The energy transition is a global undertaking, but its solutions are rarely applied in the same way around the world.
“In order to develop solutions that can be adopted across regions, they need to be adaptable to the diverse landscape of needs, possibilities and barriers,” said Research Manager Amy Brunsvold-Hellemans (SINTEF Energy Research). “Technology development should go hand-in-hand with its intended implementation.”
Amy coordinates the EU project BioNETzero, which is examining the opportunities and challenges of biomass utilisation for regional development and decarbonisation.
Biomass absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere while growing through photosynthesis. This means that the CO2 released when the biomass is burned is theoretically balanced by the CO2 that it initially absorbed. If that CO2 is permanently removed from the atmosphere, this results in negative emissions, as more CO2 was removed than was added (this is also known as "carbon dioxide removal" - or CDR).
Capturing and permanently storing the CO2 released when biomass is used as fuel offers a means of achieving exactly that.
“BioNETzero focuses on solutions that combine sustainably sourced biomass and carbon capture and storage for combined heat and power production. This is currently the only practical and economically viable approach that can reduce the sector’s current emissions while simultaneously removing large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere,” explained Amy.
As part of this work, the project is developing three regional showcase studies: the Iberian Peninsula, the Nordic Region and the V4 Group, which each have their own unique energy mix, decarbonisation goals and socio-economic characteristics.
Asturias: a 400-year history of coal, a future in biomass
The Principality of Asturias in Spain is a clear showcase of the role biomass can play in regional development. Historically, coal has dominated energy production in Asturias, as well as been a significant source of industry and job creation (the first coal deposit was documented in 1591). As such, transitioning away from coal and diversifying its energy mix has required a multifaceted approach.
La Estrategia de Transición Energética Justa de Asturias (“the Just Energy Transition Strategy of Asturias”) aimed to balance the need for a decarbonised, diverse and efficient regional energy model with the need for economic activity generation. According to the Strategy, biomass currently supplies 8% of the region’s energy demand, with the goal of increasing this to 11% by 2030.
A key example of this is the work currently underway to convert La Pereda’s thermal power station to operate on biomass fuels instead of coal. This conversion will enable the plant to continue supplying the region with heat while decarbonising, and is expected to produce 400,000 MWh per year. The plant officially ceased its coal combustion activities in 2024, and is expected to restart operations in 2027.
The biomass will be sourced from forestry residues provided by local suppliers. By the time of the plant’s completion, it is expected to generate approximately 200 jobs related to forest biomass management.
The power station is owned by the Hunosa Group, which was founded as a mining company in 1967. The Group has since transitioned to focus on the more sustainable natural resources found in the surrounding landscape, including biomass. These resources are not only alternative energy products to coal, but can also be used to rejuvenate the valleys themselves after the detrimental effects of mining activities.
Biomass in the Spanish energy transition
Biomass has also played a role in Spain’s national strategy for the green transition. In 2006, renewables comprised 18.8% of power generation, of which biomass comprised only 0.8%. By 2024, renewables comprised 55.9% of power generation, with the share of biomass almost doubling to 1.5%.
The sector also has significant growth potential, through increased commercialisation and use of residual biomass from existing Spanish industries, such as residues from the olive oil and wine sector.
However, biomass is not only a matter of green transition – it is also a matter of energy independence. Since transitioning away from coal, Spain has become reliant on imports for fossil fuels. In contrast, renewables enable Spain to be self-sufficient – and even an exporter, which is already the case for biomass pellets.
As Spain and Asturias indicate, biomass can contribute to industrial decarbonisation while supporting regional economic transition and energy security by creating local value chains. But can it do the same for Norway?
Is biomass a missed opportunity for Norway?
Norway’s total bioenergy potential is at least 40 TWh per year, mainly comprising of woody biomass such as forestry residues and waste wood. This is approximately 25-30% of the country’s annual hydropower generation, which dominates Norwegian domestic electricity production. However, only 40% of this bioenergy potential is currently utilised.
Research Manager of the Bioenergy Group at SINTEF Energy Research Kathrin Weber has several arguments for why Norway should further utilise this potential, and that this can be done in a sustainable way.
Biomass’ flexibility and storability make it crucial for the resilience of Norway’s energy system. Approximately 80% of electricity in Norwegian households is used for heating. In the event of a blackout, similar to the one in Spain and Portugal in 2025, biomass can ensure that the heating stays on through the freezing Nordic winters. For example, it can be used in wood-burning stoves to heat individual homes, and in district heating for society at large.
Biomass can also be used to produce biochar. The process of converting biomass into biochar, known as pyrolysis, binds the CO2 in a stable form, which can then be stored for centuries. This means biochar production can also be a form of CDR, and biochar dominates the CDR market, accounting for 90% of all credits in 2024.
However, CDR is not the only benefit of biochar.
Biochar can enable Norway to deal with environmental toxins, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), which can only be destroyed through thermal processes, such as pyrolysis.
Biochar can also contribute to turning industries carbon neutral by replacing fossil carbon inputs. In Norway, this is particularly relevant for the metallurgical industry, which is responsible for approximately 10% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, mainly due to its use of fossil carbon.
“If done correctly, biomass can be a strong resource for Norway’s energy resilience and green transition while creating value,” said Kathrin. “It is scalable, internationally recognised and commercially available now. We can achieve this while protecting our natural resources to safeguard biodiversity and cultivate carbon sinks.”
What can Norway learn from Spain's experience with biomass?
Much like Spain, biomass has the potential to play a key role in regional development in Norway. Increased sustainable use of biomass can contribute to energy security, decarbonisation, CDR and local value creation simultaneously.
While the Spanish solutions cannot be directly transferred to Norway, they emphasise the importance of seeing technology, natural resources, infrastructure and local communities in context when new solutions are to be developed and put into use.
A big thank you to BioNETzero’s Spanish partners for hosting the project’s first regional event, where these discussions took place: the Carbon Science and Technology Institute (CSIC-INCAR) and Fundación Ciudad de la Energía (CIUDEN).
