Biomass and Solid Waste Study Tour in Europe - OPET GIEC - Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, China

Summary
Biomass resources are abundant in China and the potential for exploring of biomass energy is quite extensive. Current utilisation is small scale and a lack of technology and finance mean that utilisation efficiency is quite low. The potential for developing the solid waste market is also very large, and MSW causes serious environmental pollution in many big cities and towns in China. But this market also faces funding and technology barriers.

The Chinese government has paid great attention to the problems identified and the relevant laws and regulations are being enacted or developed. The EU countries currently have an advantage in terms of technology and funding in the above two fields, whilst China possesses favourable market conditions. This is a promising situation in terms of the potential for reciprocal cooperation between China and EU countries. In order to implement and enhance this cooperative relationship, GIEC organized a delegation to Europe made up of government officials and experts in biomass and solid waste.

End-user area	Industry Legal initiatives (municipal regulations, directives, etc) Planning issues Sustainable communities
Target audience	Decision makers Local and regional authorities Utilities
Technical scope	Biomass CHP Other: Waste

Context
The potential for utilisation of biomass in China is very large but has not been explored rationally and effectively. In 2000, biomass energy accounted for less than 2% of total energy consumption in China, despite being an abundant resource. Today, the situation has caught the attention of central government. Thus, for example, the Ministry of Science and Technology has made a specific plan to promote the development of biomass. This plan indicates that the ratio of biomass energy consumption must reach 30% of total energy usage. In order to implement the plan, a series of policies to facilitate both Chinese and foreign enterprises have been developed. These provide an opportunity for enterprises and research entities in China or abroad to explore the biomass market in China.

The potential for developing the solid waste market is also very large. The total amount of waste in China is 190 million tons per year, but only 5% of waste is recycled. EU countries have mature technologies in dealing with solid waste, which are needed urgently in China. Technology transfer and co-operation with EU enterprises will assist China in addressing the solid waste problem, as well as help EU enterprises enter the Chinese solid waste treatment market.

A Chinese experts group was established for the study tour visit (April 24 to May 8, 2002.), which included participants from the Chinese government and different research institutes. The participants are specialists in various aspects of biomass utilisation and solid waste treatment, and are familiar with the status of biomass and solid waste in China.

Objectives
The biomass and solid waste study tour visit to European countries was organised by OPET GIEC in co-operation with OPET Sweden, OPET Netherlands, OPET Bavarian-Austria, OPET Finland and OPET Belgium, under the Fifth Framework Programme-Energy Sub-programme of the European Commission. The main objective of the visit was to establish contacts between experts from China and the EU, and to inform Chinese experts of the latest European advanced energy technologies in the field of biomass and solid waste, thus helping China to make more effective use of biomass and solid waste and helping EU entrepreneurs to address the Chinese biomass and solid waste market.

Process
The Chinese delegation of five experts visited five EU countries between April 24 and May 10, 2002. About 15 sites were visited and 3 workshops were attended. The sites visited included a Combined Heat, Power, Steam and Cooling Plant, a Solid Waste Sort Plant, a MSW Sanitary Landfill Plant, a Wastewater processing Laboratory and an Energy Technology Laboratory, etc. Contacts and exchanges between Chinese experts and European experts were established and enhanced in the course of the study tour. Both sides agreed that the possibilities for further technological cooperation, and the potential for financial / funding cooperation and technology transfer were to be discussed after the tour visit.

OPET GIEC produced a report entitled "Final report on biomass and solid waste study tour visit in Europe" with the assistance of all the organisations involved in the realisation of the study tour. The report has been also distributed on the websites of the Sino-European Energy Network (www.opet.net.cn/international/) and China New Energy Network (www.newenergy.org.cn/english/).

The report contains a wide variety of information on all sites visited, all workshops, EU preferable policy & regulatory framework for biomass development, and the barriers to biomass energy development in China. Suggestions concerning policy, research, technology, mechanism, etc. to develop biomass and solid waste utilisation in China are also presented in the report.

The study tour included the following events, visits and produced material:

• Workshop on policy implementation and waste management at Utrecht on April 29, 2002 organised by OPET Netherlands.
• Seminar on "Markets, technologies, support polices, initiatives and financing mechanisms to promote biomass utilisation" at the biomass competence centre C.A.R.M.E.N., organised by OPET Bavaria-Austria.
• Excursion and workshop, organised in Finland, 7 - 8 th May 2002, for the Chinese delegation.
• Study tour folder including information on biomass and waste handling and combustion technology and fact sheets of the power plants visited produced by OPET Finland
• Site visits tour in Finland, Holland, Belgium, German and Sweden.
• CD-ROM made and distributed to the participants by OPET GIEC
• Site visit report and market report on the development of biomass energy in China produced by OPET GIEC and distributed to the OPET Network.
• OPET Novem's Brochures on Biomass Energy visiting Programme for OPET GIEC Delegation
• Cross-Border OPET's Brochures on Biomass Energy visiting Programme for OPET GIEC Delegation
• Final Report on the Biomass and Solid Waste Study

Actions
- Workshop
- Seminar
- Study tour, Site visits

Financial resources and partners

Other OPETs participating in the project and hosting the Chinese delegation were OPET Sweden, OPET Netherlands, OPET Bavaria-Austria, OPET Finland and OPET Belgium.

Results
During the biomass study tour in Europe, the delegation of five Chinese experts visited five countries in Europe in 18 days in order to learn about utilisation of biomass sources and solid waste. Thanks to arrangements made by OPET members the delegation were able to visit: a Combined Heat, Power, Steam and Cool Plant, a Solid Waste Sort Plant, CHP plants, a MSW Sanitary Landfill Plant, an Anaerobic Zymolysis Biogas Power Generation Project, a Wastewater Processing Laboratory, a Energy Technology Laboratory, and exchanged experiences with managerial staff and technicians from related companies, plants, research institutes and academies on relevant theory, technologies, market, policies, regulations, etc.

In short, the delegation concluded their visit successfully. Contacts between Chinese experts and European experts in the field of biomass conversion technologies and waste disposal and utilisation were established and enhanced through this study tour.

Chinese experts know more about EU biomass and solid waste utilisation, technology characteristics, market conditions, policies & regulation, and were able to inform EU partners concerning the characteristics and development situation in China in the field of biomass and solid waste, and motivate the market actors in the EU to penetrate the Chinese market. In addition, the Chinese experts provided opinions and suggestions about biomass energy and solid waste disposal technologies and market development in China, and both sides continue to discuss further cooperation.

Most significantly, it has been clearly recognised China 's biomass energy, garbage disposal technologies and market development lag behind those of the EU. The project provided impetus towards finding better solutions to develop biomass and solid waste energy in China and close the gap between the EU and China

The study tour in Europe was a great success, and the views and comments of the delegation can be studied in the report available at: http://www.newenergy.org.cn/english/.

Lessons learned and replication potential
The European tour of the Chinese delegation was successful for several reasons. Firstly, the tour was well planned. In each country, the topics learned and places visited were representative and carefully chosen. Seminars, workshops and informative material exchange were included. The Chinese partner had also prepared a presentation on the Chinese situation for the other partners.

The European partners' knowledge of the Chinese biomass and waste energy situation, technology, development and future needs was somewhat weak.

This type of study tour with relevant workshops, seminars and site visits could be replicated in other sectors or geographical areas. Careful planning and commitment of all the partners are key factors of success.

Printed reports or other literature available
Final report on biomass and solid waste study tour visit in Europe (report free of charge).