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magazine 1/2010

Practice More business, brighter future Test Crambo in Purgatory Future

We have a dream

The practitioner speaks

How can one find the real chippers?

Rupert Waitl: I hadn’t known the name of Komptech before, and to be honest, I was already on the road to a competitor. Since I had a contract to grant and therefore I used Chippo. I looked closely at the machine, and later tested it myself and made my calculations.

I had not heard the name Komptech before The investment was higher than planned. But as contractors we are accustomed to expect operating costs, and ultimately Chippo won out.

What is a good solution?

I think that the disintegration system is managed really well. The rotor is massively built. I can put in an additional setting with the knives and installation and removal for regrinding can be carried out with a reasonable amount of effort. The machine draws in very well, gives good throughput and yet the fuel consumption of my John Deere is seldom greater than 45 litres.

I also like the RPM setting with the blower. If I fill a loading wagon, I reduce the speed. If I blow into a storage room, from time to time I need full speed.

And what could be improved?

Although I’m often working at full speed and operate the 80 mm basket, I sometimes need to work with larger chips — maybe Komptech has an idea. I had another idea with the chipping table; I’ll see if I can convince the engineers of my solution.

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The day after tom We can’t live in the past. This could Curiosity seems to be one of Rupert describe the success formula for Waitl’s essential qualities. You literally Rupert Waitl. The farmer in Loiching, feel that his ideas that nothing is Lower Bavaria, often has the future moving are almost uncanny. This in his sights. He told us how he can is not only true for his machines. make good money.

Rupert Waitl is always moving.

A characteristic that he probably inherited: in 1962, his father and grandfather went out with their first combine into a new business at that time — contracting labour.

Today he uses several combine harvesters, crushers, presses, barrels of liquid manure and other agricultural implements, offering a wide range of services.

He never questioned his decision to continue with contracting and

Thoughts from the developer

The mystery of tensioning ducts

morrow is already yesterday agriculture into the third generation. Everything runs as it should, and the helps me to win new customers.”

Together with his father and strongly investment has paid off,” explained Of course, Waitl also had the advantage of his good reputation, supported by his wife, Sylvia, his Waitl. services in the contracting firm were Can he relax now? No, it’s time to which he had established for built up, always with a curious glance do something new. Rupert Waitl had reliability and high-quality equipment. already played with the idea of chip “At any rate, our chipper was a topic outside the box.

That‘s what happened when he was production for some time, but then at our usual table, “recalled Waitl, bidding for a newly-constructed opted for biogas. But his curiosity “and word of mouth in this area is biogas facility for renewable resources. was peaked. still the best way to get contracts.”

Simply put, the contract was to “feed The idea wouldn’t let go, and now a Nevertheless he was surprised by and clean up” after the always-hungry big green chipper is on his farm. But the many inquiries he had received microorganisms; this was associated there are lots of green chippers, so within a short period of time. with investment in a shredder for why this one? You get a clear answer His clients now include communities corn silage and manure wagons for to this question: and power plant operators with transportation of residual materials. “If you start in something that whom he secured large contracts “From one biogas plant we’ve now others also do, then you must to use the machine. grown to five, and accordingly have be better.” This machine makes increased the number of our machines. perfect chips, an argument which Our development goal has always been optimal chip quality. The whole machine is constructed for this.

This begins with the pull into the machine. Our system consists of two overhead rollers which grips both branches and roots well.

Cross-pulling and resulting chopping parallel to the fibres is therefore prevented. This cross-pulling can produce large fragments; in the worst case, the rotor can be stopped,

and product quality deteriorates due to oversized chips.

We opted for massive blades for the hacking rotor. This makes it possible to have a broad advance, and therefore creates a larger chip. In order not to crumble them immediately, it was important that the tension ducts — “the escape route” for the chips, is in place so that they arrive as quickly as possible without striking the knife holder from the shredding chamber.

Had we brought the chips directly to the shredding chamber, then I would bring them in this state out of the machine. This is why a conveyor belt option is also offered in addition to the blower. There is no additional shredding, no additional noise or dust pollution, and a conveyor requires less power than a blower. I have more strength available for chipping.

Heinz Leitner 3

Were the meagre results from the climate conference in Copenhagen a victory of the pragmatists over the dreamers? We say: No! The idea of renewable raw materials will be an essential part of the much-cited “better world.” Five people describe their dreams here: What will be the value of biomass in 2030?

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Dr. Norbert Röttgen is the German Environment Minister.

Source: www.bmu.de

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io energy supplies from domestic deas from today create reality for the sources are sufficient in theory future. What is the picture for today’s to achieve targets and double innovative ideas in the year 2030? the share of bio energy in Germany by In 2030, the paradigm changes in the 2020. However we should not overlook energy system will already be wellthe fact that import of biomass has advanced in 2030; The demand for become increasingly important and a heat and fuel will be reduced, and supply exclusively from domestic biomass renewable energy will cover over 60% is not realistic for competitive reasons. of needs. The consumption of heat One should therefore avoid having and fuel will be reduced by more than the development of biomass half the present consumption, and with production for energy recovery it greenhouse gas emissions. conflicting with food security, the right to food and the protection of Among renewable energy sources, the environment and nature. biomass will continue to play a To what extent the development dominant role and cover about oneof biomass will make sense will third of energy needs. More than twobe determined from the economic thirds the biomass will be used for conditions, for example energy price heating. New technologies will be on changes and the situation in the markets the market: electricity and heat from for foodstuffs and animal feed, as well small installations in houses and heating as technical progress and innovation in plants, biogas as a fuel, including our economy. The Federal Government propellant materials from cellulose can only set framework conditions as well as advanced gasification with the instruments it has available, technologies. The base of raw and provide incentives materials will be significantly expanded.

The heating supply will be dominated by district heating, biomass and solar thermal. In short, the new energies will determine the energy supply, with biomass being at the fore.

Dr. Heinz Kopetz is Chairman of the European Biomass AEBIOM.

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It would be necessary for us to think for ourselves what we can do in order to prevent this and to try all possible ways to prevent that and to check all possibilities in order to find cleaner energy. The sun is always there, the water produces no contamination, and the forest grows back. There are surely a lot of possibilities there.

And it is our dream that we will still see the sun in twenty years, the water is clean and the forest is there.

The role of biomass in global energy terms will probably double but remain insignificant. Roughly 7% of the world’s energy comes from renewable sources such as biomass and even if the amount of renewable fuel used were to double in the next 20 years it would still not increase that percentage based on the energy requirements of predicted population in 2030. Meanwhile, resources like coal are abundant, cheap and clean coal technology is coming along at an impressive rate.

rankly I had no idea until now of y 2030, the role of biomass as what biomass was really about. a revenue stream within the We had heard something about it forestry industry will be on par in school, but there’s a lot that I hadn’t with that of roundwood harvesting learned about it. and sawnwood production. The growth Now environmental protection phase of the biomass sector, driven by is suddenly a topic everywhere. the politicisation of human induced Newspapers are filled with all kinds climate change, will be over and of ideas, such as electric cars, for the industry will be well established. example. Nevertheless ? believe that Raw biomass products like slash bundles older people in fact do not always will be regularly traded. Equipment behave as if nothing will happen and suppliers will deliver specialised, that they don’t have to do anything if sophisticated machinery to contractors there’s no more oil. And they aren’t following 30 years of development going to do very much to prevent us aided by money previously devoted living in a tropical climate in a few to harvesting technologies that more years. or less matured around 2000.

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ankind has used in a breathtakingly short period of time biomass in the form of fossil fuels which were formed over 100 million years by storage of solar energy and released the CO2 produced by the energy into the atmosphere in an uncontrolled fashion.

For this reason, at this time there are at least two mechanisms which will force humanity to abandon its previous habits. The finite nature of current energy sources, and the extent to which we negatively affect the global climate on the other.

Even without a disaster scenario in the next 20 years, there is a probability bordering on certainty of future oil price shocks which will help more modern forms of renewable energy to achieve a breakthrough.

The sun provides 6,000 -fold our daily global energy consumption.

Renewable biomass is stored solar energy which can, in contrast to solar, wind and water are stored and then used as needed.

Therefore biomass, in whatever form, will be one of the most important sources of renewable energy in 2030.

Kathrin Jungwirth thoughtful student Chris Cann is the editor of the international trade magazine “International Forest Industries”

Ing. Josef Heissenberger is the founder and CEO of Komptech GmbH. 5

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Learning in the border area limits of “One has to go to the to know er ord one’s capacity in .” one’s limitations ichler, Says Reinhard Meisenb or. ect Komptech Test Dir his So he ventured out with the of e ey CRAMBO into the hurricane. treme art A field report on the ex

It was an extraordinary picture which the Komptech development team offered in November last year in the Schoberpass, in Upper Styria. At the end of February, a huge avalanche at the peak of the Great Schober loosened at 1,895 metres and raced in the direction of the valley. It took everything with it that stood in its way. 200,000 cubic metres of snow rolled downwards over 1,000 metres in altitude towards the valley. During the fall, the snow track compressed to about 100,000 cubic metres and cleaned more than five hectares of forest on its way. This thick mixture of snow, debris and wood was finally distributed in the value over five hectares of forest. Several metres high of the avalanche ball were not an obstacle which buried a railway running through the valley with up to eight meters of detritus. The main railway connections of Austria were interrupted for several days. The rail dam was responsible for ensuring that the “Grieshof,” an adjacent land and forestry operation, was not harmed. The massive detritus stopped only a few metres from the stables.

When the snow had melted by During the extreme testing, the the end of April, 2009, the full development team from Komptech extent of the disaster was visible. learned even more. “The deep soil is 5,000 cubic metres of wood were very difficult for the heavy machine,” scattered over the meadows in the says Reinhard Meisenbichler about valley, waiting to be sorted out. his experience. “It would be better 2,000 cubic metres of which could to use a tracked chassis for such be sold directly as fibre and fuel conditions,” he says, speaking of wood, while 3,000 cubic metres the need for “salvage” using loaders of remaining wood and root stock and a chain. with sometimes large fractions of “Also, the specific fuel consumption soil remained. with its narrow screen basket is not This was a godsend for the Crambo optimal.

5000, the new slow-speed shredder which can be driven directly from the lorry, from the Komptech Company. In one work step, the machine processes the material with a built-in star screen with a 100 mm mesh into bio fuel.

The soil components are reliably re m ove d w i t h t h e b u i l t- i n fine screen and then used for composting. The resulting fuel was then brought to the “Bioenergie We must move forward aggressively Gaishom” heating plant ten to achieve greater energy efficiency,” kilometres away in which two he says with a note of self-criticism. boilers generated more than four And he moved afterwards to quickly megawatts of electricity and ten incorporate the knowledge gained megawatts of heating in a combined into further development of the heat and power production machine. operation.

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The elk test for biomass In Sweden, 250 of 290 towns have a biomass power plant — the northerners have passed the elk test with flying colours A report from the Eldorado of sustainability.

Sweden is well on its way with these measures to meet its ambitious goals in terms of the development of renewable energy. They are planning to be independent of oil and other fossil fuels: Thus the use of nonrenewable energy, both on the road and in industry, must be massively restricted. This will also be necessary for Sweden and other countries to meet the new Renewable Energy Directive of the EU to 2020 of 49% of energy demand being covered by renewable energy sources. Therefore we are undertaking all efforts in the northern climates. We created a tax for undesired emissions (for example carbon dioxide and sulphur tax), and created a certification system which gives an energy producer a certain quota (“green certificates”) in renewable energy needed to feed into

the grid. Surplus allowances are traded on the market — a system which works very well, and (see above) achieves the desired effect.

since 1990. Large power plants with KWK (combined heat and power) to produce electricity and heat: in 2010 this is already 10 TW hours, with the potential for 2020 estimated to be In addition to water and wind power, twice as high. biomass in forest-rich Sweden is The largest Swedish energy producer, massively important. Sweden is Vattenfall, plans to hire 6,000 new one of the largest biomass markets employees over the next few years worldwide, with a pellet demand in order to increase the share of of 1.6 million tonnes per year it renewable energy in its production. is the overall international leader.

Already more than 28 percent of All these measures mean that the bio energy produced in Sweden Sweden is increasingly developing a is produced from biomass. In 2006, “paradise of sustainability” and also a this was 116 TW hours and growing model for other European countries, rapidly. Then the district heating most of who are complaining about network, which was already operated the directive’s high targets and their in 2004 with 61% renewable energy, alleged inability to achieve them. is very well developed in Sweden. Instead, they should put it to the The use of wood for district heating elk test. production has increased fivefold

Komptech is looking for: A company which would like to test one of our electronic drum screens for six months for free.

You can expect up to 70% energy cost savings.

Our Sales Manager, Erich Cordie, will discuss what we would like from you in return His mobile telephone number is +49 171 6810460.

Or at the Bauma trade fair, at the Komptech stand

More business, brighter future D-59269 Beckum, Zementstraße 112 | T +49 2521 2990 30 | info@komptech.de

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Publisher: Komptech GmbH Kühau 37 A-8130 Frohnleiten T +43 3126 505 - 0 F +43 3126 505 - 505 info@komptech.com www.komptech.com Editors: Andreas Kunter, Joachim Hirtenfellner Layout & graphics: Komptech GmbH Photos: Komptech GmbH, Kathrin Jungwirth page 1 and page 5: Bigshot/Christian Jungwirth Dr. Norbert Röttgen page 4: www.bmu.de Dr. Heinz Kopetz page 4: Dr. Heinz Kopetz Chris Cann page 5: Chris Cann Flash pages 6/7: photocase.de Elk sign page 8: iStockphoto.com Frequency of appearance: periodically