REPOWER – INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY REQ


The hidden energy wealth in slurry and manure


A


6,000 t 5,000 t 4,000 t 3,000 t 2,000 t 1,000 t t


gricultural biogas plants can provide renewable energy at a consistent rate supporting the base load for UK energy security. Biogas is


able to deliver electricity, heat and gas 24/7 providing sustainable energy to the electricity and gas grid networks. The UK is ideally placed to provide a network of unobtrusive farm-based AD plants across the country utilising farm waste products such as slurry and manure.


Most small scale livestock farms could benefit from better manure and slurry management, and a biogas plant can play a role in increasing both the environmental and financial sustainability of this material.


Manure inputs 150kW Biogas plant 5,550 t 3,864 t 340


820 Pigs 34% DM


Breeding Pig Firm Manure


Slurry inputs 150kW Biogas plant


25,000 t 20,000 t 15,000 t 10,000 t 5,000 t t


21,900 t 17,850 t


4,650 Pigs


Breeding Pig Slurry


22 REQ RENEWABLE ENERGY QUARTERLY | | 1,065 1,095


Beef Cattle 9% DM


Cattle Slurry


Dairy Cows 9% DM


Dairy Cow Slurry


Figures are approximate and depend on factors such as animal feed type, breed and bedding WINTER 2014 www.r-e-a.net 23,250 t


Beef Cattle 25% DM


Cattle Firm Manure


225


Dairy Cows 25% DM


Dairy Cow Firm Manure


5,550 t


Small-scale on-farm AD using slurry and manure


can help deliver base load UK energy supply and long term financial security, says agriKomp’s Avril Banks


By using this slurry and manure to generate renewable electricity, the GHG potential from these waste products is captured as methane and turned into energy through a CHP plant or via injection of gas into the grid. A 150 kW system would be possible using


the following single inputs as shown in the tables below, but is often best with a mixture of inputs such as slurry, manure and crop residue. Instead of storing manures in heaps and


slurries in lagoons, (where fugitive methane emissions are released and nitrogen is lost through run off and volatilisation during storage), passing this material through a biogas plant can provide a consistent base load of income from the electricity generation throughout the year to give you maximum benefit.


Although the Government Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) has degressed in recent months, there is a strong case for an increased incentive at the sub 250kW scale to provide greater support for manure-based and smaller plant


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