimize the impact on equipment (fouling, corrosion) and avoid any degradation in performance, particularly in terms of efficiency and flue gas treatment.