Newsletter/ nawaros®
08/02
European Biomass Days of the Regions
2002
Starch bags in Straubing
Energy Balance Bavaria
Building with round timber
Innovation Award 2002
Energy from frying fat
The production of ethanol from wheat
Potatoes, maize, and notebooks
Journey to Sweden
News from the Competence Centre
Natur BaustoffBuch (i.e. 'Book of Natural Building Materials')
Holzenergie-Fibel (i.e. 'Compendium on Wood Energy')
Fast food and catering
European Biomass Days of the Regions 2002
The "European Biomass Days of the Regions" will
be taking place from the 29th September to the 6th October 2002. In many
places throughout Europe companies, institutions, and projects dealing
with possible applications of biomass as energy source or as primary material
can choose one day or several days for their activities.
The European Biomass Days are under the auspices of the Vice President
of the European Commission Ms. Loyola de Palacio del Valle-Lersundi. Together
with the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Josef Miller,
she supports the idea of informing the general public on the importance
and the opportunities of renewable raw materials.
Companies can make use of the "Biomass Days of the Regions"
in order to present their products and to win customers and clients. Not
only modern wood-fired heating systems in private households will be shown
but also vegetable oil-powered motor tractors.
The "Association of European Biomass Organisations" (AEBIOM)
is in charge of the organisation in Europe. Biomass organisations of 23
European countries are members of the AEBIOM. These members are responsible
for the organisation of the Biomass Days in their countries. In Germany
twelve institutions take part in the organisation - one in almost each
German land. They appeal to the media and to multipliers in order to aouse
public interest for the Biomass Days in their lands or regions.
C.A.R.M.E.N. is in charge of the overall co-ordination and makes the participants
public in the internet (http://www.biomasse-tage.org). Up to now, 200
organisations and institutions in Germany have announced their activities
through C.A.R.M.E.N.
Together with other co-ordinators, C.A.R.M.E.N. looks after the German-
and Europe-wide reporting. Local public relations are organised by the
participants themselves, with the assistance of the national organisers.
For that, C.A.R.M.E.N. makes information and advertising material with
the logo of the Biomass Days of the Regions available to the participants.
On the 10th European Biomass Conference in Wuerzburg in 1998 it was suggested
to make the Biomass Day a permanent institution, not least due to the
energy dependence of the European Union. Today, the EU already imports
50 per cent of the energy needed. If nothing happens, this share will
rise up to 70 per cent by the year 2020. Energy from biomass has got the
biggest potential to replace fossil sources of energy in the next decade:
It grows on the spot and serves the regional energy supply.
From this year on, a full week is available to the organisers and visitors
for events around biomass. This biomass week will annually be taking place
during the week that comprises the last days of September and the first
days of October. So all persons interested can include this date into
their annual plannings.
Further information in the internet: http://www.biomasse-tage.org and
at C.A.R.M.E.N., Karl Hanglberger, tel.: +49-9421-960-376, fax:-333, e-mail:
kh@carmen-ev.de.
Starch bags in Straubing
Starting from 2003, compostable waste bags from maize starch
are going to be used in Straubing. This was resolved by the Zweckverband
Abfallwirtschaft (ZAW) (i.e. the 'waste management union') for the city
and the region of Straubing.
Within a pilot phase of two years the population's acceptance of the starch
bags is to be tested. For at least three months the households in the
region of the waste management union will gratuitously be provided with
biodegradable bags. Those are a little more expensive than conventional
paper bags and can be obtained from the waste management union after the
phase-in period. The project costs are to be financed by grants of the
Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and by the planned selling of the waste
bags.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Dr. Bettina Schmidt, e-mail: bs@carmen-ev.de.
Energy Balance Bavaria
The share of biomass in the consumption of primary energy
for 2000 is about 3.65 per cent. With that, biomass was able to increase
in the energy sector as compared to the previous years. In 1999 the share
was only 3.31 per cent - within one single year an increase by ten per
cent was achieved.
These are the results of the "Energy Balance Bavaria" for the
year 2000, drawn up by the Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und
Datenverarbeitung (i.e. the 'Bavarian State Statistical Agency'). The
data for the energetic use of biomass are annually compiled by C.A.R.M.E.N.
and then passed on to the Agency.
Statistical information: Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik und
Datenverarbeitung, Munich, tel.: +49-89-2119-0, in the internet under
http://www.bayern.de/LFSTAD.
Building with round timber
Prof. Natterer from the Internationales Entwicklungszentrum
für Holzkonstruktionen (i.e. the 'International Development Centre
for Timber Constructions'), in Wiesenfelden deals with subjects such as
building with round timber and the utilisation of weak wood.
"Only the increased use of wood in construction can save our forests,"
Natterer says and explains that the natural drying of round timber in
the forest and the use of simple connecting systems (nails, screws, pegs,
threaded rods) also enable farmers and foresters to build stables or barns
themselves or together with local joineries - and that in a cheap way.
Under the direction of the planning office Natterer a nature study footpath
of 100 metres length was already built with round timber in Wiesenfelden.
For the wilderness camp in Lindberg (rural district of Regen, in the Bavarian
Forest), that has got six thematic huts for pupils from the fourth form
onwards, the IEZ Natterer GmbH was in charge of the planning for the frame.
Natterer won many prizes for his work that does not only include conventional
constructions but also innovations and special solutions such as the Expo
roof in Hanover.
Information: Prof. Julius Natterer, IEZ Natterer GmbH, Saulburg, tel.:
+49-9428-7216, fax: -7316, e-mail: iez.natterer.gmbh@t-online.de,
internet: http://www.iez-natterer.de.
Innovation Award 2002
The Bavarian Minister of Agriculture Josef Miller awarded
the Innovations-Preis 2002 (i.e. the 'Innovation Award 2002') of the Kuratorium
für Waldarbeit und Forsttechnik (i.e. the 'Committee for Forestry
Work and Forest Technology') to the company HDG Bavaria Heizkessel und
Anlagenbau, Massing, for their product "Pelletmaster".
The HDG Pelletmaster is an automatically charged pellet heating system
with a nominal thermal output of 25 to 25 kW. Its special merits are a
high efficiency, a low emissions level and a good serviceability.
Information: HDG Bavaria, Heizkessel & Anlagenbau, Massing, tel. +49-8724/897-0,
e-mail: info@hdg-bavaria.de.
Energy from frying fat
In the district of Erding the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture
Miller has just officially opened a plant of the company Berndt GmbH that
is supposed to convert used frying fat into energy. The primary product
- used frying fat - is provided by McDonald's restaurants from Bavaria,
Thuringia, and Saxony.
About 2,000 tons of used fat are to be converted into process steam and
heat in the plant, which cost 280,000 Euros and was erected without any
government grants. By this, approximately 60 petrol tankers of heating
oil can be saved, and the emission of 5,400 tons of carbon dioxide is
prevented.
Miller called the energy generation from renewable raw
materials an important target of agricultural political. Today, more than
three per cent of the primary energy requirement in Bavaria was already
covered by biomass after all; the average for the whole of Germany was
only one per cent, Miller explained.
Information: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Landwirtschaft und
Forsten, Postfach 22 00 12, D-80535 Munich, tel.: +49-89/2182-0
The production of ethanol from wheat
By 2004 the Südzucker AG in Mannheim/Ochsenfurt plans
to erect an ethanol plant in Zeitz on the production site of an old sugar
plant. Inferior lots of wheat and rye are to be processed into 100,000
tons of bioalcohol. The investment of 55 million Euros is linked with
the creation of 15 to 20 jobs. Südzucker is also planning an ethanol
plant on the basis of beets in Plattling. By means of 40 to 60 million
Euros the deliveries of 2,000 beet farmers (approximately 1.3 million
tons of beets per annum) are to be processed into 100,000 tons of alcohol.
The alcohol is to be sold to the mineral oil industry that more and more
adds ethanol to petrol.
The method has been profitable since the German parliament passed the
tax exemption for biofuels until the year 2008 (see nawaros® 02/2202).
Sources: Mitteldeutsche Zeitung of the 25th July 2002 in the internet
under http://www.mz-web.de, and Straubinger Tagblatt of the 24th July
2002.
Potatoes, maize, and notebooks
The production of laptop computers from biodegradable engineering
materials is the aim of the Japanese computer manufacturer Fujitsu. For
that, starch from maize and potatoes is planned to be used. On the compost
these computer cases could be recycled by microbial degradation into carbon
dioxide and water. From 2004 onwards, the materials used should be optimised
so much as to be sufficiently heat-resistant.
Sources: In the internet under http://au.fujitsu.com, and Kölner
Stadt-Anzeiger from the 24th July 2002 in the internet under http://www.kstad.de
--> Medien & Web.
Further information in the internet: http://www.nachwachsende-rohstoffe.info.
Journey to Sweden
Together with the Oberösterreichischer Energiesparverband
(i.e. the 'Upper Austrian Association for Energy Efficiency') and the
Swedish National Energy Administration the Zentrum für rationelle
Energieanwendung und Umwelt, ZREU (i.e. the 'Centre for the Rational Application
of Energy and for the Environment') organises a journey to Sweden for
entrepreneurs with the focus on biomass and solar thermics in the building
sector.
The Swedish market for renewable energies is in many ways attractive for
German companies and organisations. The REG Energy NET Team invites all
those who are interested to become acquainted with the Swedish biomass
and solar market on the spot.
Information: ZREU, Dr. Alexandra Babeck, tel: +49-941-46419-20 (http://www.zreu.de).
News from the Competence Centre
Straubing, 22nd July 2002
Hans-Josef Fell, the speaker for research policy and the
energy expert of the parliamentary group of the Green party, visisted
C.A.R.M.E.N. in the Competence Centre for Renewable Raw Materials in Straubing.
He was accompanied by Michael Käufl, the chairman of the Green party
of the rural district of Straubing-Bogen and the city of Straubing, and
by Maria Kulzer, councillor of the administrative district of Straubing-Bogen.
Fell was particularly interested in the development and the functions
of the Competence Centre.
The speaker of the Centre, Dr. Wolfram Münzer, explained its three
pillars: Technology and Development Centre, Science Centre of the University
of Technology of Munich, and C.A.R.M.E.N. Subsequently, Dr. Herbert Riepel,
University of Technology of Munich, presented the Science Centre that
is going to fill the first chair for the "Chemistry and Molecular
Biology of Renewable Raw Materials". The chairs for "Process
Technology" and "Biogenic Engineering Materials" will follow.
Dr. Hilmar Prestele, the head of the department for vegetable raw materials
and materials flow, Dr. Christoph Rappold, the head of the promotion centre
for biomass, and Dr. Benhard Wittmann, the head of the department for
technology of renewable raw materials, explained the field of activity
of the Technology and Development Centre.
Finally, the deputy secretary of C.A.R.M.E.N., Edmund Langer, the head
of the public relations department, Monika Benz, the head of the department
for the industrial use of renewable raw materials, Dr. Bettina Schmidt,
and the head of the department for the energetic use of renewable raw
materials, Christian Leuchtweis sketched out the scope of duties of C.A.R.M.E.N.
Fell liked the integration of these institutions in one building. This,
as he said, offered many advantages in practical work. Fell pointed out
that renewable energies were the only real alternative to fossil sources
of energy. In his opinion the changeover to renewable sources of energy
was more important than just saving energy because economy measures would
politically not be accepted.
Information: Hans-Josef Fell in the internet under http://www.hans-josef-fell.de.
Information in the internet
-->Agricultural addresses
In May, the 27th edition of the reference book Agriadress was published.
This survey of the most important agricultural addresses gives contact
persons and organisations. The current version of the address list is
to be found in the internet under http://www.ima-agrar.de.
Information: information.medien.agrar e.V., tel.: +49-228-9799370, e-mail:
info@ima-agrar.de.
-->Data base
Institutions, enterprises, organisations, and associations dealing with
renewable raw materials in North Rhine-Westphalia are now listed in the
internet under http://www.nrw-nr.de. The web site is looked after by the
nova-Institut, Hürth (http://www.nova-institut.de)
and financially supported by the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection,
Agriculture, and Consumer Protection. The portal http://www.nachwachsende-rohstoffe.info
is also looked after by the nova-Institut. 1,500 news on renewable raw
materials covering the period from 1998 to 2002 can already be found here.
Further information: nova-Institut, tel.: +49-228-390 86 06, fax: -94
36 83, e-mail: redaktion@nova-institut.de.
-->Expert information
For approximately five years infoFARM has now been collecting links to
expert information from the fields of agriculture, food industry, forestry
and gardening (more than 8,000 references).
Information: http://www.infofarm.de.
Natur BaustoffBuch (i.e. 'Book of Natural Building Materials')
According to naturbaudirekt, about 300,000 building materials
are available in Germany. Only some of them, however, are harmless and
eco-friendly during their whole life cycle.
The new BaustoffBuch (i.e. the 'Book of Natural Building Materials') by
naturbaudirekt.de (according to the company itself the biggest direct
supplier of tested natural building materials in Germany) gives practical
hints and lists the most important ecological building materials.
Information: The Natur BaustoffBuch can be obtained free of charge at
naturbaudirekt GmbH, Hindenburgstr. 13, D-83646 Bad Tölz, or can
be ordered in the internet under http://www.naturbaudirekt.de.
Holzenergie-Fibel (i.e. 'Compendium on Wood Energy')
In 13 chapters the new Holzenergie-Fibel (i.e. 'Compendium
on Wood Energy') gives current information on wood chip heating plants
in Baden-Wurttemberg.
At the beginning of each chapter a summary gives a first survey. The brochure
was a product of the French-German project "Wood Energy for Communities
in Alsace and Baden", funded by the European Commission and the Ministry
of Economy of Baden-Wurttemberg.
Information: Klimaschutz- und Energieagentur Baden-Württemberg (KEA)
GmbH, Karlsruhe, tel.: +49-721-98471-0, fax: -20, internet: http://www.kea-bw.de
Fast food and catering
A new brochure of the CMA (Centrale Marketing Gesellschaft
der deutschen Agrarwissenschaft mbH) (i.e. the 'Central Marketing Company
of German Agricultural Science, private limited liability company') gives
information on products from renewable raw materials such as tableware
for fast-food and catering products, cutlery, and biobags. The addresses
of the manufacturing firms are also to be found.
Information: Centrale Marketing Gesellschaft der deutschen Agrarwissenschaft
mbH, Bonn, tel.: +49-228/847-0, fax: 222 e-mail: info@cma.de.
