Newsletter/ nawaros^® 10/02

Content

First World Conference on Pellets
"biomasse 2002"
Research project biogas plant Berbling
Special edition on the production of biodiesel
Development and success factors of renewable resources
Newsletter on regenerative fuels
Energy Globe 2003
Environment in the internet and on CD-ROM
C.A.R.M.E.N. expert talks "Energetic Use of Biomass"
Large-scale test of biodegradable engineering materials in Kassel/Hesse
The utilisation of wood

First World Conference on Pellets

From the 2nd to the 4th September 2002 the first World Conference on Pellets took place in Stockholm (Sweden). It was organised by the Swedish Bioenergy Association, Stockholm. More than 300 participants, among them two C.A.R.M.E.N. employees, came from all continents.
The programme of lectures included pellet markets all over the world, heating systems and pellet burners, production and quality control, storage and logistics, the combustion of wood pellets and pellets from other renewable raw materials and cogeneration plants. Various market trends, quality standards, and targets were presented.

In Austria and Germany there are instruments for quality control. High-quality, even though comparably expensive pellet firing systems were developed the installation of which is subsidised. In Sweden, mainly inexpensive pellet burners are used for small firing installations. They are inserted into existing boilers. Pellet heating systems are not subsidised, but there is a CO2 tax which was the main reason for converting existing cogeneration plants from coal to wood pellets and for building large new wood-fired cogeneration plants.

The lectures were accompanied by an exhibition of 26 exhibitors from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, the United States, and China. Firing systems and pellet burners, pellets of different origins and qualities as well as accessories were presented. From the 5th to the 7th September, three excursions led the participants to pellet producers, heating stations, cogeneration plants, and small combustion plants.

One destination was the heat and power plant Hässelby on Lake Mälar close to Stockholm with three boilers of 100 MW each. Due to the CO2 tax, the former coal-fired heat and power plant was converted to pellets in 1994. The pellets are delivered by ship and are automatically discharged.
The sawmill with a heating and pelletising plant Forssjö Bruk close to Katrineholm was also visited. The pelletising plant produces wood pellets from sawdust and wood shavings turning up in the sawmill. Its capacity amounts to approximately 45,000 tons per year.
There was also a visit to the pellet heating plant in Boras close to Goteborg. The plant supplies a school centre with heat. The base load of the pellet boiler is 1.75 MW; for peak load periods there are two heating oil boilers with 1.45 MW each.
In the SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute the participants of the excursion were able to watch the testing of firing installations and pellet burners.

As a result of the First World Conference on Pellets, the Bundesinitiative BioEnergie (BBE) ('Federal German Initiative for Bioenergy') and the participants passed a resolution on the increased use of bioenergy and biomass pellets.

Information: Bundesinitiative BioEnergie, tel.: +49-228-8198-140, e-mail: info@bioenergie.de.

"biomasse 2002"

From the 27th to the 29th September 2002, 54 exhibitors presented themselves to more than 5,000 visitors on the "biomasse 2002" in Rosenheim. In his opening address, the manager of the biomasse GmbH from Straubing, Gilbert Krapf, underlined the enormous innovation potential of the "raw materials from nature".
Adolf Dinglreiter, member of the Bavarian parliament, who stood in for the patron of the fair, the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture Josef Miller, emphasised that 2.1 billion litres of heating oil are replaced and 5.5 million tons of carbon dioxide are saved per year by the use of biomass in Bavaria. Especially wood and solar energy could perfectly be combined.
The programme of expert talks and excursions to the biomass heating plant Bad Endorf that accompanied the fair also met with great approval. More than 300 persons gathered information on the topics energetic use of biomass, subsidisation of wood heatings, and the use of biodegradable lubricants.

Information: biomasse GmbH, Gilbert Krapf, e-mail: biom-gmbh@web.de.

Research project biogas plant Berbling

On the 20th September, the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture Josef Miller officially opened a biogas plant on an agricultural establishment in Berbling (rural district of Berbling). This plant is part of a research project of four years that is scientifically advised by the Bayerischen Landesanstalt für Landtechnik ('Bavarian State Office for Agricultural Engineering') in Weihenstephan. The studies are to show whether the treatment of agricultural commercial fertilisers such as manure and liquid manure in a biogas plant are also of advantage to the protection of waters, especially in view of bacterial reduction and sanitation.

The impact of different installation concepts and various parameters in terms of process engineering is analysed by the use of three different types of fermenters that will be operated with temperatures of up to 55° C in future. In case the project should show that the bacterial contamination of the manure can drastically be reduced by the treatment of the manure with biogas extraction, it is possible to use fermented manure as a fertiliser also in strictly protected zones of water protection areas and to produce electricity from biogas at the same time. The research programme is subsidised by the Bavarian Ministry of Agriculture and the public utility of the Bavarian city of Rosenheim. The cost amounts to approximately one million Euros.

Information: Schmack Biogas AG, e-mail: info@schmack-biogas.com and C.A.R.M.E.N., Hubert Maierhofer, e-mail: hm@carmen-ev.de.

Special edition on the production of biodiesel

The raw material for the production of biodiesel is rapeseed oil. The creation of value that is connected to the production chain rapeseed - biodiesel entails additional tax returns that have to be offset against the reduced tax returns by the non-taxation of biofuels.
If tax refluxes and social insurance contributions are added up, the performances of the production chain rapeseed - biodiesel that have to be compensated for amount to 73 or 83% of the shortfall in public receipts.

These are the results of special edition of the Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (ifo) ('Institute for Economic Research') in Munich: ifo Schnelldienst Nr. 6, Gesamtwirtschaftliche Bewertung des Rapsanbaus zur Biodieselproduktion in Deutschland ('Macroeconomic Evaluation of Rapeseed Cultivation for the Production of Biodiesel in Germany') by Manfred Schöpe and Günter Britschkat.

Information and download: In the internet under http://www.ifo.de --> Aktuelles --> Untersuchungen.

Development and success factors of renewable resources

The study, which started as a diploma thesis on the subject "Economic and Ecological Perspectives of Hemp as a Renewable Raw Material in Germany", makes empirical inquiries about market- and competition-relevant data on products from renewable raw materials. These materials were and are the origin of product and process innovations. As has been shown by the German and the European economic history, raw materials from agriculture and forestry have closely been associated with the emerging trades and also with the industrialisation and the rise of the paper, textile and chemical industries.

They were superseded as late as at the end of the 19th century by the increasing use of coal and the beginning of the age of mineral oil. However, renewable raw materials open up chances, but products made from them must be marketable and competitive. The study analyses the economic and political factors that have got decisive effects on the future market trend of these products in Germany and in the EU.

Information: Markus Kaup: Entwicklungs- und Erfolgsfaktoren für Produkte aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen in Deutschland und der EU im Spannungsfeld zwischen Ökonomie und Ökologie ('Development and Success Factors of Products from Renewable Resources in Germany and in the EU between Economy and Ecology'); vol. 52; ISBN 3-921-790-30-1; 30,- Euros.

Newsletter on regenerative fuels

The netzwerk regenerative kraftstoffe ('Network for Regenerative Fuels') has been publishing a free quarterly information service since July. The ReFuel-News are funded by the Germany Ministry of Education and Research and provide information on the subject of regenerative fuels. The ReFuel-News can gratuitously be ordered by e-mail.

Information: netzwerk regenerative kraftstoffe (ReRuelNet), tel.: +49-711-7870-252, fax: -200, e-mail: info@refuelnet.de

Energy Globe 2003

Early in March 2003, the Energy Globe with a 10,000 Euros prize is going to be awarded for the fourth time in the course of an international TV gala. Enterprises, private and public organisations as well as individuals from all over the world can compete for the award. Their projects should include renewable energies or energy efficiency.

The following categories are planned: Living, enterprises, traffic and municipalities/public institutions. In the year 2002, more than 1,300 projects from 98 countries contended in four categories for the Energy Globe, a bronze statue weighing 18 kg. Project descriptions could be handed in until the 9th October 2002 by post, fax, or e-mail in German or English language.

More details can be obtained at the O. Ö. Energiesparverband, Landstraße 45, A-4020 Linz, Austria, tel. +43 732-14386, fax: -14383.

Environment in the internet and on CD-ROM

On http://www.umweltpreise.de the Clemens Hölter GmbH and the Federal Environment Office collected data on German and international environment awards. Due to this co-operation, too, the environment atlas ÖKOBASE came into being. It is now available on CD-ROM in the version 5.0. On this disk numerous environmental topics are listed, stretching from sewage treatment plants over data on bodies of water used for swimming to environmental acts, consumer counselling and wind power plants. This information is completed by addresses, dates of fairs, publications and photographs from all parts of Germany.

Information and purchase orders for the CD-ROM: Clemens Hölter GmbH, tel.: +49-2129-51011 (http://www.oekobase.de)

C.A.R.M.E.N. expert talks
"Energetic Use of Biomass"

Since September, C.A.R.M.E.N. has been organising a series of information events on the subject "Energetic Use of Biomass" in co-operation with the Technologie- und Förderzentrum (TFZ) ('Technology and Promotion Centre') in Straubing and the Bavarian State Office for Forestry and Forest Management in Freising. These events are taking place in all Bavarian districts until the end of October and are addressed to decision-makers of districts, rural districts, and municipalities. Being a resource-conserving and an environment- and climate-friendly source of energy, biomass contributes a share of 3.6 per cent to the Bavarian energy supply and thus saves 1.9 per cent billion litres of fossil heating oil.

Especially in the municipal field, an enormous potential for the installation of biomass heating systems can be made out. The Free State of Bavaria provides funds for that from various support programms. In the expert talks the participants learn definite facts on the support, the fuel logistics, the technology, and the organisation of municipal biomass heating stations. In addition to that, each expert talk offers the opportunity to visit a plant in the region and to benefit from the exchange of experiences and from discussions.

Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Christian Schröter, e-mail: cs@carmen-ev.de.

Large-scale test of biodegradable engineering materials in Kassel/Hesse

The tests of the previous year on compostable packagings on the basis of renewable raw materials are being continued. "The whole line of business is now eagerly waiting for the citizens' evaluation of the advanced technology in Kassel," said Dr. Harald Käb of the Interessengemeinschaft Biologisch Abbaubarer Werkstoffe (IBAW) ('Community of Interests for Biodegradable Engineering Materials').
The year before, the consumer behaviour concerning the disposal of the plastic-like materials through the biobin and the handling of the composts of biodegradable engineering materials were analysed. The results show that the latter are just as suited for recultivation measures or plant cultivation as conventional composts. Moreover, the citizens were absolutely able to differentiate between synthetics and biodegradable engineering materials suited for the biobin. An increased number of disposal mistakes could not be made out.
In the course of the second phase of the test, which is starting now, the methods will be more sophisticated. The distribution of the projects and the sales promotion are concentrated on six large tegut supermarkets that constantly provide the waste management experts with exact data on the sales volume of the products.

Information: Interessengemeinschaft Biologisch Abbaubarer Werkstoffe (IBAW), tel.: +49-30-28482354.

The utilisation of wood

At the University of Göttingen, there is now a competence centre "Nachhaltige Holznutzung" (NHN) ('for the "Sustainable Utilisation of Wood"). The participants are the University of Göttingen (department of forestry science and forest ecology), the technical college of Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen (with the departments of forestry science and ecomanagement), the Silvicultural Research Institute of Lower Saxony, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research. In future, resource-conserving methods of wood utilisation and improved production methods are to be developed here in co-operation with trade and industry. For the coming three years the German land of Lower Saxony will be supporting the development of the centre with 1.3 million Euros.

For a start, four "pilot projects" are aspired to. In the first of them, "Novel Adhesives and Gluing Technologies" will be examined. The latter should be compatible with the environment and are to replace petrochemical bonding materials.

A second project on methods for the dehydration of shavings, fibres, and veneers deals with the "Reduction of Emissions and Environmental Protection". There are also projects dedicated to the fields "Processing and Preservation of Wood" and "New Methods for the Conversion of Wood into Energy".

Sources and information: Press release of the Informationsdienst Wissenschaft (IDW), and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Fakultät für Forstwissenschaften und Waldökologie ('department of forestry science and forest ecology'), tel.: +49-551-39-3480.