About the project
An energy transition is underway, where the goal is for the energy supply to become at least carbon neutral. The traditional heat and electricity supply, relying on burning oil and solid fuels such as coal and peat, will have to be replaced with new carbon-neutral energy sources and energy production methods, including wind power. New long-term storage options for solid fuels must be developed in parallel.The project SECURE-BIO-SUPPLY analyzes what challenges and opportunities the change in long-term storage of fuels might create in Ostrobothnia. The development activities focuses on solid fuels that are stored for 3–36 months. Three traditional options are being studied: hard coal, energy peat and forest chips, as a description of the initial state of the energy transition. New possibilities are explored, e.g., wood (stem wood and thinning wood), pellets and torrefied material. The expected results describe costs, space requirements, different types of environmental impacts (including climate emissions) for different storage methods, as well as technical challenges and limitations in replacing one fuel with another. The research also gives suggestions for new development projects.
The project contributes to creating more sustainable energy system solutions and improves the conditions for replacing fossil fuels and peat in a safe and sustainable way. The project provides proposals for new development measures and creates a network of actors that enables the continued development of new system solutions and storage technologies.
Project goal
The goal of the project is to highlight the challenges and opportunities that a change in long-term fuel storage will bring in Ostrobothnia. The project will conduct a current state and transition analysis, a cost and environmental impact comparison for long-term storage of various solid fuels, and a risk assessment.Katrin Asplund
Project Leader