Anaerobic Digestion News

Northamptonshire Anaerobic Digestion Plant Gains Planning Permission

2008-05-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Green light for Northamptonshire AD plant
14-05-2008

Bedfordshire-based renewable energy firm Biogen (UK) Ltd has received planning permission for its second anaerobic digestion plant in the UK.

Northamptonshire county council has approved a proposal to build a facility capable of processing 41,000 tonnes of food waste a year at Westwood, near Rushden.

Subject to planning conditions, the plant will break down commercial food waste sourced from local manufacturers and retailers in the absence of oxygen, to produce 8,500 tonnes of biogas and over 34,000 tonnes of digestate a year.

The gas will be used to generate 1.5MW of electricity per annum, with the digestate used as a fertiliser for adjacent farm fields run by Biogen's sister company, Bedfordia.

The planning approval comes less than a year since Biogen opened its first UK AD facility at Twinwoods in Bedfordshire, which processes 42,000 tonnes of food waste from manufacturers andlocal authorities in Mid Bedfordshire, Ealing and Luton.

Biogen's managing director Andrew Needham said:

"We are delighted that we have been given the green light with this project. It has been a long time in planning, but it was important for us to address all the questions and concerns of the local communities and the planning committee on AD as well as the benefits."

"This is the first of our "second generation plants" which we are planning to roll out to other sites throughout the UK," he added.

More at LetsRecycle

About Biogen.

UK Environment Agency Announces Consultation on a New Initiative to Reduce Organic Waste Sent to Landfill

2008-04-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

The following is a UK Environment Agency Press Release.

Encouraging technology that reduces the amount of organic waste sent to landfill is the driving force behind a consultation launched today (Monday) by the Waste Protocols Project, a joint WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and Environment Agency initiative.

The Quality Protocol for the production and use of quality outputs from Anaerobic Digestion, could make it easier to turn biodegradable waste into valuable products such as fertilisers and soil conditioners. It could also ease the regulatory burden by defining when the digestate ceases to be waste and therefore no longer needs to be subject to regulatory control.

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is a natural process of microbiological conversion of organic matter, such as food waste from households and businesses. AD offers many benefits when compared to other methods of organic waste treatment, for example the process produces digestate which can be used as a fertiliser as well as biogas which can be harnessed and used to produce electricity onsite, or be sold back into the electricity grid.

Dr Richard Swannell, Director of Retail and Organics at WRAP, said: “Anaerobic Digestion and the market for products from the AD process are still in their infancy in England and Wales. However, the development of a Quality Protocol will help remove a major barrier to deploying this important technology and open up the market for digestate by giving users confidence in the end product.

“Quality compliant products from the Anaerobic Digestion process will provide users with confidence that these new products derived from waste material conform to agreed quality standards. This in turn will make it easier for industry to market and sell them.

“In the long-term, greater use of products derived from the AD process could reduce the amount of organic waste being sent to landfill and save producers the associated disposal costs.”

Martin Brocklehurst, Head of Environment Protection External Programmes at the Environment Agency, said: “By clearly defining the standards required to collect, transport, store, recycle and reuse source-segregated biodegradable waste, a Quality Protocol for AD could save businesses the time and costs associated with meeting waste regulations, without harming human health and the environment.

“We have worked with the Renewable Energy Association, Environmental Services Association and Composting Association to develop this Quality Protocol. We have now opened this up to consultation and are keen to hear the views of industry and other stakeholders.

“With the recent Defra announcement of a £10 million fund to develop commercial-scale demonstration AD plants, this initiative will add to the growing presence of the technology as a means to treat organic waste.”

To participate in the public consultation, please visit qp.dialoguebydesign.net. For further information on the Waste Protocols Project, please go to www.wrap.org.uk.

Steve's comment: This would seem to be something that the Anaerobic Digestion community should be getting involved with wholeheartedly. It could potentially in my view take many of the uncertainties out of AD source-segregated biodegradable waste ventures.

UK WRAP Funding Now Available For Food Waste Projects

2008-04-21T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is just to inform you that a new funding source for UK Anaerobic Digestion has just started.

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Organics Capital Grant Programme VI is now open. It can provide financial assistance of up to 30 percent towards the capital costs of plant, equipment and infrastructure for food waste processing capacity compliant with the Animal By-Products Regulations in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Visit WRAP's Organic Waste Capital Grants page for more information.

IBBK Offers Biogas Course and Study Tour, Stuttgart

2008-04-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Biogas Friends,

This year IBBK is offering two international events for future biogas operators and people working in this specific field:

1) INTERNATIONAL BIOGAS TRAINING COURSE
taking place 15-19 September 2008 at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
The course covers the following topics:
- process of biogas formation
- principles of designing biogas plants
- applied technology
- safety issues

2) INTERNATIONAL BIOGAS STUDY TOUR
from 21-27 September 2008, starting in Stuttgart, Germany
Participants will visit biogas plants and manufacturers in Germany, Austria and possibly Italy.

We offer special rates for booking both events. The number of participants is limited – therefore we recommend an early registration.

For more details take a look at the programme on our web site and don't hesitate to contact us, if you have any further questions.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

With best regards,

Michael Köttner

Internationales Biogas und Bioenergie Kompetenzzentrum
International Biogas and Bioenergy Centre of Compentence
Am Feuersee 6
74592 Kirchberg/ Jagst
Germany

Tel: +49 (0)7954 926203
Fax: +49 (0)7954 926204

www.biogas-zentrum.de/ibbk/

Geschäftsführer: Dipl. Agr.biol. Michael Köttner
USt-IdNr.: DE213140113

New Technology: Electrolysers to Convert AD Power to Hydrogen

2008-04-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

New technology set to cut emissions

While new figures show the UK is making little headway in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, a British company says it is making rapid progress in its quest to deliver a zero emissions energy solution for homes and businesses.

ITM Power has obtained key UK and US patents for advanced technology and hydrogen production techniques which it says could cut significantly the country's dependence on hydrocarbon fuels. A new factory to produce electrolysers - devices which can convert water and 'green electricity' from renewable sources into hydrogen - will open in Sheffield later this year, Meanwhile, the company has announced that it expects to start commercial production and sales of its first fuel cell, which can convert hydrogen back into electricity, late next year.

Following a five-year development programme, ITM Power is close to completing work on a unique, prototype, home refuelling station, It uses an electrolyser to produce hydrogen which can be stored safely and used to fuel adapted petrol-engined vehicles,
In addition, the company has also started design of a low-pressure etectrolyser for use in low carbon domestic housing projects to fuel central heating boilers and domestic cookers and supply electricity via a small fuel cell. In both domestic and automotive applications, the use of hydrogen as a fuel would generate no carbon dioxide emissions.

Jim Heathcote, CEO of ITM Power, said: 'The latest news that efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions are making little progress in the UK, underlines the vital nature and urgency of our work. We have made genuine breakthroughs in both the design of electrolysers and fuel cells and methods of low-cost manufacture, which are now being recognised around the world. We are moving rapidly from research and development to the commercial phase of bringing these exciting new products to market and offering solutions which will alleviate our dependence on hydrocarbon fuels.'

Steve's Comment: Anaerobic Digestion plants remote from the local grid which would use Electrolyser equipment to produced hydrogen fuel instead might be a future possibility if the product described above comes to the market as this item suggests they will.

Visit My New Anaerobic Digestion Squidoo Lens!

2008-03-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

I have written about Anaerobic Digestion with a broad international slant at the Squidoo web site.

I have called it:

Biogas Digesters - Advantages, Facts and Figures

Ever visited Squidoo? Anyone can add a Squidoo site - called a lens.

You can comment and vote on my attempt at promoting AD (which I have called Biogas Digestion, as I gather they are more commonly known as this in the US).

In Fact - have fun with the Poll! Tell us whether Biogas Digesters are:-

1. Going to be a great tool in reversing climate change
2. Great but too capital cost intensive and too risky to invest in just yet
3. Something I don't have an opinion about
4. Far too smelly to even think about!
5. Good for the Archers (BBC Radio 4 Serial) but not for me!

The Digester Lens at Squidoo is here.

Rising Demand for Biofuel 'will increase GHGs'

2008-03-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

(25 March 2008)

Growing demand for biofuels could actually increase greenhouse gas emissions as farmers clear forests and grassland to create more cropland, according to a new US study.

Biofuels are not as environmentally-friendly as we think, the study claims

A team of researchers from Princeton University concluded land use change reduces the benefits of biofuels because it would release carbon sequestered by the land into the atmosphere.

Presenting the results of the study at Imperial College, London, Professor Tim Searchinger, one of the authors of the study, said increasing demand for food will put even greater pressures on farmers to convert land for agriculture.

He said: "There's already a carbon benefit being provided by land and previous analyses of the benefits of biofuels haven't taken that into account.

"Using cropland to produce biofuels will cause large increases in greenhouse gases from land use change."

According the team's calculations, biofuels produced from soybeans reduce emissions by 70% compared to regular fuel, but when land use change is factored in, this changes to a 50% increase in emissions.

The study - first published in Science magazine - calculated that it could take decades for biofuels to pay back their carbon debt if forests and grassland were converted to grow them or to grow the food crops displaced by biofuel crops.

Professor Searchinger recommended that national governments should stop setting mandatory levels of biofuel use, and should provide producers with incentives to get their biofuels from existing agricultural land.

It was vital to find new ways to increase crop yields to meet demand for both food and biofuels, he added.

He said: "We are going to need more agricultural expansion to feed everybody and we are going to need big yield increases to keep the impact down.

"We need a massive worldwide strategy to boost yields using existing agricultural land."

Kate Martin

More at Edie Net News. Biofuel demand 'will increase GHGs'
Source: www.edie.net

UK is on the Way to Meet Kyoto Targets as Emissions Continue to Fall

2008-03-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday 27 March 2008 10:39
Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (East Midlands)

UK on track to meet Kyoto targets as emissions continue to fall

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn today said that the UK is making progress on cutting Greenhouse Gas emissions, but there is still much work to do.

Provisional statistics published today for total UK Greenhouse Gas emissions for 2007 showed a drop of two per cent over the previous year, with 639.4 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, down from 652.3 million tonnes in 2006.

They also show that in 2007, UK net emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) were provisionally estimated to be 543.7 million tonnes. This was two per cent lower than the 2006 figure of 554.5 million tonnes.

The decrease in CO2 emissions resulted from fuel switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation, combined with lower fossil fuel consumption by households and industry.

Secretary of State for the Environment, the Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn said:

"These figures show we are making progress in cutting emissions and are on target to go beyond our Kyoto targets. But there's much to do at home and abroad if we are to going to avert dangerous climate change.

"We need to see a major change across the whole of the UK economy if we are to meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets set in the Climate Change Bill. To aid this, the Government will develop carbon markets and promote the development of low carbon technology, while continuing to work to get international agreement on global emissions targets. More ....

Surprise UK Budget Subsidy Change Will Boost Biofuel from Biogas

2008-03-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

There is an item about this in the Daily Telegraph:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Which describes this biofuel subsidy removal as a negative, which it will be for the big petroleum companies, but for biogas producers it provides an additional incentive to further invest in the equipment to take their biogas and process it into biofuel (eg biodiesel).

All UK biogas producers should now consider biogas to biofuel investment. The reasons for this are explained in the following paragraphs which are provided using information provided by John Baldwin, MD of CNG Services Ltd at http://www.cngservices.co.uk .

In essence, in Tuesday's Budget the Government has increased the RTFO buy-out price to 35 p/litre (from 15 p/litre) so customers pay for the shift to biofuels and not the Govt (in form of duty reduction). Yes, it is a stealth tax, but one that helps biomethane as biomethane still will have the same low fuel duty as it had previously.

If you run a vehicle on biomethane you will pay 13.7 p/kg duty, but you will now (as a result of this budget change) get back 35 p/kg. Before this budget you would have got back 15 p/kg. This means that you will now get paid 20 p/kg by the UK petroleum industry + Government.

How do you make biofuel from biogas? You clean biomethane up and compress it.

A small 400,000 kg clean up facility costing about £600k should provide a potential extra income of 80,000 pounds/annum from the RTFO credit (400,000 kg at 20 p/kg, and there will be no diesel to be paid for!).

Those with biogas should consider starting to clean some of it up fom now on, and running vehicles on it.

That way the biogas producer will get paid to save the planet.

Now that can’t be bad!

The vehicles are also already available to run on it, made by VW and MB. These are not conversions and still run on petrol.

We can’t see any downsides, and also some biogas operations will be able to run these vehicles on gas that would otherwise be flared!

As ever, your views and comments are very welcome and can be made on the blog, or at www.forum.anaerobic-digestion.com .

Energy Piles: Developments in the Technology

2008-02-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

This post is not about Anaerobic-Digestion, but I thought you may neverthless find it of interest. A biogas plant developer might build it into the foundations of an AD Plant, and the event advertised is free! - Your BlogMaster - Steve.

Energy Piles: a developing technology

Monday 21 April 2008

Ground Source Heat Pump technology is well established in Europe for domestic use and for commercial buildings. It has been little used in the UK but there is now increasing interest in the technology. This is firstly, because it uses a renewable heat resource and, secondly, because it will become increasingly more economic as gas prices rise.

The major cost for GSHP systems is the cost of installation of the heat transfer pipework into the ground. For commercial and industrial buildings, installation of this pipework within foundation piles known as "Energy Piles", is now being developed. This meeting will address the key technical and commercial issues in this significant new energy technology.

Event Details:
Monday 21 April 2008
18.00 for 18.30 start

(Free event)

Institution of Civil Engineers
One Great George Street
Westminster London SW1P 3AA

Speakers include; Karl Drage, Operations Director with specialist company Geothermal International. And Tony Amis, Geothermal Contracts Manager with piling contractor Cementation - Skanska. Please see the event website for full agenda.

Civil engineers have a key role to play in the development of this technology for use in large buildings. This meeting is an opportunity to learn about and discuss this growing technology.

Register Online: at www.ice.org.uk/energy_gshp

The Weekly Geek at Greenpeace Features Anaerobic Digestion

2008-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

A Excerpt from the GreenPeace Blog:-

Ken Livingstone wants it for London, Hilary Benn is giving money to it and Adam and Debbie are bringing it to Ambridge. After a couple of millennia in the sidelines, anaerobic digestion has finally hit the big time (well, The Archers, anyway) - which is why we've chosen it for this second edition of the Weekly Geek.

Every year, we bury thousands of tonnes of waste food in landfill sites around the UK. We produce almost one and a half million tonnes of sewage a year (don't do the maths - it's disturbing), which is mostly spread on land, incinerated or buried as landfill. And we produce enormous amounts of agricultural waste on our farms. All of this waste breaks down to release greenhouse gases as it decomposes.

In all, about half of our total landfill comes from biodegradable waste, where it becomes part of the problem that contributes to climate change. Instead of sending it to landfill, anaerobic digestion allows us to convert this waste into ‘biogas', making it part of the solution.

Anaerobic digestion can help us to replace fossil fuels, reduce methane emissions from landfill sites and increase the efficiency of our energy system. As well as helping us to fight climate change, it can solve many of our waste management problems, reduce freshwater pollution from organic wastes, increase fuel security and reduce our dependence on chemical fertilisers.

The following is an animation from EfficienCity outlines showing how it works:

The organic matter used can be pretty much any biodegradable material: food waste from households, markets, shops, restaurants, caterers, breweries, distilleries, industrial kitchens and companies that process food and drink; abattoir waste; agricultural waste like manure, slurry, straw, feathers and crop residues; industrial waste and residues from, say, pharmaceutical processes or paper manufacturing; and sewage sludge.

More here ...

Chip maker turns waste into energy

2008-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Liz Gyekye, 22 Feb 2008 - RWM - Recycling and Waste Management Magazine

Chip maker, McCain Foods, will be adding an anaerobic digester to its site in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire to turn its food-processing waste into biogas for use onsite.

The anaerobic digester will be up and running this May and will take waste water rich in potato starch, produced in the making of its French Fries, and mix it with bacteria in a covered lagoon the size of two football pitches.

McCain Foods corporate affairs advisor Bill Bartlett told MRW: “The anaerobic digester will take 77,000 tonnes of waste starch over a 27 day period which is then fermented to produce methane . This methane is then captured under a cover and will power our site.”

The biogas will power a cogeneration system which will produce heat and meet 10% of the Whittlesey plant’s electricity requirement. The process will work alongside energy from its wind turbines that will provide 60% of the company’s energy.

McCain Foods has built an anaerobic digester as part of its sustainability drive and to cut down on its energy costs.

Bartlett added: “In a world of increasing energy costs this initiative will save on energy costs and reduce our environmental footprint. From a business and environmental perspective it is a win win situation.”

More...

Report Calls for Restrictions on Carbon Intensive Biofuels

2008-02-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

Almost all biofuels result in more carbon emissions than
the fossil fuels they are intended to replace, according to
the latest study to raise grave concerns over the environmental
impact of booming demand for fuels made from plants.

The research from the University of Minnesota (Click
Here) and the Nature Conservancy (Click
Here), which has been published in the journal Science,
assessed the full carbon impact from biofuels - including
emissions associated with the clearance of land to make way
for fuel crops. It found that, where land is converted to
fuel plantations, the biofuels release between 17 and 420
times more carbon than the annual savings from replacing fossil
fuels.

Concerns over the carbon impact of rainforest clearance in
Indonesia prompted by booming demand for biofuels are already
well established - but, the report argues, that converting
savannas and grasslands leads to a similar net increase in
carbon emissions.

EU legislators recently sought to appease critics of its
target for 10 per cent of transport fuels to come from biofuels
by 2020, pledging to develop a certification scheme to ensure
only biofuels that meet strict sustainability standards are
imported into the EU.

However, the report raises serious questions about the feasibility
of such proposals. Joe Fargione, a scientist for The Nature
Conservancy and co-author of the report, insisted that the
impact on crop prices of biofuel demand meant that "all
the biofuels we use now cause habitat destruction - either
directly or indirectly".

For example, as prices for palm oil climb - as a result of
biofuel demand - more farmers switch their crops to biofuel
to tap into the opportunity for increased profits. Such palm
oil from established plantations would meet sustainability
criteria, but the knock-on impact is that fresh land
has to be cleared to make way for the food crops that the
farmers are no longer growing.

Similarly, the researchers argue that increased demand for
ethanol corn crops in the US has prompted many farmers to
stop growing soybeans. Brazilian farmers have moved to meet
this demand for soybeans, but there is growing evidence they
are clearing savannas and rainforests to do so.

Report co-author and University of Minnesota applied economics
professor, Stephen Polasky, argued that a major overhaul of
biofuel incentives was required to tackle the problem. "We
do not have proper incentives in place because landowners
are rewarded for producing palm oil and other products, but
not rewarded for carbon management" - he said. "This
creates incentives for excessive land clearing and can result
in large increases in carbon emissions ..... Creating some
sort of incentive for carbon sequestration - or penalty for
carbon emissions - from land use is vital."

The report noted that some forms of cellulosic biofuels that
use waste agricultural material or native grasses do not lead
to increased carbon emissions as they have no impact on natural
habitats. "Biofuels made on perennial crops grown on
degraded land that is no longer useful for growing food crops,
may actually help us fight global warming" - said Hill.
"One example is ethanol made from diverse mixtures of
native prairie plants."

Scottish Councils to Trial Food Waste Collection Schemes

2008-02-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

We thought that all AD and Biogas fans would be interested in this item as successful food waste collection would be likely to lead to enhanced implemetation of biogas schemes. The following is from Let's Recycle! News:-

The first of Remade Scotland's food waste trials will begin collections on 25 February, after being delayed last year by the change in Scottish government.

Remade Scotland are managing seven food waste collection trials, lasting one year, following in the footsteps of the Waste & Resources Action Programme's food waste trials in England and Wales (see letsrecycle.com story).

The aim of the trials is to promote better understanding of the effectiveness and economics of different food waste collection systems.

Four of the Scottish trials will focus on collecting food waste only (in Aberdeenshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde) and three of the trials (in Falkirk, North Lanarkshire and Perth and Kinross) will add to existing infrastructure, collecting food waste with the garden waste.

Aberdeenshire: While the majority of the participating councils are due to start trials in March and April, Aberdeenshire will begin its trials in February with 5,000 households in Aberchirder, Banff, Macduff, Whitehills involved in the weekly collections.

All residents will receive a 20 litre bin in addition to a five litre kitchen caddy. Residents will also be provided with a free supply of compostable liners, manufactured by Biobag which come in rolls of six.

The waste will be collected in 7.5 tonne capacity trucks manufactured by Farid and taken to Gray's in-vessel composting facility where it will be composted and used as agricultural fertiliser in the local area.

In preparation for the trials in Aberdeenshire, surveyed 450 households to get an insight into the attitude towards to the forthcoming trials.

David Gunn, assistant campaign manager at Scottish Waste Awareness Group said: "For each of the participating councils, we will do pre-trial and post trial surveys and when all the trials are rolled out we will be collate and analyse the information and submit it to the Scottish Government. We hope to have the report from the pre-trial surveys collaged by the Summer."

All data from the Scottish trials will feed into the data for the UK-wide trials.

Two of the participating local authorities will send their waste to TEG Environmental Plc and four will send their waste to Scottish water's Deerdykes Composting and Organics Recycling Facility - pending award of Pollution Prevention Control Permit being issued by SEPA. More...

New Resources Now Ready for Downloading at Anaerobic-Digestion.Com

2008-01-30T06:05:00.000-08:00

Our Downloads, including our free eBook which explains the many benefits of Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas generally, have become increasingly popular, so we decided to add more.

If you have not recently visited the page we recommend a return visit, as you may find that one or more of these is just what you need to move your digester project forward.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see new downloadable eBooks which can be immediately downloaded from a partner web site, including one free AD ebook download, and others at amazingly good value.

For the first time, Anaerobic-Digestion.Com now provides a much requested feature - the ability for visitors to download complete instructions for family Anaerobic Digestion plants, based upon Nepal, and Indian practices.

So why not continue now to our Downloads page and take a look.

BERR Listens To Renewables Obligation Waste Concerns

2008-01-30T05:57:00.000-08:00

BERR has published the Government’s response to the consultation on the reform of the Renewables Obligation, which took place during summer 2007. In its response the Government has recognised many of the concerns raised by ESA during the consultation period.

The regulations for the measurement and sampling of biomass have been proven to be ill suited to the heterogeneity of mixed waste fuels. Consequently waste-fired power plants have been unable to satisfy Ofgem with sufficient certainty as to the biomass content of their inputs and therefore been unable to claim ROCs for their renewable generation. BERR had already conceded the principle of deeming the biomass content of waste but had previously suggested that this should be set at the conservative level of 35%. In response to ESA lobbying, the Government has now decided initially to raise the proposed deemed level to 50%, in line with the level recognised under the climate change levy.

BERR has also noted the difficulties that changes to the qualifying index for good quality combined heat and power (CHP) made to the ROC eligibility of waste-fired CHP facilities. The Government has consequently decided to change the qualifying criterion for such plants, which will now be based on a single efficiency threshold of 35% gross calorific value.

Other changes made by the Government include a commitment to the principle of grandfathering support levels for renewable electricity projects. More at ESA UK.

Possible European Biowaste and Biogas Directives to Boost Anaerobic Digestion

2008-01-30T05:52:00.000-08:00

The European Parliament Agriculture Committee has proposed the development of an EU directive on biogas production, suggesting that there may be benefit in a joint biogas and biowaste directive.

The Committee published a draft report on 29 November 2007 arguing that such a directive should include:

• specific targets for the agricultural biogas share within the target for renewable energy production
• measures for the construction and promotion of biogas installations
• adoption of national and regional planning measures to reduce legal and administrative barriers to biogas installations
• introduction of incentives to invest in biogas plants.

The draft report urges the European Commission to present as soon as possible a proposal for a biowaste directive, including quality standards, and “invites the Commission to explore the possibility for a joint biogas and biowaste directive”.

In response, the Parliament’s Environment and Industry Committees have both made suggestions which they would like included in the Agriculture Committee’s “motion for a resolution”, including calling on the Commission to present as soon as possible a proposal for a biowaste directive. More ...

We think that everyone in the AD Community will be in favour of this.

Zero Waste is the New Target for Scotland

2008-01-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

ZERO WASTE FOR SCOTLAND

The Environment Secretary for Scotland has announced ambitious new plans for waste management in Scotland.

New targets of 60 percent recycling by 2020 and 70 percent by 2025 have been proposed, no more than 25 percent of waste is to be used to generate energy, while municipal waste being sent to landfill is to be reduced to 5 percent by 2025.

See www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/01/24145725

Anaerobic-Digestion.com view: This is going to be tough to achieve, and if 25% will be used for energy there is huge scope for Anaerobic Digestion (biogas Digesters) in Scotland, and a lot of them!

US EPA Reports Steadily Rising Growth in Anaerobic Digestion in US

2008-01-24T16:27:00.000-08:00

The following is an extract from the Agstar report published in November 2007:-

Construction of anaerobic digestion systems for livestock manure stabilization
and energy production has accelerated substantialy in the past several years.

The EPA estimates that there are currently about 111 digesters operating at commercial livestock facilities in the United States.

In 2007, farm digester systems produced an estimated 215 million kilowatt
hours equivalent of useable energy.

Besides generating electricity (170 million kWh), some operations use the gas as a boiler fuel, some upgrade the gas for injection
into the natural gas pipeline, and some flare gas for odor control.

Many of the projects that generate electricity also capture waste heat
for various on‐farm thermal uses.

The majority of commercially operating systems (Figure 2) are plug flow
and complete mix reactors (both tanks and covered lagoons) operating
at mesophilic temperatures
(95° ‐ 105°F).

The remainder of the systems include covered lagoons operating at a
mbient temperature, and attached growth and induced blanket reactors.

European‐style complete mix systems are also emerging in the U.S. market.

Although the majority of systems are still farm owned and operated,
using only livestock manure, other approaches are emerging.

These include the commingling of high strength organic wastes
(e.g., food waste, ag waste, cheese whey) to increase gas
production per unit volume of reactor; third party owned/operated
systems; centralized systems handling manure from multiple farms;
and direct gas sales to customers or gas utilities.

Most digester systems (80 percent) currently are found in the dairy industry in the Midwest, West, and Northeast. More here..

Anaerobic Digestion to Get Improved ROCs Payments

2008-01-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

UK Anaerobic Digestion Plants are to Get ROCs Subsidy Boost
BERR ROC Government Response to be included in the Energy Bill

BERR have released the government's response to the Renewables Obligation Consultation, and the proposal is to give Anaerobic Digestion the boost it was hoping for at 2.0 ROCs/MWh.

Their document summarises the responses and sets out the Government's intentions in the light of them. The government is seeking through the Energy Bill to secure the necessary primary legislative powers to make the proposed changes. The detail will be implemented through a new Renewables Obligation Order.

More information is here where the BERR pdf can be downloaded in full.

Anaerobic digestion has been placed in what is described as the "emerging" brand, and other technologies are included. Here is an excerpt from BERR's text:-

"Wave; tidal stream; fuels created using an advanced conversion technologies (anaerobic digestion; gasification and pyrolysis); dedicated biomass burning energy crops (with or without CHP); dedicated regular biomass with CHP; solar photovoltaic; geothermal, tidal Impoundment (e.g. tidal lagoons and tidal barrages (<1GW)); Microgeneration."

- all get 2.0 ROCs/MWh, starting 1 April 2009.

Sewage gas was seen as an area for substantial increases in Anaerobic Digestion generation capacity, and existing and new anaerobic digesters, future expansion was suggested to be possible up to 0.8 TWh by 2010 by fitting new digesters to sewage treatment works which were not equipped with these at present.

It is all good news for AD, but still not, I understand, up to the level of security of price for sale of the electricity given by the German government. Your comments are welcomed below! Also comment at the Anaerobic Digestion Forum.

Bluster and Biofuels - The Biofuels Con?

2008-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

We thought that you might be interested in this investor's view on Biofuels and the Audit Committe report. I am sure Gary won't object to our potentially feeding him signups to his report page by printing this!

The Environmental Audit Committee has got it right says Smart Commodities UK editor, Garry White. Biofuels are currently a net negative for the environment...

Bluster and Biofuels
By Garry White

So, could this be the end of the biofuels con..? Let’s hope so…

The all-party Environmental Audit Committee headed by Tim Yeo will today say that the target to more than double the amount of biofuels used in the UK should be scrapped.

Yeo said: “Biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport but at present most biofuels have a detrimental impact on the environment overall”.

The committee wants a moratorium on the biofuel targets. They have considered the whole cycle rather than just a part of it. They said that biofuels produced less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels when burned, but these savings are negated by the use of fertilisers, deforestation and the energy needed to process them into fuel. I could not agree more.

There are, however, dissenters form this point of view – notably the National Farmers Union (NFU).

The NFU rejected the committee’s calls for a moratorium.

“Biofuels represent the only renewable alternative for replacing fossil fuels in transport and a way of tackling the one quarter of UK carbon emissions which transport is responsible for” said NFU President, Peter Kendall.

“UK Biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 53% and UK wheat bioethanol by 64% compared with their fossil fuel equivalents.

“Those savings can and should be improved. But for the committee to conclude that, because the savings are small, they are not worth having at all, is illogical and ill-informed.

“Of course, biofuel crops must be produced sustainably, both at home and abroad, and of course we should be developing more efficient biofuel technologies and encouraging motorists to take other measures to reduce transport emissions.

“And to criticise biofuels for using land that could otherwise be growing food when, in virtually the same breath, the Committee calls for land to be taken out of food production and given over to forestry and habitat creation shows just how muddled their thinking is.

“The best thing for the Government to do with this report is to consign it to the dustbin of history and focus instead on the infinitely more balanced and better informed report published by the Royal Society on 14 January 2008.”

The problem with this however, is that the Royal Society fudged the issue. I was at the press conference last week and one thing was made clear before it started; the report was not going to give any clear answers. The chairman said there would be no “yes” or “no” answers to anything, even though he accepted that was what the audience wanted.

This may be regarded as “good science” but when the world is looking for a solution to a major problem, sitting on the fence can do more harm than good. It’s time for people to nail their colours to the mast. I salute the Environmental Audit Committee for doing just this.

Regards,

Garry White
for The Daily Reckoning

The Anaerobic Digestion News Blog is always interested to hear your views on the future of biofuels. Apart from clicking on "Comments" below, another good place to post your views and where you see them immediately displayed is by continuing to the Anaerobic Digestion Forum. You can also publicise your own business by adding a link.

China Soon to be No. 1 in Renewable Power

2008-01-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

China is poised to become a global leader in renewable energy in the next few years, the head of environmental research group Worldwatch Institute said recently.

"I think China will be number one in less than three years in every renewable energy market in the world" - Worldwatch president Chris Flavin said. "I am becoming increasingly confident, in the case of China in particular, that there is going to be an ability to make the transition to being at the forefront of innovation, despite contradictory forces at play in the world's most populous nation."

He added - "On the one hand, China is close to passing the US as the world's biggest producer of carbon dioxide - and, at the same time, it is becoming an innovator in the field of renewable energy."

China’s need for secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy for its 1.3 billion people is palpable. In 2006, China’s energy use was already the second highest in the world, having nearly doubled in the last decade, and its electricity use is growing even faster, having doubled since 2000. With both energy-intensive industry and high-tech manufacturing, China now serves as factory to the world. Rising living standards also mean more domestic consumption, including high-energy-use items like air conditioners and cars.

While most of China’s electricity comes from coal and hydropower, the growing use of oil for China’s burgeoning vehicle fleet is adding greatly to concerns about energy security. Already, China must import nearly half of its oil. Concerns about energy security, power capacity shortages, and air pollution are all adding urgency and pressure to switch to alternative technologies and fuels, including greater energy efficiency, “clean coal” technologies, nuclear power, and renewable energy. Climate change also adds pressure—China will soon pass the United States as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.

China has become a global leader in renewable energy. It is expected to invest more than $10 billion in new renewable energy capacity in 2007, second only to Germany. Most of this is for small hydropower, solar hot water, and wind power. Meanwhile, investment in large hydropower continues at $6–10 billion annually. A landmark renewable energy law, enacted in 2005, supports continued expansion of renewables as a national priority. China currently obtains 8 percent of its energy and 17 percent of its electricity from renewables— shares that are projected to increase to 15 percent and 21 percent by 2020.

Among renewable energy sources:

Biomass power in China comes mostly from sugarcane wastes and rice husks, and has not grown in recent years. New policies will likely mean more biomass power from other sources, such as agricultural and forestry wastes. In addition, industrial-scale biogas, such as from animal wastes, is starting to make a contribution to power generation.

Biofuels for transportation have received widespread attention in China. Ethanol is produced in modest amounts from corn, and biodiesel is produced in small amounts from waste cooking oil. The government plans to expand biofuels production from cassava, sweet sorghum, and oilseed crops, although the large-scale potential is limited. The greatest promise lies with cellulosic ethanol, which many expect to become commercially viable within 7–10 years. If China could use its vast cellulosic resource of agricultural and forestry wastes—up to half a billion tons per year—it might become a major ethanol producer after 2020.

It is likely that China will meet and even exceed its renewable energy development targets for 2020. Total power capacity from renewables could reach 400 gigawatts by 2020, nearly triple the 135 gigawatts existing in 2006, with hydro, wind, biomass, and solar PV power making the greatest contributions.More than one-third of China’s households could be using solar hot water by 2020 if current targets and policies are continued. Use of other renewables, including biogas and perhaps solar thermal power, will increase as well. More..

Investment in Clean Energy Tops $100 billion in 2007

2008-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

New investment in clean energy companies and assets hit $117 billion last year - up 35% on 2006's $86.5 billion, according to analysts New Energy Finance (NEF).

The figure was $20 billion ahead of the company's prediction, despite tighter conditions in the credit markets - and NEF is predicting strong growth for 2008.

NEF attributes the strong growth to the continuing strength of 'non-financial drivers' - such as regulation, political will and concerns over energy security. It also notes a shift in focus from more mature wind and biofuels markets in Western Europe and the US, towards Asia, Brazil and other developing countries.

Michael Liebreich, chief executive of NEF, said that the sector has still to increase the volume of clean and cost-effective energy it is producing to justify investors' enthusiasm. However, he added - "progress is being made on scaling-up a number of sectors - particularly wind, solar, biomass and energy efficiency. The wave of liquidity washing through the sector shows no signs of abating and, despite the dark clouds still massed over the world's credit markets, 2008 looks set to be another banner year."

Of the $117 billion, $54.5 billion went to financing renewable energy assets - up 40% on 2006. However, investments in public markets was 80% higher, at $18.9 billion, although this figure was skewed by the $6.6 billion flotation of Iberdrola Renovables in December. Excluding this outlier gives a figure of 17% growth.

Venture capital and private equity new investment grew by 27% to $8.5 billion, with a shift from later-stage investments to early-stage deals, as the pipeline of commercialisation-ready opportunities dried up, NEF said.

Wind energy accounted for almost half of new investment in projects, at $24.8 billion, compared with $18.5 billion in 2006. Of this, $8.4 billion was in Asia and Oceania - outstripping investment in the Americas at $6.6 billion - but trailing the $9.8 billion invested in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The dramatic growth in biofuels financing slowed, to $14.5 billion, up 30% on 2006. Between 2005 and 2006, biofuels investment leapt 171%. More.

Companies Close to Biogas to Liquid Fuels Process

2008-01-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

Novus Energy, Oxford Catalysts building pilot plant
January 8, 2008. By David Ehrlich, cleantech.com

The above companies are working on the production of cellulosic ethanol made from organic waste.

Cellulosic ethanol is getting a new team with Minneapolis, Minn.- based Novus Energy joining up with the U.K.'s Oxford Catalysts for a pilot plant that will produce the next generation fuel from organic waste.

The new 100 gallon per day facility is expected to be up and running in the spring of this year.

"We're in the final stages," John Offerman, president of Novus Energy, told Cleantech.com. "We're fabricating the components right now to do the biogas to liquid fuels process."

Offerman said Novus has been working on the project with the U.S. Department of Energy for the past three years and has already run the process at a room-size scale.

The company, which is in the middle of raising a $7.5 million C round from angel investors, plans to use an anaerobic bio-digester to process waste, setting up plants on-site at food and agricultural processors, landfills and municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Novus' system will produce methane-rich biogas, and then use Oxford Catalysts' technology to convert the biogas into feedstock for fuel-grade alcohol.

The pilot plant will go up in Laramie, Wy., at the Western Research Institute, which is affiliated with the University of Wyoming.

But Novus isn't the only company trying to get ethanol from waste.

Broomfield, Colo.'s Range Fuels, which started work on a planned 100 million gallon per year plant in Georgia in November, also expects to be able to use a similar assortment of feedstocks for its process (see Range Fuels' Mitch Mandich breaks ground). More...

2008 Will be Good Year for Renewable energy?

2008-01-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2008 - Exclusive By David Ehrlich, cleantech.com

A new report says alternative energy stocks should do well in 2008, with MEMC getting a strong valuation for the sector. It could be a strong year for alternative energy as a whole, according to a new report, but the second half of 2008 could pose a problem for solar stocks.
The report from Thomas Weisel Partners, Alternative Energy: 2008 Outlook, said investor interest in the sector remains extremely high, with solar and demand response likely to get the biggest boosts in the new year.

"Public and government opinion is rapidly shifting toward increased action on
global warming, carbon emissions, renewable energy generation and new
energy-efficiency technologies," said Jeff Osborne, an analyst at Thomas Weisel,
in the report.

Over the past six months there's been a pronounced shift in the types of investors inquiring about stocks that Thomas Weisel covers, according to Osborne, with portfolio managers appearing to be building a cleantech theme for part of their portfolios. More...