[en] New NO_x reducing combustion techniques result in a different physical and morphological quality of fly ash, which makes the use of fly ash less attractive for the building and road construction industries. Attention is paid to the possibility of using low-NO_x fly ash for the improvement of the properties of hydrophobic agricultural land. Such an application also depends on the environmental impacts of the leaching of elements to the ground water and the accumulation of hazardous compounds in crops. A literature study of hydrophobic grounds was carried out. Also attention is paid to the legal aspects. No juridical constraints could be found in the Dutch legislation concerning the use of fly ash from coal powder, although it seems that the use of such fly ash is not in agreement with the tenor of possibly to be applied legislation. However, a small-scale investigation was carried out to gain insight into the environmental impacts. The uptake in lettuce and the leaching of the elements As, B, Mo and Se was studied by means of lysimeters. Hydrophobic soils with 5%, 10% and 15% coal fines fly ash were used. Also an experiment with the use of coal gasification slags was performed

[en] Based on data from a study of the Netherlands Agency for Energy and the Environment (NOVEM) on the feasibility of biomass for the Dutch energy economy and on data from a literature study, a sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the dependency of the energetic efficiency and the cost price on the starting points of the NOVEM study.Conclusions are drawn regarding the maximal capacity on the basis of biomass. Also attention is paid to the height of the carbon levy on the use of fossil fuels, by which the price of bio-electricity can be made competitive. It appears that electric power generation from biomass by means of an integrated biomass gasification combined cycle (IBGCC) is energetic efficient for the considered energy crops. However, the carbon levy on the use of fossil fuels must be 100% to make bio-energy competitive. It also must be taken into consideration that, next to the favourable characteristic of renewability, bio-energy bears a number of potential environmental loads

[en] Short communication

[en] The contribution of renewable energy to the energy supply in the Netherlands can grow by cofiring biomass in existing coal-fired power plants. However, since for the short-term there is not enough biomass available in the Netherlands against a reasonable price, biomass (wood) must be imported, e.g. from Estonia, which is also quite expensive. Shipping of charcoal appears to be the cheapest option, compared to the transport of biomass in the form of logs, wood chips, and pyrolysis oil. 3 figs., 1 tab., 4 refs

[en] Short communication

[en] The aim of the task group 'Energy Production from Biomass', initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, was to identify bottlenecks in the development of biomass for energy production. The bottlenecks were identified by means of a process analysis of clean biomass fuels to the production of electricity and/or heat. The subjects in the process analysis are the potential availability of biomass, logistics, processing techniques, energy use, environmental effects, economic impact, and stimulation measures. Three categories of biomass are distinguished: organic residual matter, imported biomass, and energy crops, cultivated in the Netherlands. With regard to the processing techniques attention is paid to co-firing of clean biomass in existing electric power plants (co-firing in a coal-fired power plant or co-firing of fuel gas from biomass in a coal-fired or natural gas-fired power plant), and the combustion or gasification of clean biomass in special stand-alone installations. 5 figs., 13 tabs., 28 refs