Electricity production is flexibly determined according to the demand situation on the electricity market. By means of demand-orientated feed-in, electricity production can be driven up to 1.174 MW during high-price phases via two CHPs, and during low-price phases, operations can be completely shut down by the hour. The heat that is generated is reused both throughout the process, and for drying wood. Another special feature is the external desulphurisation system, which reduces the costs for operating materials such as iron hydroxide, elemental oxygen and activated carbon for desulphurisation, considering the increased use of commercial fertiliser.

Information for the public in accordance with §§ 8a and 11 of the Störfallverordnung [Major Accidents Ordinance] (12th BImSchV [Federal Immission Control Ordinance]) can be found here.

Der Beitrag Vahldorf biogas plant erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

The input for the biogas plant is organic waste from different kind of sources like horse dung, cattle slurry, cereal crop, onion scraps and waste from different kind of industrial processes or agricultural waste. The total input amount of 23.500 t/a represents a production of 185 Nm3/h of biomethane. The produced biomethane is purified by an upgrading unit and fed into the local gas grid. A CNG station has been built in Saumur in addition to the biogas plant to provide green fuel to the customers.

The technology feature of this biogas plant is the combination of the feeding container and mixing pump with a buffer tank. This allows two different ways of feeding the biogas plant: either feeding directly into the digesters or to go through the buffer tank where a hydrolysis of substrates is achieved. At the same time the substrates in the buffer tank can be pumped to the digesters which enables an autonomy in particular for the week-end. This buffer tank is also gas tight so that eventually produced biogas won’t be lost at such stage.

The main portion of the biogas is produced in the two digesters. After the fermentation, the digestate is transported to a separation unit where the material is separated into a liquid and solid phase which furthermore can be used for fertilizing purposes in the agriculture sector again.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Saumur erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

The inputs for the biogas plant are basically agricultural residual products like sugar beet pulp, cereal waste and energy crops like rye whole plant silage and maize silage. The total input amount of 17.000 t/a represents a capacity of approx. 180 Nm³/h biomethane. Therefore the produced biogas is upgraded by a gas purification unit to biomethane. The biomethane is then fed into the local gas grid.

The technology feature of this biogas plant is the special feeding technology which consists of one solid feeder dosing unit including a hydraulic pushing floor and mixing screw. This dosing unit can be filled up with different kind of substrates like whole plant silage; cattle manure; sugar beet pulp etc. The substrate are all mixed up by the mixing screw and afterwards forwarded to a mixing pump including shredding unit, which is able to cut bigger lumps into small particles and in addition to mix up the solid substrate with liquids. This technology also enables to separate heavy artificial parts like stones. After this process, the homogenous mixture is directly pumped into the fermenter tank. This technology enables a flexible feeding with different kind of substrates and also reduces the own consumption costs of the biogas plant because of less mixing time in the fermenter tank. For the reception of liquid manure or comparable, a separate slurry store is available at the biogas plant. From this tank the liquids are automatically pumped into the fermenter tanks. After the fermentation process, the digestate is pumped into the storage tank and is available for fertilizing purposes in the fields again.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Charpentier erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

In the process, the biggest challenges for us were of a technical nature. For example, temperatures of -25° C were not uncommon in the Estonian winters. We observed icicles forming on the biogas digesters that reached several meters long! But, all told, this enabled us to gather experience for perfecting plants in such extreme climates.

What else is there to say? For instance, fermenting slurry in biogas plants has a particular significance in light of climate change and protecting the environment. A not insignificant portion of the methane gas emissions (CH4) from animal farming originates from the slurry lagoons (approx. 10%). By using the slurry to produce power and heat in biogas plants, these CH4 emissions can be decreased up to 90%. And we think – since it’s impossible to turn everyone into a vegetarian – this is a good beginning.

We thank Mr. Pikk for his trust and collaboration and for his effort in arranging an Estonian photographer for us. The pictures are brilliant!

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Vinni erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

The bio methane feed-in plant Vettweiß (North Rhine-Westphalia) went operational in December 2012. Following the one in Neukammer (Havelland), it is the second largest feed-in plant we’ve built so far – and it’s the first one we operate ourselves. By doing so, we gain valuable expert knowledge for the construction of further plants. Expertise that each of our clients profits from.

We process bio gas into domestic gas quality and feed this so-called bio methane into the public gas network. This enables the highest possible efficiency in terms of raw material use, because while the bio methane is converted into electricity 100% of the resulting heat is also put use. The domestic gas grid works as a giant transport and storage facility and the biogas also adds stability to the energy grid. That’s because it can be converted into sustainable power whenever the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.

The raw materials for the plant in Vettweiß – namely sugar beets and corn – are supplied by over 40 farmers from the region. Speaking of which: We’d like to give them our warmest thanks for the good cooperation. We’d also like to thank the municipality of Vettweiß as well as the gas grid operator RWE for their great contributions to the realisation of the project.

Postscript regarding the technology: The plant’s treatment capacity is 550 Nm³ per hour. Technology supplier for the pressure washer is the Swedish company Malmberg Water AB.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Vettweiß erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

And, of course, we’re delighted that our customers are still happy with us after such a long time.

In 2004 at the “Schuby” biogas plant, we installed for the first time an innovative mixing unit for the homogenisation of slurry and renewable raw materials before delivery to the fermenter. It was also our first system in Schleswig-Holstein, and at that time it ran at 500 kW_el. Three years later we built a 500 kW_el further system in Schuby, and in 2016 Mr Schwarten placed the order: even further expansion!

In the meantime we have installed a capacity of 4.406 kW_el in Schuby, and the system is operating at optimum efficiency, thanks also to the diligence of the operator. It is extremely flexible and can react optimally to market conditions and to the requirements of the power grid operator. The farmhouse and the cowsheds are heated thanks to the biogas plant, with the feed of cattle slurry, maize silage, and sugar beets.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Schuby erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

The biogas plant Randkanal Nord feeds 1.2 MW of natural energy into the public power grid. This covers the power demand of 3,000 households. At the same time, the plant produces heat that supplies various facilities in the nearby town of Dormagen. Prior to the construction of the plant, the region was heated by fossil domestic gas. Now all raw materials come from the fields in close proximity of the plant. 16 farmers supply 20,000 tons of biomass generated from about 400 ha of land.

The use for the environment is great because the energy production from biomass is CO2-neutral. The reason: the burning of biogas emits only the amount of carbon dioxide that the plants have previously withdrawn from the atmosphere. Compared with fossil fuels, the biogas plant saves about 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year. In addition to that, the 17,000 tons of fermentation residue are used as high quality fertilizer which makes artificial fertilizers unnecessary.

„Da simmer dabei, das ist pri-hi-ma“! (“We’re with you and we’re loving it!”) We can’t stop singing here, Mr. Saure! Thank you very much for your passionate support of bio energy!

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Randkanal Nord erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

Lorenzo Zoboli is one of four partners in Nanatola, Italy (in the Emilia Romagna region) that have decided to invest in biogas. Their plant is mainly fed with liquid manure but also with flour and whole grain. It produces sustainable energy for over 1,500 households.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Nonantola erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

The city of Lünen owns a district heat grid since quite some time that was earlier fired by ship generators amongst others. We included this existing heat grid in our planning and combined it with a micro gas distribution system of 6,5 km length. In this way we achieve a highly efficient utilization of the biogas from the plant. 

The biogas plant Lünen with its two characteristic blue steel tanks is charged with 44.000 t of maize silage and 26.000 t of manure annually. A specialty is the separate filling and removal station securing the emission protection at the location within a commercial area.

Der Beitrag Biogas plant Lünen erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.

How far would you really go? If we can get together donations of €100.00 in total, bioconstruct will organise an internal blood donation drive and put an additional €60.00 in the donation fund for ‘Wie weit würdest du gehen?!’ (How Far Would You Go?!) for each donor. We guarantee that at least 40 staff and their family members will donate blood. As a result, each one of them will be part of two good deeds. Most of all, we’ll encourage colleagues of ours who haven’t worked up the nerve to donate blood before. We’ll also be providing catering, which will include generous amounts of high-iron juices.

Background

Both Zimbabwe and Zambia have experienced drought in recent years, leading to failed harvests on a massive scale and particularly negative impacts on the nutrition and livelihoods of rural populations. In Zambia, 47.8% of the population is undernourished; in Zimbabwe, 33.4% is.
The persistent drought has also greatly impacted people’s access to clean drinking water, which has had grave consequences for children’s development in both countries. The communities of Lower Gweru (Zimbabwe) and Kazungula (Zambia) are some of the regions most strongly affected by this. In addition, there is also a lack of knowledge about newly adapted farming methods and sustainable practices, and this has a negative impact on food security. There are hardly any jobs available for young people in particular, which results in high youth unemployment and migration to big cities and foreign countries.
To improve this situation, terre des hommes has worked on a three-year project with two partner organisations, Midlands Aids Service Organisation (MASO) and Environment Africa Trust Zambia (EA), since November 2017.

Cheque delivered in April

bioconstruct, from Melle, Germany, is supporting the work that terre des hommes is doing over the next two years with a €13,000 donation.
bioconstruct Managing Director Henrik Borgmeyer (centre), Angela Böddeker (terre des hommes) and Stephan Stolze (Head of Donations at terre des hommes) hand over a pair of orange rubber safety boots and the donation cheque for the project in Zambia and Zimbabwe in a symbolic ceremony.

First progress report

The aid organisation terre des hommes, together with its partners in Zambia and Zimbabwe, has initiated a project to ensure improved access to food and drinking water through sustainable, location-specific farming practices and through renewable energies. We knew we wanted to help the project as soon as we heard about it. ‘Agriculture and new energies are precisely what we’re about. We’re delighted to support this two-year project with a total donation of €13,000,’ said our Managing Director, Henrik Borgmeyer. We received the first progress report and images from Africa in December 2019 and were pleased to see that the project has got off to a great start. We’re also quite pleased that our rubber boots have made it all the way to southern Africa.

Der Beitrag Zambia and Zimbabwe erschien zuerst auf bioconstruct.