NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 Volume 5 • Issue 6
Quantum’s theory
A Malaysian pellet producer is expanding in order to stay ahead of new competition
Opportunity or challenge?
Asia’s energy market has undoubted potential but still leaves investors with major questions to resolve
Regional focus: bioenergy in Asia
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contents Bioenergy
Contents Issue 6 • Volume 5 November/December 2014 Horseshoe Media Limited Marshall House 124 Middleton Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 6RW, UK www.bioenergy-news.com PUBLISHER Margaret Dunn Tel: +44 (0)208 687 4143 margaret@bioenergy-news.com EDITOR Keeley Downey Tel: +44 (0)20 8687 4183 keeley@bioenergy-news.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Natasha Spencer Tel: +44 (0)20 8687 4146 natasha@horseshoemedia.com STAFF WRITER Daniel Traylen Tel: +44 (0)20 8687 4126 daniel@horseshoemedia.com INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGER Tom Hunter Tel: +44 (0) 203 551 5752 tom@bioenergy-news.com NORTH AMERICA SALES REPRESENTATIVE Matt Weidner +1 610 486 6525 mtw@weidcom.com PRODUCTION Alison Balmer Tel: +44 (0)1673 876143 alisonbalmer@btconnect.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES £150/€210/$275 for 6 issues per year. Contact: Lisa Lee Tel: +44 (0)20 8687 4160 Fax: +44 (0)20 8687 4130 marketing@horseshoemedia.com
3 Comment 4 News 18 Technology news 24 Incident report 25 Green page 26 EU’s compromise: the 2030 EU energy and climate framework
27 RHI sustainability criteria agreed
No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form by any mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or other means without the prior written consent of the publisher. Whilst the information and articles in Bioenergy Insight are published in good faith and every effort is made to check accuracy, readers should verify facts and statements direct with official sources before acting on them as the publisher can accept no responsibility in this respect. Any opinions expressed in this magazine should not be construed as those of the publisher. ISSN 2046-2476
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The UK government has published further details on sustainability criteria for biomethane, which will be implemented in Q3 2015
28 Opportunity or challenge — what next for energy in Asia?
Asia’s energy market has undoubted potential but still leaves investors with major questions to resolve
31 Quantum’s theory
An established wood pellet producer in Malaysia is continuing to expand in order to stay ahead of new competition and reach economies of scale
32 A Filipino first
Ground has broken on the Philippines’ inaugural biomethane plant, which will be the first of many
34 Plant update — Asia 36 Tapping into new markets 38 The strongest link
Gainesville biomass plant earns FSC Chain of Custody certification
39 Skills in the bioenergy sector 42 Keeping silos safe
How to protect biomass storage silos from explosions and fires
44 Protecting against explosions 46 Out of sight, not out of mind
Follow us on Twitter: @BioenergyInfo
The European Council’s EU framework for renewable energy development has left the sector disappointed
Specifying dust control for bulk materials handling
49 From the ground up
Controlling biomass dust in bulk conveyor systems
52 Spanish technology in Asia
In Malaysia, the country’s largest pellet production plant in nearing completion
54 Added value 55 Actions speak louder than words 57 From Wight to green
The Isle of Wight is gearing up to welcome its first ever biogas plant
58 Cellulosic game changer 61 Upcoming events Advert index
November/December 2014 • 1
Bioenergy comment
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comment Bioenergy
Large and in charge
A
Keeley Downey Editor
s 2014 draws to a close, our spotlight falls on Asia — a region which has been dominating the headlines throughout the year. The continent’s need for wood pellets is soaring and, unsurprisingly, this is affecting other markets around the world — namely Canada and Europe. In the past, a huge majority of Canada’s wood pellets were shipped to Europe. However a portion of these exports are now finding themselves en route to Asia instead as its market begins to open up. To put this into context, South Korea imported just 2,000 tonnes of Canadian pellets two years ago. Last year this figure jumped to over 113,000 tonnes and in 2014 reached 300,000 tonnes. In total, the country is expected to take between 1.3 and 1.5 million tonnes of pellets this year alone. Other pellet-hungry players in this region include Japan, which will have imported
around 100,000 tonnes this year, and China. Inside this issue we speak with John Arsenault of the Quebec Wood Export Bureau, who recently received an email from a Chinese wood pellet buyer looking to purchase 2 million tonnes — the entire annual pellet production capacity of Canada! This just goes to show the renewable energy potential of this vast country. We will be watching to see how soon this potential presents itself, especially given the recent US-China joint announcement on climate change and clean energy cooperation. China’s president, Xi Jinping, has revealed ambitious 2030 plans to increase the non-fossil fuel share of all energy to around 20%. Together, the US and China account for over a third of global GHG emissions. But, as we find out, shipping biomass into Asia can be difficult given the unusual tendering system associated with securing contracts in
certain countries. In addition, questions still remain whether this surge in Asian demand marks the beginning of a significant growth period for North American suppliers, or whether it’s a oneoff. Only time will tell. That said, many believe pellets were redirected from Europe to Asia this year following the closure of the Belgian market, when green certificates for Electrabel’s Green Max power plant in Ghent were provisionally halted. With things back on track, it is unlikely we will see a repeat of such aggressive trading going into 2015. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our advertisers and contributors for your support this year and we look forward to working with you in 2015. In the meantime, here’s to a happy New Year.
Best wishes, Keeley
Follow us on Twitter: @BioenergyInfo
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November/December 2014 • 3
biomass news
xxxxxx Bioenergy
Brazil to overtake US as world’s leader for biopower Brazil is expected to overtake the US as the world’s leading biopower producing nation by 2018, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. Production capacity in Brazil will rise from 11.51GW in 2013 to 17.10GW in 2018. According to GlobalData’s report, the US had the world’s largest biopower installed capacity in 2013, with 15.43GW, but this will only rise to 16.49GW by 2018. The country will witness slow growth due to its large existing capacity, which has saturated the market. Harshavardhan Reddy Nagatham, GlobalData’s alternative energy analyst, comments: ‘A major share of the US’s biopower capacity was installed in the 1980s and 1990s, meaning the
country already had 12.82GW by 2006, while Brazil only had 3.59GW by that time. ‘The nascent Brazilian market is being driven by the government, which has made it necessary for local utility service providers to obtain at least 2GW of installed biomass capacity through auctions annually, for 10 years from 2007.’ While feedstock supply interruptions are a possibility due to the rising levels of deforestation in some regions, the growing number of sugarcane plantations is expected to compensate for this. Nagatham explains: ‘The abundance of sugarcane in Brazil makes the installation of biomass technology a very viable option for power generation. Biomass projects will also generate electricity from both sugarcane waste and non-food energy crops, such as eucalyptus and pine trees.’
Brazil’s installed biopower capacity is expected to reach over 17GW by 2018
Renewable power from biomass in Brazil, however, does face competition from other sectors, such as hydropower, natural gas and wind. ‘The biggest challenge to bioenergy will be Brazilian utility companies’ inclination towards wind power and the large drop in wind energy capital expenditure,’ says
Nagatham. ‘Furthermore, the Brazilian Development Bank, which provides low-interest loans for renewable projects, does not give biomass ventures free access to finance, and instead shows preference towards wind power.’ GlobalData forecasts Brazil will have an installed capacity of 25.22GW biopower by 2025. l
Everbright International secures biomass project China Everbright International has signed an agreement with the Chinese county of Rudong in Nantong city, Jiangsu province, for the investment, construction and operation of an agricultural waste and straw project. This will be the seventh biomass project Everbright International has secured in 2014. The total investment of the Rudong project is approximately RMB90 million
(€11.7 million). The project will include 29 agricultural waste and straw processing plants and will be constructed in several phases. It will convert agricultural waste and straw from Rudong and the surrounding areas into wood pellets, providing substitute fuel to replace coal for nearby manufacturing enterprises. The project will have an annual agricultural waste and straw processing capacity of approximately 130,000 tonnes, with an operation period of 30 years. Chen Xiaoping, CEO of Everbright International, says: ‘The standardised treatment of agricultural waste and straw will advance
4 • November/December 2014
the development of the rural economy and increase both agricultural earnings and farmers’ income as well as curb environmental pollution caused by traditional straw burning method. ‘The Rudong project will establish an effective collection-storagetransportation processing system of agricultural
straw in Rudong and the surrounding areas, generating mutual benefits for local farmers and boosting the development of the lowcarbon economy so as to achieve an optimal economic and social impact.’ l
Straw will be one of the feedstocks utilised in the project
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biomass news
DP CleanTech and Everbright International form strategic partnership Biomass solutions provider DP CleanTech has signed an equipment supply agreement with China Everbright International to supply the largest waste-toenergy project in Africa. DP’s European high pressure, high temperature technology has been installed in over 50 biomass power
plants in China alone. It was first implemented in Europe 30 years ago. DP CleanTech and Everbright are well positioned to cooperate in various areas of technological integration and joint R&D to develop environmental protection projects around the world. DP CleanTech CEO Simon Parker comments: ‘This first project in Ethiopia is a significant step in developing a working platform based on mutual trust, best practice and shared knowledge. Together we can advance the significant
role that waste and biomass have to play in achieving important renewable energy targets and energy security in many countries around the world.’ Chen Xiaoping, CEO of Everbright International, adds: ‘This is the first time that we have developed a strategic cooperation with another company to explore overseas markets. We will collaborate in addressing waste-to-energy and biomass markets and other environmental projects both overseas and in China.’ l
SMUD seeks project developer for biomass gasification plant In the US, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has released a request for statements of interest (RSOI) in the development of a biomass gasification project for combined heat and power (CHP) application in Sacramento, California. SMUD says it is seeking an experienced project developer with a commercial technology that has a track record of successful implementation and operation. The district is targeting a project of at least 3MW in size,
using roughly 70 tonnes per day (about 24,000 tonnes per year) of clean wood waste. Larger projects may also be possible. Project size is contingent on site size constraints, feedstock availability and long-term supply, truck traffic impact, agreement with site host, and other limitations. HP Hood, located in the city of Sacramento, has already been identified as a potential host willing to provide the site for the project and potentially offtake the waste heat. According to SMUD’s feedstock availability assessment, there is plenty of wood waste to sustain at least a 3MW project. The site is strategically located in an area where the feedstock is abundant and accessible. The deadline for responses was 26 November 2014. l
Abengoa to build biomass plant in Belgium
20MW biomass plant planned for Philippines
In Ghent, Belgium, Abengoa has announced it will build the largest commercial-scale biomass-fired power plant in the world.
Bronzeoak Philippines, a developer of solar power projects in the Philippines, is diversifying its portfolio with a biomass power project.
The company was chosen by electricity and gas company Belgian Eco Energy (Bee). The plant, expected to cost in excess of €315 million, will utilise woodchips and agro-residues to generate 215MW of renewable power. Abengoa will be responsible for the engineering, design
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and construction of the plant. Using circulated fluidised bed technology, the biomass will be converted into high pressure steam, which subsequently passes through a steam turbine to produce electricity. In addition to the 215 MW of clean energy, the plant will also produce approximately 100MW of thermal energy that will be distributed to supply heating to industries and households in the city of Ghent. Abengoa already operates biomass plants in Europe, Latin America and the US. l
Following approval from its board of directors, Bronzeoak will now invest $90 million (€72 million) in a 20MW biomass-fired power plant in Negros Occidental. The feedstock for this facility will be sugarcane farm waste. The work will be carried out by San Carlos Biopower, a joint venture between Bronzeoak and European asset management firm ThomasLloyd Group. The installation of equipment is scheduled to start in April next year, with development slated to last up to 24 months. The biomass plant will be located close to an existing ethanol plant owned by San Carlos Bioenergy. l
November/December 2014 • 5
biomass news
Gemma Power Systems completes ETEC biomass plant three months early In Texas, US, Gemma Power Systems, an EPC company and wholly owned subsidiary of Argan, has finished building the East Texas Electric Cooperative (ETEC) Woodville Renewable Power Project, three months ahead of schedule. The 49.9MW biomass plant in Woodville has now completed testing and been turned over to ETEC for commercial operation. ‘The Gemma team worked in close partnership with
our customer ETEC to bring this project in on budget and three months ahead of schedule,’ says William Griffin, Jr., CEO of Gemma Power Systems. Construction on the plant began in July 2012. It will be operated by Gemma Plant Operations, a subsidiary of Gemma Power Systems, under a separate contract with ETEC. The ETEC Woodville Renewable Power project is fuelled by chipped forest waste. The plant features a Shin Nippon steam turbine generator and a Riley Power advanced stoker boiler with integrated air quality control system. l
RWE Innogy moves away from biomass Bester RWE Innogy and Fri-El Green Generación Power have concluded the transfer of RWE Innogy’s 80% begins stake in Enna, a biomass power construction plant based in Sicily, Italy, to Fri-El. The deal includes the on UK biomass respective biomass harvesting and forest management activities. power plant RWE Innogy Italia, with an 80% share in the power plant, and Fri-El, with a 20% share, were the sole parties in the joint venture following RWE Innogy’s recent acquisition of a 10% stake of the former joint venture partner (IG). RWE Innogy said in a statement that, due to a strategic realignment, it no longer
considers smaller biomass plants to be core business in the fields of renewables. In the future, the company will focus on the sectors of on- and offshore wind and hydropower. Phil Piddington, head of RWE Innogy Biomass, says: ‘Together with Fri-El Green Power we have constructed the first biomass cogeneration plant in Sicily. I am now proud to hand over a power plant that operates well. In times of limited funds, the disposal of non-core biomass activities is a required step for RWE Innogy and contributes to support future in core segments.’ The biomass plant has a capacity of 18.7MW and is designed for a power generation output of 126,000MWh. This is enough to supply about 30,000 residential households with electricity per year. l
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Bester Generación, a company dedicated to the development, engineering, construction and maintenance of renewable energy projects, has broken ground on a combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Northamptonshire, UK. Construction began following the closure of £23 million (€29 million) in project finance. It is expected to take around 12 months, with the plant slated to begin operations in early 2016. ‘The road has been hard, but it is now a reality and we will move as quickly as possible to begin operating in early 2016,’ says Bester Generación CEO, Macías Sánchez. The plant will generate 4.8MW of electricity and will have a production capacity of about 38,400MWh per year. This is enough to power 12,800 homes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 9,500 tonnes. l
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biomass news
Eco2 sells third biomass plant in £160m deal Welsh renewable energy company Eco2 has sold its 44.2MW straw-fired biomass plant in Snetterton, East Anglia to BWSC PCL in a £160 million (€201.7 million) deal. BWSC PCL is a joint venture between Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor and PensionDanmark. This marks the second deal of its kind to BWSC PCL, following Eco2’s sale of its Brigg straw-fired biomass plant in North Lincolnshire to the venture in 2013. The Snetterton plant will be primarily fuelled using locally sourced straw and will generate enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 82,000 homes. It will result in an annual CO2 emissions reduction of approximately 300,000 tonnes. Originally developed by Iceni Energy, the plant received planning consent in July 2012. Iceni Energy and Eco2 partnered
in May last year to take the plant forward to financial close. Eco2’s CEO David Williams says: ‘This is a significant deal for the UK biomass industry, and the second sale Eco2 has completed with BWSC PCL on a sustainable-scale straw-fired biomass plant. We have a longstanding relationship with BWSC, who we also worked with on the sale of Wales’ first commercial-scale biomass plant in Port Talbot in 2006 – the Western Wood Energy Plant. This latest deal is the third of its kind in the past three years, totalling £490 million.’ The investment in Snetterton is of DKK1.6 billion (€215 million). PensionDanmark invested DKK1.4 billion, which is financed through Copenhagen Infrastructure I, managed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, while BWSC invested the remaining DKK200 million in the plant. BWSC will be responsible for building, operating and maintaining the plant, which is expected to be operational by spring 2017. Straw supply contracts have been put in place for the next 12 years. l
Funding secured for renewable energy facility in UK Foresight Group and the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) are investing in the construction of a new waste wood combined heat and power (CHP) facility in Merseyside, UK.
The plant, which will generate 20.2MW of electricity and 7.8MW of thermal power, will be powered by 146,000 tonnes per year of waste wood, sourced by Stobart Biomass Products under a long-term fuel supply contract. The facility will provide electricity to the grid and the heat offtake will be used by Stobart’s adjacent wood drying facility. It will be built within the Mersey Multimodal Gateway project, a 180 hectare logistics hub, just west of Liverpool. The project, which is expected to become operational by December 2016, will be amongst the largest power plants of its type in the UK, and is the largest waste wood plant in the northwest of the country. The plant will be built and operated by Danish power plant specialist Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC), and over its expected 20-year lifetime, the facility is forecast to supply renewable electricity equivalent to the needs of more than 35,000 homes annually and deliver a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of around
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Merseyside is the location of the new plant
1.3 million tonnes — the equivalent to taking nearly 30,000 cars off the road. GIB is providing £16.9 million (€21 million) of mezzanine loans and also making a £13.2 million equity investment, via its Foresightmanaged fund, UK Waste Resources & Energy Investments, in which it is the cornerstone investor. The remaining £42.1 million mezzanine finance is being provided by GCP Infrastructure Investors. Investec Bank and Eksport Kredit Fonden have together committed £42.5 million of senior loans, while Stobart and BWSC will both take an equity stake with commitments of £9.8 million and £2.6 million, respectively. ‘This project is a great example of
how we can build the next generation of energy and waste management infrastructure in a way that is green, cost-effective and highly efficient. This type of innovative infrastructure adds to our domestic electricity generation and reduces our carbon emissions,’ says the UK GIB’s CEO, Shaun Kingsbury. ‘What is particularly important is that these projects are replicable and scalable.’ Richard Butcher, CEO of Stobart Energy and Infrastructure, comments: ‘This agreement secures an attractive energy investment for the group and will make an important contribution towards achieving our target of delivering 2 million tonnes of fuel per annum into the UK biomass market by 2017-2018. l
November/December 2014 • 7
biogas news Work soon to begin on UK waste management plant In the UK, AmeyCespa, North Yorkshire County Council and the City of York Council, have signed a contract to design, build and operate a new integrated waste management facility — Allerton Waste Recovery Park. The facility will include a recycling plant, an anaerobic digestion plant and a waste-to-energy plant for the treatment of residual household waste. Anaerobic digestion company OWS was selected by Amey Cespa to supply the AD plant, including its patented Dranco technology, to the site. This is OWS’s first order in the UK for its patented Dranco dry digestion technology. The Dranco technology is able to handle contaminated organic fractions from mixed household waste, containing significant amounts of sand, glass and stones. It allows operation with no or very little addition of water so that the digestate can be easily burnt together with the non-recyclable waste.
A computer aided design of the Allerton Waste Recovery Park
The digestate will have a dry matter of 35% solids and can be pumped as such to the waste-to-energy plant for coincineration. Other digestion technologies would require drying or dewatering of the digestate prior to mixing it with the nonrecyclable fraction before incineration. ‘The order for us amounts to €15.2 million and comprises a Dranco digestion unit for the treatment of 40,000 tonnes per year of organic waste. Our scope of delivery includes a large digester, a gas storage, a flare, and biogas engines
with a capacity of around 1.8MW,’ says Luc De Baere, MD of OWS. Construction of Allerton Waste Recovery Park is expected to begin in December 2014 and take approximately 36 months to complete. It will become fully operational during 2018. Once completed, the facility is expected to process around 320,000 tonnes of household waste and some commercial waste annually. It will also generate renewable electricity to power the equivalent of over 40,000 homes. l
AD plant to turn London food waste into energy In the UK, Willen Biogas is developing a 27,000 tonne per year biogas plant at Cattlegate Farm in Enfield, London. Willen Biogas is owned by the investment funds Foresight Environmental Fund (FEF) and UK Waste Resources and Energy Investments fund (UKWREI), with both funds managed by Foresight Group, and by Adrian Williams, Howard Williams, Brian Williams and Mark Lennon. ‘This is the second project where both the FEF and UKWREI have invested alongside each other to provide the majority of the equity and the first where they have provided the full
8 • November/December 2014
project capital needed,’ says Nigel Aitchison, partner at Foresight. The project developer, D. Williams & Co., also owns Cattlegate Farm in Enfield where the biogas plant will be built. Accounting and business advisory firm BDO has assisted during the development in arranging financing of the project. Xergi has been appointed to build and operate the plant, which will generate renewable electricity for the grid and recycle nutrients from organic waste matter into agricultural fertiliser. It will use the large quantities of food waste produced across London by households, restaurants, and the food industry. Under the contract, Xergi will deliver a turnkey-ready biogas plant to Willen Biogas. Additionally, it will be
responsible for the commissioning of the plant and the subsequent operation for two years. This will involve Xergi establishing a new organisation to ensure efficient operation of the plant. ‘Our technology is particularly suited to this task and we therefore look forward both to building the plant and the responsibility for operations,’ says Xergi CEO Jørgen Ballermann. Among other features, the plant will be equipped with a pre-treatment facility that sorts plastic residues from organic waste. The plant will also be built with an engine plant that can produce 1.5MW of electricity, enough to power around 1,750 households. Construction began in August of this year and the biogas plant is forecast to become operational in May 2016. l
Bioenergy Insight
biogas news
Bristol welcomes gas-to-grid plant A new gas-to-grid plant has opened at Bristol sewage treatment works in the UK. The plant is run by Wessex Water subsidiary GENeco, which has become the first company in the UK to start injecting gas generated from food waste and sewage into the national gas grid network and at the same time install a gas refuelling plant for a compressed natural gas (CNG) bus. Seventeen million m3 a year of biomethane is generated at the Bristol plant and the ‘Bio-Bus’ will be able to travel 300km on a full tank of renewable gas.
CNG Services, a specialist in the injection of biomethane into the UK gas grid, was involved in the design, project management and commissioning of the project. GENco’s GM Mohammed Saddiq says: ‘Through treating sewage and food that is unfit for human consumption, we’re able to produce enough biomethane to provide a significant supply of gas to the national gas network that’s capable of powering almost 8,500 homes as well as fuelling the Bio-Bus.’ He continues: ‘Gas powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities, but the Bio-Bus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living
The Bio-Bus will be able to travel 300km on a full tank of renewable gas
in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself. Using biomethane in this way not only provides a sustainable fuel, but also reduces our reliance on traditional fossil fuels.’
John Baldwin, MD of CNG Services, adds: ‘Wessex is leading the way both in reducing CO2, producing green gas that can be both used for heating homes and for fuelling buses.’ l
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November/December 2014 • 9
biogas news
California’s VVWRA marks start-up of biogas production system In the US, the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) marked the official start-up of its new Omnivore biogas production system with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the end of September. Omnivore was provided by technology supplier Anaergia and funded in part by the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) programme. The start-up of the VVWRA Omnivore project demonstrates how wastewater treatment plants can increase digester loading and biogas production using existing infrastructure. It includes Anaergia’s high solids mixers and recuperative thickener, which change an ordinary digester into a high-solids Omnivore digester.
The Omnivore retrofit enables VVWRA to triple the digester’s solids content and biogas production rate. VVWRA will convert the additional biogas into electricity to meet part of the wastewater treatment facility’s electrical demand. This is the first North America-based project where Anaergia has provided its high solids digestion technologies. Logan Olds, VVWRA’s GM, says: ‘Our goal is to demonstrate that we can operate our existing infrastructure more efficiently. With recuperative thickening or even with traditional digesters, the ability to co-digest an additional waste stream can bring added value to the facility, whether it be through minimising tipping fees or by producing power from the additional methane that is generated as a result of the decomposition.’ In similar news, Anaergia and its project partner Grannus Biogas has signed a contract with the Pima County Regional Wastewater
Reclamation Department (PCRWRD) in Arizona to design-buildfinance-own-operate a large-scale biomethane upgrading facility. In March of this year, Anaergia and Grannus were selected to enter negotiations with Pima, and the resulting service contract has now been executed. PCRWRD operates nine wastewater treatment facilities in Pima County, which generate biosolids that can be used to create biogas. The majority of biosolids generated at these wastewater plants are transferred to a centralised wastewater biosolids handling and treatment facility located at the Tres Rios Water Reclamation Facility just outside of Tucson, Arizona. Here, biosolids are processed in anaerobic digesters, producing a continuous supply of digester gas which is currently flared. The biomethane upgrading facility will treat and compress the biogas, creating biomethane which will be compositionally similar to natural gas. l
UK biogas filling station officially opened In the UK, the West Country’s first biogas filling station has been officially opened and will supply low emission road transportation fuel. The new open access filling station, located at Bridgwater, is part of a national network of biogas stations being developed by Gasrec. The facility, along with others across the UK, allows HGV fleet operators to cut fuel and pollution costs by converting to dual-fuel or dedicated gas vehicles, and assists the government to improve air quality and meet long term carbon reduction targets. Rob Wood, Gasrec’s CEO, says: ‘Transport fleet operators recognise the need to make substantial cuts in their emissions. While HGVs only represent around 1% of UK road vehicles, they produce a disproportionate 20% of carbon emissions from UK road transport and a significantly higher proportion of the more dangerous particulate matter and other noxious elements.’
10 • November/December 2014
Gasrec’s biogas filling station
The Bridgwater site is a state-ofthe-art pumped gas filling station, supplying Gasrec’s proprietary low emission Bio-LNG fuel. The flexible and modular facility has the capacity to supply up to 80 vehicles per day
and will be expanded as demand increases. As this national infrastructure grows it provides businesses with the confidence to significantly increase their use of low emission bio-LNG for deliveries across the country. l
Bioenergy Insight
biogas news
Farm power key to future UK energy supply UK farms could be a major player in a shift towards a resilient, low-carbon energy system, according to a report launched by the Farm Power coalition. The coalition, which is made up of a growing number of farming bodies, businesses and NGOs, is now calling on policymakers and other key stakeholders, including supermarkets, to support the vision. The research carried out by sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, which leads the coalition, and Nottingham Trent University, found there was at least 10GW of untapped resources across UK farms. Deploying renewable energy installations to generate power can complement food production, increase jobs and economic growth for farmers and surrounding communities, and help biodiversity, land and water management and other ecosystem services. The findings evidence the coalition’s
belief that UK farms and rural communities could become significant contributors to the energy system by 2020 if a number of obstacles are tackled. The report states that supermarkets need to build on the work they are already doing with farmers by committing to buying home-grown energy, and in doing so, sending out a strong message of their backing for farm-based energy generation to policymakers, their customers and suppliers, and the energy industry. There are issues surrounding the inconsistency and accessibility of relevant information available to help farmers and rural communities quickly find the solutions that work best for them. To tackle this, a year-long communications campaign is being launched by Farm Power co-founder Farmers Weekly. Neil Hughes, head of technology, National Grid, says: ‘Farms and rural communities can make a significant contribution to the sustainable energy mix but we need to collaborate to make it happen. We’ll share our insights into the energy system, the
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merits of various technology options and the policy landscape to help farmers and rural communities to make the right choices.’ Iain Watt, project lead at Forum for the Future, comments: ‘Our research shows that it’s easy to quickly find at least 10GW of unmet potential across British farms. This is a huge figure, and would go a long way in helping the UK meet its renewable energy targets.’ Julia Davies, of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, adds: ‘The research shows that farmers could be key to localising our energy supply and helping close the loop between supply and demand at a community level.’ The 10GW figure was calculated based on farm data, analysis of a Farmers Weekly survey and scenarios built up on the basis of some realistic assumptions about how many projects farms in the UK could host. Data was also used to estimate the amount of land that could reasonably be used for installing solar panels, wind turbines and anaerobic digestion systems. l
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Handling a World of Materials
November/December 2014 • 11
biogas news
Cranfield University opens AD research plant A new anaerobic digestion (AD) research plant has been officially opened at Cranfield University in the UK. The plant, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and supported by Shanks Waste Management, will divert up to 10 tonnes a year of food waste from landfill. It will also
save up to 5 tonnes of CO2 and produce up to 8 tonnes of biofertiliser. At the opening ceremony, ADBA’s CEO Charlotte Morton said: ‘With degressing incentives increasingly impacting on the economic viability of AD, the industry is under more pressure to improve operational performance, manage environmental risk and to find ways of maximising the energy and fertiliser outputs of the process.
‘Through the collation of data on a larger scale than existing labs, Cranfield’s new research plant should be able to play a major role in developing and testing the next generation of AD technology by providing access to the “plug and play” demonstration facility, enabling companies to robustly and objectively de-risk, test and develop their technology.’ l
AECOM awarded PlanET delivers biogas plant to contract for UK company Newtown Creek UK lime works company Renewable Natural Singleton Birch has opened its 1.5MW biogas plant in Gas Project North Lincolnshire, England. In the US, infrastructure and support services firm AECOM has been awarded a designbuild contract from National Grid, in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the Newtown Creek Renewable Natural Gas Project in New York City. The project will consist of injecting pipeline-quality gas into National Grid’s existing gas network through designing and constructing a purification system that converts biogas by-product from the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant into renewable natural gas for residential and commercial use. The project will be one of the first in the US that directly injects renewable gas into a local distribution system, and it is projected to produce a reliable source of clean energy, reduce air emissions and help tackle climate change. Construction of the purification system will begin this year and is expected to be completed by fall 2016. l
12 • November/December 2014
The new plant will generate 40% of Singleton Birch’s power requirements, with four local farmers providing 30,000 tonnes of feedstock annually. This includes manure, slurry, maize and sugar beet, as well as grass from the Humberside Airport. PlanET Biogas UK was responsible for constructing the plant, which features a 96m3 PlanET
Vario feeder, the gas storage system PlanET Flexstore, and raw biogas desulphurisation with the PlanET eco cover. ‘For the Humber region, this AD plant is a unique project in terms of energy management, which sustainably ensures economic efficiency and a competitive operation of our energy consuming lime business,’ says Martin Haworth, technical director at Singleton Birch. The new plant will help the company reduce its energy costs and reduce CO2 emissions. l
PlanET Biogas UK was responsible for building the 1.5MW biogas plant
Bioenergy Insight
biogas news
Landfill gas-toenergy project opens in North Carolina
Sunshine Gas Producers begins renewable energy production in California
In the US, DTE Biomass Energy has completed its 9.6MW landfill gas-to-energy project at the Uwharrie Environmental Landfill in Mt. Gilead, North Carolina.
Sunshine Gas Producers, a joint venture between DTE Biomass Energy and EIF Renewable Energy Holdings through its subsidiary Landfill Energy Systems, has started generating electricity from landfill gas at its recently built renewable energy facility at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill in Sylmar.
The landfill site at which it is located is owned and operated by Republic Services of North Carolina. DTE Biomass Energy started operating the facility in September. Landfill gas at the site is used to generate renewable energy which is then sold to Duke Energy Progress. The Uwharrie facility will more than double DTE Biomass’ generation capacity in North Carolina, where it already operates six renewable energy projects. ‘We have built strong relationships with several North Carolina-based contractors, Montgomery County, Republic Services and Duke Energy Progress,’ comments Mark Cousino, president of DTE Biomass Energy. ‘This collaboration was instrumental in the successful launch of the project and provides a solid foundation for continued growth of these partnerships moving forward.’ l
DTE Biomass Energy developed and will also operate the plant, which has the capacity to generate 20MW. Browning-Ferris Industries of California, a subsidiary of Republic Services, owns and operates the landfill site.
Landfill gas generated at the site will be used to produce renewable energy to be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement. The power plant, which includes five turbine generators, is capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power nearly 25,000 homes. ‘We are proud to help fulfil California’s 33% renewable energy goal through our investment in this base load electric production facility,’ says Richard DiGia, president of EIF Renewable Energy Holdings. ‘The opening of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill facility is another positive step for the use of domestic renewable energy to drive cost-effective and cleaner energy production by enabling the conversion of landfill gas from waste into power generation.’ l
Wärtsilä to develop Indonesia’s first bio-LNG plant Wärtsilä has signed a joint development agreement with two Indonesian partners to develop the first biogas liquefaction (bioLNG) plant in Indonesia. The co-signers of the agreement with Wärtsilä are national energy company PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT Godang Tua Jaya (GTJ), a waste utilisation sector specialist company. Wärtsilä Oil and Gas Systems will conduct a feasibility study for the project to develop a mini bio-LNG plant with a capacity of 0.75 tonnes per hour, which corresponds to approximately 4MW/hour in electrical production. The plant will process municipal solid waste into biogas for use as a renewable energy source for typical vehicle fuel. In addition to the feasibility study, Wärtsilä Oil and Gas Systems will provide technological support and an economic assessment. If the
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Wärtsilä’s bio-LNG plant in Oslo
project is deemed to be feasible then the parties are expected to enter into an execution agreement. ‘Renewable energy is an increasingly important global requirement,’ comments Sanjay Verma, area sales
director, Wärtsilä Ship Power. Wärtsilä has also built a bio-LNG plant in Oslo, Norway. The plant converts 50,000 tonnes per year of household food waste into biomethane that is then used to fuel the local buses. l
November/December 2014 • 13
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biogas news
Iona Capital invests in Scottish biogas plant UK biogas investment firm Iona Capital has completed its investment in a Charlesfield, Scotlandbased anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. The plant will process a mixture of farm generated waste and inject biomethane directly into the local gas grid. This project follows Iona’s first Scottish project, located in Perth, which is expected to start its commissioning process shortly. The company’s latest venture is its eleventh in the UK and its second gas-to-grid facility. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of Q2 2015 and will produce over 3 million m3
of biomethane per annum. Iona has teamed up with Germany AD specialist MTEnergie and Scotia Gas Networks (SGN), which will source the network entry equipment and oversee the project’s connection to the gas grid. The project was initiated and developed by Iain MacKinnon and Trevor Jackson of Charlesfield First. Biogas Power will operate the plant, while Waverley Farm Contracts sources local feedstock supplies on a longterm basis for the plant. ‘The biogas market continues to offer significant long-term growth potential and attractive risk weighted returns to investors,’ says Nick Ross, director at Iona Capital. l
Swedish FordonsGas acquired by Air Liquide Air Liquide, a producer of high value-added gases, has signed an agreement for the acquisition of FordonsGas, a company that distributes compressed biogas (CBG) for the Swedish transportation market. FordonsGas owns and operates more than 40 CBG stations in Sweden, making it one of the largest distribution networks for this alternative fuel in the country. These filling stations enable owners and users of natural gas vehicles (NGVs), e.g. taxis, corporate vehicle fleets, buses and passenger
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cars, to acquire fuel that is more environmentally friendly — almost 70% is produced from renewable energies. In Sweden, Air Liquide has supplied its gas liquefaction technologies to one of the world’s largest facilities for biogas production. This acquisition will therefore complement the group’s existing activities. The acquisition is expected to be complete by the end of this year. In 2009, the Swedish government rolled out an Energy and Climate policy with the objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% between now and 2020, and eliminating the use of fossil fuels in the transportation sector entirely by 2030. l
News in brief HARVEST POWER RAISES $20M IN NEW FINANCING
HARVEST POWER, a North American-based company dedicated to converting organic waste into clean energy, has announced a $20 million (€15.8 million) financing round. The lead investors were True North Venture Partners, Industry Ventures, and Generation Investment Management. This financing will allow Harvest to accelerate development of new opportunities in the clean energy space with its anaerobic digestion technologies, as well as provide growth capital for both its bulk and consumer organics businesses. ‘Food and organic waste diversion is an incredibly hot topic for many communities, as is producing renewable natural gas from anaerobic digestion,’ says Kathleen Ligocki, Harvest Power’s CEO. ‘This injection of capital... will catalyse the next level of growth for our company.’
ONTARIO INVESTS OVER $1M TO TURN POO INTO POWER
ZOOSHARE HAS raised over $1 million (€790,000) for what is soon to be the first zoo-based biogas plant in North America. The plant will have a capacity of 500kW when it comes online in December 2015. ZooShare bonds, which are being used to build the biogas plant, pay a return of 7% each year for seven years. The facility will convert animal manure from the Toronto Zoo and food waste from local supermarkets into biogas for the production of renewable power. The power will be sold to the Ontario grid, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 10,000 tonnes a year. ‘We are grateful for the 150 investors who helped us reach $1 million,’ says Daniel Bida, executive director of ZooShare. ‘We reached this goal in less than a year, which exceeded our expectations, proving the market demand for sustainable high-impact investments. Together we can demonstrate the true value of organic waste.’
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR 250KW BIOGAS PLANT CONCLUDED IN JAPAN
JAPAN-BASED company Renagen has signed a contract with EnviTec Biogas for the construction of a 250kW biogas plant near the Japanese city of Osaka. The plant is scheduled to go online in spring next year. In a statement, EnviTec says that energy generation from waste material in Japan marks an important step towards the attainment of the country’s climate objectives. While none of the 50 active reactors in Japan deliver electricity today, only 4% of the nation’s energy is derived from renewable energy sources. ‘We would like to establish ourselves in Japan’s emerging biogas market,’ says Renagen CEO Daisuke Mishima.
November/December 2014 • 15
wood pellet news German Pellets and ZG Raiffeisen Energie form 50/50 JV Pellet manufacturer German Pellets and ZG Raiffeisen Energie, a trading and service company, have created a 50/50 joint venture for the sale of wood pellets. The name of the joint subsidiary company will be ‘best:Pellets Handelsgemeinschaft’. It will begin pellet sales on 1 January 2015.
‘We are now taking the next logical step in our cooperation, so as to gain further market shares,’ explains German Pellets MD Peter Leibold. Rudi App, MD of ZG Raiffeisen Energie, adds: ‘German Pellets’ strength, impact on the market and high product quality have made it an ideal and indispensable partner for us in the pellet business. Our declared goal is to group together our activities even more strongly now and to further expand pellet sales geographically.’ l
Rentech nears completion of Atikokan wood pellet plant The wood pellet production facility being built by Rentech in Atikokan in the Canadian province of Ontario has commenced start-up. The company says the plant will undergo safety inspections, equipment testing and final commissioning in the upcoming weeks.
‘I’m pleased to reach this important milestone at the Atikokan facility,’ comments Sean Ebnet, senior VP of Rentech’s wood fibre business. ‘Our Canadian team has done a superb job managing the construction of Rentech’s first two pellet plants, through one of the worst winters on record. We are excited about beginning operations and bringing jobs back to these communities.’ The plant, which has been designed to manufacture 100,000 tonnes a year of
wood pellets, is expected to commence production in the coming weeks. The existing arrangement of delivering third-party pellets to Ontario Power Generation (OPG) will be curtailed as the plant ramps up production. Under the terms of the long-term contract, OPG will purchase 45,000 tonnes of pellets annually from Rentech’s Atikokan plant. The remaining output will be sold to either OPG or other customers. l
Canada ships increased volumes of pellets to Asia Wood pellet shipments from the US South to Europe are up 10% from Q4 2013 to Q2 2014, while exports from Canada have declined 25% during the same period. This is according to the latest issue of the North American Wood Fiber Review. During the first half of this year, exports of wood pellets from North America reached just over 2.6 million tonnes (around 1.3 million tonnes in each of the two quarters). This is less than the 1.4 million tonne all-time high recorded in the last quarter of 2013.
Around 100,000 tonnes of pellets were shipped from British Columbia to South Korea and Japan in Q2 2014
Traditionally, almost all of the wood pellets manufactured in British Columbia, Canada are exported to Europe for consumption by the region’s energy companies. However, recent market developments
16 • November/December 2014
mean some of these shipments are being redirected to Asia. Around 100,000 tonnes of pellets from British Columbia were delivered to South Korea and Japan during the second quarter of this year. This accounted for 17% of the total
exports from the province that quarter compared to a quarterly average of only 30,000 tonnes during the period 2010-2012. The review expects this shift to Asian markets to continue as demand for biomass is rising. l
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wood pellet news
Enviva to purchase Green Circle Bio Energy Enviva Development Holdings, an affiliate of Enviva, and JCE Group Aktiebolag, the sole owner of Green Circle Bio Energy, have signed a contract that will see Enviva acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Green Circle.
owns and operates five wood pellet production plants located throughout the southeast US and exports its product through terminals in Chesapeake, Virginia and Mobile, Alabama. Green Circle’s Florida-based production and logistics operations are expected to complement Enviva’s existing operating footprint. Like Enviva, Green Circle supplies wood pellets under long-term contracts to major European power generators that replace coal with biomass in order to improve the environmental profile of energy generation. Additionally, Green Circle supplies the European market for wood pellets to heat homes and commercial buildings and to produce process heat at industrial sites. l
The acquisition is expected to close by the first quarter of 2015 and is subject to customary closing conditions. Green Circle owns and operates a wood pellet production plant in Cottondale, Florida that has a production capacity of approximately 650,000 tonnes per year. Enviva currently
Deadwood Biofuels pellet plant acquired The Earth Partners, a land restoration and bioenergy development company, has acquired Deadwood Biofuels, a South Dakota-based wood pellet producer. Deadwood sources its feedstock from The Black Hills. This forest is overstocked with forestry waste which could cause wildfire, insect infestation and habitat loss. The Earth Partners and Deadwood are using these forest residues, thinnings and low-grade timber resources to improve forest health. ‘We are working closely with the Forest Service regional offices to use trees killed by the mountain pine beetle, along with timber residues that are destined to be burned in the forest as waste. This conservation biomass is supporting restoration of degraded landscapes while simultaneously providing a source of renewable energy,’ says The Earth Partners CEO David Tepper. l
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the World Pellet Business & technology Forum Pellet B2B Meetings Pellet Market News Worldwide Pellet Networking Platform Pellet tradeshow
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November/December 2014 • 17
xx Bioenergy
technology news Emerson 3D scanners measure bulk solids Emerson Process Management has introduced a new series of solids scanners which provide level, volume and mass measurement of bulk solids in large silos, vessels and bins. The Rosemount 5708 Series of 3D Solids Scanners uses acoustic measurement and 3D mapping technologies to provide accurate and reliable results even when measuring uneven or sloping surfaces under dusty conditions. The scanners provide accurate measurements of stored contents for improved process and
inventory control. Unlike laser-based technologies that can take several hours to take measurements and require the process to be shut down, Rosemount 3D Solids Scanners provide continuous volume measurements that are representative of the material’s surface. They can measure an array of material including difficult-to-measure fly ash and materials with a low dielectric that would challenge other technologies. The self-cleaning design requires low maintenance even when used in the dustiest environments. Rosemount 3D Solids Scanners are suitable for measuring solids in silos, large open bins, bulk solid
storage rooms, stockpiles and warehouses. There are models to deliver either level data only or both level and volume data using intuitive monitoring software. The Rosemount scanner maps the uneven surface typically found in solids applications and can provide the minimum and maximum level, the total volume and a 3D visualisation of the surface. The Rosemount 5708 Series includes level scanners for silos up to 5m in diameter and 70m high, and there is also a version for larger vessels and silos up to 12m x 70m. Emerson says it can also supply systems of multiple devices to cover large areas such as 30m x 70m warehouses. l
Emerson’s Rosemount 3D Solids Scanners provide level, volume and mass measurement of bulk solids
Weltec launches new software for biogas plants Stringent conditions for biogas plant operators underline the need for innovative management systems. Moreover, economic efficiency is becoming increasingly important. With that, Weltec Biopower has developed an application in order to enable technically reliable, profitable operation. The ProMOS Bio is suitable for all plant types and classes, even those which were not manufactured by Weltec. Values such as the plant’s own power consumption and the amount of generated energy
can be checked and verified. At the bottom line, the data determined by ProMOS Bio provide an optimum overview and assist the operator in filtering out the cost drivers in the plant. The operating log also provides a precise overview. With ProMOS Bio, the users can enter the meter readings in prescribed check
The ProMOS Bio software from Weltec
18 • November/December 2014
lists or schedule upcoming plant maintenance work. The app directly synchronises the data with the software. Owing to this functionality, the plant operator can always see the latest data on the PC, as incoming updates are applied immediately. The information can be used as the basis for optimising the
fermenter load, storage, substrate input and manure management. The wellstructured charts in which the data are displayed in processed form contribute to transparency. All data can also be downloaded or printed out. With the help of ProMOS Bio, users can comply with their external documentation obligations more efficiently, as plant operators can also use the relevant values and analyses for authorities, banks, appraisers and tax consultants. ‘We put emphasis on the subject of plant profitability and have integrated related analysis options in ProMOS Bio,’ says Hendrik von Buchholz, the project manager. ‘In this way, it will be easier for users to analyse available data, identify interrelationships and plan more effectively for the future.’ l
Bioenergy Insight
technology news
Tamar Organics takes delivery of two Doppstadt machines Tamar Organics has purchased a Doppstadt DW 3060K Bio Power shredder and a Doppstadt SM 620K Trommel from main distributor Blue Machinery (London). These mobile machines join two other Doppstadts already in the Tamar fleet. Tamar Organics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tamar Energy — a specialist in the production of renewable energy from anaerobic digestion plants — manages and operates in-vessel and open windrow composting services to the most stringent quality standards, producing high quality, nutrient rich and peat-free bio-fertiliser. Tamar Organics’ divisional manager Andy Sibley, comments: ‘The DW 3060K will work between two sites processing in the region of 50,000 tonnes a year of green waste, while the SM 620K will be based at our Tempsford facility, screening around 35,000 tonnes per annum of green waste.’ The crawler-mounted Doppstadt DW 3060K Bio Power heavy-duty shredder is capable of handling large bulk timber and wastewood, mixed construction waste and industrial refuse. This single shaft shredder has a number of benefits, including: optimum tooth arrangement on the 3m wide roller which rotates at 31RPM; 21 roller teeth and 22 comb teeth which ensure comprehensive shredding of the feed material; reversible fan wheel; generous hopper shape and size for easy loading;
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The DW 3060K will be used to process around 50,000 tonnes per year of green waste
electrically controlled roller reversing and a large return conveyor. Additionally, the shredder is equipped with a hydraulically foldable rear conveyor which contributes to a fast setup time once on site. The DW 3060K is equipped with a 435hp MercedesBenz diesel engine which has power to spare for heavy duty applications and processing multiple waste material types, producing recyclables to exacting specifications and enabling significant volume reductions. An additional benefit of this machine is the tracked chassis which allows one operator to load and move the unit, saving time and reducing operating costs. The Doppstadt SM 620K features a trommel screening drum construction with interior helix, which enables space-saving horizontal machine installation. Designed and built for the screening and separation of domestic, green, C&D waste and waste wood, this machine is also ideal for the production of biomass. The trommel drum has a large screening area of 38.8m² and a rotating speed
of up to 15RPM. Replaceable screens, ancillary equipment and choice of mesh
sizes allows this flexible machine to be adjusted and reconfigured for a wide variety of screening tasks and feed material. An efficient mechanical power transmission features direct chain wheel drive, with geared motors at the drum surface, and the variable speed provides optimum adjustment for regulation of the screening quality. SPS control makes for easy and precise operation and access to the machine’s performance and operating data. The self-propelled crawler undercarriage provides agile mobility for working at chosen locations throughout the site as required. l
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Dreyer & Bosse have become a leading manufacturer of CHP systems, they have developed a large and extensive line of products that combine to make energy from Biogas and Natural gas Our products: z Biogas / Natural gas CHP from 75 – 2.000 kW z In house System programming z Gas cleaning z 24 Hrs 7 days a week service z Project management from idea to realisation Advantages: z Competent experienced team z Highest reliability and availability due to individual design and technology for your project z D&B build and design ready to use with in house employees z We have our own service department with experience of more than 750 units worldwide. z Individual solutions offered for each possible CHP according to customer specifications See us on the web at: www.dreyer-bosse.de Dreyer & Bosse Kraftwerke GmbH Streßelfeld 1, 29475 Gorleben, Germany fon +49 5882 9872-0 • fax +49 5882 9872-20 • info@dreyer-bosse.de www.dreyer-bosse.com
November/December 2014 • 19
technology news
RMIG Bridge Slot screens cut process drying times A new range of drying screens has been launched in the UK by RMIG, a European manufacturer of precision perforated products. Bridge Slot screens are specially designed for use in drying and storing solid materials, including grains, herbs, and more recently woodchips, which is now primarily used to fuel biomass boilers. RMIG’s Bridge Slot screens are designed to enable a flow of air through the slots. This improves air circulation, reducing drying times and increasing efficiency. With the right heating and storage conditions, moisture content in woodchips for example can be reduced from an initial 50% to an ideal 18-20% in just 48 hours. The screens are manufactured in mild steel between 2mm and 5mm thick. This makes the screens ideal for use as ‘drive-on’ flooring in large storage areas. With the right support system,
Bridge Slot screens from RMIG help reduce drying times
the screens can take wide wheeled trucks for bulk loading and offloading. In cross section, each perforated slot resembles a bridge with a slotted opening. This opening can be adjusted to suit the application, to materials such as woodchips from falling through
the slots. Screens used for woodchip drying are typically 3mm thick mild steel and have a 2.5mm opening with an open area of 7%. This is now held in stock by RMIG as a standard 2,500mm x 1,250mm sheet in the UK, but can be manufactured to specific sizes. l
Chesterfield BioGas awarded third biomethaneto-grid contract
Chesterfield BioGas (CBG) has been awarded a further contract to supply its biogas upgrading technology for a plant that will be using organic agricultural waste to provide biomethane for injection into the gas grid. The plant, located at St. Boswells, near Melrose in the Scottish borders, will process raw biogas produced from
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20 • November/December 2014
energy crops and some vegetable wastes. This biogas will then be cleaned to more than 98% purity using a Greenlane upgrading plant from CBG. It is planned that over 3 million m3 of gas per annum will be injected into the grid, once the plant starts operations next year. The feedstock for the anaerobic digester (AD) will be sourced under a long-term arrangement with a number of farms in the vicinity. CBG’s contract is with Iona Capital, in collaboration with project partners Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) on behalf of site owners and project developers Charlesfield First. CBG and Iona are already working together on a similar gas-to-grid project which is nearing completion on a farm site at Coupar Angus in Perthshire. Both plants will be managed by Biogas Power who advised on the adoption of the water-wash method of biogas upgrading. The ‘Rimu’ unit being installed on Charlesfield’s estate at St. Boswells is a mid-capacity model in the new generation of Greenlane water-wash upgraders. The system is proven on over 80 operational sites around the world, but this particular model will be the first in its throughput volume range to be installed in the UK. It has the flexibility to efficiently process between 250 and 800m3 of biogas per hour. Pressure Technologies, the holding company of CBG, purchased the worldwide business of Greenlane Biogas on 1 October 2014. The plant at Coupar Angus is expected to be the first completed biomethane-to grid-project in Scotland, when it sends biomethane to the Scottish natural gas grid by the end of this year. l
Bioenergy Insight
technology news
Komptech launches updated Multistar star screen Komptech has further improved its line of Multistar star screens. In addition to a new design, the latest Multistar L3 features higher flexibility, simpler maintenance, and intuitive operation. It has the same coarse and fine screen deck dimensions as its predecessor, and delivers exactly the same throughput. The new cartridge design of the screen decks, however, means they can be removed and switched in a short time and makes maintenance, conversion and particle size changes easier. It also represents an increase in the machine’s flexibility. Higher flexibility includes improved mobility. The latest L3 is fitted with the towbar on the opposite side, where the oversize fraction is ejected. This frees up the medium grain discharge side,
simplifying in-line operation with a Stonefex stone separator or Hurrikan wind sifter. The oversize fraction can still be removed without problems, since the towbar folds up against the machine when in working position. The new design underlines the modern character of the L3 with its even easier maintenance access. The chain drives are now placed opposite the drive motors. This means there is no longer any need to remove the motors to replace chains or chain sprockets. And due to the slip-on gears and torque support, the machine no longer needs clutches, and the motors do not require aligning, making for faster and easier maintenance. The service life of individual components likewise affects maintenance. With that in mind, Komptech has fitted larger screen shaft bearing pins, larger and reinforced bearings, bigger chain
The new Multistar L3 star screen from Komptech
sprockets and a duplex chain for the fine screen deck. The feed hopper can be raised manually or hydraulically for maintenance purposes. The one-piece design of the new fines discharge conveyor prevents material trickle at transfer points, while also giving high capacity. As a result it can run at lower speed, requiring
less power and less wear. As before, the new Multistar L3 can be fitted with numerous options that expand its range of applications. This includes a longer coarse screen deck, wind sifter for the medium and coarse conveyors, hydraulic engine unit extension, magnetic and roller separator on the discharge conveyors, and much more. l
Landia mixer enhances gas yield at Tullamore An externally-mounted digester mixing system from Landia is proving to be an important part of EPS Water’s design-build-operate package at the recently expanded wastewater treatment works (WWTW) in Tullamore, Republic of Ireland — home of the Irish whiskey Tullamore Dew. EPS Water’s process for the WWTW, which caters for a population equivalent (PE) of 45,000 and a sludge treatment capacity of 80,000 PE, includes two sludge digesters
Bioenergy Insight
The GasMix digester mixing system from Landia is installed at the WWTW at Tullamore
with duty/stand-by combined heat and power (CHP), sludge holding tanks, sludge drier and all associated works. EPS Water introduced Landia’s GasMix mixing system for its reliability, gas yield enhancement and easy maintenance. The company’s regional operation manager Gerald Buckley says: ‘For our client,
Irish Water, Landia’s GasMix produces more methane than other systems, and does so much quicker because it mixes the whole tank properly, leaving no crust on the surface. Easy access to the pumps ensures staff carry out routine maintenance efficiently and safely, thereby avoiding downtime.’ l
November/December 2014 • 21
technology news
Ener-G partners with Cornes Biogas to enter Japan’s CHP market Combined heat and power (CHP) firm Ener-G has appointed Cornes Biogas as its cogeneration partner for Japan, gaining a first contract at the Shikaoi municipal biogas plant in Hokkaido.
A 190kW Ener-G CHP unit will be installed, commissioned and maintained by Cornes at the agricultural biogas plant in Shikaoi, replacing existing technology. The launch of Ener-G’s new E-Power CHP remote monitoring and control system further improves engine performance by managing
27 – 29 JANUARY 2015 BREMEN, GERMANY
more than 200 parameters on each CHP unit. The system will alert Cornes’ service engineers to any anomalies or operational issues, enabling them to run diagnostics, rectify problems remotely, or arrange an engineer visit, if necessary. Using E-Power, customers can gain insights into their CHP performance via a touch screen mounted onto the unit. This supplies data that can be accessed in graphical form and at various levels of detail. The Cornes group of companies was established more than 150 years ago in Yokohama, Japan, and today encompasses a range of products and services, including luxury automobiles, marine charts and related publications, kitchenware, electronics, high-tech products and equipment, and dairy and agricultural machinery. l
Firefly sets new standards INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AND TRADE FAIR
· World’s largest BIOGAS trade fair · 3 days with plenary sessions, workshops, best-practice and excursions Main Topics: · The future of biogas · Trends in the development of biogas plants · Digestate as fertilizer · Challenges in environment and safety · International: Opportunities in export News: www.biogastagung.org/en
22 • November/December 2014
o it
Biogas can d
Firefly AD has become the first company in the world to be FM approved for spark detection/ extinguishing systems with spark detectors detecting hot particles down to ≥250°C and for spark detectors detecting down to ≥400°C. Firefly manufactures advanced detection technology with high performance detection of hot black particles, glowing embers and sparks as well as the detectors being insensitive to daylight. While the company has had several other third party approvals, this is the first time the detection temperature has been approved. Detecting down to 250°C or 400°C is critical to prevent fires and dust explosions based on the minimum ignition temperature and minimum ignition energy for most process material. l
Bioenergy Insight
technology news
Andritz rolls First Environment and Genscape out OEM option partner to create new QAP powerhouse wireless heat for the biomethane industry sensor for First Environment and Genscape have formed a pelletisers Plant, equipment and services provider Andritz and SST Wireless, a developer and manufacturer of industrial wireless sensors and technologies, are collaborating to produce a customised version of SST’s wireless heat sensor technology for deployment on Andritz’s wood pelletisers as an OEM option. The system will include SST’s high temperature sensors that are installed directly on to the rollers to provide real time monitoring of critical temperatures. Andritz will install a complete system at its Muncy, Pennsylvania facility to demonstrate the technology and establish best practices and recommendations to reduce downtime and accidents caused by overheating of rollers and bearing shafts. The global demand for wood pellets as a cleaner fuel source used in heating and energy generation has placed pressure on the industry and the equipment manufacturers to produce higher volumes, quicker and cheaper. Unfortunately, this increase in production has resulted in several accidents with tragic loss of life and economic impact to communities. SST’s Wireless Industrial Heat Detection (WIHD) offers an opportunity to directly measure the temperature of the rollers and other critical components inside the pellet machines while in operation. The system relays temperature readings in real time which provides actionable data for operators. The small wireless sensors are designed to measure temperatures up to 125˚C and will last for up to a year. Sensors can be easily configured and managed through the Master Control Module. l
Bioenergy Insight
new strategic partnership to provide RFS2 QAP services for biomethane related pathways. Both companies have been at the forefront of providing quality assurance to environmental markets, and will now leverage a greater wealth of experience and resources for RFS compliance in the biomethane industry. ‘With First Environment’s experience
in engineering and Genscape’s proprietary, data-centric capabilities, we are now able to provide an even greater level of value to the renewable fuels industry,’ says Susan Olson, VP of biofuels at Genscape. First Environment’s role in the partnership will be to execute site visits and provide engineering oversight to Genscape’s QAP services. First Environment will also perform the triennial RFS2 engineering reviews that are included as part of Genscape’s QAP service agreements. l
Agraferm Technologies continues to grow Agraferm Technologies, a plant engineering company in the field of decentralised renewable energy supply, has taken over a three-quarter majority in BTA International, a supplier of processing and digestion technologies.
BTA’s core business is the hydro-mechanical processing of organic waste which contains contaminants and the subsequent wet fermentation of the organic part.
Other partners are Biotec Sistemi and the Hermos group of companies, both long-term system partners of BTA. Agraferm and BTA have been linked under company law since 2007, so all business relationships will continue unchanged. As part of the increase in shares, Agraferm’s directors will be named as the new managing directors of BTA. ‘We are continuing to consistently follow our growth strategy with the continued increase in the number of shares in BTA and the proceeding integration,’ says Eike Liekweg, member of the board of directors for Agraferm. l
Together, Agraferm and BTA have more than 100 reference plants around the world
November/December 2014 • 23
Bioenergy incident report A summary of the recent major explosions, fires and leaks in the bioenergy industry Date
Location
Company
Incident information
14/11/2014
Cambridgeshire, UK
Bridgefoot Quarry
21/10/2014
A pile of wood chips caught fire at a recycling plant near Melbourn. Firefighters were called to Bridgefoot Quarry in Flint Cross to get the blaze under control. The fire was allowed to burn itself out. No injuries were reported, though motorists were advised to avoid the area due to smoke.
Louisiana, US
Drax Biomass
One worker died after an accident at the Drax Biomass plant in Morehouse Parish. Two sub-contractors were conducting tests at the plant, which is still undergoing final construction, when an unspecified accident occurred. The second worker suffered minor injuries. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration is investigating.
09/10/2014
British Columbia, Canada
Pinnacle Renewable Energy
An explosion at Pinnacle Renewable Energy’s wood pellet plant near Burns Lake injured three and resulted in around 30 employees being evacuated. The incident happened after a fire broke out inside equipment used to dry wood fibre. The plant’s built-in suppression system had already extinguished the flames by the time fire fighters arrived. Equipment at the mill was not significantly damaged by the fire. The plant had last been inspected on 17 June 2014, when no problems were found.
Port of partnerships
biofuels meets
Europe’s largest gasoline port 24 • November/December 2014
Welcome to the port of Amsterdam. Where biofuels meets Europe’s largest gasoline port. Here biofuels transhipment takes place from all over the world thanks to its extensive experience and expertise in oil and gasoline. The existing tank storage companies provide biofuels customers port facilities, such as jetties, tanks, storage, transhipment and blending. Furthermore, the port of Amsterdam has a unique logistical location within the world’s largest international energy hub ARA (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp). Situated in Europe’s largest delta the port of Amsterdam offers a dynamic international hub and excellent hinterland connections. Want to know more about the port of Amsterdam where all kinds of biofuels meet the world’s largest gasoline port? Go to www.portofamsterdam.nl or contact our Commercial Division, Cluster Energy directly via lex.de.ridder@portofamsterdam.nl.
Bioenergy Insight
green page Biogas on campus The University of Wyoming and Microsoft recently celebrated their collaboration in developing a zeroemission green data centre that is fuelled by methane biogas and allows the university to run high-performance computing and modelling applications from the Laramie campus. A cable-cutting ceremony for the Cheyenne Biogas Power Plant at the Dry Creek Water Reclamation Facility was held in early November. The data centre, housed in the water reclamation centre, is powered by a fuel cell that generates electricity by electrochemically converting biogas emitted from the treatment plant. The centre itself is a semi-portable IT-Pac, akin to a shipping container. The IT-Pac houses a high-performance computing cluster, which is connected to the NCARWyoming Supercomputing Centre. This allows UW to run high-performance computing and modelling applications from the Laramie campus at the Dry Creek facility. ‘The final stage of experiments is set to get underway at the data centre,’ says Jim Caldwell, associate professor and head of UW’s Department of Computer Science. ‘The cable cutting was really the opening of the completed facility.’ ‘Our objective is to transform the energy supply chain of our data centres toward greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact,’ says Christian Belady, Microsoft’s general manager of Datacentre
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Services. ‘By bringing together the power plant with the data centre, we are actually simplifying the power distribution infrastructure and improving efficiency in the distribution of power.’ For the last year, Microsoft has run tests on the fuel cell and run fibre-optic cable from the data centre to the NCARWyoming Supercomputing Centre, says Jeffrey R. Lang, senior systems architect/ systems administrator for advanced high-performance computing in UW’s Information Technology Department. At the same time, UW set up the computer cluster in the data centre and ran some tests. Valued at approximately $7.6 million (€6.08 million) and dubbed the Data Plant, the mini-data centre was built by Microsoft to replicate a data centre environment. The Data Plant’s 300kW fuel cell — in a waste to power setup — will be powered by methane biogas produced from wastewater at the Dry Creek Water Reclamation Facility. The fuel cell, provided by Fuel Cell Energy, in turn, provides about
200kW of energy to power the Data Plant’s 200 computer servers. Excess electricity will be delivered back to the wastewater treatment plant to reduce its electrical bills. To produce the methane, the water reclamation facility’s anaerobic digester, where no oxygen is allowed, processes the solid waste. As microorganisms decompose the waste, they create methane, the primary component of natural gas. Other advantages of the project include reliable baseload power for continuous electricity and heat, and on-site power production to improve reliability without the cost of electrical transmission and distribution. UW engineering students could also use the data centre in their studies. The State Loan and Investment Board approved a $1.5 million Wyoming Business Council Business Ready Community grant request for the city of Cheyenne in 2012 to help fund the $7.6 million plant, with Microsoft covering the remaining cost.
The University of Wyoming and Microsoft have collaborated to develop a methane-fuelled data centre
As a condition of receiving grant money from the state for infrastructure upgrades at the reclamation facility that would support the data centre project, Microsoft has to provide a public benefit. After testing at the facility is complete, the fuel cell will remain in place and continue to provide auxiliary power. ‘It’s anticipated the data pack will remain out there and continue to be used,’ says Randy Bruns, CEO of Cheyenne LEADS, a private, not-forprofit economic development organisation serving the city of Cheyenne and Laramie County. In addition to the benefits of UW running high-performance computing applications, the project is a proof of concept for a zero-emission data centre that will allow Microsoft to cut company costs and reduce CO2 emissions by using renewable energy. Microsoft hopes the smallscale energy project model can eventually be used at the company’s other data centres. Microsoft and Fuel Cell Energy are collaborating with UW, Western Research Institute and the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities on the project. Cheyenne LEADs and the Wyoming Business Council also helped the project come to fruition. ‘Growing Wyoming’s technology sector has been a priority and Wyoming is seeing results,’ Gov. Matt Mead said in a Cheyenne LEADS press release. ‘This alternative energy project is not only a zerocarbon data centre, it is more. It is a laboratory for biogas and fuel cell research. Wyoming is on the cutting edge.’ l
This article was adapted from a press release by the University of Wyoming
November/December 2014 • 25
Bioenergy regulations
EU’s compromise: the 2030 EU energy and climate framework The European Council’s EU framework for renewable energy development has left the sector disappointed
O
n 24 October, the European Council adopted its position on the future EU climate and energy framework, based on the Commission’s proposal from early 2014. Member States have now agreed on a binding 40% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target, a minimum renewables share of 27% (binding at EU-level only), and an indicative 27% target for energy efficiency. Crushed by budget constraints and slow economic recovery, the conditions for Member States were not right for them to make more ambitious long-term commitments. The renewables sector has thus been left disappointed with the low level of ambition shown, with targets falling short of the needs of Europeans. The deal that was struck proves that Member States failed to make the clear link between the energy security crisis, competitiveness and affordability concerns, and climate strategies. Renewable energy can greatly contribute to the significant reduction of Europe’s trade deficit, bring improved economic stability, boost employment, and secure cost-effective energy supplies
both in the short and long term. Today, the prices of some renewable energy sources are already cost-competitive with — and sometimes even lower
Commission is now responsible for proposing the appropriate framework (including a governance system) so as to make sure that renewable
Member States have agreed on a binding 40% GHG emissions reduction target, a minimum renewables share of 27%, and an indicative 27% target for energy efficiency than — those of conventional fuels, while for the other renewable technologies, prices are rapidly approaching cost-competitiveness. There are high expectations for the development of the EU renewables sector, as has been confirmed by Commission President JeanClaude Junker in his stating of his desire for the EU to lead the way as world’s number one in renewable energy. The European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) is keen to assume a central role in the realisation of this objective. Obviously, the national renewable energy targets approach is not the only mechanism capable of guaranteeing future renewable energy progress. The
26 • November/December 2014
energy technologies continue their development and that Member States contribute to the EU’s 27% objective. In addition to defining the appropriate EU framework for renewable energy development, the European bioenergy sector is also calling for concrete EU measures and commitments to accelerate the fuel switch to renewable energies in order to alleviate our fossil fuel dependency in an effective and sustainable manner. AEBIOM would also like to see the development of an EU heating strategy or action plan to address the untapped potential of renewables in the heating sector and the adoption of EU-wide sustainability criteria that will secure investments
and provide evidence to society on biomass sustainability. Under these conditions, AEBIOM hopes that the bioenergy sector will continue to play its important role in reaching EU climate and energy objectives. Indeed, biomass is currently making a major contribution to renewable energy use in the EU, accounting for more than half of European renewables consumption. EU scenarios show that the increase of bioenergy use will be essential in reaching the European 2030 and 2050 climate and energy goals. Despite the EU compromise on the 2030 energy and climate targets, the industry remains confident in the continuity of renewable energy development. It is ready to work with the EU institutions to ensure that the resulting policy framework enables the proper growth of renewables, in line with the high potential of the sector. The European Biomass Association and its members will continue to play a key role in the implementation of existing EU legislation while continuing to contribute to the forthcoming debates. l For more information: Visit: www.aebiom.org
Bioenergy Insight
regulations Bioenergy The UK government has published further details on sustainability criteria for biomethane, which will be implemented in Q3 2015
RHI sustainability criteria agreed
B
ioenergy will be vital to meet our carbon budgets and ensure energy security. However, it has received extensive scrutiny in recent years over sustainability, on potential issues including diverting land use from food production, the impact on biodiversity and the consumption of valuable water resources. The independent statutory body, the Committee on Climate Change, undertook a review of bioenergy in December 2011 and concluded that ‘it will be difficult to meet overall 2050 emissions targets unless bioenergy can account for around 10% (200TWh) of total UK primary energy’. However, the report also concluded that, ‘given limits to the global supply of sustainable bioenergy, it is important that this is used in an optimal fashion’. Sustainability criteria
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) therefore plans to implement sustainability criteria for crop-based biomethane supported by the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) from Q3 2015. This will include greenhouse gas (GHG) emission caps and land criteria. Over the course of recent months, industry has engaged in serious debate about sustainability criteria, and particularly how crop-based biomethane will demonstrate GHG savings. Biomethane is a unique form of renewable energy. Injected
Bioenergy Insight
to the grid, it can be used in a range of applications, including energy uses which are hard to replace with other renewables. It is therefore hard to set a benchmark which reflects biomethane’s place in our energy system — certainly compared to electricity. DECC has chosen to use the carbon intensity of fossil-based heat in the EU as a comparator for GHG emission targets across the RHI. While this makes sense for technologies which directly provide heat, it is less clear that it makes sense for biomethane. EU heat is significantly cleaner than EU electricity, which means that biomethane producers using the RHI will effectively have a much tougher bar to meet than biogas electricity generators using the Renewables Obligation (RO). This risks creating perverse incentives where the developer of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant has a choice in whether to generate electricity or inject biomethane into the grid. Challenges ahead Biomethane developers, however, will be relieved that the policy approach has now been confirmed. As a result of this decision, the maximum GHG intensity that biomethane could achieve and report a 60% saving will be calculated at 34.8gCO2eq/MJ. This approach to RHI sustainability will set a challenging GHG emission target for biomethane plants but it is in line with developers’ expectations. DECC is also to be
congratulated for the way in which it has engaged positively with the industry and other stakeholders. That said, there are still some serious issues to be resolved: • DECC’s ‘B2C2’ carbon calculator currently only gives six AD feedstock options, which excludes a number of other common choices, such as whole crop rye.
that it has listened to the industry and understood many of the issues that were raised in response to the consultation. As well as the headline numbers, the industry will need to look closely at how the new tariffs will be implemented. DECC needs to consider how the biomethane tariff review announcement interacts with degression triggers, which are close to being reached for
ReFood’s AD plant in Doncaster, UK
• The existing default assumptions for emissions from different stages of the AD process need to be reviewed and updated. • Finally, there is currently no option to allocate emissions digestate as a co-product, despite its increasing value to farming. While the approach on sustainability has been confirmed, a response to the consultation on the RHI biomethane tariff is still to be published. While the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) cannot prejudge the consultation’s conclusions, it is pleased that the department has indicated
biomethane. Once new tariffs are in place the degression mechanism will remain, so the new tariffs will also be subject to reductions once trigger dates are passed. While DECC is working hard with industry to resolve outstanding issues, there remain a number of concerns. Clarification on how the new criteria will apply is vital to continue growth, and ensure that bioenergy through AD can make a significant contribution to achieving low-carbon energy security. l For more information:
This article was written by Charlotte Morten, chief executive, ADBA. Visit: adbioresources.org
November/December 2014 • 27
Bioenergy wood pellets in Asia Asia’s energy market has undoubted potential but still leaves investors with major questions to resolve
Opportunity or challenge – what next for energy in Asia? by Colin Ley
T
he rise of South Korea as an increasingly active export market for biomass wood pellets from North America has caused industry observers to look afresh at the potential of Asia, as a whole, to absorb a greater percentage of the world’s pellet production than was previously thought. Two years ago, for example, South Korea took just 2,000 tonnes of Canadian wood pellets, rising to a little over 113,000 tonnes in 2013. At the time of writing, however, the movement of wood pellets from Canada to South Korea this year, albeit largely via European traders, has reached 300,000 tonnes. With Canadian exports also increasing into Japan this year, it would be tempting to view this expansion in Asian demand as the start of a major period of business growth for North American suppliers. It is also surely legitimate to question how the current surge in South Korean shipments will affect Canada’s ability to
service European wood pellet needs in 2015 and beyond. So, was 2014 (so far) the start of something new or a one-off? ‘We’re certainly viewing it as a “spot” situation, driven, at least in part, by the closing of the Belgian market for pellets earlier this year,’ says Quebec Wood Export Bureau’s John Arsenault. ‘As a result, Canadian pellets which had already been purchased by traders for European use were redirected to South Korea.’ With the regulator-driven Belgian issue now resolved, however, he adds that the view from Canada was that 2015 would not see a repeat of this year’s South Korean trade, certainly not as ‘vigorously’ as during recent months. ‘It’s also important to state that while demand from Asia is showing promise after a slow start, we expect that Europe will continue to dominate our exports business, in relation to both the heat and power sectors,’ Arsenault comments. Other reasons for Canada’s caution over its Asian
28 • November/December 2014
market expectations in 2015 include pricing issues and the tendering processes currently attached to securing business in some countries, particularly South Korea. While the need to redirect pellets this year, for which a home was obviously being sought, may have overcome some barriers, the building of long-term relationships on such a foundation may prove more challenging. Having to bid for supply contracts into a public company structure, does not make the South Korean market an easy fit for North America operations who are used to long-term contracts and commitments, not one-off trades which are subject to public tender. The less exacting nature of South Korea’s sustainability requirements, compared to the EU, also means that the prices on offer, especially under competitive tender, have been less attractive than an EU-based price to suppliers who are geared to sell into the European marketplace.
However, while this puts the 2014 surge in Canadian exports to South Korea into context, it does not mean the 2015 trade or beyond will necessarily run according to current expectations. The redirection of supplies from Europe this year is a prime example of the fact that the unexpected often takes over. China As the Asian biomass marketplace stands today, the main interest for international pellet suppliers is focused on South Korea, with an estimated 2014 intake of 1.3-1.5 million tonnes of pellets; Japan, importing around 100,000 tonnes this year, and China. ‘The big pellets question mark, of course, is what will happen in China,’ says John Arsenault. ‘If China becomes even modestly serious about reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and using biomass to help achieve that objective then it could become a very major player
Bioenergy Insight
wood pellets in Asia Bioenergy in this marketplace. ‘I get calls from Europe every day asking for 20, 30 or 50 containers of pellets. Recently I received my first emailed request from a Chinese buyer who said he was looking for 2 million tonnes. I obviously replied that such a total, being equivalent to Canada’s entire pellet production, wasn’t currently available. It does rather put China’s potential into perspective, however.’ Until now, of course, China has largely met its biomass pellet requirements from within its own borders, finding sufficient surplus this year, in fact, to also export more than 210,000 tonnes of product to South Korea. Perhaps note should be taken, however, that this was before US President, Barack Obama, and China’s President Xi Jinping, released the details of their joint commitment to reduce GHG gas emissions. Their statement certainly released an intriguing set of new ‘what-ifs’ for renewable energy investors and their advisors to consider. Widely acknowledged around the world as a major step forward in GHG terms, the commercial implications of China’s first commitment to cap emissions and a US pledge, at the same time, to make deep reductions by 2025, will take time for business leaders to assess. President Obama said the deal represented a major milestone in USChina relations, showing what was possible when the two powers worked together. President Xi Jinping described it as a deepening of practical co-operation on clean energy, environmental protection and other areas. The commercial world, meanwhile, will watch and wait to see what changes follow and how practical the outflow from the new agreement will prove to be. Change such as this often brings a mix of challenge
Bioenergy Insight
and opportunity and it is difficult to envisage the new US-China accord proving an exception to this rule. For businesses who are already supplying energy products or equipment into China, or indeed the whole Asian market, the ramping up of emission controls in the region promises to create
energy and manufactured products to China. Of this, 92.9% will be allowed to travel ‘duty-free’ once the agreement is enacted. ‘ChAFTA lays an historic foundation for the next phase of Australia’s successful economic relationship with China,’ commented the Australian government.
years ahead of schedule, mainly to secure a mandate to carry through recovery policies which he feels are necessary but which may be unpopular. This includes his widely reported desire to restart Japan’s nuclear power generation plants, all of which were shut down after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Unknown future
The US and China have formed a joint commitment to reduce GHG emissions
either a period of immense potential for growth or a major disruption to established trading patterns, supplies and prices. It all depends on individual perspectives, of course, which part of that scenario is most applicable. To meet its stated emission targets, for example, China’s commitment to renewable energy processes can be expected to become more urgent. Whether or not that will include seeking highly rated wood biomass
‘Upon entry into force, the agreement will unlock significant commercial opportunities for Australia in China, which is already our largest export market for both goods and services, accounting for nearly a third of total exports, and a growing source of foreign investment.’ Following closely on the heels of the US-China announcement and the China-Australia agreement, both of which will be viewed by many as a clear business
“While demand for pellets from Asia is showing promise, we expect that Europe will continue to dominate our exports business” John Arsenault, Quebec Wood Export Bureau
pellets from the world’s sustainably-grown sources, only time will tell. The newly concluded China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) also needs to be added to the ‘what-if’ mix, given that in 2013, Australia exported over AU$85 billion (€58 billion) worth of resources,
upbeat, came Japan’s shrinking back into ‘technical recession’. This is an equally definite negative for the global economy, especially in relation to the development of cost-sensitive renewable energy developments. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promptly called an early election, two
Assessing Asia’s biomass future in such circumstances, certainly in the short-term, is therefore an extremely ‘fluid’ challenge, a fact which experienced market advisers have been careful to highlight in recent months. When talking about North Asia’s demand for biomass to an international conference audience in early November this year, Indufor’s Matt Bovelander, said he believed the region’s ‘biomass-forenergy’ market, currently on 3.5 million tonnes, could reach 12.2 million tonnes by 2020. Of this, he added, the biomass pellet trade could reach 9 million tonnes by 2020. He then said: ‘Policies are changing, however, and policy change makes forecasting a “perilous adventure”.’ A similar sentiment was voiced by Fiona McDermott of Surrey-based forest products consultancy Hawkins Wright when she told a US conference audience in October this year that Hawkins Wright believed global industrial grade pellet demand was likely to plateau at around 36 million tonnes per year from 2020 onwards. Her qualifying comment, however, was that this company’s view applied ‘under our central scenario’ with ‘significant risks’ being attached to the forecasts. Speaking more recently to Bioenergy Insight, McDermott added that it was a ‘bit too early’ to know whether or not the new accord would materially change the outlook for bioenergy in China. ‘The country is clearly
November/December 2014 • 29
Bioenergy wood pellets in Asia building a great number of biomass power stations every year, far more than any other country in the world,’ she says. ‘Bioenergy is clearly an important sector in China, therefore, and the country’s leaders had already been pursuing extremely ambitious targets, long before this latest announcement. ‘It’s important to note here, of course, that China’s focus on bioenergy is primarily on using waste and agricultural feedstocks, of which it has plenty, rather than wood pellets.’ Industry observers generally agree, therefore, that China’s future place within the global wood pellet market could still go either way, net importer or net exporter. ‘What we do know, from the latest trading figures, is that imports of wood pellets from China to South Korea have increased substantially this year,’ continues McDermott. ‘That suggests, at least, that China is trying to place itself as a key wood pellet producer. ‘Here again, however, the accuracy of that view remains subject to the quality of the data which is currently available for the China-South Korea trade. Questions still need to be asked, for example, concerning whether all of the imports which are shown as entering South Korea actually relate to woody biomass, rather than a range of biomass feedstocks.’ Questioned on the recent growth of North American pellet supplies into the Asian market, and the potential for further expansion next year, McDermott said that she would expect there to be more growth in interAsian trade going forward, rather than a continued increase of North America exports into the region. ‘There are a lot of pellet production projects being developed in Asia which are more likely to win tenders from the Korean gencos,’ she explains. ‘As and when new
production capacity comes on line in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, I think there will be a preference for that material over products from North America. ‘Having said that, some of the supply that was coming from Canada to the nowclosed Tilbury plant in the UK has since stopped, which is probably one of the reasons why we’ve seen an increase in exports to South Korea this year. I wouldn’t expect the current Belgian situation to materially change that trading pattern, although obviously as more plants come online in Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark, there will be less spare capacity available from North America for re-routing into South Korea. I think this supply gap will be filled, at least in part, by new capacity coming online in Asia.’
frequently to discriminatory internal taxation, technical regulations or localisation requirements to shield their markets from foreign competition,’ said the report, with China introducing the highest number of such measures. ‘Investors and service providers also continue to be affected by limitations in access to foreign markets. Finally, the tendency
immature market. As such it is likely to be subject to many of the same political/economic debates which European countries have worked through in recent years. This means the Korean market, for example, is not immune to policy risk. The government there has already expressed concern that the gencos are relying too heavily on biomass co-firing to meet
Policy uncertainty Operating in a marketplace which is policy-driven by governments which are coping with economies which are progressing under the shadow of recession, or worse, everything actually remains on the table for 2015 and beyond. That includes the ever-present imposition of protectionist measures by nations, whenever a domestic resource or ambition is threatened. According to the European Commission’s annual report on protectionism, published in mid-November, ‘tradeunfriendly measures’ are still being used widely by G20 members and other key EU trading partners, to control global trade. The report, covering the last 13 months, shows that a total of 170 new protectionist measures were added by G20 countries with only 12 pre-existing trade barriers being removed. The worst offenders, according to the report, were Russia, India, China and Indonesia. ‘Countries resorted more
30 • November/December 2014
South Korea is estimated to have imported around 1.4 million tonnes of pellets this year
to restrict participation of foreign companies in public tenders remains strong, in particular in the US.’ So while governments, businesses and advisers look at Asia and see an exciting, expanding and vibrant energy market, there is also an inevitable note of caution being voiced by those who have to actually decide how much new capacity to create to satisfy the future needs of this vast region. It is also important to remember that this is still an
their Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) obligations. They are now under pressure to explore alternative renewable technologies with more vigour, and so it seems likely that co-firing will play a lesser role in future years of the RPS than it has in 2014. This uncertainty about the future rate of co-firing is just one of a number of factors which could make it challenging to secure investment in new pellet capacity destined for the Asian market. l
Bioenergy Insight
profile Bioenergy An established wood pellet producer in Malaysia is continuing to expand in order to stay ahead of new competition and reach economies of scale
Quantum’s theory
M
alaysia is one of the largest palm oil producing nations in the world and one of the biggest wood processing countries in Asia. It produces around 21 million tonnes per year of palm oil, 100 million tonnes of fruit bunches and approximately 5 million tonnes of palm kernel shells (PKS). With its wood pellet and woodchip manufacturing facility located at Malaysia’s largest port, Port Klang, wood pellet producer TG Quantum Sdn Bhd is strategically placed to capitalise on this abundance of wood waste created from the wood timber processing industry and palm kernel shells from the palm oil sector. PKS, wood pellets and woodchips are the three most commonly utilised biofuels in this region and ones in which TG Quantum specialises. Palm kernel shells are the biomass waste created in the palm oil industry. At its factory, which opened back in 2010, TG Quantum manufactures 3,000 tonnes per month of wood pellets and an additional 3,000 tonnes a month of woodchips. The woodchips are produced from leftovers from the wood timber processing industries such as sawmilling and wood moulding factories, including wood slabs (rejected wood) and offcuts using a wood chipper machine. The pellets are made solely from wood sawdust with no additives. Meeting demand One hundred percent of TG Quantum’s biomass products are exported via Port Klang
Bioenergy Insight
to Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan where they are used to generate renewable heat and power. ‘The governments in these countries have started aggressively imposing strict regulations in order to control CO2 and SO2 emissions given off from factories and power stations,’ says David Goh, managing director of TG Quantum. ‘Incentives
work is currently underway, with machine installation scheduled for next February. And TG Quantum’s builtout does not stop there. ‘We will continue to expand during the next three years to reach our first milestone of 30,000 tonnes per month of wood pellets and 50,000 tonnes per month of woodchips,’ Goh reveals. Despite Malaysia’s
Palm fruits
are also awarded to those companies consuming renewable energy. In Japan and China a Feed-in Tariff (FIT) has been introduced, while in South Korea the Renewable Portfolio Standard was introduced in 2012.’ With further growth and demand expected for these Asian nations, TG Quantum is expanding its output capacity of both wood pellets and woodchips with the construction of a second production plant. This new plant will be located in Pahang, a three to four hour drive from Port Klang. When it comes online in March 2015, the facility will produce 5,000 tonnes per month of pellets and 7,000 tonnes per month of woodchips. Civil
abundance of biomass materials, the collection of PKS and the production of pellets and woodchips is not all plain sailing. ‘For the palm kernel shells moisture is always a challenge’, says Goh. ‘Also, the supply of materials is seasonal according to the harvesting period of oil palm fruits, which often coincides with Malaysia’s monsoon season from October through February. This of course contributes to high moisture levels within the biomass.’ As for the wood industry, the logistical limitations within the timber forestry during the monsoon season does lower the wood production volumes and thus the lower wood waste available as feedstock
for the woodchips and pellet production. Domestic challenges While TG Quantum currently ships all of its biomass fuel overseas, a domestic market for bioenergy is beginning to develop in Malaysia. Goh says: ‘Since 2010 the Malaysian government has put more emphasis on the biomass industry. The production of renewable energy is being promoted through grants, low interest loans, corporate tax-free incentives and export tax-free incentives. However, as this is still a relatively new industry with little track record or references, funding from commercial banks are still very limited.’ Malaysia is also experiencing a boom of new wood pellet production plants popping up across the country, which have brought with them a new set of challenges. Goh tells Bioenergy Insight: ‘The price of coal was recently adjusted globally, and this resulted in a steep decline of the price of wood pellets being exported to Korea. However, the feedstock cost has remained high due to the extra competition from these new pellet facilities and this has affected the ROI for many businesses. ‘We are managing this change in the market by continuously monitoring and improving our technology, production efficiency and product quality. Also, by increasing our monthly production volume and opening a second plant, we will achieve the economies of scale and lower the total cost of operation.’ l
November/December 2014 • 31
Bioenergy profile Ground has broken on the Philippines’ inaugural biomethane plant, which will be the first of many
A Filipino first
A
boitiz Equity Ventures, through alternative fuel company Aseagas, has partnered with Gazasia to establish a liquid biomethane business in the Philippines. Gazasia has built a similar plant in the UK and will be Aseagas’ partner in Asia. In March earlier this year the two companies began building the first biomethane production plant, which is targeted for completion at the end of 2015. The facility has been designed to handle organic effluent generated from the Absolut Distillery in Lian in the province of Batangas. The distillery waste will be converted into biogas in an anaerobic digester. The biogas will then be cleaned to produce biomethane which will then be liquefied. The end product will be liquid biomethane for use as a clean, renewable, carbon neutral, road transport fuel. This initial $50 million (€40 million) plant will process around 2,100m3 of wastewater a day, producing an annual capacity of 9,000 tonnes of biomethane. This is enough to fuel around 250 buses or heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) per year, 1,200 cars and taxis, or 4,000 motorbikes. Aseagas plans to sell the bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel to fleet owners. ‘We will establish filling stations so companies with a large fleet will have a filling station at their depot where the vehicles can refuel,’ Aseagas COO Juan Alfonso tells Bioenergy Insight. Aseagas is financing the project through a combination
A tree planting ceremony took place at the site of the new biomethane plant in March
of debt and equity. In June it was announced the company secured a P2 billion (€35.8 million) loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
biomethane, which can be produced from a variety of organic waste streams, will be used to replace conventional diesel fuel in transport vehicles, reducing air pollution
and improving public health. Even when compared to liquid biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol, bioLNG holds the most benefits. Alfonso explains: ‘In this part
Health matters In the Philippines, around one sixth of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the transportation sector. In addition, air quality in the region is low as it comprises around 74 micrograms of particulate matter (PM) per m3. According to the World Health Organisation, an acceptable level of PM in the air is around 20 micrograms per m3. Aseagas is on a mission to change this, one plant at a time. Its initial facility will be the first of many to be rolled out across the nation over the coming years. The
32 • November/December 2014
The plant will produce around 9,000 tonnes a year of biomethane for the transport sector
Bioenergy Insight
profile Bioenergy of the world ethanol comes from sugarcane and biodiesel is primarily made from coconut oil. The advantage of biogas is there is no “food versus fuel” debate because it doesn’t use crops or land. We are recycling a waste product, turning it into fuel. ‘Also, unlike biodiesel,’ he continues, ‘the production of biomethane doesn’t rely on fuel imported from overseas. In addition, the composition of liquid biomethane is comparable to compressed natural gas (CNG) or LNG for that matter. It contains a purity level of 98%, compared to 94% purity of CNG, and is carbon neutral.’ Feedstock Targeting distillery waste as its core feedstock, however, was not Aseagas’ original plan. Initially, the biogas plant was going to be designed to handle methane gas from landfills. ‘We soon realised that producing biomethane from landfill gas was very costly in terms of operating expense and capital expense,’ Alfonso reveals. ‘If we developed our business through this route, additional costs would be incurred through segregating the waste (a lot of plastic is sent to landfills that can’t be treated), capturing the gas, and so on. So what we did was target pure organic waste streams instead and that is how we ended up with waste from a distillery. ‘There are a number of distilleries that we have already contacted and we are currently working on securing agreements with them,’ he continues. ‘Once we have built our “proof of concept” plant, this business model can be replicated a number of times. The plants will be built close to the waste sources. For example, this first facility in Batangas is right beside the Absolut Distillery.’ Wastewater from a distillery is created during the fermentation process. At the
Bioenergy Insight
Ongoing works at the site in Batangas
otherwise waste material by first extracting the gas for the production of biomethane.’
Air quality in the Philippines is low, with around one sixth of all GHGs coming from the transportation sector Absolut Distillery, molasses is mixed with water. Once alcohol has been produced, the leftover wastewater effluent is disposed of and this is what Aseagas is using as the feedstock at its biogas plant. ‘Distilleries in the Philippines have an issue with wastewater. Government standards
Numerous benefits
regulate the quality of the water that can be discharged into the environment, e.g. rivers and the sea. To deal with this the distilleries are giving away their waste product to nearby farmers for use as a liquid fertiliser,’ Alfonso says. He adds: ‘We think we can add another purpose to this
In March this year, Aseagas and Gazasia held a tree planting ceremony at the site of the first biomethane plant. When it comes online towards the end of next year, the model can be rolled out across the region, facilitating sustainable waste management, reducing air pollution and improving public health. l
November/December 2014 • 33
Bioenergy plant update
Plant update – Asia Everbright International
Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Project start date Investment Comment
Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China Wood pellets 130,000 tonnes Agricultural waste, straw Construction of 29 agricultural waste and straw processing plants in Rudong County Agreement signed in October 2014 RMB90 million (€11.7 million) The project will provide substitute fuel to replace coal for nearby manufacturing enterprises
AT Capital/Orange Group Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Completion date Investment
Karnataka, India Biopower 1,000MW Biomass Construction of two biomass-fired power plants of 10MW capacity each in Karnataka 2017 AT Capital, a Singapore-based $2.5 billion (€1.8 billion) private investment fund, has invested around $40 million in renewable energy projects developed by India’s Orange Group
JFE Holdings Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Completion date
Oita prefecture, Japan Biomass 50MW Palm kernel shells Construction of a biomass plant for Erex Late 2016
Mitsubishi Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Project start date Completion date Investment Comment
Aomorei prefecture, Japan Biopower 86MW Black liquor produced from the paper pulping process Construction Announced June 2014 Operations are slated to begin in 2017 $370 million (€272 million) To be built by Mitsubishi Paper Mills in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The two companies established the partnership in August
34 • November/December 2014
New Generation Power International
Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Completion date
Miyazaki and Kagoshima, Japan Biopower 11.5MW x 3 (34.5MW in total) Woody biomass Construction of three separate biomass plants Commissioning expected in 2016
Renagen Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Designer/builder Project start date
Osaka, Japan Biogas 250kW Waste material Construction near Osaka EnviTech Biogas Announced October 2014
Sumitomo Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Investment Comment
Oita prefecture, Japan Biopower 18MW Woody biomass Construction 6.3 billion yen (€45 million) Sumitomo is also supplying a 2.2 billion yen loan to Fujikoh Co., which is building a biomass-fired power plant in Iwate Prefecture
Global Logix Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Project start date Completion date Investment Comment
Siak, Riau province, South Korea Biopower 10,000MW Oil palm fruit bunches, kernel shells Construction of a new wood pellet production factory and biomass power plant April 2014 2016 $20 million (€14.6 million) The plant will process 60,000 tonnes of bunches and 20,000 tonnes of shells a month from nearby palm plantations to produce 10,000 tonnes of wood pellets. In addition, the biomass power plant will need 3 tonnes an hour of oil palm bunches
Bioenergy Insight
plant update Bioenergy General Electric/Green and Smart Location Alternative fuel Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Completion date Comment
Malaysia Biogas Palm oil effluent Construction of a biogas plant to provide a waste-to-power solution for the country’s power providers Expected to commence in December 2014 The plant will use GNS’ technology in anaerobic digesters and GE’s Jenbacher gas engine technology to produce power for supply to the electricity grid
Completion date
Sembcorp Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Project start date Completion date Investment Comment
U-Thong Bio Power Location Alternative fuel Capacity Feedstock Construction / expansion / acquisition Designer / builder
Jurong Island, Singapore Biopower 400MW Industrial and commercial waste Construction of an energy-fromwaste facility Broke ground April 2014 Expected to be completed in 2016 $250 million (€182 million) The facility will be designed to handle around 1,000 tonnes of industrial and commercial waste daily
Suphanburi province, Thailand Biopower 9.9MWe Rice husk, bagasse Construction Areva realised the plant design and provided engineering services, and the main equipment. It also supervised the testing and commissioning phases. Ensys supplied auxiliary equipment and provided construction services June 2014
PHI Group Location Alternative fuel Capacity Construction / expansion / acquisition Project start date
Vietnam Wood pellets 400,000 tonnes x 2 Construction of two wood pellet factories in central and southern Vietnam Announced July 2014
*This list contains major plant projects in Asia, including the information available at the time of printing. If you would like to update or list any additional plants in future issues please email keeley@horseshoemedia.com
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www.bts-biogas.com November/December 2014 • 35
Bioenergy biogas in Asia
The latest biogas technologies are helping Asia’s palm oil mills turn POME into a valuable product
Tapping into new
M
alaysia’s palm oil sector is a strong driver of the country’s economy and has vast potential for growth within the sector. There is, therefore, a great opportunity for this industry to become a leading source of renewable energy. Through the natural processing of the fruit, the waste generated provides an abundant source of raw material that can be converted to a number of renewable energy sources that previously have gone to waste.
will be one of the largest aboveground anaerobic digester biogas plants in the country. The plant will optimise waste effluent from the palm oil mill and will have a processing capacity in excess of 32,000m³. Once fully complete the project will utilise eight 4,000m³ glass-fused to steel digesters complete with double membrane gas holders, which will be mounted on the tank to provide optimised gas storage.
The digester tanks are built from glass-fused-to-steel panels, a tank finish which is quick to install, requires little maintenance and offers a long project asset life. The high temperature fusion of glass to steel fired at 850˚C results in an inert, durable finish. Applied to both the interior and exterior, this technology enables the tank to withstand the rigours of the site as well as the weather conditions, and provides years of trouble-free service.
On the up Over the last year Biodome Asia, part of the Kirk Group, has seen significant growth within the Asian market with the implementation of a number of biogas plants. These plants are operating on various feedstocks and using an array of technology. Working with one of Malaysia’s largest independent palm oil mills, Biodome Asia is constructing what
Three double membrane roofs fitted on lagoon digesters in Indonesia
36 • November/December 2014
Furthermore, the tanks are coupled with Biodome’s Double Membrane Gas Holders which utilises the highest strength membranes available in the global market. The units can be designed for a wide range of working gas pressures, storage volumes and gas production rates, and can accommodate the requirements of any sewerage, wastewater treatment, industrial effluent and biogas plant. Following the strategic partnership and investment in R&D back in 2013, the Biodome product has seen increased advances in product specification and increased safety control levels. Bill Leach, Kirk Group CEO, says: ‘We are always reviewing our product range, providing excellence in liquid and biogas storage solutions. Our knowledge, expertise, product quality and customer service are the foundations to the great success at the Blankahan anaerobic digestion plant.’ This project represents the success that the Kirk Group has seen within Malaysia since
Bioenergy Insight
biogas in Asia Bioenergy
markets 2010, when it invested in a new regional office to service the Asia Pacific market. Safer storage Advances in technology have also seen Biodome Asia install its first double membrane lagoon cover. The group has designed, supplied and installed three Biodome double membrane roofs which are fitted on existing lagoon digesters at Blankahan, Indonesia. The site is a biogas plant treating palm oil mill effluent (POME) for Anglo Eastern Group. Traditionally in-ground lagoons are covered with a single layer HDPE or geomembrane which can, at times, compromise the operations and safety of the working plant. With the Biodome roofs now in place the site will be able to produce and store the biogas more safely, realising it as renewable energy for use at the site. Biodome’s double membrane gas holders are suitable for a range of working gas pressures, storage volumes and gas
Bioenergy Insight
production rates due to the utilisation of a high strength membrane, allowing the site to be flexible and adaptable to changes in effluent and environmental conditions. Working closely with Anglo Eastern Group and Future NRG, Biodome Asia
completed the three largest roofs ever to be installed by the group, each measuring approximately 23m wide, 35m long and 6m high. The project also included a steel digester with a Biodome roof. The erection of the GFS digester and the roofs
Double membrane roofs enable the safe production and storage of biogas
for the in-ground lagoons was completed in just two weeks from starting on-site. Biogas storage integrated as part of the digester has proven popular within the industry, providing safe and reliable operations as well as reduced project footprint. This has resulted in the technology being adopted with increasing regularity within the marketplace. l For more information:
Visit: www.kirk-group.co.uk
An in-ground lagoon at Blankahan, Indonesia
November/December 2014 • 37
Bioenergy sustainability The Gainesville Renewable Energy Center in Florida, US
The strongest link Gainesville biomass plant earns FSC Chain of Custody certification
T
he Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC) is the largest biomass power plant in the US, producing 102.5MW of clean renewable biomass power from waste wood. The facility is located in Gainesville, Florida and produces enough energy to power roughly 70,000 homes. On 28 October 2014 GREC accepted certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), affirming that GREC’s purchase procedures for its waste wood fuels conform to the FSC Chain of Custody standard. GREC is the first power generation facility ever to receive this prestigious certification, the assessment for which was conducted by SCS Global Services, a well-respected third-party certification body accredited under the FSC programme. FSC certification is considered the world’s gold standard for responsible forestry practices in the forest products industry. The FSC Chain of Custody certification confirms that GREC employs a stringent set of procedures that allow it to trace the path of products from forests
through the supply chain, and thereby source its wood used for renewable power generation with certainty. ‘We are proud to be the first biomass power generation facility to ever receive Forest Stewardship Council certification,’ says Jim Gordon, CEO of GREC.
to encourage responsible forestry practices throughout the region. Its trained forestry staff, along with a field forester from the City of Gainesville, inspect each forest supplier’s operations to assure compliance with minimum performance thresholds contractually
FSC certification is considered the world’s gold standard for responsible forestry practices in the forest products industry ‘Our FSC Chain of Custody certification is an important part of our commitment to forest sustainability. This certification demonstrates that our fuel comes from our trusted partners, leading logging operators in the region who have stepped up to meet our stringent forest management standards. We are dedicated to sustainably managed fuel which brings clean, renewable power to the Gainesville area.’ Ongoing efforts This certification is just the latest step in GREC’s efforts
38 • November/December 2014
required by the City. In addition, GREC has had its forest sustainability plan independently evaluated by SCS. Brian Condon, wood procurement manager for GREC’s wood procurement contractor Bio-Resource Management, states: ‘Chain of Custody means that GREC knows the origin of every load of delivered fuel that crosses its scales. GREC’s fuel producers submit documentation about the source of fuel they are shipping prior to delivery. Upon arrival at
GREC, the facility’s scale management system records data on each load, thereby providing a record of each producer’s deliveries from each production point. The entire process is verified by inspection on a continual basis by fuel procurement staff to confirm agreement between submitted documentation and actual production of material delivered to GREC.’ Aaron Maizlish, director of business of services for SCS and former FSC board member, adds: ‘GREC has taken a new leadership position in the biomass power industry through its commitment to the FSC Chain of Custody process and its stated purchasing preference for certified input material.’ With FSC chain of custody certification, GREC has become the first power plant to be certified with these strict requirements for the inspection, documentation, and transportation of waste wood fuel. For more information:
This article was written by John Brushwood, communications director, Gainesville Renewable Energy Center. Visit: www.gainesvillebiomass.com
Bioenergy Insight
skills Bioenergy The dreaded ‘skills gap’ and how to fill it
Skills in the bioenergy sector
T
he bioenergy sector (defined as the aggregation of biomass, energy from waste and anaerobic digestion) is a profitable, growing and exciting sector. Its turnover in 2013 in the UK was £3.96 billion (€5 billion)1, and it is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Despite these promising growth trends, barriers still exist: • The dramatic reductions in the government support to Feed-in Tariffs may impede future smaller scale developments • CHP projects may be more challenging to develop as the policy environment becomes more demanding • The introduction of sustainability criteria for non-domestic biomass installations may create difficulties to find a local and approved biomass supplier. However, the biggest barrier for the bioenergy sector may not be regulations — it may well be a problem coming from inside the sector: workforce skills.
Why are skills important?
A report by Matthew Harrison (2012) from the Royal Academy of Engineering provides clear evidence that the demand for science, engineering and technology (SET) positions exceeds the supply of job seekers with such skills. More engineering graduates are needed, for both engineering and non-engineering jobs. Furthermore, independent models of future skills demand forecast a shortage of qualified people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This will be largely due to skilled people leaving the labour market — in other words, retiring — while not enough younger people are trained to replace them. Most of the jobs available in the bioenergy industry revolve around engineering or science.
very transferable, and indeed the bioenergy industry needs people with a wide array of scientific knowledge, from engineers to biologists. Year 6 to 9 students from the panel also tended to think that ‘scientists are brainy’ (King’s College London report, page 3), thus not considering undertaking a career in science if they did not consider themselves to be ‘brainy’. The bioenergy sector relies significantly on STEM and managerial skills. Because of our ageing workforce, and because of the lack of
Example of typical jobs in the bioenergy sector Furthermore, few children aspire to work in engineering compared to business or
Generation of renewable electricity by subsector of the bioenergy sector. Data source: DECC 2013 – Digest of UK Energy Statistics as analysed by the REA
Bioenergy Insight
art. Recent research (King’s College London 2013) suggests that at year 9, almost 60% of pupils agree that they would like to work in business, but only 15% would like to work in science and 25% in engineering. This is symptomatic of the lack of awareness from students and families about the diverse post-16 routes science can lead to. The primary view is that science qualifications lead to either working as a scientist, a teacher or a doctor. In practice, this is not true. Science qualifications are
Jobs available in the bioenergy sector
November/December 2014 • 39
Bioenergy skills
Cycle for current provision and design of publicly funded courses
aspirations from the younger generation toward engineering careers, it is likely that in the future, if not already today, the sector may struggle to recruit well-trained engineers. The current skills system may be a problem. Traditionally, training providers obtain funding from the Skills Funding Agency according to their business plan. They decide which courses or apprenticeships they would like to put in place and for how many people. The typical delivery time is 12 months, during which they get the funds if they achieve the targets set in their business plan. In this system, the training providers have got great powers on the types of courses offered. Training providers need to attract students in order to attain their targets and get the funding. As a result, they may focus on popular curricula among young people, such as beauty and administration rather than focusing on the needs of employers. Engineering or science courses and apprenticeships are indeed less popular. The number of level 3 engineeringrelated apprenticeships was 23,500 last year, falling well
short of an annual demand of approximately 69,000 (Engineering UK 2014). Often, colleges have partnerships
enterprises? A multitude of companies, unless they regroup in a professional organisation, is not likely to have an impact on colleges’ offers. As a result, there are two markets for skills: a publicly funded market with colleges, focused around qualifications; and a privately funded market of mostly non accredited training that address business needs. In the privately funded market, another problem may arise because bioenergy companies are not easily found using Standard Industrial Classification. This assigns a code for each business, depending on the type of economic activity in which they are engaged. As an example, Ashwell Biomass is producing, supplying and installing biomass boilers. The company’s business is
The bioenergy sector may struggle to recruit well-trained engineers due to our ageing workforce
with blue-chip engineering companies such as RollsRoyce or Bombardier. What about the bioenergy sector, which is composed mostly of small and medium
classified as ‘cold forming or folding’, code 24330. Using these codes, it is impossible to get a picture of the bioenergy sector — the sector cannot be quantified. It means that if a training provider wants to test the market on a wider scale before launching a new course, it may not find a sufficient panel of bioenergy companies using databases of companies. This may deter training providers to offer new training, tailored to the bioenergy sector, unless a powerful enough The Employer Ownership of Skills model for provision trade association and design of training
40 • November/December 2014
exists and can leverage in the sector’s favour. Furthermore, the publicly funded and privately funded markets do not align — the skills system fails to meet employers demand. This is why it is important to make sure that both training providers and colleges can take into account the needs of smaller businesses, and that is what Employer Ownership of Skills is about. Employer Ownership of Skills is a long-term agenda that has been developed by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills circa 2011. Stemming from the analysis above, it intends to increase both the level and the quality of training in the workplace by giving space for employers to take charge and develop their own training opportunities. In practice the idea is that employerled partnerships between employers, employees, trade unions and training providers should design skills solutions adapted to business needs (UKCES 2011). In order to try this new approach to skills solutions, in 2011 the government gave the UK Commission for Employment and Skills £250 million to launch a pilot initiative, called the Employer Ownership Pilots. These projects were followed in 2013 by a second round of pilots with £340 million available over four years. The funding was made available to any company through a competitive bidding process. Employer First was set up following a successful bid for the second round of Employer Ownership of Skills pilot, and started in February 2014, focusing especially on the skills needs of the low carbon sector. Since then, the company has been committed to the reformation of the skills system in building its business and training provider membership base. It acts as a link between low carbon businesses and various
Bioenergy Insight
skills Bioenergy
How Employer First is tackling the challenge of Employer Ownership of Skills
providers of skills solutions. Employer First has recently been involved in the trialling of a new funding model for apprenticeships. It has been successful in its bid as a trailblazer to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to develop the apprenticeship
standard for anaerobic digestion technicians. Trailblazers are groups of employers that are leading the way to make apprenticeships more rigorous and responsive. The standard for this new apprenticeship in anaerobic digestion will be no more than two sides of A4
and will precisely describe the skills and knowledge that an individual needs to be fully competent as an anaerobic digestion technician. The company also runs its Energy from Waste Skills group, responsible for defining the typical skills needs of energy from waste companies. A typical task group like this is composed of seven to 10 most active business members that form the core ‘steering group’. They are in charge of reporting the state of their industry’s skills to the Skills Advisory Board. Around the core steering group revolves a number of interested businesses — they do not have enough time to be in the steering group, but they still are interested
in making a difference, and taking ownership of the skills solutions developed. The company also consults its database of business members via surveys in order to determine specific skills needs in some specific areas of the low carbon sector.l
References:
1 In £ million the sector turnover breaks down as follows: anaerobic digestion (358) + biomass boilers (600) + biomass CHP (368) + biomass dedicated power (498) + energy from waste (832) + production of biomass, including wood for fuel (1,307). Source : REA (2014)
For more information:
This article was written by Chloe Fons, business support executive, Employer First. Visit: www.employerfirst.co.uk
spark detection & Fire protection solutions
www.firefly.se
Bioenergy Insight
November/December 2014 • 41
Bioenergy explosion prevention How to protect biomass storage silos from explosions and fires
Keeping silos safe
S
How to prevent a fire or explosion?
afety plays an important part for a sustainable growth of the biomass industry. Fires, explosions and accidents are costly from an economic, ecological and a social standpoint. Costs can, to a large extent, be avoided by integrating safety as a core value within the industry. To contribute to a sustainable growth of the industry where safety plays an essential part, the industry must gain the right knowledge and make use of best practices, to prevent or handle hazards that can arise. Problems The difficulty of handling and storing solid biofuel in a safe manner has become apparent with increasing volumes and a growing numbers of operators in the industry. The properties of biomass as a fuel, for example dust emissions and self-heating, are frequently discussed in the industry. Lower ignition temperature and the higher explosibility index of wood dust have made these matters even more apparent when converting a power plant from firing coal to biomass. Fire related problems in silos are a major concern when handling biomass. A fire in a pellet silo can have devastating consequences due to the properties of the material and the large amount of biomass stored. The extinguishing process is very difficult and time consuming, with the risk of a dust, gas or hybrid explosion. The consequences after a fire are not only loss of the stored material and damage of the property/equipment, but also loss of production,
Hot black particle ignition source
inability to fulfill contractual obligations and, on top of that, possible badwill. What causes a fire in a silo? A silo fire can start due to ignition sources being fed into the silo, or due to ignition sources being generated inside the silo itself. Ignition generated inside the silo is often caused by self-heating of the stored material. Self-heating can lead to spontaneous combustion and develop into a fire. The definition of an ignition source according to ISO 13943 — 2008 is ‘Source of energy that initiates combustion’. In practice this could be a glow, hot spot/hot black particle or a hot surface with enough temperature and energy to start a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the minimum ignition temperature (MIT) for wood dust is 470°C in a cloud. However, in a layered state, i.e. a silo or intermediate storage, the MIT drops down to 260°C. Note that a particle
42 • November/December 2014
of 470°C is a black particle and no glow or light can be observed with the human eye. Mechanical friction or machinery failure are common causes of ignition sources in a process. Dryers, mills, pellet presses, but also fans and conveyors are examples of machinery that can cause problems. In power stations there have been several cases where silo fires have started due to friction in bearings in the rollers of the belt conveyors, prior to the silo. Self-heating is a materialspecific behavior that can be found in most organic material when stored. Recent tests made in the European research project Safe Pellets show that self-heating occurs in freshly produced pellets almost instantly after they have been put into storage. It was also found that the self-heating varies dramatically between the different raw materials and how these have been handled and produced. If measures are not taken in time, this could develop into a spontaneous combustion and a fire within months, weeks or even days.
Sharing best practices and making use of the results from research projects addressing this issue is of the utmost importance to avoid incidents and accidents. The Swedish Technical Institute (SP) released a report in 2013, Silo Fires — Fire extinguishing and preventive and preparatory measures, where it focuses on preventive and preparatory measures. Summarising the recommendations from the SP report and the Safe Pellet project, the following preventive and preparatory measures need to be taken in consideration in order to lower the risk of fires and explosions in a silo: Monitoring the infeed to the silo A good way to prevent fires in a silo is to make sure that no ignition source enters it: • Spark/hot particle detectors and quick acting water extinguishing or diversion in the chutes prior to the silo can efficiently minimise the risk of ignition sources to enter the silo. • Diversion of the material flow is strongly recommended when possible. • Ensure the detectors are capable of detecting hot spots/hot black particles, down to the MIT of the handled material. Monitoring inside the silo Self-heating and/or spontaneous combustion inside the silo is far more difficult to detect and will require a combination of different methods: • Gas monitoring — multiple
Bioenergy Insight
explosion prevention Bioenergy
Preventive and preparatory measures for silos
Spark-hot particle detectors and quick acting water extinguishing in chutes
gas detectors (MGD) inside the silo for detection of combustion gases from a beginning fire. • Temperature monitoring — cables with temperature sensors for detecting increasing temperatures inside the silo. It is recommended to have one temperature sensor every 2-3m, but in practice this can be difficult to apply.
the silo. The earliest indication of this problem could therefore be to detect overheated particles in the material discharge out from the silo: • Spark/hot particle detectors and quick acting water extinguishing zone to be placed in the discharge chute from the silo. • Gas monitoring — MGD above the conveyor from the silo.
Monitoring the outfeed from the silo Spontaneous combustions often start in the lower part of
Fire suppression In addition to the above, preparatory measures
have to be taken into consideration so that a fire incident can be handled in an efficient and safe way. Several tests and real full-scale incidents have been brought together by SP, resulting in a comprehensive understanding of the behavior of a deep-seated fire in a silo. More information about this, including a summary of measures in the event of a silo fire, as well as recommendations of good design practice, extinguishing strategy and safe procedures, can be found in the SP report.
Safety to secure sustainable growth Sustainable growth is about balancing economic, ecological and social issues, and safety ties into all of these aspects. Safety needs to be addressed and should be considered a core value that top management should strive to combine with productivity, quality and profitability. l For more information:
This article was written by Anders Bergström, sales director, and Christoffer Romnäs, product manager, Firefly AB. Visit: www.firefly.se/en
Bioenergy Insight magazine brings you a new weekly newsletter focusing exclusively on bioenergy. Updates will cover new pellet, biogas and biopower plants, new types of biomass, production technologies and the latest industry regulations.
Free weekly bioenergy news! For advertising queries contact: tom@bioenergy-news.com • +44 (0) 203 551 5752 To submit company news please email keeley@bioenergy-news.com Bioenergy Insight
November/December 2014 • 43
Bioenergy explosion prevention Explosion protection plays an important role in the biomass-to-energy industry
Protecting against explosions
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enewable energies have witnessed double digit growths over recent years. Power plants, local authorities and industry are applying for grants throughout the UK and Ireland to build biomass and waste-to-energy facilities. Industry processes used to convert the fuel to energy: • Direct combustion of biomass material. Some processing may be carried out prior to combustion e.g. sorting, chipping, pelleting or drying. • Thermochemical processes, where biomass is upgraded to a liquid or a gas by pyrolysis and gasification. • Decomposition of solid biomass to a liquid or gaseous fuel by processes such as anaerobic digestion and fermentation. • Combined heat and power (CHP). What implications does this have for safety? Explosions are being reported every month, at wood processing facilities, biodiesel plants, sewage treatment sites, sawdust mills (with pine beetle killed wood coming in dryer), even the pellet drying plants are having incidents. In the UK, many of the recent power plant incidents highlight the need for closer scrutiny as more and more power plants are being converted from coal to biomass. In deciding the philosophy for explosion prevention and protection, the components of the basic fire triangle need to
The components needed for a fire and dust explosion
be identified: fuel, oxygen and ignition. Further components for dust explosions are dispersion and containment. Fuel The primary biomass fuels are: wood, grasses, crops, agricultural and municipal wastes. When plant material is burned for energy purposes, carbon dioxide is released. However, because plants absorb carbon dioxide during their life cycle, the net emissions of carbon dioxide are zero. In this way, wood is said to be carbon neutral. Other non-plant based renewable feedstocks include: wastewater treatment or pelletised sludge pellets, MSW, household garbage, refuse derived fuel, and agricultural waste such as animal slurry and manure, chicken litter, etc. Oxygen Many industries have oxygen reduced atmospheres as their primary prevention/protection against fire and explosions.
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The cement industry, for example, has a long history of using re-circulated exhaust, with nitrogen and CO2 to extinguish or inert the hazardous atmosphere. However, as most industries use air in their process, oxygen is unavoidable. Ignition sources The ATEX standard EN 1127 details an exhaustive list of ignition sources, including: • Flames: direct fired space
and process heating, use of cigarettes/matches etc., cutting and welding flames. • Hot surfaces: heated process vessels such as dryers and furnaces, hot process vessels, space heating equipment, mechanical machinery. Sources of ignition should be effectively controlled in all hazardous areas by a combination of design measures and systems of work: • Using electrical equipment and instrumentation classified for the zone in which it is located. New mechanical equipment will need to be selected in the same way. • Earthing of all plant equipment. Dispersion It is generally accepted that most carbon-based products have a lower explosion level of 30 to 60g/m3. In the US, the general rule of thumb is: If the dust layer is ‘greater than the thickness of a dime’, there is a problem. When
Ignition sources to avoid
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explosion prevention Bioenergy bringing fuel in on conveyors, road or rail, there will be attrition, and settling of a percentage of the dust fines. Wood pellets from overseas will have a large percentage of fines at the bottom of the hull. Does that mean that the last three train loads coming into a power plant contain only fines? Whether dry fog or spot filtration technologies are applied, there will always be accumulations of dust either in the duct or at the final collection points or filters. Dropping product large distances from the top of a silo creates dust dispersion. Additionally, dust clouds may also be created during plant start-up, shut down, cleaning or ‘abnormal operations’. Many incidents still happen from air jet cleaning, simple room blowers or brushing instead of vacuuming. Prevention and protection There are two primary approaches to fire and explosion protection in any industry: 1. Prevention • To prevent an incident from occurring, these factors are essential: • Good design practices • Risk assessment • Hazard identification and consequences • Implementation of risk reduction measures • Documentation of every step in the process • Implementation of sufficient training and management responsibilities • Operating procedures should be established and reviewed frequently • Good engineering practices • Quality monitoring • Typical equipment options are spark detection, dry fog, and gas or temperature monitoring, alignment sensors. 2. Protection Once the prevention systems are in place, both employees
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and the plant itself must also be protected from the harmful effects of incidents, and the consequences minimised. Typical equipment options include: • Containment • Barriers (6-10bar), rotary valves, or explosion venting either with doors (selfreclosing) or vent panels sometimes incorporated into flameless assemblies for indoor venting • Suppression and/or chemical barriers using dry chemicals are an alternative if the other systems are not practical. • Other less frequently used options include product plug, screw chokes and slamshut valves. • Many wood applications still use flap valves and flame diverters but they are being challenged as real explosion isolation devices. • Proper and safe process shutdown procedures are critical to prevent an escalation of the incident as secondary explosions are frequently worse than the original event. When designing your protection system, it is important to be aware of the plant’s strength; if the prereduced explosion pressure is greater than the strength of the vessel, the rupture could have fatal consequences. Protection ATEX Explosion Hazards, an explosion protection company which is now part of the ATEX multinational
Generic biomass values • 95% < 75µm • Particle size less than 500 µm is potentially explosive, less than 5% moisture • Maximum explosion pressure in an explosion test rig: Pmax = 6.5-7bar • Maximum speed of the explosion, relative to a 1m2 cubic vessel: KSt = 100-140bar m/s • Most dust will not explode if the dispersion is too rich or too lean: MEC = ~30->1,000g/m3 • Minimum ignition energy typical for most hazardous dusts: MIE = 10 30 mJ • Minimum ignition temperature: MIT = ~250°C relatively low for most industrial dusts, but then it has been processed to be a fuel. group of companies, has developed a dry chemical system by redesigning the release valve itself. Providing a reusable valve lowered the cost of system reconditioning and therefore the total operational cost. The sensors are programmed in a series-type confirmation mode to prevent false release. If the system determines that the sensor is not responding, it will automatically reprogramme itself to a single sensor response. This provides a higher degree of reliability without compromising the false alarm signal processing. Bottles and sensors are modular and addressable. It is possible to have a one zone system with two sensors and between one and 60 bottles, or multiple zones depending on the enclosure required. Each zone has a log read out in real time of all system
activity. The sensor data can be downloaded, with 25% recording the pressure before the actual event from its black box recording sensor head. From one central point, all the bottles and sensors can be monitored, with an option to connect via modem. ATEX Explosion Hazards’ systems offer ANSI SIS SIL approvals for reliability. By designing all components with total functional supervision and providing redundancy where a component cannot be supervised as required, the system has been independently certified as providing SIL 2 level protection. l
For more information:
This article was written by Declan Barry, MD, ATEX Explosion Hazards Ltd. Visit: www.explosionhazards.co.uk
A protection method for a sludge plant THE SLUDGE begins as a wet mix at the
start of the drum dryer. As it makes its way to the discharge screw, it becomes dryer and potentially more unstable. The product, if thermally unsafe, is discharged to a safe bin outside or cooled in a series of cooling screws before being lifted to the sifter for grading into different sizes. Unusually, the
screws after the drum dryer pose the most dangerous risk due to thermal instability. Protection is mostly chemical barriers along the screws with venting either to a safe area outside or, if that is not possible, flameless venting inside the building. Good housekeeping is important as sludge pellets are a fuel source and dispersion of the dust layers is to be avoided.
November/December 2014 • 45
Bioenergy dust control Specifying dust control for bulk materials handling
Out of sight, not out of mind
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ust suppression has become an increasingly important challenge in biomass handling operations, with raised awareness and tighter regulatory standards both contributing motivation to find efficient, cost-effective methods of particle control. Depending on the source and ambient conditions, airborne dust can contribute to a number of concerns, including potential health hazards, explosion risks, environmental issues, regulatory challenges, higher equipment maintenance costs and poor community relations. From a purely financial perspective, when equipment air intake includes significant amounts of dust, it can lead to more frequent maintenance and faster wear, causing operating costs to rise. Defining dust Dust is a generic term for minute solid particles, typically less than 500 microns in diameter. In bulk material
handling, these particles are often created in a wide range of sizes, with larger, heavier particles tending to settle to the ground, while smaller, lighter solids may hang in the air indefinitely. For occupational health purposes, airborne solids are categorised by size as either respirable or inhalable. The larger particles in the inhalable dust classification are typically trapped in the nose, throat or upper respiratory tract. The US Environmental Protection Agency describes this category as particles with a median diameter of about 10 microns. In contrast, respirable dust is small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, usually identified as particles under 10 microns in size. These small particles that migrate deep into the respiratory system are generally beyond the body’s natural cleaning mechanisms (such as cilia and mucous membranes) and are likely to be retained. To put that in perspective, a
The most potentially hazardous dust particles are the ones too small to see
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An atomised spray unit and a dust suppressing ring combine for outstanding control at this biomass-fired power plant
human hair typically ranges from 50-75 microns thick, so the most potentially hazardous dust particles are the ones too small to see. Approaches to dust control Basic spraying techniques such as sprinklers or handheld hoses can help capture surface dust before it becomes airborne, but they have a tendency to saturate target surfaces, often resulting in standing water that can create additional hazards or damage sensitive cargo. The range of these techniques also tends to be quite limited, frequently requiring significant staff time to man the hoses or reposition sprinkler heads. Their greatest drawback, however, is droplet size: water droplets produced from hoses and sprinklers are simply far too large to have any meaningful effect on airborne dust particles. A more effective option is an ‘atomised mist’, which relies on the principle of creating tiny droplets of a
specific size and delivering them at relatively high velocity over a wide coverage area, inducing collisions with dust particles and driving them to the ground. The method is also one of the few technologies capable of delivering dust control via airborne capture and surface wetting. Even though new equipment designs are often compact in size, some atomisers are capable of reaching a very large surface area with powerful oscillating fans that can generate as much as 1,062m3/min (approximately 37,500 cubic feet per minute (CFM)) of air flow. These highperformance machines can have a throw of more than 100m, with fully oscillating models delivering a highefficiency spray that can cover as much as 26,000m2 from a single location. That is almost six football fields. Selection criteria The most obvious criteria is performance: How effectively
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dust control Bioenergy Success story THE PANAMA City Port Authority maintains a 7,432m2
The greatest attraction between dust particles and water droplets is created when they are roughly the same size, avoiding a slipstream effect
does the equipment knock down solid particles that are suspended in the air and prevent ground-level dust from becoming airborne? One way to judge equipment designs is to review their spec sheets and compare physical properties, including motor rating, air velocity, air and water volumes, and water pressure, all of which directly affect the unit’s range and coverage area. In most situations, the higher the numbers in these categories, the better. The water source is also a factor — it is very unlikely that a machine supplied by a garden hose will be able to equal the performance of equipment fed by a fire hose. Not surprisingly, the equation is more complex than simply comparing statistics. As dust particles and water droplets approach each other, the best chance for a collision is created when they are roughly the same size, avoiding a slipstream effect that can carry them past one another. Because all of the elements in dust control equipment tend to have an effect on each other, each component must be designed to achieve an optimum balance, including pump, nozzles, barrel and fan. Changing any element can have
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consequences on droplet size, velocity, spray angle, pattern and range, and all of these must work together for maximum efficiency. An age of specialisation Potential buyers of dust suppression equipment should be sure to review the standard features and available options. Will the manufacturer deliver the unit on a carriage, providing ready mobility? Is it available with a skid mount, allowing easy transportation with a fork lift? Can it be ordered with a dosing pump to add surfactants for superior particle attraction or additives for odour control? Is there a filter system permitting the use of nonpotable water sources? Beyond options and accessories, look for the ability to customise. Some equipment brands are sold with an established set of choices, with little room to accommodate specialised needs. For example, in some applications, the ability to tailor the droplets to suppress a very specific particle size can be a significant advantage. That kind of versatility typically means a change in nozzles and possibly other features, requiring a certain amount of flexibility
warehouse used exclusively for storing wood pellets, a widely used biomass fuel in Europe. ‘The facility receives about 30,000 tonnes of pellets each month by rail car, creating stockpiles more than 100 feet wide at the base, with an enormous potential for dust,’ explains John Ramer, director of terminal services. To control the inevitable dust from three front loaders with 10-yard buckets feeding a 600-foot conveyor and then dumping such a huge volume of pellets into a ship’s hold, Ramer knew that he would need specialised equipment designed specifically for that purpose. While researching potential dust management solutions, he happened to visit a large grain handler on the Mississippi River and saw a brand new DustBoss on-site. Although he had looked at dust suppression units that appeared similar, this design seemed larger, more powerful and ruggedly built. After some investigation, Ramer learned that the machine he had seen at the grain handler had the kind of range he would need for his own ship loading application. He decided that the next time a vessel came into port, he would rent a model DB-60 from Dust Control Technology. ‘We placed the DustBoss downwind when we began loading a ship,’ Ramer explains. ‘This cargo is very sensitive to moisture. If the pellets get wet, they tend to crumble, so we had to avoid spraying any water down into the hold. Once we started working, we aimed the plume of water mist into the dust cloud, and it made an immediate difference.’ He estimated that dock workers can load about 1,000 tonnes of material per hour. Shortly after taking delivery of the rental machine, the port facility got a visit from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The agency representative appeared to be impressed with the particle control methods at the site, and departed without issuing any notices or warnings about dust. Ramer’s crew has rented the equipment several times since, and the results have convinced officials to purchase a unit. ‘Under these circumstances, there is no single solution that’s going to completely solve the dust problem,’ concludes Ramer, ‘but wind screens and other physical barriers just weren’t enough. I think the DEP was pleased to see us making every reasonable effort and using the best of current technology to keep the dust contained.’ Asked about payback, Ramer responds: ‘Saving money wasn’t our primary goal in this application. It’s really about protecting health and the environment, and preventing dust from becoming a nuisance for our neighbours. It’s just the right thing to do.’
The Port Authority noticed an immediate difference from the atomised misting unit
November/December 2014 • 47
Bioenergy dust control that not all manufacturers will offer. Demonstration is key
Remote control or other automation can allow users to operate the suppression equipment with maximum efficiency
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Before making a commitment to a particular dust suppression design, it is a good idea to see the units closeup and get a demonstration of the equipment in service. Do not rely solely on spec sheets and videos. Renting a unit before buying can be a valuable
experience, especially if the supplier will credit a portion of the rental fee toward the purchase. Inspect the materials of construction: Is the unit built with heavy-duty materials that are likely to withstand the rigours of everyday use, or does the manufacturer use thin sheet metal housings and light-duty components? Does the supplier employ a durable frame and fasteners that lend themselves to removal and replacement, if a repair becomes necessary? Or is the unit assembled with light-gauge rivets and sheet metal screws that are unlikely to survive many years of field service? As with many types of equipment, good indicators of overall quality are the supplier’s warranty and guarantee, not to be
confused. The warranty is the manufacturer’s pledge to replace failed parts within a specified period of time, while the guarantee is that supplier’s assurance of a buyer’s satisfaction. A manufacturer willing to warranty its products for significantly longer than its competitors is demonstrating confidence that the equipment is durable and reliable. Likewise, if a supplier promises customer satisfaction with a moneyback guarantee, it is a good indication that the products have been field-proven to perform as advertised. l
For more information:
This article was written by Carl Harr, technical sales, Dust Control Technology. Visit: www.dustboss.com
Bioenergy Insight
dust control Bioenergy Controlling biomass dust in bulk conveyor systems
From the ground up
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ith government agencies poised to more strictly enforce industrial dust regulations, suppliers of bulk material handling systems are investing significant R&D into the design of equipment and techniques that can help contain fugitive particles and thereby improve safety, regulatory compliance and productivity. One of the goals of this research is to minimise the negative consequences associated with dust and spillage, including potential risks to worker health, explosion hazards and the potential for injury from trips and falls. Fugitive material can arise from a number of areas in biomass handling systems, including dump zones, transfer points and conveyor systems. Virtually any time biomass material is moved, especially in large quantities or at high speeds, the potential exists to create and release dust. Complicating the situation is the fact that biomass handlers frequently must deal with changing material conditions, making control and dust management an even bigger challenge. New equipment designs and containment techniques are in production to facilitate better dust control, however, with others still in development.
Engineered flow chutes employ special geometries to capture and concentrate the material stream as it travels through the chute
receiving belt. By managing the material speed and direction, properly designed transfer chutes can minimise impact and wear on liners and belts, while containing the dust and spillage often generated at transfer points. Engineered flow chutes employ special geometries
that capture and concentrate the material stream as it travels through the chute. Every design is tailored to suit the specific material characteristics and conveyor systems of the individual customer. Well-engineered transfer chutes provide the dual
benefits of minimising aeration and preventing buildup within the chute, particularly important when dealing with combustible materials. They also incorporate replaceable liners, allowing operators to unbolt the enclosure for simplified replacement of worn components without confined space entry. Engineered chutes typically employ a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hood and spoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; transfer, with the hood discharge chute at the top of the system and a spoon receiving chute to place material onto the belt being loaded. The hood minimises expansion of the material stream, directing it downward. The spoon provides a curved loading chute for a smooth line of descent, consistently feeding the material at a specific speed and direction to reduce impact in the loading zone. The goal is to confine the
Engineered transfer chutes One of the dust mitigation technologies that is proving itself in biomass applications is custom-engineered transfer chutes, used to help control bulk material from the time it leaves the conveyor discharge pulley until it reaches the
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The insertable air cleaner is an automatic, self-cleaning design with a small footprint
November/December 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 49
Bioenergy dust control material stream and reduce air entrainment, while directing the moving material onto the receiving belt with minimal impact. Successful designs reduce spillage, abrasion, dust and premature belt wear. This control also helps ensure that material is centre-loaded on the belt, avoiding mis-tracking and potential spillage. By controlling the velocity and force of impact in the load zone to match the belt speed and direction, these engineered systems mitigate material splash, turbulence and dust. Air cleaners Another technology making an impact in biomass handling is a new generation of insertable air cleaners that feature improved filtering and a smaller footprint, helping bulk material handlers decrease airborne dust at belt conveyor loading points.
The Martin Air Cleaner from bulk material handling specialist Martin Engineering is an automatic, selfcleaning design that employs filter elements which are approximately one-eighth the size of filter envelopes in many comparable systems. These smaller filter elements allow a significant reduction in the air cleaner’s ‘footprint’, so it can be installed in locations where tight quarters complicate the installation of other systems. The mesh-like material filters better and lasts longer — while consuming less energy — than conventional filter bags. The new cleaners also allow a reduction in fan size to move air through the elements, helping to reduce the overall power consumption of the collection system. The design features a pulse cleaning system, sending a short burst of air back through
the filter media to dislodge accumulated material. Filter changes are a no-tool procedure from the clean side of the equipment. The compact designs can eliminate many of the problems seen with central baghouse collection systems, including long runs of ducting, large enclosures, maintenance difficulties and high power consumption. The new line of insertable cleaners was developed to handle the heavy dust concentrations and air volumes arising from material transfer points. They are designed to remove 99.9% by weight of all dry particulates 0.5 micron and larger (based on a time-weighted average of a properly-installed, operated and maintained unit). The automated ‘reverse jet’ cleaning sequence facilitates continuous operation, keeping filters working effectively with
a minimum of compressed air. The small integrated fan runs only when the conveyor is operational, further improving energy efficiency. Advanced skirt design On conventional roller conveyors, innovations in apron seal skirting are also delivering improved material containment, as well as extended service life. Martin ApronSeal Double Skirting provides two wear surfaces on a single elastomer sealing strip, installed along the bottom of the skirtboard in a belt conveyor loading zone. When the bottom side of the strip against the belt is worn, the sealing strip is inverted, providing a second service life. The design was the first dual-sealing system for belt conveyors, incorporating a primary seal clamped to the
In the spotlight IN MINNESOTA, US is Hibbing Public
Utilities’ (HPU) cogenerating plant that brings both steam heat and electricity to its service area. In partnership with Virginia Public Utilities, HPU formed a joint company called Laurentian Energy to deliver power from the abundant biomass resources nearby. Under a 20year contract with Xcel Energy, the firm currently produces about 300,000MWh of electricity per year. The fuel includes wood from open loop sources (such as waste wood, limbs and agricultural waste) and closed loop sources (dedicated crops of trees), with a goal of averaging 75% of the power generated from biomass fuels over the life of the agreement. The material handling system at the Hibbing site is critical to the plant’s efficiency, but from the time it began operations in 2007, controlling dust and spillage was a challenge. After a thorough evaluation of the material handling system, Martin Engineering technicians began a system upgrade by installing primary and secondary belt cleaners on all four conveyors. The primary units on each belt are electricpowered brush models that provide a cost-efficient solution for residual beltborne material. The secondary units are
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a versatile ‘deflected blade’ design that features a gentle pressure to prolong service life and prevent belt damage. ‘We installed electric brush cleaners on each conveyor because they’re very effective on the type of cleated belts used at this facility,’ observes Martin Engineering territory manager Tom Hines. ‘The rotating brush delivers good cleaning performance in difficult applications, including belts with ribs, grooves or chevrons, as well as belts carrying sticky materials or stringy fibres.’ In addition, Martin Engineering technicians removed troublesome sections of the existing conveyor and replaced them with specially-engineered transfer points. They also modified existing transfer points, installing drop chutes to help eliminate dust and transfer chutes with a hood-and-spoon design to improve the material flow. To further ensure control of fugitive material, settling zones were created at the transfer points to slow the air speed, with dust curtains to contain airborne particles. Finally, skirtboard sealing systems were installed on the sides of the loading zones to contain dust, eliminate spillage and reduce cleanup. Martin Engineering’s dual-sealing system incorporates a
primary seal clamped on the steel skirtboard to keep lumps on the belt and a secondary or ‘outrigger’ strip to capture any fines or dust particles that pass beneath the primary seal. The secondary seal lies gently on the belt and self-adjusts to maintain consistent strip-to-belt pressure, despite high-speed material movement and fluctuations in the belt’s line of travel. The design provides two wear surfaces on a single elastomer sealing strip, installed along the bottom of the skirtboard. When the bottom side of the strip against the belt is worn, the sealing strip is inverted, providing a second service life. With the modifications in place, HPU reports significant reductions in spillage and airborne dust. ‘We’re very pleased with the results we’ve seen in fugitive material control,’ says assistant GM and director of power production, Gary Myers. ‘We’re now reviewing several other conveyor sections to determine the opportunities for additional dust control measures. Our goal has always been to provide the Hibbing area with safe, reliable power that’s produced and delivered in an environmentallyresponsible manner, and this work is a reflection of that commitment.’
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dust control Bioenergy steel skirtboard to keep lumps on the belt and a secondary or ‘outrigger’ strip to capture any fines or dust particles that pass beneath the primary seal. The secondary seal lies gently on the belt and selfadjusts to maintain consistent strip-to-belt pressure, despite high-speed material movement and fluctuations in the belt’s line of travel. Ongoing development These are just a few of the technologies gaining the forefront in the effort to better control biomass dust. Until recently, the engineering of belt conveyors to carry bulk materials had not changed much in the last half-century, despite the fact that virtually every requirement for safety, regulatory compliance and production performance has been raised during that time.
Even with powerful software and modelling techniques to help design conveyor systems, the basic approach remained much the same. Most conveyor systems were designed by matching capacity requirements with the most economical construction cost, while still adhering to codes and safety regulations. The new approach at Martin Engineering, however, examines every detail for opportunities to make conveyors cleaner, safer and more productive. Literally reinventing conveyor technology from the ground up, designers are now revisiting every facet of component and system design, with fugitive material control, safety and ease of service as primary criteria. l For more information:
This article was written by Dan Marshall, product engineer, Martin Engineering. Visit: www.martin-eng.com
Advanced apron seal design incorporates a primary seal clamped to the steel skirtboard to contain lumps and an ‘outrigger’ strip to capture fines and dust
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November/December 2014 • 51
Bioenergy wood pellets Asia is set to become a prolific producer and consumer of wood pellets. In Malaysia, the country’s largest pellet production plant is nearing completion
Spanish technology in Asia
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n Sarawak, on the Malaysian island of Borneo, the construction of a 120,000 tonne per year wood pellet production plant is nearing completion. Spanish company Prodesa is supplying the turnkey project for this installation. When it comes online in Q1 2015, the facility will be one of the largest in the region, supplying high quality pellet fuel to renewable power plants in South Korea. A diverse mix of locally sourced biomass residues will be used to manufacture the pellets. The plant, known as Green Pellet Sarawak (GPS), is being
developed and funded by a joint venture comprising Cellmark AB, a Swedish multidisciplinary company with its main activity in the trading of different products; Sarawak Timber Industries, an important local timber organisation in the region; and Derasas Jaya SBD, a Malaysian machinery trading company. Spanish engineering firm Prodesa designed and is building the plant, work on which began at the beginning of last year. This is the company’s first project in southeast Asia. During the planning phase of the project, Prodesa concluded that the
The plant has been designed to handle a variety of biomass materials
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best approach would be to manufacture the plant’s main technology in Europe. Some additional equipment would be built in local workshops. Features of the plant include: Wood yard The GPS facility receives a variety of biomass for its pellets, such as logs, veneer, plywood cut, log offcuts, and log ends. To cater for these different feedstocks, the plant features several types of equipment. Each one is designed to process and treat different raw materials and achieves the
required particle size for optimal performance during the drying and pelletising processes. Two independent lines will reduce the particle size of the different raw materials below 15mm. Drying island The drying island is the ‘heart’ of the plant and the key to achieving the required pellet quality and production objectives. Three options were presented by Prodesa for this purpose: ecoDry, an indirect high temperature dryer; a drum dryer, a direct high temperature dryer; and a belt dryer, an indirect low temperature dryer. In the case of the GPS facility, a low temperature belt dryer was selected. The belt dryer will use water heated to 105°C in a boiler. The hot water generates hot air, which is needed for the drying process. The plant’s hot water boiler supplies most of the thermal energy required in the dryer. It is a biomass boiler with a mobile grate, which can use chips, bark or other biomass residues as fuel. Some extra thermal energy is also produced by an existing thermal oil boiler. During the drying process, the properties of the raw material will change. It is necessary to treat the biomass with care in order to maintain the right conditions and ensure the best pellet quality. Moisture, colour and chemical parameters of the biomass all affect the drying
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wood pellets Bioenergy When co-fired in power plants, pellets are pulverised before being burned for co-combustion. However, it will also be able to produce pellets which comply with the European ENPlus specifications for domestic consumption.
Prodesa’s low temperature belt dryer under the Swiss Combi license was chosen for the GPS pellet plant
process and these must be properly managed to ensure compliance with pellet quality standards (e.g. mechanical durability, size, fines, moisture, LHV, etc.). Controlling these parameters results in improved drying, which in turn creates a better quality pellet. Prodesa’s belt dryers, under the Swiss Combi license, demonstrate the following benefits: • Low energy consumption • Low level of emissions • Lower risks of fire in the dryer • Use of low temperature energy • Careful drying for optimal product quality • Automated operation • Modular design which allows a future enlargement of the dryer.
combustion in power plants because here the pellets are pulverised before being burned. The size of this powder, therefore, must meet with requirements of the customer. Pelletising At the GPS pellet plant, three 355kW pellet mills have been installed, which will produce a combined 120,000 tonnes per year of pellets. The end product will meet all the required quality standards so it can be sold as industrial pellets
Pellet storage A single large silo will be used to store the produced pellets. An automatic bagging station has also been installed as the majority of the pellets will be sold in large bags. A growing market As it works to finalise the GPS pellet plant in Malaysia, Prodesa is also beginning a new project in Asia, this time in Vietnam. This production plant will also have a capacity of 120,000 tonnes per year. And, as Asia’s potential as both a prolific pellet producer and consumer grows, Prodesa will soon open a new commercial office in the region. Asia’s booming biomass
market can be attributed to two key factors: • Industrial development across the region generating a noticeable increase in electrical consumption • The vast volume of available biomass due to the existing tropical forestry areas. South Korea, Japan and China have been identified as Asia’s largest bioenergy economies. Governments in these countries are supporting renewable energy and in particular the development of the bioenergy sector, with large-scale power stations now being redesigned and modified in order to be able to co-fire coal and wood pellets. These efforts point to a significant growth in the production of and demand for wood pellets in Asia, in the short and medium terms. l For more information:
Visit: www.prodesa.net
Dry product intermediate storage The drying process reduces moisture content to 8-10% and the woodchips are then transported via chain conveyors to dry product storage. Dry product milling line Before the biomass is pelletised, it is first treated with a hammer mill that reduces the size of the dried product. This stage is especially important when producing industrial pellets for co-
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Three pellet mills at GPS
November/December 2014 • 53
Bioenergy briquettes A US wood processing company is using a briquetting system to turn its waste stream into its own brand of biofuel
Added value
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alnut Creek Planing produces hardwood components and finished goods at its 125,000 squarefoot manufacturing facility in Holmes County, Ohio, US. Its products support clients from a variety of woodworking industries including those specialising in doors, stairs, furniture and butcher blocks. For years, Walnut Creek Planing ground up its wood shavings waste and sold it as animal bedding. This was effective as part of the company’s waste stream management programme in that it saved the waste from being burned or sent to landfill. It did, however, add minimal value to the waste stream. In an effort to increase revenue from the high-quality wood waste created from its manufacturing operations, Walnut Creek Planing considered entering the wood pellet business, supplying fuel for wood pellet stoves. There were concerns, however, that the start-up costs and largescale production capacity required to enter the industry would prove prohibitive. In 2008, the company found a way to get more revenue from its waste stream — wood briquetting using equipment from RUF. The material generated at the site comprised hardwood sawdust and shavings with a moisture content of 6-8%. Solution In 2009, following extensive testing in RUF’s German manufacturing facility, Walnut Creek Planing installed a
A RUF 1100 briquetter installed at Walnut Creek Planing’s processing facility in Ohio
model 1100 RUF briquetting system. Before leaving the factory, every briquetter is run and tested for 20 hours. This procedure ensures that the briquetter is ready to run once it arrives at the customer’s facility. Within 24 hours of unloading the machine, Walnut Creek Planing was up and running without any bugs or hiccups, compressing its wood waste into briquettes instead of grinding it up for animal bedding. While briquetting machines can be operational the day they are installed, pellet mills often take months of adjustments onsite to run efficiently. Each RUF 1100 system produces approximately 0.9 tonnes per hour of briquettes. One machine is enough to handle Walnut Creek Planing’s waste production so planned
54 • November/December 2014
maintenance can be carried out on the second briquetter without there being an issue with waste material backing up the system. Results Today, Walnut Creek Planning is producing between 40 and 42 tonnes of briquettes a day, which are sold under the name Eco-Brick. Targeted at residential consumers to heat their homes, the
briquettes are sold in animal feed stores, fireplace shops, fuelling stations, supermarkets and hardware stores. With its RUF briquetting system, Walnut Creek Planing generates twice the waste stream revenue it did when converting it into animal bedding. Driven by the success of Eco-Brick, Walnut Creek Planing added another RUF briquetting system to a partner facility in Virginia in August 2012. And, because demand for the Eco-Brick briquette product is steadily growing as the market becomes more educated about its benefits, the company is also bringing in approximately 20 tonnes per day of additional wood waste from other processors to help maintain production levels. Kenric Kratzer from Walnut Creek Planing says the company is pleased with its briquetting systems as well as the service and support it receives from the RUF team in the US and in Germany. l For more information:
Visit: www.ruf-briquetter.com
The briquettes are produced from hardwood sawdust and shavings with a moisture content of 6-8%
Bioenergy Insight
biogas at the port Bioenergy How is Port of Amsterdam developing a bio-based economy and what measures are being put in place to ensure it can continue to operate sustainably?
Actions speak louder than words
A
s the world’s population continues to rapidly grow, so does the demand for raw materials and energy, not to mention environmental challenges. At the port of Amsterdam, the vision is become a network port by 2030. This will see it bridge the gap between global production and regional consumption; between fossil and biobased economies; between the logistics corridor of the West Axis (Westas) and the financial hub of the South Axis (Zuidas); and between the Mainport Amsterdam and the other mainports in the Netherlands and abroad. Dertje Meijer, Port of Amsterdam’s CEO, explains: ‘Our goal is to develop the port region in such a way that it creates sustained
value for people and the environment. What we’re doing is made up of three strands: strengthening the current activities, connecting the urban service sector with the port’s core clusters and the industry in the region, and realising innovations. ‘In pursuing these goals, we are developing the port region into an innovative hub for the circular and bio-based economy. And, in partnership with the market and our environment, we are creating jobs, new products and added value.’ Rapid innovation Changes are succeeding each other at a breakneck pace: big data, 3D printing, drones and the almost limitless possibilities of Internet technology. A port alone would not be able to keep up with these changes — it
The Port of Amsterdam has established Port Vision 2030
Bioenergy Insight
Greenmills is one of the largest bio-based industrial complexes in Europe
can only do so as part of networks and partnerships. Innovations also require that things are done differently within the organisation and this involves approaching things with an open mind. It was partly based on this insight that Port of Amsterdam
established Port Vision 2030 in conjunction with other stakeholders including the business community in the port, knowledge institutions, interest groups, NGOs, and government authorities. Walking the talk The presence of strong core economic clusters such as energy, recycling, agribulk and food means the port of Amsterdam region is ideally suited to the development of a bio-based economy. The agricultural activities taking place in the surrounding area, in addition to the large metropolis of Amsterdam itself (the city’s metropolitan area has a population of over two million), offer many usable waste flows. Port of Amsterdam is an active participant in the Biobased Connections project initiated by the Amsterdam
November/December 2014 • 55
Bioenergy biogas at the port Economic Board. As part of this initiative, the different stakeholders involved are developing pilot projects which feature novel and innovative ways to convert residual flows into raw materials and renewable energy, and create closed-loop cycles, often in combination with innovative biotechnology. For example, water company Waternet is currently extracting phosphate from urine in wastewater, which is then used by ICL Fertilizers in the production of artificial fertiliser. The port has also teamed up with Waternet and the City of Amsterdam Waste and Energy Company (AEB Amsterdam), under the name Clean Capital, to research the possibility of converting biogas from sewage sludge into bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas) and bioplastics, as well as the joint construction of a steam network. In this project, AEB converts waste into energy (of which 53% is green energy) and raw materials, and is working on the transition from being a waste processing company to being a sustainable energy and raw materials company. Kees van den Berge, AEB Amsterdam’s strategy and resource director, says: ‘We’re essentially one huge steam plant. For this reason, we’re looking into the possibility of setting up a steam network together with local businesses. That’s a great sustainable contribution to the businesses in the area.’ Waternet’s sewage purification plant supplies gas for cogeneration by AEB Amsterdam and bioCNG (compressed natural gas) for OrangeGas. Despite this huge demand for energy, the renewable energy economy in the Netherlands is progressing too slowly. In Amsterdam, the many businesses producing large quantities of residual heat hold much potential. Micha Hes, business
The Greenmills project produces 20 million m3 of biogas which is converted into 5.5MW of renewable energy
development manager at Port of Amsterdam, explains: ‘That’s why we’re actively looking for ways to put in place new infrastructure tapping into steam, heat and CO2. The demand is there and we will have to approach this in the same way that we approached the construction of quays and sites for decades. That’s what we’re good at.’ The port of Amsterdam is also home to the Greenmills project, a joint venture between Biodiesel Amsterdam, Orgaworld, Noba and Rotie. Together these companies are working to convert used cooking oil and other organic waste materials, such as kitchen waste and out-of-date food from supermarkets, into 115 million litres of biodiesel, green energy and heating for thousands of residential properties. This year, Biodiesel Amsterdam looks set to double its production of biodiesel, making it one of Europe’s largest biodiesel plants. At Greenmills, one of the largest bio-based industrial complexes in Europe, Orgaworld also produces 20 million m3 of biogas. This
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is converted into 5.5MW of renewable energy which is used to benefit around 15,000 households and satisfy the heating requirements of at least 1,000 homes.
place for bio-based chemistry: ample space, energy, working partnerships, a knowledge of infrastructure and unique infrastructure can all be found here.’
One-stop shop
Working towards independence
Renewable energy generated in Amsterdam also creates additional opportunities for the region’s chemical industry. ‘We’re working closely with Innovation Lab Chemistry Amsterdam at the Science Park, with the shared goal of strengthening the ecosystem when it comes to biochemistry and innovations,’ says Hes. ‘For example, we’re creating links between the port, chemical production plants, the scientific community, spin-offs and start-ups. Among other things, we’re establishing a pilot plant in the port where our customers, as well as spin-outs and smaller companies, will be able to conduct experiments on a large scale and run pilots projects that cannot be carried out at the Science Park due to lack of space. ‘This way, we’re creating a one-stop shop within this ecosystem. The port of Amsterdam is the logical
The use of advanced biobased technologies and expertise in the recycling of raw materials result in a stronger competitive position, a more sustainable economy and less dependency on other countries. This is what Port of Amsterdam is striving for, in conjunction with regional, national and European partners. Hes concludes: ‘We have far-reaching ambitions. We’re developing innovative concepts and revenue models with our partners to create growth and value for our customers and the environment. And we’re growing along with them. Together, we can make it a reality.’ l
For more information:
Visit: www.portofamsterdam.com
Bioenergy Insight
anaerobic digestion Bioenergy The Isle of Wight is gearing up to welcome its first ever biogas plant
From Wight to green
T
he historic and picturesque holiday destination of the Isle of Wight in the UK is set to benefit from its inaugural biogas plant. By spring 2015 the new facility, located at Gore Cross, Arreton, promises to deliver England’s largest island with the best in renewable energy technology. Biogas plant supplier Schmack Biogas UK (part of the Viessmann Group, one of the leading international manufacturers of heating systems), in partnership with Wight Farm Energy, is on course to complete the plant which is configured for an output of 5MW of gas power, with a 250kW combined heat and power (CHP) unit to supply its own energy demand. In contrast to conventional anaerobic digestion (AD) plants, biogas produced at this first Isle of Wight facility will be processed into biomethane, which has the same quality as natural gas. This will enable it to be fed into the island’s existing gas network. Renewable raw materials comprising mainly of maize, grass and whole crop silage, and agricultural wastes will be converted into 4.25 million m3 of biomethane. This project will help some of the island’s largest farm holdings to secure a future from unprofitable break crops, which are secondary crops grown to interrupt the repeated sowing of cereals as part of crop rotation. Designed to fit in with the local environment by way of a cut and fill construction, the AD plant will utilise Schmack’s robust mixing technology,
Bioenergy Insight
The AD plant will be fitted with Schmack’s robust mixing technology
which enables the plant to be flexible in regards to the range of inputs. At the end of the fermentation and gas upgrading process, the plant will produce biomethane for grid injection (to be used as energy and heat where needed), electricity for internal consumption, and also fertiliser as separated soil residue for farmland. Schmack’s experience in the field of renewable technology stretches back almost two decades. The company provides complete services in project development and plant construction, as well as servicing and operational management. It also provides a comprehensive microbiological service. Michael Groth, head of sales at Schmack Biogas, comments: ‘There are some extra logistics involved with the Gore Cross project being on the Isle of Wight, but the most formidable challenge encountered during the construction period has been
the very prolonged decision of the Department Of Energy and Climate Change over the Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI) for AD and gas-togrid injection. However, the project teams are now firmly underway and all pulling in the right direction to bring about this historic installation that we believe will demonstrate exemplary efficiencies that the Isle of Wight can be proud of. ‘Wight Farm Energy is an association made up of seven landowners and a producer and trade group for cereals, so it is an ideal partner for us with its active involvement and knowledge of the island and its agriculture.’ He adds: ‘By upgrading the gas and feeding it into the natural gas grid, it is utilised where it can be done so most efficiently and effectively. It also removes the dependency on fossil fuel by using renewable input materials and agricultural waste that would otherwise be going to landfill.’
This latest installation by Schmack follows its contract to design and build a new 2,000Nm³/hr processing plant just south of Stockholm. The development (in early 2015) will see the Swedish capital increase its proportion of biomethane by 50%, utilising Schmack Carbotech’s innovative Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) principle to help produce biofuel in vehicles powered by natural gas. And as well as its successes in Germany, Schmack’s proven track record in sustainable AD plants also includes its installation at Stoke Bardolph, just outside Nottingham. Here, maize silage, sugar beet and whole plant silage are utilised for a 3 x 1,063kWel (Kilowatt Electric) system that generates electrical and thermal energy for the neighbouring sewage treatment plant operated by Severn Trent Water. l For more information:
Visit: www.schmack-biogas.com
November/December 2014 • 57
xxxx Bioenergy BtL
Fibria’s Aracruz pulp mill, where Ensyn and Fibria are developing a 20 mgy RFO production facility
By introducing a renewable feedstock at the front end of a refinery, Ensyn is producing spec transportation fuels without the challenges of blends and blendwalls
Cellulosic game changer
A
key focus for growth in the biofuels industry is to find solutions for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to usable fuels, in particular transportation fuels such as petrol and diesel. This search has accelerated in recent years as ethanol and biodiesel alternatives approach limits to growth related to blendwalls and the food-vs-fuel issue. The emphasis on cellulosic fuels is clearly evidenced in the structure of various government regulatory programmes, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) administered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which calls for the lion’s share of growth in liquid biofuels to come from cellulosic, non-food sources over the next decade. Within the cellulosic biofuels sector there have been a few notable disappointments but one company that is emerging as a key player in this space is private US company Ensyn, which was initially established in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ensyn’s patented RTP conversion technology is a fast thermal process that converts solid biomass (principally wood residues) into high yields of a liquid fuel known as RFO. The RTP process does not require catalysts, hydrogen or significant pressure, characteristics that allow for low capital and operating costs and small minimum economic scale. The technology produces liquids from lignocellulosic feedstocks such as wood residues with a yield of approximately 70% (wt% from dry feed). The balance consists of by-product char and gas, both of which are used as fuel sources in the production process. Ensyn’s RFO is essentially ‘liquid wood’. It has multiple applications, although Ensyn’s current business plan is focused on two applications in particular: heating and refinery feedstocks. RFO is a heating fuel that directly displaces petroleum heating fuels, including #6, #4 and #2 fuel oil, and it is also a renewable feedstock for
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conventional refineries for the production of petrol and diesel in an application known as Refinery Coprocessing. RFO as refinery feedstock — Refinery Coprocessing
Refinery Coprocessing represents a game-changing approach to the production of petrol and diesel from solid biomass. It involves the feeding of RFO directly into the fluid catalytic cracker unit (FCC) at conventional refineries, alongside conventional FCC feedstocks (e.g. vacuum gasoil), in proportions of up to approximately 5%. The net result is the production of spec petrol and diesel. After a number of years developing Coprocessing, Ensyn is now working to commercialise the application in conjunction with UOP, a Honeywell company and specialist in FCC technology. Multiple trials have been carried out by independent entities in Canada, the US, Europe and South America, including UOP, government
agencies, independent laboratories and major oil companies. These demonstrations have taken place in facilities ranging from small-scale FCC test equipment to large pilot and demonstration facilities, as well as in commercial FCCs. To date, this work has resulted in strong overall yields of petrol and, in particular, diesel, and an attractive overall balance of products. Indications are that the value of RFO in a Coprocessing application, based on standard linear programming methodologies, is comparable on a volumetric basis to the value of the vacuum gasoil that it displaces. Coprocessing represents a straight forward solution for refineries seeking to integrate cellulosic biofuels into their product mix. It allows cellulosic biofuels targets to be met using existing refinery and downstream infrastructure, avoiding the need to build expensive dedicated upgrading infrastructure and downstream blending and distribution. While ethanol and biodiesel
Bioenergy Insight
BtL Bioenergy
Ensyn’s cellulosic biofuel production plant in Renfrew, Ontario
are blended into the petrol and diesel pools post refining (and are subject to blend limits), Ensyn introduces its RFO as a renewable feedstock at the front end of a refinery. The end-product is spec petrol and diesel, not a blend. In early 2015, Ensyn will finalise commercial demonstrations of Coprocessing, and this will be followed by signing contracts with refiners for the commercial supply of RFO. Initial commercial deliveries to refiners are expected to be met from Ensyn’s existing production capacity. This would be followed by production from new plants the company is currently developing in Canada, Brazil and the US.
providing advantageous control over RIN generation, as opposed to RIN generation at blending stations downstream of the refinery. Capacity expansion To date, the RTP technology has been responsible for over 37 million gallons of commercial production. Numerous RTP facilities have been built over a period of 25 years, six of which are in operation today. Current RTP installed capacity consists of five facilities in Wisconsin, US focused on the production of liquids for chemicals and heating fuels (owned by Red Arrow, Ensyn’s food ingredients partner) and
Ensyn’s own RTP plant located in Renfrew, Ontario. Ensyn has initiated its fuels build-out by enhancing its facility in Ontario and converting it from a chemical and fuels plant to a dedicated fuels plant. This work, with a focus on enhancing production capacity, automation and efficiency, was completed in October 2014. The unit can now produce approximately 3 million gallons per year (mgy) of RFO. Offtake from this facility is being directed to satisfy contracted commitments for heating fuels and to provide RFO for commercial demonstrations of the refinery business. Additional RTP production capacity is under development.
These new builds are slightly larger, ranging from 5 to 20 mgy. These include a 20 mgy facility in Aracruz, Brazil (with partner Fibria Celulose) and additional projects in Quebec, the US and Malaysia. Ensyn is executing its business plan with key strategic relationships, including UOP, Chevron Technology Ventures, Fibria, Credit Suisse, Petrobras, and the US National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). Ensyn’s business model for the project is to build-own-operate, together with strategic partners, including fibre owners such as Fibria. The RTP units for these projects are being supplied to the projects with performance guarantees by Envergent Technologies, a joint venture between Ensyn and UOP. Envergent is developing additional RTP initiatives in other countries, including Finland. The biofuels industry is seeking viable solutions for the conversion of non-food, lignocellulosic feedstocks to usable liquid fuels. With its de-risked RTP conversion technology, combined with a novel refinery application and strategic partners, Ensyn is at the forefront of development. l For more information: Visit: www.ensyn.com
Regulatory benefits The use of RFO is eligible under the EPA’s RFS2 programme for the generation of D3 and D7 cellulosic RINs when used for Coprocessing, and D7 RINs when used for heating. Ensyn is the first company to generate cellulosic RINs under the EPA’s expanded definition of ‘heating oil’ under RFS2, which became effective last December. It generates D7 RINs by replacing petroleum heating fuels (including #6, #4 or #2 diesel fuel oil) with RFO in customers’ boilers. In Coprocessing, D3 and D7 RINs will be generated by the refiner at the refinery,
Bioenergy Insight
Ensyn has recently completed an upgrade of its Ontario facility, increasing production capacity to 3 mgy
November/December 2014 • 59
Bioenergy xxxx
EUBCE 2015
23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 1- 4 June | Vienna, Austria
Messe Wien Congress and Exhibition Center
A world class renowned event for dialogue between research, industry, policy and business of biomass
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The European Biomass Conference and Exhibition helps us to evaluate and propel our technologies from a research and development stage into markets together with industrial partners. During the Hamburg conference we were able to activate more than 20 high valuable contacts to settle distinct business and project cooperations.
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events & advert index Bioenergy Bioenergy events Event Mon
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1
2
World Biomass Power Markets 2015
Fri
Thu
Biogas 24th International Convention & Trade Fair
Bremen, Germany
3
4
5
Sat
6
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
17-19 February 2015
European Pellet Conference 2015
Wels, Austria
25-26 February 2015
World Sustainable Energy Days
Wels, Austria
25-27 February 2015
World Biofuels Markets
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2-3 March 2015
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Nantes, France
19-22 March 2015
Biogaz Europe 2015
Nantes, France
19-20 March 2015
Argus European Biomass Trading
London, UK
14-16 April 2015
8
9
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11
12
13
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26
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28
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22-24 September 2015
EBEC
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