Port of Amsterdam plans biomassive growth
The Port of Amsterdam expects biomass handling to increase almost tenfold by 2020
The Port of Amsterdam is gearing up for a boom in biomass volumes as a result of an increasing focus on renewable energy and new Dutch Government proposals.
Currently, the Dutch ports handle 1.5m tonnes of biomass each year, but as a result of the growing requirement for biomass in North European countries, it's expected this will increase to around 13.5m tonnes by 2020.
To meet the expected growth in this sector, the port will allow existing fossil fuel terminals to expand but will not allow the building of any new ones as it increases its focus on bio-energy. Also, in co-operation with the port of Duisburg, Port of Amsterdam is redeveloping a transhipment terminal in Duisburg to enable the storage and transhipment of biomass to Duisburg for customers from Amsterdam.
Managing director of the commercial department of Port of Amsterdam, Koen Overtoom, said that the growth in European biomass demand is largely due to moves by Germany to phase out its nuclear power stations by 2022. Also, an increased focus by other European countries on energy sources that are less polluting than fossil fuels.
The port also hopes to benefit from proposals recently unveiled in the Dutch Government’s Energy Report 2011, which includes a requirement to make the use of some biomass mandatory at the country’s coal fired energy plants and for the nation’s use of renewable energy to be increased from 4% in 2010 to 14% by 2020.
In anticipation of the new proposal being passed, some coal fired power stations in the south of the country are already blending in biomass.
Businesses based in the port area recognise the potential for growth in biomass and are already starting to invest. Other companies are in the process of drawing up contracts to build new biomass handling facilities, but are waiting for the legislation to become final.
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