AD&BIOGAS NEWS
INTERNATIONAL
adbioresources.org
Issue 1 April 2016
Come together at the world’s first global AD and biogas trade show For the first time ever, the UK’s leading trade show for the anaerobic digestion and biogas industry is going global. UK AD & Biogas 2016 will have a truly international feel when it hits the NEC Birmingham on 6-7 July – delegations, exhibitors and visitors from all corners of the globe will come together to learn, debate, network and do business at the world’s first trade show solely dedicated to AD and biogas. This free to attend, two-day exhibition and conference, brought to you by ADBA (the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association) will showcase products, services, projects, research and case studies from around the world, covering every aspect of AD and biogas. With only three months to go, there’s still just enough time to book your stand, apply to be a speaker or complete your free visitor registration. But don’t delay – see p6-7 for full details or go to adbioresources.org
Last chance to enter the AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016 Open to international entries for the first time in its five-year history, time is running out to enter the prestigious AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016. Featuring a range of categories covering every aspect of the AD and biogas industry, the awards are your chance to see your team, product, services or projects recognised as the best of the best. The ceremony takes place on 6 July 2016 at The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham, UK, and if you haven’t already submitted your award entry, now is the time to do it – the deadline (18 April) is just days away! See p6-7 for full details or go to adbioresources.org
INDUSTRY
AWARDS 2016
view from Canada Global news Dry AD in Germany Inside this issue: The Business without borders | International policy |
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ADBA News
Supporting a world class AD industry By Charlotte Morton, ADBA’s Chief Executive “Welcome to the first issue of ADBA’s new international publication, AD & Biogas News International. As the UK trade association for the anaerobic digestion, biogas and bioresources industry, we have been at the heart of our sector’s rapid growth over the past six years, supporting the development of a thriving UK AD industry which includes over 430 operational plants. We are now facing an even more exciting future as recognition grows around the world of our industry’s ability to address issues surrounding energy security, climate change, food security, wastewater and sanitation. So, following the success of the UK AD industry, we at ADBA are now widening our remit to encompass the worldwide AD and biogas industry, to accelerate its global growth. We want to highlight those areas where AD offers real value – on farms, in the water industry, on industrial processing sites, and as a food waste treatment option – and demonstrate what our industry can deliver for the world at large. But we can’t do it alone. We are looking to work in partnership with other trade associations representing AD around the world – and with international AD and biogas companies from across the supply chain – to promote the industry and identify opportunities to help build the global AD market. Through our brand new international magazine and website, global market reports and international trade show, we will highlight the wide variety of AD projects happening right across the globe, supporting the worldwide biogas industry to grow safely and successfully by sharing experiences, promoting innovation and learning from each other. Our annual trade show, UK AD & Biogas 2016 (6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK), has always attracted visitors and exhibitors from overseas, keen to do
Welcome to our first issue “I’m delighted to welcome you to the first issue of our new international magazine: AD & Biogas News International. I’ve been the Editor of ADBA’s UK publication, AD & Bioresources News, for the past three years and am still astounded by the pace at which the UK sector has grown during this time – this is not an industry for the faint-hearted! As ADBA now moves into the global AD market, I’m looking forward to learning even more about an industry that never ceases to surprise me. If you have an interesting, innovative or unique international AD project that you’d love to share with our readers, please get in touch. By sharing, debating and learning from each other, we can help to support the development of a truly world class AD industry.” Kate O’Reilly, Editor, AD & Biogas News International kate.oreilly@adbioresources.org
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business in the thriving UK AD marketplace – indeed, last year 32 countries were represented. So, this year we have decided to build on that. For the first time in its history, UK AD & Biogas will have a global remit, looking at what’s happening not just in the UK but around the world, demonstrating the diverse and innovative ways in which AD is helping to solve waste, soil and energy issues right across the globe. We will be welcoming more international visitors than ever before – including delegations from regions which are fast becoming AD hotspots – and featuring a greater number of global exhibitors. We hope that you will join us in our mission to raise the international profile of AD and see our industry reach its full potential. I look forward to working with you.”
Find out more Join ADBA
Trade associations – to become an honorary international trade association member of ADBA contact eleanor.maroussas@adbioresources.org AD and biogas companies – to become an international ADBA member contact alex.monks@adbioresources.org
Exhibitor opportunities – neill.wightman@adbioresources.org Speaker opportunities – edmund.gavaghan@adbioresources.org Visitor registration now open at adbioresources.org See p6-7 for full details
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The view from...Canada
What’s driving the Canadian biogas industry?
By Jennifer Green, Executive Director of the Canadian Biogas Association (CBA) “The Canadian biogas industry is thriving, with hundreds of anaerobic digestion facilities currently in operation. Helping to fuel this market are various incentives and mechanisms operating in different regions, such as the Feed-in Tariff in Ontario, the voluntary Renewable Natural Gas program in British Columbia, the Community Feed-in Tariff in Nova Scotia, and policies and capital grants in Quebec. Waste management policies are also important, driving municipalities to consider anaerobic digestion as an alternative option for organic waste processing. Examples of such policies include landfill bans, which exist in Nova Scotia and cities including Vancouver and Edmonton. Quebec is targeting a ban on organic materials by 2022, and Ontario is engaging in similar discussions. Another critical policy driver is climate change. Many provinces have established or are pursuing ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the country. British Columbia has a carbon tax and low carbon fuel standard, and many municipalities have pledged to become carbon neutral; Alberta has a carbon emissions trading system; and Ontario and Quebec are partners of the Western Climate Initiative with California, which involves cap and trade (a policy approach for controlling large amounts of emissions from a group of sources), and complementary policies to further reduce GHG emissions. In terms of restraints, Canada lacks a cohesive national energy or environment strategy and is a country that is geographically vast and resource rich. Alongside
barriers such as access to finance, feedstock availability, and contamination, there are also challenges associated with connection to either the electrical or natural gas grids, as well as securing power purchase agreements. However, there is current momentum federally to tackle climate change and energy policies in a constructive manner with provincial leaders. As part of these conversations, the CBA and other stakeholders are advocating for a national Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) strategy, to help ensure that 10 per cent of our natural gas supply comes from RNG by 2030. Provincial governments are also being encouraged to make diversion of organic materials from landfill a priority to help reduce the carbon footprint of the waste and agricultural sectors, and maximise the energy and nutrient value of these materials. In addition, municipalities, consumers, and businesses are under pressure to increase diversion to help meet corporate sustainability goals and climate change targets. Effective policies will be needed by provincial and federal governments to meet these ambitious and important goals.
Careful attention to policy development and implementation, including commitment to overcoming these barriers, can all help the Canadian biogas sector to grow. Biogas technology can be adopted in a small footprint, can function compatibly with existing operations (eg farms, wastewater treatment plants), and is capable of effectively managing odours, as well as creating energy recovery options. We believe that AD offers the greatest opportunity for growth, providing solutions for climate change as well as waste management, whether this is landfill gas recovery, the processing of source-separated materials from residents or commercial businesses, or managing agricultural waste.� www.biogasassociation.ca
Become an honorary international trade association member of ADBA We at ADBA want to accelerate the growth of the AD industry globally. We would like to work in partnership with trade associations representing AD around the world to promote the industry and identify opportunities to help build the global AD market. To find out more about becoming an honorary international trade association member, contact eleanor.maroussas@adbioresources.org adbioresources.org
www.adbioresources.org adbioresources.org
April 2016 | AD & BIOGAS NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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Global News North America
Prickly pear to fuel cars and homes in Mexico In a world first, fruit of the prickly pear cactus is being processed through anaerobic digestion and used to power cars and a small power station in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Initially developed to reduce fuel bills for a company producing corn and cacti chips, the plant’s eight tonne daily production will fuel Zitacuaro town hall’s vehicle fleet. Mexico has recently agreed targets for renewables to provide 35 per cent of the country’s electricity needs by 2024.
Poo powered transport comes to Colorado Converting eight million gallons of sewage waste into biogas, the $2.8m Persigo wastewater treatment plant is revolutionising the city of Grand Junction’s wastewater industry. Biogas from the plant is upgraded to biomethane and used to fuel around 40 fleet vehicles, including street sweepers, trucks and buses. “As far as we know, we are the only municipal wastewater facility in the nation producing biogas to be used as vehicle fuel,” says Dan Tonello, Wastewater Service Manager for Grand Junction.
Europe
Swedish Energy Agency supports woody feedstock programme The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded SEK 2,415,000 to Renewtec to conduct the LignoSys project, a research programme into the thermochemical conversion of waste with high lignocellulose (woody) content. The project will focus on the small scale thermochemical conversion of this feedstock to biomethane.
Africa
Metrogas brings biogas vehicles to Chile Natural gas developer Metrogas is branching into renewables in Chile, after working on a project to turn street market waste into biogas for vehicles. Tests have been completed and the company will build and install a pilot AD plant later this year, after which an industrial scale plant is expected. After purification, the gas will be sold to vehicle operators, such as taxis and commercial transport fleets.
Kenyan project becomes Africa’s first grid connected AD plant A 2.8 MW AD facility at Gorge Farm Energy Park, developed and operated by Tropical Power Ltd on behalf of Biojoule Kenya, has become Africa’s first grid connected biogas plant. The farm is owned and operated by VP Group, the largest producer and exporter of fresh produce in East Africa, which supplies around 150 tonnes of organic matter to the plant each day. In return, digestate from the operation is applied back to farmland and is expected to displace around 20 per cent of the company’s synthetic fertiliser use.
2 MW palm oil plant opens in Peru With an estimated cost of $2.9m, and taking two years to construct, a 2 MW AD plant by Peru’s Palmas Group is open for business. Processing wastewater from the oil production process – palm and cocoa – the biogas produced is supplied to the Palmawasi Industrial Complex in Tocache.
Tanzania Biogas Project to facilitate 10,000 plants The Tanzania Domestic Biogas Project (TDBP), aimed at rural communities, plans to design, build and install 10,000 AD plants by 2017. Following the successful installation of 12,000 plants that already support more than 70,000 people in the country, a further $411,000m has been agreed by the Tanzanian, Dutch and Norwegian governments.
South America
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Global News Serbia agrees deal with UN for biogas to CHP projects The Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining and the UN Development Program (UNDP) have signed contracts to approve the development of six new CHP units for electricity and heat production from biogas and biomass, resulting in direct financial support totalling €1.6m. The total installed capacity will be 6.3 MW, both electric and thermal.
Asia
Local biogas to power Delhi’s buses Biogas generated in Delhi’s sewage treatment plants will soon be powering the city’s buses, following approval for biogas and bioethanol in vehicles in India. Many vehicles in Delhi currently run on compressed natural gas, but the government has launched the pilot project – part of a collaboration between Delhi and Stockholm – to reduce pollution. Palm oil mill effluent to generate energy in Indonesia Supporting Indonesia’s efforts to meet its climate change goals, the US’s Millennium Challenge Corporation has agreed a $13m grant to build biogas plants at three palm oil mills in Riau Province, Indonesia. Plants established under this grant are anticipated to produce 3 MW of renewable energy, enough to power 9,000 rural homes, and mitigate the release of 117,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas per year. Krabi Waste to Energy plant begins commercial operation Krabi Waste to Energy Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Asia Biogas, has started commercial operation of the first phase of its palm oil biogas plant. A second phase of the project is planned within 18 months, to process empty fruit bunch, a solid waste produced during the palm oil manufacturing process.
Australasia Build-your-own biogas plant helps close the loop at Ugandan orphanage A self-assemble biogas unit, the brainchild of Israeli company HomeBiogas, is enabling a Ugandan orphanage to turn its organic waste into clean, renewable energy. “These children lit up when they discovered the HomeBiogas magic – that they can transform their waste and produce their very own energy,” said the company’s Chief Scientist and Co-founder, Yair Teller. The HomeBiogas units include a biofilter to minimise odour, and a chlorine filter to eliminate pathogens in the digestate, which can then be applied back to land as a fertiliser in the orphanage garden.
Funding for pilot AD projects in Victoria, Australia Victoria’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change has announced funding of $300,000 for projects to keep organic waste out of landfill and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Designed to support local government and businesses to install small scale AD technology for organics recovery and as an alternative energy source, the goal is to use pilot projects to demonstrate the viability of new technologies. In 2011-12, over 280,000 tonnes of C&I food waste was generated, only 10 per cent of which was recycled.
Tap into international biogas expertise at UK AD & Biogas 2016 With hundreds of international exhibitors already confirmed for UK AD & Biogas 2016 (6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK), it’s the perfect place to find everything you need for your next biogas project. FREE visitor registration now open at adbioresources.org
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UK AD & Biogas 2016 & Industry Awards Preview
Network, debate and do business at the global AD and biogas show of the year
A
fter a phenomenally successful six years as the UK’s leading trade show for the anaerobic digestion and biogas industry, this year sees UK AD & Biogas take on an
international focus for the first time. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham, UK, on 6-7 July 2016, UK AD & Biogas 2016 (adbioresources.org) promises to be the definitive industry event of the year. This free to attend, two-day exhibition and conference, brought to you by ADBA, is the world’s first and only truly international biogas trade show and will showcase not just the best of the UK’s AD sector – which is still growing at a pace – but also the largest and fastest growing AD markets around the world. Alongside key
figures from the UK government and AD industry, representatives from across the globe will be visiting, speaking and exhibiting at the event. The American Biogas Council will join delegations from Canada, Italy, New Zealand, India and many more besides, to share case studies and new approaches with visitors from around the world; internationally renowned companies such as Siemens, GE Monsal, Air Liquide and many more will showcase their latest products and services; and thousands of international visitors will enjoy free seminar and conference sessions, advice clinics, workshops, and visits to local AD plants. With less than three months to go, the countdown to UK AD & Biogas 2016 has officially begun! Whether you’re from South America, North America, Asia, Europe, Africa or Australasia, if you’re interested in anaerobic digestion this is the event for you.
What’s on offer? FREE content at UK AD & Biogas 2016 includes: • 350+ UK and international exhibitors • Free two-day conference featuring international case studies and examining the opportunities for AD to address global energy security, combat climate change, enhance food security and more • Technical seminar sessions covering operational performance, optimum feedstock mix, training, best practice and more • One-to-one advice clinics offering free advice from regulators and farming advisors • Research and Innovation Hub – bringing together industry and academia to debate how the latest research will transform AD and biogas over the next five years • Biomethane and vehicle area – showcasing public transport, HGVs, tractors, fleet vehicles and cars • Local site visits – see AD in action at leading food waste, sewage and on-farm biogas plants For the latest programme information go to adbioresources.org/uk-ad-biogas-2016
Join our international exhibitors Our 2015 show attracted thousands of visitors and 275 exhibitors from the UK and abroad. Raise your company profile, meet potential clients from across the globe, and increase your sales by booking a stand at the leading international biogas event of the year. With 75 per cent of stand space already sold, you’ll need to be quick if you want to secure a place. E neill.wightman@adbioresources.org
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www.adbioresources.org adbioresources.org
UK AD & Biogas 2016 & Industry Awards Preview Everything AD under one roof Visitors to UK AD & Biogas 2016 will find everything they need to make their AD project a reality, discover the latest products and services, and network with the who’s who of the international biogas world – over 4,000 attendees and 350+ exhibitors from across the globe. FREE visitor registration now open at adbioresources.org
Speaker opportunities Share your international biogas success stories, technological innovations, or global expertise with the world’s largest gathering of AD professionals. E edmund.gavaghan@adbioresources
“An essential visit for anyone already in the industry, or anyone starting up.” Amanda Pullen, AGL-Energy Ltd
87% 80%
of 2015 attendees rated the show as good to excellent
✔ of 2015 exhibitors rebooked for 2016
Could your AD company be the best in the world? Final call – enter the AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016 today! Just like our trade show, our annual awards ceremony – AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016 – is going global for the first time. This high profile, black-tie event will take place on 6 July at The Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham, UK. To see your international AD projects, products, teams and services honoured at the world’s leading AD and biogas awards ceremony – celebrating the industry’s finest achievements and innovations from across the globe – enter for FREE online at adbioresources.org. But be quick... the closing date for entries (18 April) is just days away!
The international categories UK & International awards
• Innovation in sewage treatment through AD • Best food waste collection system • Best process optimisation • Making the most of digestate • Making the most of biogas • AD hero of the year • AD team of the year
International awards
• Best international agricultural plant NEW • Best international municipal plant NEW • Best international commercial plant NEW • Best international micro-scale plant NEW
How to enter Simply complete the entry form at http://bit.ly/1QXvAsd and return to awards@adbioresources.org. As well as your 1,500 word entry, don’t forget to also send in a supporting statement, which can include graphs, links and images (no longer than two A4 pages), and a 100 word synopsis for the awards brochure. Deadline for entries – 18 April 2016
Gala Awards Dinner The AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016 will comprise a gala three course dinner with wine for over 250 industry, government and press representatives, offering first class networking opportunities. Tickets are selling fast so book your place today at adbioresources.org Individual place: £190 + VAT = £228 Table of ten: £1,800 + VAT = £2,160
Sponsorship opportunities A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available to help your company stand out from the crowd. For further details and prices contact terry.ash@adbioresources.org
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Business Without Borders
Biogas companies with their eyes on the international prize
T
he UK’s AD and biogas industry has been on an upward growth trend in recent years. Over 100 MW of electrical capacity was installed in 2015, bringing the total number of operational AD plants to more than 425; a phenomenal 600 per cent growth outside of the water sector in just five years. Despite the UK government’s recent attitude towards incentives for renewables, there are still signs of further expansion – the UK had the fastest growing biomethane sector in the world in 2015, for the second year in a row; the RHI budget is set to almost treble by 2021; and government is looking at supporting biomethane in transport.
The UK is already a world leader in food waste AD technology and, combined with the investment in innovation driven by the water sector and the country’s exemplary health and safety record – which makes it one of the safest places in the world to operate a biogas plant – it’s no surprise that many of the companies leading the recent UK AD revolution are now exporting that knowledge and expertise around the world. Here, we take a look at three ADBA members who are replicating their UK success in all corners of the globe...
Xergi sets out Stateside ambitions Danish AD plant builder Xergi is responsible for eight biogas projects in the UK, with a total capacity of 19 MW. Country Manager Jørgen Fink outlines his company’s international plans for the next few years. “We operate in three main markets – Denmark, France and the UK – and we have also just completed a large gas to grid project in Sweden. Almost all biogas in Sweden is used for vehicle fuel; there’s not such an interest in biogas for power as the country has lots of hydro power, plus there are tax incentives for companies which run their fleets on biogas. We are also active in some other European countries but our business is very dependent on political decisions – governments can pull the plug on a market, or revolutionise it, almost overnight.
Xergi’s Hometown BioEnergy plant won the American Biogas Council’s ‘Municipal Biogas Project of the Year 2015’ award
A case in point is Denmark. Between 2007-2014, nothing was really happening in the Danish biogas market, as the tariff was too low. But a new law was passed in 2014, and since then we’ve commissioned three new large gas to grid projects, which have all happened as a direct result of the incentive being raised. To avoid being at the whim of political decision makers, we are changing our strategy to become broader, more international and less dependent on just a couple of markets. We have been assessing the potential of different territories, looking at feedstock availability (be it farm, food or industrial waste), and also at which countries offer favourable tariff regimes. The two main areas of interest for us are the US and Eastern Europe. Longer term, there could also be potential in Latin America and the Far East, particularly South-East Asia, as well as South Africa. As far as the US is concerned, we currently have five plants in operation, ranging
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from 1-5 MW. More than 2,100 biogas facilities are in operation in the US, with more to come as the American biogas industry is in a period of development. Our Hometown BioEnergy plant was one of three recipients of the ‘Municipal Biogas Project of the Year 2015’ award from the American Biogas Council. The plant is one of the largest municipal biogas facilities in the US so far. We’re not interested in small scale projects, and focus more on waste rather than energy crops, as we feel it is less reliant on policy. The tariffs for energy crops have already been cut in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic, so we feel that waste-fed plants could offer more future opportunities.” www.xergi.com Visit Xergi at stand J401 at UK AD & Biogas 2016, 6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK
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Business Without Borders Europe and beyond for Greenlane Biogas Greenlane Biogas is a biogas-to-biomethane upgrading equipment manufacturer and supplier. The Greenlane business was founded in the late 1980s and became part of UK-based Pressure Technologies plc in 2014. Stephen McCulloch, Managing Director – Europe, talks about the firm’s overseas activities. “With nearly 100 operational sites around the world, including 12 in the UK, we are the largest and most experienced supplier of biogas-to-biomethane upgrading systems. Greenlane Biogas Europe is run from the UK but operates right across Europe and we have a healthy pipeline of activity coming through from all over the continent. Markets with good support mechanisms in place are particularly interesting for us. Unfortunately this no longer applies to the UK, where we see dwindling investor interest due to RHI degression.
With over 90 operational sites, Greenlane Biogas is the largest biogas upgrading supplier
We have recently diversified our offering to appeal to a wider client base. We previously specialised in water wash upgrading technology, but our portfolio now includes membrane and pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technologies, too. Outside of Europe, our North American division, which is based in Canada, is also seeing an increase in activity. And the company is working on a number of projects in South-East Asia, several in China, and has recently completed one in Brazil, too.” www.greenlanebiogas.com Visit Greenlane Biogas at stand G205 at UK AD & Biogas 2016, 6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK
Cornering Korea with Agraferm Technologies German AD plant developer Agraferm Technologies AG has built over 100 biogas plants in 20 countries, including 20 in the UK. Eike Liekweg is a member of the Board of Directors and explains why the company is now setting its sights on South Korea. “We built many plants in Germany when the market was very active. More recently, most of our activity has taken place in the UK, but we have operational sites all across Europe. We are now looking further afield and are just starting to branch out into South Korea. We have set up a subsidiary company, af biogas, and plan to build and operate three plants in the country by 2017. South Korea offers good potential for AD as it has had long term issues with waste disposal, particularly manure. Waste has traditionally been dumped in the rivers and oceans, releasing nitrogen which is harmful to marine life. We are now starting to see signs that the government is becoming more environmentally aware and wants to do something about its waste problem. There are around 10 plants operating in South Korea already, but this ‘first wave’ of activity is not for us. People tend to want something cheap and go for cost over quality. The second wave is more appealing to us. By this time, people have realised that AD is not that simple and that you get what you pay for. They are looking for expertise and proven technology, not just the lowest price. The three plants we are now going to build in South Korea will be started up initially with in-house operation, so that we can train the staff properly
The South Korean delegation join the Agraferm sales team in Austria
and guarantee a reliable transfer of our project management and technology knowledge. As for the longer term future, I would say that there is potential for AD throughout the whole of Asia. There are issues with waste disposal right across the continent, particularly within the palm oil and sugar industries. The practice of dumping or burning waste will soon come to an end, as countries become more environmentally aware and see the benefits of converting their waste through anaerobic digestion.” www.agraferm.com Visit Agraferm Technologies AG at stand F213 at UK AD & Biogas 2016, 6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK
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Doing Things Differently Augsburg, Germany: Integrating AD and composting Robin Szmidt of Target Renewables Ltd (UK) reviews a new AD facility in Germany that sets the standard for joined-up thinking.
The contract was awarded to Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbH for installation of a thermophilic plugflow ‘dry’ digester with integrated composting. Starting in early 2013, commissioning began in October and by December the site was fully operational. As soon as the AD facility came on line, input material exceeded expectations, thanks largely to the introduction of domestic 240-litre bioenergy waste bins. Only one year after commissioning the decision was made to build a third digester, increasing capacity to 75,000 tonnes.
Plugflow digestion
Green waste and comingled food waste is mixed with landscape material, then processed in two steps: first, in the thermophilic Thöni TTV AD, and second, in enclosed composting. TTV is the latest generation of horizontal plugflow digesters, with each of the facility’s two digesters having an active volume capacity of 1,650m³. The thermophilic process maximises process-rate, hygiene and biogas yield in a low-rise system which fits aesthetically into the local environment. Shredded biowaste is separated using a star screen. Oversize material (>80mm), containing about three per cent plastic, goes to the neighbouring incinerator which provides heat in return. The fine fraction (< 80mm) passes magnetic separation and
© Thöni
An hour west of Munich, the city of Augsburg had been served by an indoor composting facility since 1994. However, as this could only handle green waste and was a substantial energy consumer, the municipality decided to radically upgrade the site to dry AD in 2012. The new facility had to fit within the existing footprint, and result in the minimum of downtime. Old technology was stripped out and the buildings were remodelled to optimise combined AD and composting.
is conveyed to automated AD-feeders (3 x 200m3), which dose to a pre-mixer, blending with press water from the discharge-end of the digesters. This high-solids mix at 35 per cent dry solids is fed to the digester using hydraulic pumps. Plugflow digestion is gentle, so biochemical changes take place sequentially as the mass moves from input to outlet. The thermophilic process operates at around 54°C, accelerating bioconversion.
Quality digestate
The material has a 21-day retention time and is then discharged and separated into liquid and solid fractions by screw presses. Liquids are partially recirculated as digester-inoculum, while the remainder goes to storage for use as a high quality fertiliser. Solid digestate is loaded by automated auger into positive floor-ventilated compost tunnels for 7-day aerobic post-digestion composting. It is then moved to aerated bunkers for maturation
Augsburg at a glance (Phase I) Operator: AVA, Augsburg, Germany Technology Supplier: Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbH, Austria Total Investment: c. £15m (Phase II not disclosed) Throughput: 55k tpa (75kt tpa @ Phase II) Biomethane: 30m kWh/a (>40mkWh/a Phase II) Compost: 13.5k tpa Liquid fertiliser: 15.4k tpa Heat requirement (AD and compost): 2.8m kWh/a
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before screening at 12mm. The finished compost meets EU standards and German ‘Rottegrad’ at the highest level five, and is sold to a variety of end-users, including into the high value horticulture market. Biogas is collected in a gas store located on the load-bearing roof of the TTV digesters and upgraded by a Pentair membrane plant, feeding into the local gas network. Overall, the AD and composting project has improved throughput of the site and added real cash value to both solid and liquid products, while generating energy and reducing the carbon footprint of the whole operation: a truly multi-dimensional, circular economic investment. www.targetrenewables.com
Share your AD success stories at UK AD & Biogas 2016 Do you have an interesting case study to share with the international AD community? Then we want to hear from you! For information on speaker opportunities at UK AD & Biogas 2016 (6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK) contact edmund.gavaghan@adbioresources.org adbioresources.org
International Policy News Czech Republic maintains financial support for renewables The Czech agency for energy regulation, ERO, has confirmed continued financial support at current levels for all renewable-powered cogeneration facilities. Earlier indications suggested that support would be limited to facilities built after 2013, in order to comply with EU rules. According to the Czech Biogas Association (CZBA), while the initial plans would have had serious consequences for older facilities, the change of heart to continue support is welcome. www.czba.cz
EC launches consultation for post-2020 sustainable bioenergy policy The European Commission has launched a public consultation for the preparation of a sustainable bioenergy policy for the period after 2020. The consultation period runs from 10 February 2016 to 10 May 2016. All relevant stakeholders and citizens are invited to take part in the survey; responses can be submitted via https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/BioenergySurvey2016
Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul studies biomethane incentives bill
European Commission approves Swedish biomethane tax exemption In Sweden, the tax credit for biomethane has been approved by the European Commission until 2020, while exemptions for other sustainable biofuels have been approved until the end of 2018. The news was welcomed by the Swedish Finance Minister, Magdalena Andersson, who stated that the government can now “put all our energy into developing sustainable rules by 2018”. The government’s goal is to have rules in place that provide long-term sustainable and stable conditions for biofuels as quickly as possible.
Finland invests heavily in renewables The Finnish government has announced that it will provide €80m in aid to biofuel and new energy technology projects to meet its climate goals by 2030. The country wants to source more than half of its energy needs from renewables by the 2020s and has also confirmed it plans to phase out coal and reduce its use of imported oil. Consumption of hard coal, which is mainly imported from Russia, fell in 2015 by 26 per cent year-on-year to 2.6m tonnes, while Finnish utilities have already mothballed or permanently closed a number of coal power plants.
In Brazil, the Rio Grande do Sul State Legislative Assembly is analysing a biomethane incentives bill. The bill establishes the Biomethane State Policy and the Generation and Use of Biomethane Incentives Program (RS GAS) and aims to stimulate the biomethane sector and promote regional development. Under the new law, Rio Grande do Sul will be able to develop special credit lines, including subsidies for the production of biomethane.
UN report reveals potential for energy from human waste A recently released report by the United Nations University claims that human waste could provide enough energy to power Indonesia, Brazil and Ethiopia combined. Biogas from human waste could generate electricity for up to 138m households, says the ‘Valuing Human Waste as an Energy Resource’ report, which emphasises that biogas is approximately 60 per cent methane by volume and can be generated through the bacterial breakdown of faecal matter through anaerobic digestion. bit.ly/1kQdgWy
Hear the latest policy updates at UK AD & Biogas 2016 UK AD & Biogas 2016 (6-7 July, NEC Birmingham, UK) incorporates a FREE two-day conference, which will take an in-depth look at the policy drivers shaping various international AD markets. To register your attendance, go to adbioresources.org today.
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April 2016 | AD & BIOGAS NEWS INTERNATIONAL
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AD & BIOGAS NEWS INTERNATIONAL | April 2016
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