| | | | | The shortage of feedstock supply has hampered the |
| The US biomass market had a cumulative installed | | | | growth of the US biomass market. To offset this |
| capacity of 9,686 MW in 2009. The cumulative | | | | issue the government is promoting cultivation of |
| biomass power installed capacity has increased from | | | | agricultural crops as biomass inputs. They are also |
| 8,835 MW in 2001 to 9,686 MW in 2009 at a CAGR | | | | looking at importing feedstock to utilize the complete |
| of 1.2%. The growth of the biomass industry in the | | | | potential of biomass energy and meet the current |
| US is stagnant in the last decade due to expiry of | | | | and future demand in the country. The lack of proper |
| contracts signed under Public Utilities Regulatory Policy | | | | logistic facilities is also leading to dearth in the |
| Act (PURPA) by utility companies. The other reasons | | | | feedstock availability which is causing increase in |
| which affected the growth of the biomass industry | | | | feedstock prices. |
| are high feedstock costs because of inadequate | | | | Main feedstocks used for biomass power generation |
| infrastructure facilities to transport waste and | | | | are wood waste, municipal solid waste (MSW) and |
| emergence of biomass industry in Europe and | | | | other waste. In 2009, wood waste contributed about |
| Asia-Pacific which came up with better framework | | | | 78.9% to the total biomass power generation in the |
| supporting biopower industry compared to the US. | | | | US. Wood waste constitutes black liquor, wood or |
| The government has introduced financial incentives to | | | | woodwaste solids and liquids. Municipal solid waste is |
| offset the high investment needed for biomass | | | | another important feedstock with 17% share in the |
| power generation. It has introduced various subsidy | | | | US biomass power generation. Other waste |
| and incentive programs to compensate for as much | | | | constitutes 4.2% of the biomass power generation in |
| 50% of the initial investment required. The recently | | | | the US.Industrial segment is the major user and |
| extended production tax credit (PTC) provides a | | | | constitutes over 58.8% of the end user market for |
| tariff for each KWh produced to the biomass power | | | | biomass power in 2009. Presently, several industries |
| producers. To tackle the environmental concerns and | | | | are buying power from dedicated biomass facilities |
| handle increasing problems with different types of | | | | established with the help of financial incentives from |
| wastes such as industrial waste, agricultural waste, | | | | federal and state governments. Residential segment |
| municipal waste etc led to biomass installations. With | | | | is the other major end user of biomass power. It |
| proper financial support and government mandates in | | | | constitutes 38.3% of the total end-user market. |
| place biomass installations have become a more viable | | | | Covanta Holding Corporation is the market leader in |
| option and an appropriate solution to the issue of | | | | terms of cumulative installed capacity with a share of |
| waste management. | | | | 11.3%. Covanta Holding Corporation is followed by |
| For further details, please click or add the below link | | | | Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. with a share of 8.7% |
| to your browser: | | | | and CMS Energy Corporation with a share of 1.7%. |