Feasibility of biomass heating system in Middle East Technical University, Northern Cyprus Campus

What is it about?

Global interest in using biomass feedstock to produce heat and power is increasing. In this study, RETScreen modelling software was used to assess a biomass heating system in Middle East Technical University, Northern Cyprus Campus. Weiss Kessel Multicratboiler system with 2MW capacity using rice-straw biomass as fuel and ten (10) units of RBI® CB0500 boilers with 144 kW capacity using natural gas as fuel was selected for the proposed biomass heating system. The total cost of the biomass heating project is US$ 786,390. The project has a pre-tax and after tax internal rate of return of 122.70%, simple payback period of 2.54 years, equity payback period of 0.83 year, a net present value of US$ 3,357,138.29, a benefit-cost ratio of 21.83, a cost of electricity of $0/kWh, and a GHG reduction cost of -204.66 $/tCO₂. The annual GHG emission reduction is 1,283.2 tCO₂, equivalent to 118 hectares of forest absorbing carbon. The development and adoption of this renewable energy technology will save costs on buying conventional type of heating system and result in a large technical and economic potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions which will satisfy the sustainable development goals.

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Why is it important?

It helps to identify the importance of biomass as an alternative for heating system