Solution

Biomass

Supporting more than 650 gigawatts of renewable energy projects worldwide, our team of global specialists understands the challenges you face and offers tailored risk management solutions at every stage of your project.

The breadth of biomass technologies underscores the diversity of risk management issues to be considered by plant owners. Focus areas include:

Location, design, and layout.
- Urban or industrial locations: Space limitations may lead to suboptimal plant layout. Inadequate fire protection and poor separation from combustible feedstock storage are common issues.
- Rural or agricultural locations: This can mean slow incident identification and response as well as greater exposure to malicious damage and losses. These sites also may face greater exposure to natural perils, especially flood and wildfire risks.
Feedstock quality and security. Feedstock is an essential input for biomass plants, and key considerations include:
- Shortages: This may be specific to an individual supply source or a more global issue, such as a poor harvest or shipping restrictions, that could increase feedstock prices and impact operating margins.
- Security – Overdependence on one or two suppliers, or limited scope to source suitable alternatives, may compromise biomass supplies.
- Off-specification – Contaminated or lower-quality feedstock may disrupt plant operations or reduce plant efficiency.
Contractors and maintenance. The technology range and often modest scale of biomass plants mean that less experienced and more generalist EPC and O&M contractors may be employed. This could lead to:
- Poor project execution: Deviations from design specifications, and delays due to re-work or incidents, pose long-term consequences for operational efficiency if defects and errors are not identified or rectified.
- Inadequate O&M: –Poor operating practices and reactive, rather than preventative, maintenance can cause damage or disruption.
Insurability. The loss record for the biomass sector has generally been poor. Insurance considerations include:
- Risk-specific characteristics — type of plant, design, technology selection, and contractor experience.
- Warranty breadth and duration.
- O&M arrangements, including any long-term service agreements.
- Compliance with lender insurance requirements where project financing is involved.

Electrical supply from containers with stored energy

Expertise

Battery energy storage systems (BESS)

30/05/2022

Expertise

Geothermal power

16/10/2022

view of the hydroelectric dam, water discharge through locks, long exposure shooting

Expertise

Hydropower

16/10/2022

Wind Turbine from below with sun creating lens flare

Expertise

Offshore windfarm projects

30/05/2022

Close-up of Wind Turbine - Windfarm in Horizon

Expertise

Onshore wind energy

30/05/2022

Close-up of Solar cell farm power plant eco technology.landscape of Solar cell panels in a photovoltaic power plant.concept of sustainable resources and renewable energy.blue tone.

Expertise

Solar power projects

30/05/2022

Article

Mitigating risks and strengthening resilience in the LNG industry

15/11/2024

Aerial drone view of turbines at a large onshore windfarm on a green hillside

Article

Repowering UK wind turbines: Key risk considerations

03/10/2024

The concept of storing electrical energy in hydrogen by electrolysis. The system captures an electrolysis unit, storage tanks, solar and wind power plants on a lush lawn among the trees. 3d rendering

Article

Delivering on hydrogen: Transport and storage solutions

23/09/2024

Offshore wind turbines farm on the ocean. Sustainable energy production, clean power.

Article

Offshore wind: Resourcing for growth

11/09/2024

Biomass

Comprehensive solutions

Sophisticated risk modelling

Deep expertise

Marsh provides you with a tailored approach and comprehensive solutions

Design

Position your project for success

Construction

Get it built

Operation

Protect your assets and your business

Decommissioning

Close it out responsibly

Our people

Michael Kolodner