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Renewable energy is the conversation on the minds of many alike these days. Anyone can now receive grants on promoting zero or low usage of carbon electricity. The Feed in Tariff Scheme in UK is viable for businesses, households and community groups.
They can now have their own renewable energy source in their backyards. Renewable energy would include electricity generating equipment such as wind, hydro, solar photovoltaic and anaerobic digestion. These items should be limited to 5MW.
Previously, grants were not awarded to companies for any such installations. However, they can now also gain from this. Various system sizes can be put in place to maximize your return. A good example would be the wind project of a 2mW turbine's development cost would be similar to the approval of a 100 kW turbine.
To give an indication of financial returns, tariffs are paid at the applicable rate for the year of installation. This is based on the retail price index. This would mean that in the second year you would be paid for the first year's tariff. Anyone considering going this route, should do so now to ensure they get sufficient returns on their investment.
Another understanding on how the Feed in Tariff Scheme works is that energy suppliers make payments to businesses and households who generate their own electricity by making use of renewable resources.
There is a payment for electricity generated and there is an additional payment for any electricity that is exported to the grid. If you have the micro generation technology running, there would be a significant reduction in your monthly bill. Payments to a loan company still need to be made by you if you had to take a loan to do the installation. The payments you will receive from Feed in Tariffs will be greater than what you monthly repayment of your loan would be. That is if you took the loan over a 25-year period.
Just how do you eat an elephant? The traditional response to that question is, "Just one bite at a time!" Actually, it is the same answer for how to complete any large task. When you look at the whole thing all at once, it appears to be impossible. Break it down into parts, steps or sub-tasks, and each of these is not nearly so formidable. Your specific steps can each be relatively simple, something that's no big deal, that can be done. And when you have done every one of the small-task steps, you gaze back and find out that now you have the entire formidable-task thing done. That's just exactly how it is with how to anaerobically digest biomass and produce biogas. Here is a method to tackle the formidable task of anaerobically digest biomass and produce biogas, in 7 simple steps.
Step 1. The waste is delivered to the plant and is initially sorted mechanically to remove remaining non-biodegradable contaminants. With this you will need to involve screens, air classifiers or magnets. In the event you neglect this or don't do it, you should expect a poor quality of feedstock delivery into the digester, and potential for blockages of the digester, causing downtime.
Step 2. The organic waste is then shredded and mixed with water and pumped to an enclosed vessel (reactor) known as the biogas digester. This step is important because the right mixture must be created for pumping into the digester ).
Step 3. In the digester it is heated, stirred, and held for up to three weeks whilst the bacteria digest the waste and emit a gas consisting of about two thirds methane and one third carbon dioxide. This will mean that during that period bacteria and other organisms are fermenting the organic material. This could also mean that biogas methane is produced, and this is the main product of, and reason for operating the process.
Step 4. After this the solid digested material is pressed to recover the added water. This will probably involve a mechanical press system.
Step 5. The solid digestate is placed in piles to aerate for for anything between two weeks and twelve weeks. Once the digestate has been aerated it can be used as a soil improver or growing media constituent in the same way as compost. A key point you will want to remember here is going to be that there may be regulations which limit the use of digestate due to concerns about possible transmission of infection, and other possible contaminants. The reason why this will be significant is, for example, that this limits the uses and value of digestate. If the material is derived from mixed wastes sources additional sorting may also be required to remove contaminates.
Step 6. The liquid fraction can be recirculated in the process but some excess is generated and depending of the feedstock this can be used as a fertiliser or if the waste is contaminated it has to be disposed of to sewer.
Step 7. The gas that's generated after a basic cleaning stage to get rid of hydrogen sulphide and water, can be burnt in gas engines to create electricity or in boilers to provide steam.
Or, in some locations it can make good business sense to purify the gas further by removing the CO2 so that the gas may be employed to fuel autos like automobiles, buses or vans, or the purified gas can also possibly be piped in to the natural gas network.. You are now almost there! Remember, that environmental groups and many governments are very keen to promote the use of Anaerobic Digestion due to its carbon neutral and renewable energy nature.
When you take the steps explained above, the massive elephant-problem you had will likely be "eaten up" one step at a time, "devoured" and dealt with. You will succeed in completing your project and can enjoy the fruits of victory and accomplishment! Congratulations on your victory! You took on a big challenge, conquered it and won, one step at a time!
Discover the best way to build and operate a biogas digester by going to the Biogas Digestion eBook Resources site
Steve Symes regularly writes on renewable energy issues. He feels that the environmental debate is too important to leave to the boffins. If you think so too then visit a Blog on the subject at Renewable Energy News.
PROjEN's attendance at the recent ADBA exhibition and conference at Birmingham's NEC has been hailed a great success by PROjEN BioEnergy Manager Shane Pugh. As well as exhibiting their wide range of services supplied to the AD/Biogas and the Process industries, the Company also contributed a number of papers to the conference and chaired some of the technical sessions.
Shane commented "we knew that we could offer clients a different and more pragmatic approach to AD/Biogas solutions but I was amazed at both the speed and the number of people who have recognised how our approach can help them. Project Management is our day job and our 30 plus years of process plant design and build, coupled with our market leading AD and Biogas knowledge and our lack of ties to any particular technology has really touched a nerve with many. The act of completing the project on time,to budget, safely and utilising the best and most suitable technology available has been shown on many projects to be not as easy as many have claimed".
During the show the Company was able to discuss with clients all aspects of the design and build process including planning and permitting, detailed design,construction, commissioning and training aspects. As well as Project Managementand Design and Build services the company exhibited supplementary services such as DSEAR/ATEX support, Functional Safety, Laser Scanning/3D Visualisations and Hazop Chairing.
John Taylor, PROjEN's Chairman who attended both days of the exhibition, commented "Since 1978 we have been involved in thousands of projects and our reputation is second to none in both project delivery and health and safety. We were delighted to be at the show and found the number and quality of enquiries to be better than most other exhibitions we've experienced. The AD and Biogas industry has really raised its profile in the last couple of years and the number of installations is set to increase rapidly and justify those in ABDA, such as our Dr Les Gornall, who have worked so tirelessly over the years to establish AD as the 'no-brainer' solution to our energy and waste treatment needs".
Cautious response to £10m AD fund
By Steve Eminton (7 July 2011)
Recycling minister Lord Henley today confirmed details of a £10 million Anaerobic Digestion Loan Fund (ADLF) for new AD plants in a speech to the conference at UK AD & Biogas 2011, being held in Birmingham. (Picture, courtesy: Biogen Greenfinch)
But, the announcement met with a strong response from the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association which accused ministers of failing to direct councils in the direction of AD.
The Fund will be administered by WRAP - the Waste & Resources Action Programme - and will lend amounts ranging from £50,000 to £1 million to support the development of new AD capacity in England in conjunction with investment from the private sector. It aims to support 300,000 tonnes of annual capacity to divert food waste from landfill by 2015.
Delegates to the conference and exhibition, which is organised by the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA), were broadly positive about the funds. But, some had reservations, especially in terms of finance and local authority commitment.
In his opening speech on Wednesday (July 6) to the conference, Lord Redesdale, chairman of ADBA, had highlighted the importance of securing feedstock.
Responding today to Lord Henley’s announcement, ADBA chief executive Charlotte Morton said: “This fund is welcome news for the industry, and will support projects which will make a real difference in starting to build up the UK’s anaerobic digestion capacity.
Barrier
“However, it represents only a small part of the investment which is needed to take AD to the point where it is really delivering for the UK’s strategic objectives – and raising finance remains the biggest barrier for projects.
“Meeting the UK’s 2020 commitments on landfill diversion and renewable energy require high investment in new capacity over the next few years. That simply isn’t happening while investors are being put off by mixed messages from government, and while they remain unwilling to direct local authorities to take a course they have already said realises the most benefit.
She added: “The Government needs to build on this announcement by grasping the nettle to encourage wider private finance into the market. This doesn’t require more money from the taxpayer – simply clear statements that organic waste feedstock should be source segregated and prioritised for AD.”
Viability
Two delegates from the financial sector told letsrecycle.com that, despite the grant, there would still be concerns about the viability of AD plants taking in waste from the household stream.
One said: “Projects dealing with farm waste and commercial waste have a more secure feedstock. There are a lot of uncertainties in dealing with waste and even more when comparisons are made to investing in other renewable energy projects, such as wind power.”
Another added: “Some people in the AD sector seem to expect banks just to jump in and take a risk which we just can’t do.”
And, delegates to the conference also heard a warning from a top local government officer about the uncertainties that currently exist among local authorities.
The UK's Green Investment Bank (GIB) should prioritise small-scale renewables including anaerobic digestion as they offer "shovel-ready" opportunities for investment, a leading financial adviser said today (6 July).
Speaking at the UK AD & Biogas show at Birmingham, Nathan Goode, a partner at Grant Thornton, set out the business case for investment in the sector and said that the GIB could be "seen to be making progress" if it took the lead in encouraging greater uptake of such technologies.
"The gap between the scale of aspiration in the AD industry and the apparent available finance to take it forward is significant," he told delegates. "Investors want real certainty - the GIB could step in and bridge that risk gap in some shape or form."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hinted earlier this year that the GIB, which is expected to catalyse £15B of new investment in green infrastructure by 2015, would be looking to prioritise three key sectors - offshore wind, waste and non-domestic energy efficiency - but Goode believes these priorities are "still very much under review".
He said: "There are plenty of opportunities to push the case harder for small-scale renewables. AD has considerable reach among communities and citizens, and the Government needs to win hearts and minds."
In May Grant Thornton produced a report with the Co-Operative bank that called for a sustainable energy fund for small-scale renewables. Using high-level modelling, the study found that the impact of the GIB investing £190M in these technologies would generate nearly 3GWh per year of renewable energy, creating over 6,500 jobs and raising £56M in taxes to the HMRC.
Devon dairy launches anaerobic digestion facility to fuel clotted cream production
Lord Henley and Gary Jones from Langage Farm
A Devonshire dairy has officially opened a £3.4m anaerobic digestion (AD) facility that will turn food waste from around the county into the energy that will help produce its clotted cream, ice cream crème fraiche and yoghurt.
The facility at Langage Farm, Plymouth, received £1.2m of funding from the Anaerobic Digestion Demonstration Programme and was opened by Lord Henley, Minister for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on Friday 1 July.
By the end of its first year of operation, the AD facility will process 12,000 tonnes of food waste collected from households across the county by local authorities. The facility will also process on-farm dairy wastes, converting these fuels into renewable heat and electricity.
The renewable energy will not only power the dairy products production, but also export surplus energy to the National Grid. In its first five years, the Langage AD facility expects to produce 20,000 MW of energy saving the equivalent of 2,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum on energy bills.
Lord Henley, Gary Jones, Gary Streeter MP, Marcus Gover and James Harvey
Lord Henley said: “The facility at Langage Farm is an excellent working example of how a localised closed loop economy can be created. Food waste that otherwise would have gone to landfill will instead be used to produce the energy that will power much of the production process here on the farm, helping to produce award winning clotted cream, ice cream and yoghurt.”
Marcus Gover, Director of Organics and Energy from Waste at WRAP, believesthemarket, including investors, developers and end users, should be confident of AD as a reliable, safe and profitable resource efficiency process.
“AD is a growing part of the resource efficiency solution, capable of diverting biodegradable waste from landfill, creating renewable energy, stimulating the green economy and improving the sustainability of commercial agriculture. We really see it as a huge opportunity for the UK.”
A spokesperson for Langage Farm said: “We are proud to be a part of the solution to local waste problems and hope to see an increase in the uptake of this technology in the future, it really makes sense to use waste as a resource in this way.”
