European Biogas Association
Biogas Plant Technologies and Sustainable Substrate Management
Arthur Wellinger
c/o Triple E&M Consulting
17 June 2015, Vienna
Content
1. Who is EBA?
2. Biogas – state of the art in Europe and else
3. Biogas utilisation – Heat and Electricity
4. Biogas utilisation – Biomethane
5. The choice of substrate
6. Best agricultural practice
7. Socio-economic factors
25 countries – 34 national organisations – 39 companies and universities
www.european-biogas.eu
European Biogas Association
Source: Internet
Chines fixed Dome Digester
Some 40M built in China (operational 18M?) Several 10,000s all over the world
Fixed Dome and Kadi Village type
Source: Triple E&M
Biogas in other parts of the world
• India: About 4.4 million units installed (March 2011)
• Africa:
4,733 biogas plants up to 2010 (9 countries)
3,501 units in addition in 2011
Small scale plants in Brazil
Source: SNV, 2011/IEA Bioenergy
Rubber top Fermenter
Inlet
Tank
empty
Fermenter
Gas Storage
CHP
BOX
Tank
full
Exhaust
gas
Pump
Gas
pipe
PVC –
pressure
pipe
Source: Triple E&M
Source: Triple E&M
Solid Top Digesters
Floor
heating
Insulation
Gasline
INPUT
OUTPUT
Heat
Excha
nger
Installed electrical capacity
Generated electricity
Thermal energy production
7,8 GW
48,9 TWh
48,5 TWh
No data from DK, FI, SE
Data from AT, BE, FI, DE, HU, GR, IE, IT, PL, PT, SE, CH
Biogas usage as energy source in Europe in 2013
Biogas upgrading capacity
Approx. biomethane production
Number of biomethane plants in Europe, over 60% of them inject gas into grid
148 800 Nm3/h
1,3 Bn m3
282
Anaerobic Digestion only
Biomethane production in Europe in 2013
21%
40%
5%
30%
3%
1%
Pressure Swing Adsorption
Water Scrubber
Physical absorption
Chemical absorption
Membrane separation
Cryogenic separation
Type of biomethane upgrading units in Europe in 2013
Source: NGVA
Number of CBG/CNG fuelling stations in Europe in 2013
CBG/CNG for road transport 3.300 CNG filling stations vs 133.000 petrol/diesel stations 60 LNG stations
Source: EBA 2014
The choice of substrates
The most preferable co-substrates are :
• Easily degradable
• Have a high gas potential
• Substrates with high gate fees
• No cost for co-substrates
• Free of undesirables and inhibitory substrates
Role of AD in waste management
Source: Ch. Banks, IEA BioenergyTask 37
Crop residues and manures
Agriculture and
Forestry
Anaerobic digestion
Consumer Cycle of utility
Anaerobic digestion
Source segregation
Wastewater treatment
Reuse, Recycle and Remanufacture
Anaerobic digestion
Agro economy
Urban economy
Alternative recovery/ disposal
Source: EBA 2014
Waste is the most evident choice
Water & air pollution from open dumps
Emission reduction
Source: Adam Read
Match collection vehicles to local needs
Train people to wear gloves or wash the hands properly afterwards with soft soap
Source: Adam Read
Claim: Biofuel displaces food production
• Hunger is older than biofuel biofuel is not the driver
• The major «enemy» for food is feed (meat production)
Source: Internet
Enough food thanks to fuel
Source: Dan o’Connor
Double cropping is the key
Despite large biofuel production harvest remained
constant while arbale land was reduced
Source: Heiermann
Double cropping in Germany: EVA
Sustainability of energy crops depend on a number of parameters: Humus balance Water consumption Water efficiency Leachate GHG emission Energy balance
pro
cess
ste
ps
ob
jective
s
cultivation harvest ensilage biogas production
high yielding
low losses
high gas production potential
influ
encin
gfa
cto
rs
plant
species
harvest
time
chopping
length
chopping
length
additives
duration of
storage
process
conditions
Source: EVA 2014
Double cropping in Germany: EVA
Overview of results from 13 locations over 9 years: Humus balance: Good with digestate and enough straw
Crucial: crop rotation Maize as mono-culture is not sustainable
Water efficiency: Excellent especially with winter grains Leachate: Not well defined in the project GHG emission: Highest reduction through digestate,
followed by machine employment best results with inclusion of N-fixing plants
Energy balance: Best results with maize and sorghum
Job Creation The sugarcane industry is the largest employer in Brazilian agriculture – 1.2 million workers (2010);
Strict labor laws in Brazil, helping to improve occupational health conditions
Widespread production of ethanol
Concentrated production of petroleum VS.
ETH’S CASE: Job creation
Harvest of 2009/10: 3,500 workers
Harvest of 2010/11: 11,000 workers
Harvest of 2012/13: 15.000 workers
Sector States Cities Jobs Establishments
Ethanol(*) 25 1042 465236 16829
Petroleum (**) 24 176 73075 1239
In units - 2007
Note: (*) includes sugarcane farming and ethanol production.
(**) includes petroleum extraction and derivatives production.
Source: RAIS (2007), PNAD (2007)
Social factor of sustainability
Results of 2010's Program
Socio-environmental diagnostic of the
9 towns where ETH operates;
Diagnostic of the relationship between ETH
and the local communities before implementing the program;
Hosting of 242 forums in 5 towns, involvement of 4,623 people in the actions of the program ;
Setting up of 27 training centers with the participation of 508 people;
52 sessions of Social Energy Cinema were held with the participation of 1940 people;
20 projects defined with the community.
Social factor of sustainability
Source: Triple R&M
To avoid conflicts…
...or lignin containing substrates
Giant reed grass Straw
...use nitrogen fixing plants Alfalfa
Enough food thanks to fuel
Look at agriculture as a whole: food, feed and fuel
Educate workers
Best agricultural practice
Introduce double croping
Offer decently paid jobs through biofuels
Create money in the region
Ways to Solution
Thank you •
•Arthur wellinger [email protected]
•Triple E&M 8355 Aadorf Switzerland
•www.european-biogas.eu