by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
A study finds UK energy-from-waste can contribute up to 50 percent of the UK renewable energy target by 2020
An award-winning study concludes that energy-from-waste (EfW) technologies can contribute up to 50 percent of the UK renewable energy target by 2020. It states that this will depend on the pace of investment and availability of suitable feedstock. The study won the first Geotech Bursary / CIWM Award.
Biomethane Benefit
This research study by Cranfield graduate, Kofi Apea Adu-Gyamfi, considers the development of energy from waste (EfW) technologies and their potential contribution to the UK ’s renewable energy targets. The study identifies the use of biomethane as road transport fuel and small-scale EfW deployment at community level as applications with huge potential benefits for the UK . These two options are easily implementable and could provide substantial savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. His study concludes that, depending on the pace of investment and availability of suitable feedstock, EfW technologies can contribute up to 50 percent of UK renewables target by 2020. The full paper can be downloaded from http://www.geotech.co.uk
Landfill Limit
The study notes the UK ’s traditional use of landfill as the main method of waste disposal and management. However, landfilling is unsustainable due to its harmful effects on the environment and public health. Under the European Union (EU) Landfill Directive, member nations are now required to divert biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) from landfills.
The UK has also committed to the EU Renewable Energy Directive, which binds it to sourcing at least 15 percent of its energy mix from renewables by 2020. To meet these targets, the UK has to support alternative waste management options whilst achieving considerable deployment of renewables.
Winning Ways
The paper was completed by Kofi Apea Adu-Gyamfi while at Cranfield having had his proposal for a paper selected as the first winner of the Geotech Bursary / CIWM Award. Sponsored by Geotech and run as part of the CIWM’s Professional Awards programme, the paper was presented at a recent CIWM awards ceremony. The next CIWM Professional Awards ceremony is on 20th October 2010 at Lord’s Cricket Ground. There, the second winning paper on 'The Future Roles of Landfill Gas and Biogas' to win the Geotech Bursary will be presented. The Geotech Bursary / CIWM Award is open to all, internationally.
Geotech is the market-leading manufacturer and supplier of portable landfill gas and biogas analysers. For all its landfill, biogas and waste-to-energy gas analysers Geotech's calibration lab received UKAS ISO17025 Accreditation in April 2010.
Widely used is the GA2000 portable landfill gas analyser. Worldwide Geotech gas analysers are rapidly becoming even more important with growing focus on energy-from-waste (EfW).
For continuous and fixed gas analysis, Geotech’s Automated Extraction Monitoring System (AEMS) equipment can be installed by Geotech field engineers worldwide. Fully automated, AEMS controls and protects CHP engines, verifies CDM, aids environmental compliance (e.g., PPC), helps optimise methane (CH4) output and quality in EfW.
For anaerobic digestion biogas the Geotech Biogas Check is popular for its accuracy, reliability and robustness within a package which suits user budgets. Central to Geotech analysers is 'Geotech-design' which gives continuous development of gas monitoring products. These include the portable landfill gas and biogas analysers and the G100 analyser for CO2 incubators and food production, the G150 CO2 analyser for indoor air quality (IAQ), the G200 for background N2O exposure and the G210 for checking piped medical gas.
The Geotech Diveair for marine breathing air and the Geotech Hyperbaric CO2 analyser are used in life-critical applications. Supporting our excellent reputation in landfill gas analysis, Geotech also offers ATEX certified leachate and condensate pumps. This highly dependable range of top quality pneumatic submersible pumps has been in use throughout UK landfills and around the world for nearly twenty years.
Additional liquid-level monitoring and groundwater sampling instruments illustrate the extent of the Geotech product range. Geotech products are supported with its fast calibration and service turnaround and all necessary consumables, spares, technical help and training as required. More: http://www.geotech.co.uk
The stupid thing is that Britain, and other countries, have for decades been flaring off the gas from the landfills and sewage works which could have been powering much of the country by now.
Where the hell have we been that long?
Sorry, folks, that was a rhetorical question. The answer is simple as well as simply annoying, amazing and stupid.
We have been – and still are – in the clutches of the fossil fuel industry. It is as simple as that and until such a time that we get them out of our hair we are getting nowhere.
This is equally true as to electric cars as it is to the use – the proper use – of renewable fuels, including and especially methane gas, that is to say landfill and sewage gas.
This is even more amazing considering that the first ever power stations were not designed to be fuelled by coal or oil but but sewage gas and the same is true for the first motorcars by Henry Ford.
The power and lobby of the fossil fuel industry, however, screwed us and the Planet and is is now nearly too late to change that but change it we must and we must keep those out that cause us the problems in the first place.
There is and can be no place for the oil and coal industry at this table, and bio-diesel is not up for discussion. We cannot hope for the problems to be solved by those that caused them.
© 2010
