HELIUMPOWER ENERGY
Technology

Biomass
CHP.

Biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) converts sustainably sourced organic matter into both electricity and usable heat simultaneously, achieving overall energy utilisation rates of up to 80%. As the most energy-efficient form of biomass generation, CHP plants play a critical role in decarbonising both the power and heat sectors — often the hardest-to-abate segment of national energy systems.

80%
Energy utilisation rate (CHP)
< 1 yr
Fuel carbon payback period
Carbon
Neutral when sustainably sourced
50+ MW
Typical plant scale
Efficiency Comparison

Doing More
with Every Btu.

A dedicated CHP plant produces both electricity and district heat from a single fuel input. Compared with a power-only plant sending waste heat up the stack, CHP roughly doubles the useful energy extracted per tonne of biomass.

Power Generation Efficiency35%
Heat Recovery Efficiency45%
Combined CHP Efficiency80%
Equivalent Coal Boiler33%
Fuel Feedstocks

Certified.
Sustainable. Traceable.

Wood Pellets & Chips

SBP / FSC

Sustainably certified forestry residues and sawmill by-products. The most common biomass fuel, tradeable internationally under ISCC / SBP certification standards.

Agricultural Residues

ISCC EU

Straw, bagasse (sugar cane waste), rice husks, and olive pomace. Highly localised fuel supply chains reducing transport emissions.

Dedicated Energy Crops

RED II Compliant

Short-rotation coppice (willow, poplar) and Miscanthus grown on marginal land. High yield, low inputs, and strong carbon credentials.

Industrial Waste Biomass

ISO 14064

Paper mill black liquor, municipal solid waste (biogenic fraction), and construction waste wood. Valorises waste streams that would otherwise go to landfill.

Plant Process

From Biomass
to Kilowatts.

01

Biomass Fuel Handling

Fuel is received, stored in temperature-controlled storage silos, and prepared by drying and sizing to plant specifications.

02

Combustion & Steam Generation

Biomass is combusted on a moving grate or fluidised bed boiler, producing steam at high pressure and temperature (typically 535°C, 130 bar).

03

Steam Turbine Generation

The high-pressure steam drives a condensing or back-pressure steam turbine connected to a generator, producing grid-quality AC electricity.

04

Heat Extraction (CHP)

In CHP mode, steam extracted at an intermediate turbine stage is condensed in a heat exchanger, delivering hot water to a district heating network.

Why Biomass CHP

Strategic
Advantages.

Biomass CHP occupies a unique position at the intersection of renewable generation, baseload reliability, and heat decarbonisation — making it commercially and strategically attractive in most liberalised energy markets.

Baseload, dispatchable — not weather dependent
Carbon-neutral when sustainably sourced fuel is used
High overall energy efficiency (up to 80% in CHP mode)
Generates both electricity and usable heat simultaneously
Supports rural economies and local sustainable forestry supply chains
Eligible for capacity market, ROCs, CFDs, and other incentive schemes

Considering a biomass CHP project?

Speak with our thermal generation and fuel supply specialists.