Biomass for heating

Biomass energy is the main source of renewable energy in France: it accounts for over 55% of final energy production, making a significant contribution to reducing our consumption of fossil fuels.

In 2017 (latest study, see § 1.2 ), solid biomass accounted for 78% of renewable heat production. This sector includes wood used by households (independent heating appliances such as inserts and stoves, as well as boilers), biomass heating plants in industry, collective and tertiary sectors, as well as renewable heat produced by biomass cogeneration plants, and finally the renewable share of heat produced by urban waste-to-energy units. In that year, between 7.3 and 7.8 million households consumed wood (final domestic wood consumption amounting to 80 TWh). In addition, between 2009 and 2017, the Fond Chaleur financed 1,093 biomass boiler plants, 163 of them in industry and the rest in collective housing. Bioenergy is set to grow strongly in the years ahead, based on sustainably managed resources, with careful attention paid to containing the impact on air quality and ensuring that it is well coordinated with non-energy uses.

Biomass heating is the opposite of fossil fuel heating. It is presented as not only more ecological, but also more economical. Most of the fuels used are sold at much lower prices than conventional energies such as gas, oil or electricity. The main fuel is most often wood, in a variety of forms (logs, pellets, chips, sawdust, etc.). It powers the majority of biomass heating appliances for private homes.

The national biomass mobilization strategy (SNMB) organizes the conditions for increased and harmonious use of this resource, in line with the multi-annual energy programs and the national bioeconomy strategy. To be effective in achieving its mobilization objective, this strategy aims to overcome the observed rigidities in biomass supply, in synergy with policies already in place in the forestry, agriculture and waste sectors. The National Observatory of Biomass Resources (ONRB), co-directed by the Ministry of Agriculture and FranceAgriMer, characterizes the availability of biomass resources in France, and shares information on biomass stocks and flows with all current and future user sectors.