Newsletter/ nawaros^® 09/02

Content

Climate change - Renewable raw materials as a chance
European Biomass Days 2002 - Opening Event in Strasbourg
Biomass Heating Plant Beilngries
Energy from biomass
Information on heat gain
biomasse 2002
Platform for renewable raw materials
Operators of biomass heating plants
Current prices for pellets
Bad Endorf
New clean air directive
Launch programme for insulating materials
Practical guide to contracting
Meeting in England

Climate change - Renewable raw materials as a chance

Cellars flooded, heating oil tanks leaking, houses and streets swamped - these were the eye-catchers in the news. Due to heavy rain, tidal waves with extreme water levels formed at the rivers Danube, Elbe, and Vlatva in August. Evacuations and dam bursts were the consequences of this historic summer flood. They were often mentioned in connection with the terms climate change, green house gases, and global warming. Meanwhile, other topics make the headlines. However, the indications for a climate change with an effect on the frequency and the intensity of natural disasters are increasing.

On the C.A.R.M.E.N. symposium in July, Dr. Gerhard Berz, head of the GeoRisikoForschung ('geological risks research department') of the Münchner Rückversicherung ('Munich Re-Insurance Company') gave a lecture on the subject "Climate Change: Potentials of Damage and Preventive Strategies". Since more than 30 years the re-insurance company has been analysing global ecological and climate changes. Great natural disasters have distinctly gained in number and damage since the 60s.
The reasons are increasing urbanisation, industrialisation, and anthropogenic ecological changes. The insurance companies wish to provide against the effects of the increasing number of damages, and they do this also by climate-"friendly" insurance products, e.g. in productive investment. Since the beginning of the industrialisation the level of the most important greenhouse gas - CO2 - has increased by 30 per cent, mainly due to the combustion of coal, oil, and gas. The energy storage of 500,000 days of the history of the earth is irreversibly transformed into carbon dioxide each day.

There is not one single key technology by means of which climate protection can be achieved. Different technologies and non-fossil sources of energy are going to be important factors. Renewable resources (biomass), organic matter of vegetable or animal origin used as raw materials for industry or as energy carriers save fossil sources of energy, are available in a decentralised way, and reduce the dependence on imports. Presently, biomass has got a share of 1.9 per cent in the primary energy requirement in Germany.

For Bavaria, this share makes even 3.6 per cent, tendency to rise. So the emission of more than 5.5 million tons of CO2 can be avoided. This biogenic energy is gained in numerous ways: 111 biomass heating and cogeneration plants, 250 clarification and landfill gas plants, 560 agricultural biogas plants, and a production capacity of 80,000 tons of biodiesel prove - together with 1.76 million wood stoves and fireplaces, 400,000 lump wood and wood chip heatings - that Bavaria is in the lead when it comes to renewable resources.
This focus of Bavarian farm policy is of benefit to the environment and to agriculture and also includes the use of renewable raw materials for industry. Nowadays, biodegradable engineering materials on the basis of renewable raw materials such as starch, sugar, cellulose, vegetable oil, or proteins can already be found in many products. Not only packaging materials, one-way tableware, and insulating materials for the average consumer are available, but also products for medical, biological, and environmental technology. In farming and gardening, too, mulch films, yarns, and plant pots from biodegradable engineering materials are increasingly used.

Sources and information: Rohstoffe - regenerativ und rentabel, conference proceedings of the C.A.R.M.E.N.-Symposium, Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (http://www.ipcc.ch), Süddeutsche Zeitung (http://www.sueddeutsche.de), Münchener Rück (http://www.munichre.com)

On Wednesday, the 25th September, members of parliament and representatives of the media and of biomass organisations meet in Strasbourg in order to advocate the "European Biomass Days of the Regions 2002". Dr. Ingo Friedrich, the Vice President of the European Parliament, proclaims the official start of the Europe-wide event taking place from the 29th September to the 6th October. Subsequently, the "Association of European Biomass Organisations" (AEBIOM) and C.A.R.M.E.N., the Bavarian co-ordinating agency for renewable resources, present a declaration to the members of the European Parliament that substantiates the importance of biomass as a source of energy and as a raw material for biodegradable products.

Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Karl Hanglberger, Schulgasse 18, 94315 Straubing, Germany, tel.: +49-9421-960-300, e-mail: kh@carmen-ev.de or in the internet under http://www.biomasse-tage.org and http://www.carmen-ev.de.

Biomass Heating Plant Beilngries

In the course of a ceremonial act with the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture, Josef Miller, the biomass heating plant in Beilngries was officially opened on Sunday, 8th September. A school centre with a grammar and a primary school and a school for children with special needs is connected to the heating station.
Under the motto "A building for our children's future cannot be heated with energy from the past" the machine co-operative of Sulz-Altmühl and the agenda 21 group of Beilngries strongly supported the regenerative energy supply of the school.

A solid fuel boiler with a nominal thermal output of 300 kW is the core of the plant which can later be enlarged by a further biomass fuel boiler. In the school centre biomass annually replaces 150,000 litres of heating oil. This saves the atmosphere 490 tons of carbon dioxide per year. For that, an investment of 587,000 Euros is necessary. The Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture granted a subsidy of 206,000 Euros.
C.A.R.M.E.N. compiled a brochure on the heating station. It its free and can be obtained from C.A.R.M.E.N. or from the Gewerbe GmbH & Co. Heizwerk Beilngries KG, tel. +49-8462-9410-10.

Energy from biomass

On behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, C.A.R.M.E.N. compiled a brochure on the topic "Biomass for Energy". It provides information for districts, rural districts and communities on technology, fuels, and funding possibilities.
According to the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture, Josef Miller, mainly schools and educational institutions should set a good example, making the younger generation understand the importance of renewable resources as a contribution to active climate protection.
Information: The free brochure is now available at C.A.R.M.E.N.

Information on heat gain

The Training and Exhibition Centre in the Competence Centre for Renewable Resources in Straubing goes to the start. Every Tuesday from October to April and every first Tuesday of the month from May to September there will be an information event on the heat gain from biomass with a focus on firing with wood. Not only climate changes, potentials of biomass and the chances of the production of energy plants are presented but also various kinds of firing plants. About 90 exhibits from about 50 manufacturers can be seen. With this series of lectures, that formerly took place at the rural engineering department Weihenstephan, the Technologie- und Förderzentrum ('Technology and Promotion Centre') in the Competence Centre for Renewable Resources also takes part in the European Biomass Days of the Regions 2002.
Information: Technologie- und Förderzentrum, Straubing, Dr. Arno Strehler, Leonhard Maier, tel. +49-9421-300-210.

biomasse 2002

On the trade and consumer fair for renewable resources and solar energy in Rosenheim C.A.R.M.E.N. offers expert talks for farmers, craftsmen, and communities.
Friday, the 27th September, is "Communities' Day". In the morning, the subject "Energetic Use of Biomass: Information for Districts, Rural Districts, and Communities" is going to be dealt with. The subsequent excursion leads to the biomass heating plant in Bad Endorf.
In the afternoon, the topic "Industrial Use of Biomass: Possible Applications for Districts, Rural Districts, and Communities" is going to be discussed on.
The "Day of Agriculture and Craft" is Saturday, the 28th September. The talk taking place in the morning has got the title "The Use of Renewable Raw Materials in Agriculture and Forestry".
From noon onwards the exhibitors' forum "Energy" under the motto "Becoming Independent with Biomass and Solar Energy" takes place.
The trade fair's programme is to be found in the internet under http://www.carmen-ev.de --> Fach- und Verbrauchermesse --> Programm.

Platform for renewable raw materials

Since April this year the nova-Institut has been presenting an internet platform where comprehensive expert information on the industrial use of renewable resources can be found (see nawaros 08®/2002).
For the readers of nawaros® there are "trial days" in the course of which all functions of the news portal can be tested free of charge.
From the 16th September to the 31st October 2002, all people interested can log in with the ID "nawaros" and the password "test" and surf as long as they like to.
Further information: nova-Institut, tel.: +49-228-3908606, fax: -943683, e-mail: redaktion@nova-institut.de.

Operators of biomass heating plants

From the 29th to the 30th April 2002, the third international meeting of operators of biomass heating plants took place in Herrsching. The conference proceedings can be obtained from C.A.R.M.E.N. for 10 Euros (plus post and packaging). Not only the subjects of the lectures but also the discussion records of the workshops (boiler erosion, plant optimisation, and electronic data processing for biomass heating plants) and of the discussion in plenum on the subject "Electricity Generation by Means of Solid Biomass" are printed in the proceedings.
The fourth international meeting will probably take place in Switzerland from the 13th to the 14th May 2003.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Sebastian Kilburg, E-Mail: sk@carmen-ev.de.

Current prices for pellets

The price trend of wood pellets has been shown on the C.A.R.M.E.N. web site since March. Including VAT and possible lump sums, the figures refer to deliveries of five tons within a radius of 50 km.
Further information on the C.A.R.M.E.N. site under http://www.carmen-ev.de.

Bad Endorf

On an Open Day on the 31st August, the biomass heating plant Bad Endorf was already presented to the public before the formal opening. Visitors were able to walk around on the site and to get information on the conditions for connection. A little exhibition on "Energy from Biomass" could also be visited. Here, the MVV introduced themselves as the operator or contractor of the heating plant, the company Isoplus as the manufacturer of the district heating lines, the engineering consultants in charge of the planning, and C.A.R.M.E.N. as the project attendant.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Dr. Ruth Brökeland, E-Mail: rb@carmen-ev.de.

New clean air directive

The clean air directive dating from 1986 was amended in June 2002. The new directive comes into effect on the 1st October. It is to ensure a German-wide uniform approval procedure for new buildings, modifications, and reclamations of facilities that are subject to approval. Apart from that, it is to contribute to legal certainty and planning stability. The new clean air directive can be downloaded under http://www.bmu.de/download/dateien/taluft.pdf.
Source: BIZ-Newsletter 09/2002.

Launch programme for insulating materials

Insulating materials from renewable raw materials such as hemp and flax are more expensive than conventional products from mineral wool or polystyrene. In order to increase the demand for eco-friendly insulating materials from renewable resources the German Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture is going to start a market launch programme.
Source and information: Bundesministerium für Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMVEL) (http://www.verbraucherministerium.de) and http://news.agrar.de/archiv/20020803-00003.

Practical guide to contracting

The Berliner Energieagentur GmbH and the Öko-Institut e. V. compiled a practical guide Contracting für kommunale Sportstätten ('Contracting for Communal Sports Facilities'). By means of "energy-saving contracting" the existing energy-savings potential can be made out. The necessary investment is made by a private energy supplier (= contractor), who refinances by the energy cost that is saved. Between 0.6 and 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide can be avoided annually and operating expenses of up to 37 million Euros can be saved.
Source: Bayern Innovativ, InfoService, vol. 08/2002. Further details: Berliner Energieagentur. Under http://www.berliner-energieagentur.de --> News/Presse the guide can be downloaded free of charge.

Meeting in England

By means of the ALTENER and SAVE programmes the EU funds the research and use of energy from biomass and also a lower energy consumption by suitable modifications of the structure of dwelling and business houses. Approved projects are subsidised with up to 50 per cent of their cost (information on the programmes under: http://www.eva.wsr.ac.at/service/altenersave.htm).
On the 22nd/23rd August there was a meeting in Oakford/Devon/Great Britain at Renewable Heat & Power Ltd., concerning two of the projects that are promoted by the EU (ALTENER). The participants and project partners, among them two C.A.R.M.E.N. employees, were from Finland, Great Britain, France, and Germany.
One of the projects deals with the publishing of a journal on wood technology available in four linguistic areas. After the end of the project period, this technical journal is to be continued on a private-law basis because it is an ideal supra-national medium (questions on the journal/subscription/advertising: C.A.R.M.E.N., Christian Schröter).
The project "Implementation of a Virtual University" accelerates the realisation of the idea to make the know-how of wood energy in all fields (technical, economic, ecological) available via internet as postgraduate studies on a university level with officially recognised final examinations (Bachelor).
The third project "Heat Entrepreneurs - Biomass Training" includes two focuses: Architects, engineers, and fitters are trained in the technology of the energetic use of wood, and the public and communal decision-makers are to be informed on the possibilities of using of wood and biomass for the production of energy. Within the scope of the project, all project partners organise training and information events suited for their countries.
Project meetings are held when required and are intended to harmonise the activities of the project partners.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Christian Schröter, E-Mail: cs@carmen-ev.de