Biomass
Biomass has been a neglected energy source after the end of World War II. During this war, more than 1,5 million “gazozen” vehicles were circulating in Europe, operating on biomass, because of luck of fossil fuels. Germany's army (land, air force and navy) was moving depending largely on biomass energy crops and not on Middle East oil. After the war, when the cheap streams of oil found again their way to consumption, gazozens and biomass were almost forgotten.
After severe energy crisis and environmental worries, people re-discovered the Renewable Energy Sources. Ancient wind mills pumping water from the ground have now become wind turbines generating power in wind farms. Archimedes' screw pumps and water driven flour mills were evolved to large hydro power stations. Solar powered parks today are expanding rapidly, even down to every home.
Biomass, providing heat and charcoal since primitive times, and synthetic gas (wood gas) energy to towns for district lighting and heating since the 19th century, is back on the stage again, competing and complementing other RES technologies in present mankind's attempt to minimize fossil fuels dependency, scarcity and environmental harmfulness.
The biomass quantities available in Greece (and almost in any country) are able to sustain production of electrical energy exceeding local demand. Such BTE units may also provide their excessive heat to supply heat and cooling to a large portion of surrounding consumers, practically rendering the country self sufficient in energy demand. Furthermore, biomass cultivation or by-production (water treatment sludge or municipal wastes), is able to develop rapidly local economies and to relieve them radically from modern environmental problems like air, water and ground pollution. No more problems such as NIMB (Not In My Backyard), police action about wastes dumping, social unrest, poverty, unemployment, diseases, desertion of country villages and towns. Extensive BTE utilization will result to stabilization of greenhouse effect, less currency bleeding for fossil fuels, less country's emissions penalties, less political games.
The Greek Law recognizes Biomass-to-Energy (BTE) plants as Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and gives a number of incentives for their development, such as:
Warranty that 100% of the electrical energy production will be absorbed by the system operator for 25 years.
Warranty that the price is favorable and fixed, known in advance and not negotiable for 25 years.
Incentives in the form of substantial subsidies or tax reliefs.