Biomass seen as key to low-carbon future

National legislators and field experts said they expect more policy support for the development of biomass energy as it can contribute significantly to a low-carbon future.

Such support should have focus on the establishment of a certification system, a national database and trading market, they said.

Their remarks follow this year's Government Work Report that underlined a robust low-carbon economy and advocated the growth of the recycling industry.

Experts said they foresee a pivotal role for biomass energy, which is mainly sourced from straw, agricultural and forestry waste, and animal manure.

They also said the development of biomass energy is anticipated to assist foreign trade enterprises in actively addressing costs associated with carbon border adjustment mechanism, a carbon tariff on carbon-intensive products like electricity exported to the European Union.

According to the Biomass Energy Industry Promotion Association, China recycled and used about 460 million metric tons of organic waste last year, equivalent to around 65 million tons of standard coal. CITIC Securities estimates showed optimistic outlook for the biomass energy industry, projecting a market revenue of 9 billion yuan ($1.25 billion) by the end of 2025.

Li Yin, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, and chairman of Jiuzhou Group, a Shenzhen-listed energy solutions provider, called for more policy incentives for various forms of biomass energy, such as biomass thermal energy, biogas, bio-methanol, bio-diesel, and bio-jet fuel.

Li also suggested further efforts to support the establishment of a certification system to verify that energy products like heat and power are sourced from biomass, which is green energy, aligning with international standards. He said it is of great significance to establish a national biomass energy database and biomass energy trading market.

Certification systems can be used to prove sustainability and greenhouse gas savings for biomass energy, giving users confidence in market or trade that has low-carbon requirements. At present, there are many international certification systems such as the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification.

"Trends such as comprehensive energy services and cross-industry collaboration are becoming the mainstream amid biomass energy development," Li said.

Shi Lishan, deputy head of the China Association for the Promotion of Industrial Development, a Beijing-based trade body, expressed concerns about collecting resources effectively with reasonable costs amid biomass energy development. He proposed a government-led or enterprise-franchised approach, emphasizing well-defined rules, responsibilities, goals and assessments to maximize resource utilization.

Zhao Lixin, an NPC deputy and director of the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, which is part of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, suggested establishing a certification system specifically for biogas. This should include formulation of dedicated standards and specifications, clearly defining certification scope, conditions, procedures and requirements, he said.

Zhao further suggested the establishment of an independent institution with professional capabilities to conduct biogas certification work, ensuring objectivity and fairness in results.