In China, supportive policies are accelerating this shift. The 2024 Coal Power Low-Carbon Transformation Action Plan (2024–2027) encourages co-firing capabilities of 10% or higher in modified units. By the end of 2022, China's installed biomass power capacity exceeded 40 GW, generating 186.4 TWh annually. Subsidies, tax incentives, and over 84 coupling pilot projects are driving the use of crop straw, forestry residues, and RDF in circulating fluidized bed boilers.

Proven Emission Reductions Worldwide

Europe leads in high-ratio co-firing, with countries like Denmark and Finland achieving 20–50% biomass blends. The UK's Drax Power Station, once Europe's largest coal plant, now stands as its biggest renewable energy source. 

In Asia, Indonesia is advancing co-firing in 52 coal units by 2025, while Japan and Southeast Asia continue to expand commercial-scale projects.

Domestic benchmarks in China demonstrate clear results: a 660 MW unit in Anhui processes 40 tons of straw per hour, producing 230 million kWh of green electricity annually and cutting CO₂ emissions by 270,000 tons. Other projects, including those achieving 22–25% calorific co-firing ratios, deliver reductions up to 440,000 tons per year.

Overcoming Key Challenges in Biomass Fuel Preparation

Despite its potential, co-firing adoption has been limited by feedstock challenges. Agricultural and forestry wastes often feature inconsistent moisture content, low density, high impurity levels, and fibrous structures that cause blockages, slagging, and equipment wear. 

Transportation costs can exceed 60% of total feedstock expenses due to dispersed sources, while achieving stable high-ratio co-firing requires significant upfront investment in pre-treatment systems.

The critical breakthrough lies in robust front-end processing. Effective size reduction and impurity removal transform heterogeneous "non-standard" biomass into uniform, high-quality fuel suitable for reliable boiler operation.

Harden's Biomass Fuel Preparation Solutions

Harden Machinery Ltd. specializes in industrial shredding and solid waste processing systems designed for demanding biomass applications. Our single-shaft shredders deliver precise size reduction, processing diverse feedstocks—including straw, wood chips, branches, and RDF—to particle sizes below 30 mm in a single pass. 

With capacities of 10–20 t/h, intelligent variable frequency drives, and counter-rotating cutters, these systems handle tough, fibrous materials without jamming.

Integrated screening technologies—magnetic separation, air classification, and trommel screens—achieve impurity removal rates above 95%, minimizing ash-related issues and maintaining boiler efficiency.

Real-world installations confirm performance:

· A Heilongjiang biomass gasification-to-methanol project uses Harden-processed fuel with <5% impurities and uniform sizing for stable gasification.

· A Chongqing cement kiln project converts local bamboo waste and straw into RDF alternative fuel, enabling consistent coal substitution in industrial furnaces.

Driving Scalable Decarbonization

By delivering consistent fuel quality and reducing operational risks, Harden's pre-treatment systems enable power plants to confidently increase co-firing ratios. This not only achieves substantial carbon reductions but also creates value from agricultural and forestry residues, supporting circular economy principles in the solid waste management sector.

As biomass co-firing enters a phase of rapid growth through 2027 and beyond, advanced shredding technology remains essential for unlocking its full potential in low-carbon energy transitions.