Feedback

Explore the world’s bioenergy power plants in 2022

  • Written by: Cutler Cleveland
  • Visualizations by: Heather Clifford

Human use of biomass dates to the controlled use of fire at least 1 million years ago. The use of energy of biological origin to generate electricity (biopower) is a relatively recent phenomenon. One of the earliest biopower plants was the São José da Estiva power station in Brazil that started operation in 1900.1

A surge in Biopower in the 2000s centered on the use of sugar cane pulp (bagasse) in Brazil; the use of wood and municipal solid waste in Europe; and the use of crop residues (e.g., rice husks) in China. As of January 2023, the largest biopower plant in operation is the 260 MW Äänekoski Bioproduct Mill power station in Finland that uses both solid and gaseous fuels derived from trees.1

Data

Metadata

GIF

<div class="flourish-embed" data-src="story/1963477"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script></div>

1 Global Bioenergy Power Tracker, Global Energy Monitor, January 2023 release, https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-bioenergy-power-tracker/

Recent Data Stories

What nations profit the most from fossil fuel extraction?

A nation's wealth, comprising physical, human, and natural assets significantly influences population well-being. Fossil fuels represent a significant portion of this wealth, bringing economic benefits and challenges. While some countries have used this wealth to improve citizens' lives, it doesn't always lead to desirable social outcomes like reduced income inequality or political corruption.

Where do energy taxes have the largest macroeconomic impact?

Economic policies impact the volume and nature of energy use and pollutants, including greenhouse gases. Government interventions typically include emissions trading, carbon taxes, and excise taxes. The OECD found that tax and subsidy policies influence GHG emissions and energy consumption globally. Current energy tax policies, however, do not align with GHG reduction goals.

What is the relationship between energy use and social progress?

The Social Progress Index (SPI), launched in 2013, assesses a nation's overall socioeconomic health through 60 unique indicators over 12 components. The 2022 index shows stark differences across countries, attributing them to economic disparities, governance, and inclusivity.

What is the ‘diesel discount’ and does it matter?

Road transport relies heavily on gasoline and diesel, influenced by government policies that often favor diesel for its efficiency. However, diesel produces more pollution, and the tax revenues it generates complicate change. The debate now centers on speeding up the transition to electric transportation to combat greenhouse gas emissions while balancing historical preferences with environmental concerns.

Watch the history of nuclear power in the U.S.

In 2022, the U.S. had 92 nuclear power plants generating 18% of total electricity. The industry, once a major player, declined due to high costs, long construction timelines, decreased demand, accidents, regulations, and market deregulation. There's renewed interest in nuclear power to combat climate change, with the first new plant in 30 years, though debates continue on cost, safety, and alternative energy sources.

What countries have the greatest bioenergy power capacity?

As of January 2023, 575 utility-scale biopower plants were operational globally, with a total capacity of over 29,000 MW, less than 0.5% of worldwide power generation. An additional 6,000 MW are under construction. China is believed to significantly underreport its true biopower capacity, perhaps as high as 22,000 MW, primarily from agricultural residues and waste-to-energy facilities. Brazil, another major player, relies largely on sugarcane byproducts.

visualizingEnergy

A project of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability

© 2022 VisualizingEnergy. All Rights Reserved

License: Unless otherwise noted, all visualizations, data, and stories produced by Visualizing Energy are open access under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). This means that you have permission to copy, transform, and redistribute the material in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited.

Subscribe
Twitter Instagram Reddit Linkedin

Subscribe to Visualizing Energy

* indicates required
Subscription

Feedback

Any feedback or suggestions for our site are welcome.