Bio process would divert waste and see Ireland meet green energy goal
Delegates at yesterday’s Anaerobic Digestion Europe 2011 conference in Dublin heard of Teagasc’s plans to build a small-scale plant at its Grange Research Centre, to show farmers, the Government and the banks how slurry and other ‘brown bin’ waste can be converted into biogas in an anaerobic digestion plant.
Germany has about 6,000 full-scale plants. Sweden, Denmark and the Czech Republic have all invested hugely in farm-scale plants. They are now exporting the biofuel products, electricity and their technology.
With 40 to 50 plants, each costing €1.5m-€2m, Ireland could meet its EU commitments under both the landfill directive and the 2020 ‘green’ electricity goal of harnessing 16% of total final consumption from renewable sources.
Teagasc bioenergy specialist Barry Caslin said: “We need commitment on this from the incoming Government and the banks. Other EU countries have shown that loans for the plants are paid back within five years via a refit tariff. To encourage the use of slurry in the plants, Germany offers a bonus of 3c per kWh specifically for slurry.
“This would work very well in Ireland, while also solving another major problem for us as 27% of all our greenhouse gases are produced by the agri sector. This would be a very positive use for the slurry created by Ireland’s 6.5m cattle herd, converting it into biomethane and biogas.”
Other EU countries have used the process to convert organic waste into fuels for transport and other uses. They are cutting input costs, saving money while meeting targets set by the EU 2020 Climate Change and Energy package.
The two-day conference concluded yesterday. It was organised by the European Compost Network (ECN) and Cré, (The Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland) with the support of Teagasc.
ECN chair Dr Jane Gilbert said: “There are 195 large anaerobic sites with a capacity for 5.9m tonnes of organic waste in Europe, and an additional 7,500 agricultural digesters which digest farm residues, energy crops and organic waste. There is large potential for CO2 savings, soil improvement and to recycle nutrients.”
Biogas is a methane rich gas developed when micro-organisms decompose organic materials in an oxygen free environment in an anaerobic digester. The biogas can produce heat and electricity, sold as a transport biofuel or injected into the gas grid. Biogas can be supplied from crops (grass), farm by-products (slurry or manure), and from organic waste (brown bin municipal waste).
Barry Caslin added: “These potential feedstocks are indigenous and renewable, and they can provide largely carbon free renewable sources of energy and enhance security of supply while reducing the environmental impacts of waste disposal. There is a need to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions and anaerobic digestion can contribute to this, while helping to meet national obligations for renewable energy for transport and heat provision in Ireland.”
David McDonnell, chairman of the Cré Anaerobic Digestion Committee, said the North’s new anaerobic digestion has received EU approval. He urged the incoming Government to finalise tariffs for anaerobic digestion in Ireland and to encourage the development of these projects across the country.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
