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Wood-fuelled burner with infeed system.


tion). The same tariff is paid for energy supplied to the grid as paid for units of consumed energy. If you are considering installing a PV solar array, makes sure you use an energy provider that operates an offset system. How quickly you will recoup your investment greatly depends on the size of the array, the kWh costs and eligibility for any subsidies such as the Stimulation of Sustainable Energy.


Wood combustion Burning wood can be a good way to produce heat and steam on a mushroom farm. An advantage of wood as an energy source is its long-term availability and its relatively stable price. Energy obtained from biomass does not contribute to the greenhouse gas effect as when the plant or tree grows it absorbs just as much CO2 as it releases again when combusted. Biomass combustion is therefore regarded as CO2 neutral and a serious alternative to fossil fuels. Wood fuelled installations do have to be suitable for this type of fuel to perform properly. The most widely used are burners with an underfeed system. Wood chips and wood pellets are good fuels for these types of burners. Wood chips are generally used from a cost perspective. The burners are fully automatic. Dosing and infeed of the wood chips, ignition and ash removal are all automatic processes.


The best option for use on mushroom farms is a combi-heating and steam boiler. Theoretically this can replace the gas powered heating boiler and steam boiler (and the connection to the mains gas). However, in existing situations we recommend keeping these boilers stand-by for when the wood burner needs maintenance or repairs. The ROI greatly depends on the size of


the installation, the price of wood chips and any sustainable energy subsidies available.


SMC combustion


Combustion of spent mushroom compost Using energy from spent mushroom compost can be very beneficial for mushroom growers. Growers can save money by purchasing less fos- sil fuel such as gas, and save on electricity costs, while expenditure for spent compost disposal is eliminated. And, provided it is combusted at the right temperature, the ash can be used as a residual product for fertiliser. However, combustion of spent mushroom compost is not simple due to the high moisture content of the material. In the past years, a lot of work has gone into a demo combustor at ’t Voske in Uden. Trials have shown that spent mushroom compost is suitable for thermal conversion, but that the process places high demands on the installation regarding innovative solutions, safety and limiting emission levels. This project has revealed that combusting spent mushroom compost is feasible, but that continued study of the technique of thermal conversion is required to create a profitable and reliable combustor. Further developments are currently taking place.


Geothermal energy storage One of the ways to achieve considerable energy savings on heating and cooling is the appli- cation of geothermal energy storage. For the sources of heat and cold to function properly it is essential they are combined with a heat pump and a cooling tower or dry cooler for the energy balance of the sources. This uses groundwater that is stored in aquifers as low-level heat


Energy


consumption in the sector on


comparable farms can differ up to factor of two.


 MUSHROOM BUSINESS 29


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