Bioenergy Information
What is Biomass and Bioenergy?
Biomass is the storehouse for solar energy. It takes carbon dioxide from the air and both stores carbon and releases oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.
Bioenergy is an important form of renewable energy. It is any form of energy released from biomass.
Bioenergy sources can be waste materials, such as forestry, landfill waste and whey from the dairy industry, farming residues like straw, livestock slurry, chicken litter, or it can be a crop grown specifically for the purpose of producing energy. The fuel is available in a number of forms.
A PDF of frequently asked questions about Bioenergy is also available for download. For more information on bioenergy check out the EECA website.
Climate Change
Bioenergy has very beneficial effects on climate change, work being undertaken by Government provides the following emission factors. Click here for details...
New Zealand Bioenergy Potential
Bioenergy provides a real alternative to fossil fuels for many applications. New Zealand's geography and climate have placed it at the forefront of countries internationally for the production of food and fibre. This same natural advantage has a prime role in making New Zealand internationally competitive in bioenergy production of many forms.
The annual production of woody biomass residues from plantation forestry alone is estimated to be between 4 and 6 million tonnes. At an energy value of 9MJ/kg this biomass quantity equates to around 45TJ, roughly equivalent to 10% of New Zealand's total consumer energy demand. Furthermore, the disposal of this biomass poses a problem if not used and its eventual decay can add to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the generation of methane gas.
For more information on the potential for bioenergy click here
Bioenergy Options for New Zealand - Summary
The Bioenergy Options for New Zealand project began in March 2007. This project was initiated to consider the potential contribution of bioenergy to New Zealand's energy future. It began by exploring the bioenergy potential of existing biomass resources, being the residues or wastes from a range of industries. The project concluded in October 2009 with a report that demonstrates how New Zealand can become self-efficient in transport fuels produced from biomass grown in sustainably managed forests. There are five reports to come out of the study:
- Situtation Analysis - Biomass resources and conversion technologies
- Pathways Analysis - Energy demand, pathways evaluation, Economics of purpose grown energy forests, Life cycle analysis of biomass resource to consumer energy.
- Research and Development strategy
- Analysis of large-scale bioenergy from forestry - productivity, land use and environmental & eonomic impacts
- Transition Analysis - the role of woody biomass from existing plantation forests, species options and drivers for change in energy supply.
Access a summary of the five reports here
Go to the BKC web-site for full reports here
Advantages of Bioenergy
The advantages of bioenergy are:
- It produces zero net emissions of greenhouse gases, enabling both industry and government to work towards meeting New Zealand's Kyoto commitments.
- It is suitable for electricity supply, process heat, low temperature heat and transport fuels.
- It is renewable, abundant and a natural energy source.
- It can be in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
- It is a storable form of renewable energy, capable of being transported and utilised 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- It is capable of providing energy on a small-scale through to large-scale, centralised production.
- It will create localised employment opportunities for rural communities.
- It enables a reduction in the volumes of waste to landfill, thus helping councils to meet their zero-waste commitments.
A major driver for the bioenergy sector is the opportunity to provide wealth for forest owners and waste minimisation. Currently throughout New Zealand there are large amounts of organic material that is wasted. In particular is the 20% of forest residues that are currently thrown away. Nearly all this organic material being wasted could be used as a feedstock and turned into energy. We have the technology to convert this material into energy so what is stopping us - attitudes and practices. We need to change our thinking about waste. Rather than seeing it as a problem we need to start looking at it as an opportunity. Wealth creation and waste minimisation make some sense for NZ Inc.
Providing wealth for forest owners and waste minimisation via bioenergy |
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The Future for Bioenergy in New Zealand
As concerns grow over the impact of fossil fuel use on the climate, and the reserves of fossil fuels, including natural gas, bioenergy has a prominent role to play in the provision of clean burning fuels that also encourage planting of carbon sinks. New Zealand is in a good position to utilise its biomass resources for bioenergy production.
Overseas many countries are already forging ahead with bioenergy fuels for example co-firing wood and straw with coal, blending ethanol with petrol and diesel, and anaerobic fermentation of organic residues to produce biogas. New Zealand can do the same and does so already in some certain cases. With the appropriate identification of opportunities, New Zealand can further develop bioenergy technologies to meet its energy requirements in a sustainable and environmentally sound way.
Small localised power stations are a promising future for the electricity supply industry. These will cut down on transmission losses and contribute to minimising the costs of reinforcing or upgrading electricity distribution systems. They may also increase reliability of supply and replace the need for future large centralised power stations. Compared to centralised power plants consuming fossil fuels, bioenergy plants can provide energy for local customers, using local fuels, thus providing local employment and profits.
The development of a strong home market will be essential to the success of New Zealand businesses in taking a share of the very substantial world-markets for bioenergy product packages and fuel exports in the future.
Who's Who in the Bioenergy Industry
Note: The companies list above are Corporate or Associate Members of the Bioenergy Association. A number of individuals also belong to the association and they are listed on the membership register.
Consultants
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Waste Solutions Contact: Jurgen Thiele website ![]() |
details to come | details to come | Waste Solutions Ltd is a leading supplier of waste energy & biogas system design services and of carbon emission abatement schemes in Australasia. |
| AECOM Contact: Warwick Cutfield website |
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| Beca Carter Contact: Humphrey Archer website |
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| Living Energy Contact: Rob Mallinson website |
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| Allan Estcourt Consulting website |
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| Distributed Energy and Waste Solutions (DEWS) |
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| East Harbour Energy (EHE) website |
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| Empower Consultants website |
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| Fuel Technology website |
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| Home Heating Association website |
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| Jaakko Poyry Consulting website |
Energy Companies
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Energy for Industry Contact: Grant Smith website |
details to come |
details to come |
EfI is well placed to cater for all industrial heat and power applications. |
| Cityfirewood Website |
Equipment Manufacturers and Technology Suppliers
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| RCR Energy Ltd Contact: Philip Gedye website |
details to come |
details to come |
RCR Energy is a full scope provider in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. With a comprehensive range of in-house and licensed combustion technologies and agencies for global brands of boilers, burners and ancillary products, RCR Energy is well placed to cater for all industrial heat and power applications. |
| Switch Contact: Dougal Ferguson website |
details to come |
details to come |
Switch specialises in importing and distributing renewable heating solutions for home, commercial and industrial customers. Switch forcuses on heating systems which use wood pellet fuel, but also imports and distributes the Apricus range of evacuated tube solar water heating, and can integrate these into a complete renewable heating system. The Switch range of products is available from their nationwide network of retailers. |
| Waste Solutions Contact: Jurgen Thiele website ![]() |
details to come | details to come | Waste Solutions Ltd is a leading supplier of waste energy & biogas system design services and of carbon emission abatement schemes in Australasia. |
| Brightwater Engineers website |
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| Clarke Energy Contact: Martin Smith website |
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| Living Energy Contact: Rob Mallinson website |
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| Nu-Way Energy NZ Ltd Contact: Paul Bowie website |
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| Spark Biomass Energy website |
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| Parkwood Pellet Fires website |
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| Vortex Engineering website |
Fuel Supply
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
Gull New Zealand Contact: Dave B website |
details to come |
details to come |
Gull New Zealand retails 2 grades of biofuel in New Zealand (both E10) and operates a biofuel facility in Queensland as well as retailing biodiesel in West Australia. |
| Lanzatech Contact: Sean Simpson website |
details to come | details to come | Lanzatech was founded in early 2005 to develop, and commercialise proprietary technologies for the production of lowest cost fuel ethanol from the carbon monoxide in low-hydrogen waste gases produced by the steel industry. The company is now ready to undertake the next stage on this critical path, the pilot-scale demonstrationof its fuel ethanol production from both biomass syngas and industrial waste gas feedstocks. A pilot plant design has been develpped that will allow ethanol production from each of these feedstocks to be demonstrated at scale over the next 12 months. |
| Natures Flame Contact: Eric Gillan website ![]() |
details to come | details to come | Nature's Flame is the leading producer of wood pellets in New Zealand, with a record for producing consistently high quality pellets for over four years. The pellet fuel is made from untreated waste wood from local sources, and this is constantly monitored to ensure strict standards are maintained. Wood Pellet Fuel are made for burning in specially designed applicances such as fires for the home or larger scale boilers. Wood Pellet Fuel has very low emissions and is virtually smokeless when burned. Nature's Flame has two fully operational pellet mills in Rolleston and Rotorua, and a third factory currently being built in Taupo. Wood Pellet Fuel can be delivered nationwide in 20KG bags, 1 tonne bulk bags, and in certain areas of the country, in loose bulk form. |
| Ecodiesel Limited Contact: Gary Brockett website |
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| Ernslaw Bioenergy Contact: Murray Cowan Website |
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| LentiKat's a.s. Contact: Alzbeta Bouskova website |
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| Materials Processing Contact: Peter Fredricsen website |
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| NZ Ester Fuels Limited Contact: Andre Hamman website |
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| Wastepro Solutions Contact: Theo Greyling website |
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| NZ Renderers Group website |
Investor/Owner/Operator
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Biodiesel Australasia Contact: Andre Hamman Website |
Operating Utility
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Watercare Services |
Organisation/Government
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Contact: Shaun Bowler website ![]() |
details to come |
details to come |
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| Consulate & Trade Office of Canada |
Researcher/Education
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Canterbury University Contact: Shusheng Pang website ![]() |
details to come |
details to come |
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| CRL Energy Contact: Tony Clemens website |
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| Massey University Contact: R E Sims website |
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| Scion Contact: Mike Jack website |
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| Solray Energy Contact: Chris Bathurst website |
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| Waiariki Institute of Technology Contact: Jonathon Hagger website |
Wood Processor
| Company Name/ Contact |
Core Skill | Core Product | Leading Edge |
| Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith Contact: Christopher Brown website |
details to come |
details to come |
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| Findlater Sawmilling |
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| Waiariki Institute of Technology Contact: Jonathon Hagger website |
Bioenergy Knowledge Centre
A web based portal to access the utilisation of woody biomas to produce energy. The Bioenergy Knowledge Centre (BKC) is funded by the Forest Industry Development Agenda (FIDA) Bioenergy Programme.
The BKC consists of four major components:
- A web-based portal that provides self-directed learning and analysis of bioenergy opportunities.
- The proactive dissemination of information to a broad range of stakeholders.
- A pool of experts accessible via a “call centre” to assist evaluation and analysis of bioenergy opportunities for New Zealand-based projects (0800 BIOENERGY).
- Provide tools and processes to improve the overall energy efficiency of the wood processing sector and to optimise energy use.
EnergyLibrary
An independent provider of information with search capabilities for accessing publications from around the world.
Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA)
The New Zealand Government Agency with responsibility for government policy and operational matter related to bioenergy.
Bioenergy Australia
The Australian equivalent of BANZ
IEA Bioenergy
The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Research Programme.



