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From 4 to 360h of flexible workload

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Biomass Energy Course

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Biomass Energy Course

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Biomass Energy Course

Name: Biomass Energy Course
Price: 1499 ZAR

Master the full spectrum of biomass energy — from feedstock science and conversion technologies to project finance and sustainability compliance. This course equips engineers, energy professionals, and project developers with the technical and strategic skills to design, evaluate, and deliver real-world bioenergy projects. If you work in renewable energy, this is the expertise that sets you apart.

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What you will learn:

You will build a thorough understanding of biomass feedstocks, thermochemical and biochemical conversion pathways, and biofuel production routes. The course covers power station design principles for power, heat, and combined heat and power systems, alongside emissions control and ash management. You will learn how to apply greenhouse gas accounting, navigate certification schemes, and meet sustainability criteria required for regulatory compliance. Financial modelling, risk assessment, and project development lifecycle skills are integrated throughout. By the end, you will be equipped to evaluate, design, and present viable biomass energy projects to investors and decision-makers.

How you study in practice Biomass Energy Course

How you practise Biomass Energy Course

For companies looking to train their teams

With Elevify for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your company and its specific needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 41 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Biomass Energy

Lesson 1 • What Is Biomass Energy
Defines biomass energy, distinguishing it from fossil fuels and other renewables. Provides the conceptual baseline for all subsequent technical content.
Lesson 2 • Types and Sources of Biomass
Surveys agricultural residues, forestry waste, energy crops, and organic municipal waste. Connects feedstock diversity to conversion pathway selection.
Lesson 3 • Energy Content and Biomass Properties
Explains calorific value, moisture content, ash content, and bulk density. These properties directly determine feedstock suitability and conversion efficiency.
Lesson 4 • Role of Biomass in Energy Transition
Positions biomass within decarbonisation strategies alongside solar, wind, and storage. Students understand where biomass fits in a low-carbon energy system.
Lesson 5 • Global Biomass Resource Potential
Quantifies available biomass resources by region and sector. Frames the scale of opportunity and constraints students will address throughout the course.

Chapter 2See details

Biomass Feedstock Assessment and Supply Chains

Lesson 1 • Collection, Preprocessing, and Storage
Examines baling, chipping, drying, and pelletizing as preprocessing steps. Proper storage prevents degradation and maintains feedstock energy value.
Lesson 2 • Feedstock Availability and Seasonality
Analyses how harvest cycles, weather, and competing markets affect supply continuity. Students learn to map seasonal availability against plant operational needs.
Lesson 3 • Supply Chain Risk and Resilience
Identifies supply disruption risks and mitigation strategies including diversification and contracts. Resilient supply chains protect plant revenue and uptime.
Lesson 4 • Biomass Transportation and Logistics
Evaluates road, rail, and waterway transport options for bulk biomass. Logistics cost is often the dominant factor in delivered feedstock economics.
Lesson 5 • Feedstock Characterisation Methods
Covers laboratory and field techniques for measuring biomass quality parameters. Accurate characterisation underpins reliable conversion system design.

Chapter 3See details

Thermochemical Conversion Technologies

Lesson 1 • Principles of Thermochemical Conversion
Introduces the chemistry of drying, devolatilisation, combustion, and gasification. Understanding reaction stages is prerequisite to technology selection.
Lesson 2 • Direct Combustion Systems
Covers stoker, fluidised bed, and suspension firing boiler types for heat and power. Combustion system choice depends on feedstock variability and scale.
Lesson 3 • Emissions Control in Thermochemical Systems
Addresses particulate, NOx, SOx, and CO emissions from biomass combustion and gasification. Emission control is mandatory for regulatory compliance and community acceptance.
Lesson 4 • Pyrolysis and Torrefaction Processes
Distinguishes slow, fast, and flash pyrolysis and torrefaction for biochar and bio-oil production. These processes upgrade biomass into denser, tradable energy carriers.
Lesson 5 • Gasification Technology and Systems
Explains fixed-bed, fluidised-bed, and entrained-flow gasifiers and their syngas outputs. Syngas quality determines downstream power or fuel synthesis options.

Chapter 4See details

Biochemical Conversion Technologies

Lesson 1 • Bioethanol Production Pathways
Covers sugar, starch, and lignocellulosic feedstock fermentation routes to ethanol. Lignocellulosic routes offer greater sustainability but require pretreatment steps.
Lesson 2 • Principles of Biochemical Conversion
Introduces microbial metabolism, enzyme activity, and substrate degradation pathways. Biological conversion efficiency depends on feedstock composition and process conditions.
Lesson 3 • Anaerobic Digestion Systems
Covers hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis stages in biogas production. Digester design and feedstock mix determine biogas yield and quality.
Lesson 4 • Biogas Upgrading and Utilisation
Explains scrubbing, membrane separation, and pressure swing adsorption for biomethane production. Upgraded biogas can substitute for natural gas in grids and vehicles.
Lesson 5 • Digestate and Fermentation Residue Management
Addresses nutrient recovery, land application, and composting of process residues. Residue management affects plant economics and environmental compliance.

Chapter 5See details

Biofuels Production and Applications

Lesson 1 • Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pathways
Reviews HEFA, alcohol-to-jet, and gasification-to-jet routes for biojet fuel production. Aviation decarbonisation mandates are driving rapid SAF market growth.
Lesson 2 • Biodiesel and Transesterification
Explains feedstock selection, transesterification chemistry, and glycerol byproduct handling. Biodiesel quality standards govern blending ratios and engine compatibility.
Lesson 3 • Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil and Renewable Diesel
Covers hydroprocessing of lipids to produce drop-in renewable diesel and jet fuel. HVO offers superior cold-flow properties and full infrastructure compatibility.
Lesson 4 • Advanced and Drop-In Biofuels
Examines bio-based gasoline blendstocks, biobutanol, and synthetic fuels from biomass. Drop-in compatibility reduces infrastructure investment for market entry.
Lesson 5 • Biofuel Lifecycle and Carbon Intensity
Applies lifecycle assessment to quantify greenhouse gas savings across biofuel pathways. Carbon intensity scores determine eligibility for low-carbon fuel incentives.

Chapter 6See details

Biomass Power and Heat Plant Design

Lesson 1 • Fuel Handling and Preparation Systems
Details reception, conveying, screening, and drying systems within the plant boundary. Reliable fuel handling prevents unplanned outages and maintains conversion efficiency.
Lesson 2 • Steam and Power Generation Systems
Covers boiler design, steam turbine selection, and generator integration for electricity output. Rankine cycle optimisation directly determines plant electrical efficiency.
Lesson 3 • Plant Control and Instrumentation
Introduces distributed control systems, sensors, and automation for biomass plant operation. Effective control maintains safety, efficiency, and emissions compliance.
Lesson 4 • Ash and Residue Handling Systems
Addresses bottom ash, fly ash, and bed material collection, handling, and disposal. Ash management affects plant availability and environmental compliance.
Lesson 5 • Plant Capacity and Configuration Selection
Guides capacity sizing based on feedstock availability, demand, and economics. Configuration choice between power-only, heat-only, and CHP affects overall efficiency.

Chapter 7See details

Sustainability, Carbon Accounting, and Certification

Lesson 1 • Reporting and Compliance Documentation
Guides preparation of sustainability reports, mass balance records, and regulatory submissions. Accurate documentation protects support scheme eligibility and avoids penalties.
Lesson 2 • Indirect Land Use Change Assessment
Explains how energy crop expansion displaces food production and triggers indirect emissions. ILUC factors are incorporated into lifecycle carbon intensity calculations.
Lesson 3 • Sustainability Criteria for Biomass
Defines biodiversity, land use, water, and social criteria applied to biomass sourcing. Meeting sustainability criteria is a prerequisite for regulatory support and market access.
Lesson 4 • Biomass Certification Schemes
Compares voluntary and mandatory certification systems for solid, liquid, and gaseous biomass. Certification provides market assurance and unlocks premium pricing.
Lesson 5 • Greenhouse Gas Accounting for Bioenergy
Applies GHG accounting methodologies to quantify net emissions from biomass energy systems. Accurate accounting determines eligibility for carbon credits and incentives.

Chapter 8See details

Project Development, Economics, and Strategy

Lesson 1 • Stakeholder Engagement and Social Licence
Develops community consultation, communication, and grievance management strategies. Social licence to operate is increasingly a prerequisite for project approval.
Lesson 2 • Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Identifies technical, financial, regulatory, and market risks across the project lifecycle. Structured risk mitigation improves investor confidence and project resilience.
Lesson 3 • Biomass Project Financial Modelling
Builds capital cost, operating cost, and revenue models for biomass energy projects. Financial models support investment decisions and lender due diligence.
Lesson 4 • Strategic Positioning and Market Entry
Applies competitive analysis and value chain positioning to biomass business strategy. Strategic clarity differentiates successful developers from commodity suppliers.
Lesson 5 • Project Development Lifecycle
Maps stages from concept through feasibility, permitting, construction, and commissioning. Understanding the full lifecycle prevents costly late-stage redesign.
Lesson 6 • Support Schemes and Revenue Mechanisms
Reviews feed-in tariffs, renewable obligation certificates, contracts for difference, and tax incentives. Revenue certainty from support schemes is critical for project bankability.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Renewable energy engineer: ready to specialise in biomass conversion and power station design.
Environmental consultant: seeking technical depth to advise on bioenergy compliance projects.
Project developer: looking to expand into biomass power, heat, or biofuel ventures.
Agricultural professional: wanting to unlock energy value from crop residues and waste streams.
Policy analyst: needing technical grounding to evaluate bioenergy regulations and incentives.
Career changer: transitioning from fossil fuels or utilities into the bioenergy sector.

What our students say

Feedback from those who have already studied with us:

Your lessons are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to change platforms... I'm grateful for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...