Biomass Power Generation Market by Technology (Combustion, Gasification, Anaerobic Digestion, Pyrolysis), Feedstock (Agricultural Waste, Forest Waste, Animal Waste, Municipal Waste), Fuel (Solid, Liquid, Gaseous) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028
The biomass power generation market size was valued at USD 91.3 billion in 2023 to reach USD 105.7 billion by 2028, it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.0 % during forecast period. Recently regions has witnessed a rapid growth in electricity demand in recent years due to the growing population, increase in per capita income, and growth in the use of biomass power with urbanization.
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Biomass Power Generation Market Dynamics
Driver: Government-led initiatives to boost bioenergy production
Government policies and initiatives have played a key role in bioenergy development. In China, ~62 national-level regulations and policies have played a vital role in the country’s biomass power generation between 2006 and 2021. Among these are “The Renewable Energy” Law of 2006, “Regulations on the Implementation of the Enterprise Income Tax Law” of 2007, “11th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Renewable Energy” of 2008, “Notice on Improving the Price Policies for Agroforestry Biomass Power Generation” of 2010, “12th Five-Year Plan for Biomass Energy Development” of 2012, “13th Five-Year Plan for Biomass Energy Development” of 2016, and the “Biomass Power Generation Project Construction Work Plan” of 2021. In August 2021, the National Energy Administration, Ministry of Finance, and National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the “Biomass Power Generation Project Construction Work Plan.” This initiative led to USD 3.5 billion in financial support on behalf of the local and central governments to facilitate biomass power generation.
Restraint: Fluctuating and high costs of feedstocks
The cost of the feedstock is a significant variable factor in power generation. Consistent feedstock quality is required to achieve high production and the longest possible onstream time. Traditionally, biomass power generation plants receive the raw biomass materials directly and preprocess them into feedstock before turning them into products. A consistent just-in-time supply of raw biomass to the plants is not possible since various types of biomass materials, such as agricultural residues, energy crops, and logging residues, are collected in accordance with their growth cycles and optimal harvesting times. Alternatively, biomass materials are stored and sent to the plant as needed. Based on experience, it appears that this strategy has resulted in several logistical issues, biomass losses due to microbial decomposition or fire, and uneven feedstock quality due to variations in the properties of as-delivered biomass. These factors have led to a high increase in the cost of feedstock, low throughput, and low product yield.
Opportunities: Advancements in biomass power generation techniques
According to the global market for biomass power generation, there have been significant improvements in the methods used to produce biomass energy. The evolution of efficient harvesting and post-harvesting technologies has decreased biomass energy costs. There are many approaches to technologically advanced biomass energy conversion, such as using improved fuel processing technologies, increasing the effectiveness of biomass energy conversion technologies, and increasing the effectiveness of end-user technologies. In the field of renewable energy, complex operations are becoming mechanized. Automation improves efficiency, reduces waiting time, and boosts output. The operation of biomass power plants is enhanced by a web-based program called biomass co-firing assessment and services (BCAS), which incorporates the fundamental characteristics of combustion and mineral matter transformation. Such technical advancements are anticipated to significantly impact biomass power plant efficiency and propel market growth.
Challenges: Requirement for high initial investments
Although biomass power generation technologies will eventually become more efficient, the initial and equipment costs are expensive. Depending on the technology, location, and feedstock type, biomass power generation equipment might range in price and efficiency. Nearly two-thirds of the capital costs of biomass power generation systems go toward the prime mover, feedstock preparation, feedstock conversion technology, and handling equipment. When operating at full capacity, biomass power plants may provide at least double the plant load factor of solar and wind electricity combined. However, the operational expenditures are higher. The increase in the cost of generating biomass power can be a significant challenge to the growth of the global biomass power generation market.
Biomass power generation Market Ecosystem
Prominent companies in this market include well-established, financially stable manufacturers of Biomass power generation systems and components. These companies have been operating in the market for several years and possess a diversified product portfolio, state-of-the-art technologies, and strong global sales and marketing networks. Prominent companies in this market include ABB (Switzerland), Siemens (Germany), General Electric (US), Prysmian Group (Italy), Nexans (France), and Schneider Electric (France).
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The agriculture waste segment, by feedstock, is expected to be the second-largest market during the forecast period.
This report segments the biomass power generation market based on components into four types: agriculture waste, forest waste, animal waste and municipal waste. The agriculture waste segment is expected to be the second largest market during the forecast period. Agricultural wastes such as sugar crops, corn crops etc. have more energy efficiency than other wastes which can be utilized for the electricity generation.
By technology, the combustion segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period
This report segments the biomass power generation market based on components into four segments: combustion, gasification, anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis. The combustion segment is expected to be the largest segment during the forecast period. Combustion is a conventional method used for the generation of electricity. Co-firing policies proposed by the government driving the combustion segment in market.
“Asia Pacific”: The fastest in the biomass power generation market”
Asia Pacific is expected to fastest growing region in the biomass power generation market between 2023–2028, followed by the Middle East and Africa, and Europe. Rising investments in the bioenergy projects to focus on the integration of renewable energy in the national grid are one of the key factors fostering the growth of the market in the Asia Pacific.
Key Market Players
The biomass power generation market is dominated by a few major players that have a wide regional presence. The major players in the market ENGIE (France), Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, inc. (US), Xcel Energy Inc. (US), EPH (Czechia) and Ørsted A/S (Denmark). Between 2018 and 2022, Strategies such as product launches, contracts, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, alliances, acquisitions, and expansions are followed by these companies to capture a larger share of the market.
Biomass Power Generation Market Report Scope
Report Metric |
Details |
Market size available for years |
2021-2028 |
Base year |
2022 |
Forecast period |
2023-2028 |
Units |
Value (USD Million/USD Billion) |
Segments Covered |
Biomass power generation market by feedstock, technology, fuel and region. |
Geographic regions covered |
Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East & Africa. |
Companies covered |
ENGIE (France), Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (US), Xcel Energy Inc. (US), Salzburg AG (Austria), Ørsted A/S (Denmark), EPH (Czechia), Drax Group (England), ACCIONA (Spain), EDF (France), Vattenfall (Sweden), Belgian Eco Energy (BEE) (Belgium), D.E.S.I Power (India), Veolia (France), Statkraft (Norway), Greta Energy Limited (India), Lahti Energia Oy (Finland), RENOVA, Inc. (Japan), RWE (Germany), Yonago Biomass Power Generation LLC (Japan) |
This research report categorizes the biomass power generation market by feedstock, technology, fuel and region.
On the basis of feedstock:
- Agriculture Waste
- Forest Waste
- Animal Waste
- Municipal Waste
On the basis of technology:
- Combustion
- Gasification
- Anaerobic Digestion
- Pyrolysis
On the basis of fuel:
- Solid Fuel
- Liquid Fuel
- Gaseous Fuel
On the basis of region:
- Asia Pacific
- Europe
- North America
- Middle East & Africa
- South America
Recent Developments
- In November 2022, ENGIE signed an agreement with Alier, a paper recycle specialist, to build and commission a new thermal energy generation plant from sustainable forest management in Roselló’s factory, specializing in manufacturing paper for the construction and packaging industries (Lleida).
- In March 2021, Salzburg AG signed an agreement with Valmet, a global developer and supplier of technologies, automation, and services for the pulp & paper and energy industries. Salzbrug AG ordered Valmet for the BioPower plant, which is biomass-based for electricity generation in Austria.
- In March 2021, Ørsted, Aker Carbon Capture, and Microsoft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate strategies to help the development of carbon capture and storage at biomass-fired heat and power stations in Denmark.
- In April 2018, The University of Minnesota funds Xcel Energy Inc. to develop gasification for power generation technology from solid wastes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What is the current size of the biomass power generation market?
The current market size of the biomass power generation market is USD 88.6 billion in 2022.
What are the major drivers?
Abundant availability of feedstocks and government led initiatives to boost bioenergy production will be major drivers for the market.
Which is the largest region during the forecasted period?
Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the market between 2022–2027, followed by North America and Europe. Rising urbanization and power demand with increased renewable energy capacity are driving the market for this region.
Which is the largest segment, by technology during the forecasted period?
The combustion segment is expected to be the largest market during the forecast period. This combustion technology are cost effective compared with the other technologies. Direct burying of biomass also emits less carbon.
Which is the fastest segment, by feedstock during the forecasted period?
The forest waste segment is expected to be the fastest market during the forecast period. The forest waste has more energy efficiency, which can be utilized for the power generation. Increasing demand for woody biomass from power sector is driving the growth of market.
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The study involved major activities in estimating the current size of the biomass power generation market. Exhaustive secondary research was done to collect information on the peer and parent markets. The next step was to validate these findings, assumptions, and sizing with industry experts across the value chain through primary research. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches were employed to estimate the complete market size. Thereafter, market breakdown and data triangulation were used to estimate the market size of the segments and subsegments.
Secondary Research
This research study on the biomass power generation market involved the use of extensive secondary sources, directories, and databases, such as Hoovers, Bloomberg, Businessweek, Factiva, International Energy Agency, and BP Statistical Review of World Energy, to identify and collect information useful for a technical, market-oriented, and commercial study of the market. The other secondary sources included annual reports, press releases & investor presentations of companies, white papers, certified publications, articles by recognized authors, manufacturer associations, trade directories, and databases.
Primary Research
The biomass power generation market comprises several stakeholders such as biomass power generation manufacturers, manufacturing technology providers, and technical support providers in the supply chain. The demand side of this market is characterized by the rising demand for biomass power generation in, generation, transmission, and distribution application. The supply side is characterized by rising demand for contracts from the industrial sector, and mergers & acquisitions among big players. Various primary sources from both the supply and demand sides of the market were interviewed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information. Following is the breakdown of primary respondents:
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Market Size Estimation
Both top-down and bottom-up approaches were used to estimate and validate the total size of the biomass power generation market. These methods were also used extensively to estimate the size of various subsegments in the market. The research methodology used to estimate the market size includes the following:
- The key players in the industry and market have been identified through extensive secondary research, and their market share in the respective regions have been determined through both primary and secondary research.
- The industry’s value chain and market size, in terms of value, have been determined through primary and secondary research processes.
- All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources.
Biomass power generation Market Size: Tow-Down Approach
Data Triangulation
After arriving at the overall market size from the estimation process explained above, the total market has been split into several segments and subsegments. To complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics for all the segments and subsegments, the data triangulation and market breakdown processes have been employed, wherever applicable. The data has been triangulated by studying various factors and trends from both the demand- and supply sides. Along with this, the market has been validated using both the top-down and bottom-up approaches.
Market Defenition
The biomass power generation is the physical system that delivers (transmits) electricity from where it is generated to the site where it is used (end-use, demand). The electricity leaving the generating station enters a substation with a step-up transformer that raises the voltage extremely high for long-distance transmission.
The growth of the biomass power generation market during the forecast period can be attributed to the planned rollout of green corridor programs across major countries in North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.
Key Stakeholders
- Analytics Vendors
- Communication Vendors
- Consulting Companies In The Energy And Power Sector
- Electric Utilities
- Energy & Power Sector Consulting Companies
- Energy Regulators
- Government & Research Organizations
- Government Utility Providers
- Independent Power Producers
Objectives of the Study
- To describe, segment, and forecast the biomass power generation market based on feedstock, fuel, technology, and region, in terms of value
- To describe and forecast the market for five key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, the Middle East & Africa, along with their country-level market sizes, in terms of value
- To provide detailed information regarding key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the market
- To provide the supply chain analysis, trends/disruptions impacting the customer’s business, market map, pricing analysis, and regulatory analysis of the market
- To analyze opportunities for stakeholders and draw a competitive landscape of the biomass power generation market
- To strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, upcoming expansions, and their contribution to the overall market
- To strategically analyze the ecosystem, tariffs and regulations, patent landscape, trade landscape, Porter’s five forces, and case studies pertaining to the market under study
- To benchmark market players using the company evaluation quadrant, which analyzes market players on broad categories of business and product strategies adopted by them
Available Customizations:
With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations according to the specific requirements of companies. The following customization options are available for the report:
Product Analysis
- Product Matrix, which provides a detailed comparison of the product portfolio of each company
Company Information
- Detailed analyses and profiling of additional market players
Growth opportunities and latent adjacency in Biomass Power Generation Market