Newsletter/ nawaros®
03/04
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"BioFach 2004" - World Trade Fair for Organic Products
Agriculture and Renewable Energy Sources Act
Biomass on Tour
Shell and BP Adding Biodiesel
Technology and Environment
"renewables 2004" - Mobile
Biogas and Agriculture
Ecological Balance for Biofuels
Barometer for Renewable Energies
"BioFach 2004" - World Trade Fair for Organic Products-
C.A.R.M.E.N.'s Joint Stand Well Attended
From February 19th to 22nd, 2004, the BioFach trade fair
took place in Nuremberg. Nearly 30,000 experts seized the opportunity
to collect information on the bioindustry.
C.A.R.M.E.N. was in charge of a joint stand on bioplastics because organic
food and biopackagings can easily be combined. Novel plastics made of
biodegradable materials are mostly produced from renewable raw materials
such as corn, potatoes, or cellulose, being compostable without harmful
residues.
Ten international companies were present at the C.A.R.M.E.N. stand. All
of them were very satisfied with the contacts they established at the
BioFach.
"The exhibition met with overwhelming response. Even high-ranking
visitors showed a strong interest in our biodegradable materials,"
Walter Wallrapp, C.A.R.M.E.N.'s exhibition manager, summed up his impressions.
The Netherlands being the "Country of the Year" of the trade
fair, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Cees Veermann, visited the
Rodenburg Biopolymers company from Oosterhout, Netherlands, at the C.A.R.M.E.N.
stand on the fair's very first day. He informed himself about the company's
engineering material "Solanyl" which is produced from potato
peels.
Herbert Ettengruber, member of the Bavarian parliament from Straubing,
was very impressed by C.A.R.M.E.N.'s presentation at the BioFach fair.
He got information about starch bags that serve to facilitate the handling
of biowaste. At present, these bags are used in the "Straubing Model
Project".
Hubert Weinzierl, honorary chairman of the Bavarian association for environment
protection (Bund Naturschutz in Bayern e.V.), offered his support for
the introduction of compostable starch products that are uniformly labelled.
On the trade fair's second day, Bärbel Höhn, Minister for the
Environment and Nature Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, talked to the representatives
of the four companies from her state at the C.A.R.M.E.N. stand.
On the third day, C.A.R.M.E.N. employees supported a TV team in making
a programme on organic food and its packagings. Hessischer Rundfunk will
be broadcasting the programme "Service Natur" on May 22nd, 2004,
at seven o' clock p.m.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Walter Wallrapp, e-mail: contact@carmen-ev.de
and NürnbergMesse (http://www.biofach.de)
On February 26th, 2004, C.A.R.M.E.N. and the "Green
Circle" of the Katholische Landjugendbewegung, KLJB (Movement of
Catholic Agricultural Youth) of Rottal (Bavaria) organised an expert discussion
on the "Possibilities and Limits of the Renewable Energy Sources
Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz) for Agriculture " in Hieb near
Postmünster.
Robert Wagner, project manager of C.A.R.M.E.N., dealt with the importance
of electricity for economy. Subsequently, he outlined the essential aspects
of the Renewable Energy Sources Act and afterwards specified and classified
various technologies for electricity generation from biomass.
At present, biogas plants are only interesting for agricultural
investment if they can be operated efficiently. Biomass thermal power
plants were also treated. Finally, Wagner presented various kinds of biomass
electricity generation plants, explaining to the audience the latest technical
developments and the amount of investment costs.
The second speaker of the evening was Gottfried Göschl, co-partner
of the jointly-owned biogas plant of Ettling. He talked about the genesis
of this biogas plant, about its technical parameters, and the operating
experience, also giving an efficiency assessment. Subsequently, more than
forty participants seized the opportunity for discussion with the speakers.
Information: C.A.R.M.E.N., Robert Wagner, e-mail: rw@carmen-ev.de
Biomass on Tour
30 representatives of Main-Taunus-Recycling GmbH and Rhein-Main-Deponie
GmbH informed themselves about the combustion of horse bedding and biogas
technology in East Bavaria on January 16th and 17th, 2004. Biomass GmbH
had organised the tour.
The first destination on the agenda was Matheshof estate in Rieden-Kreuth.
Apart from spacious riding facilities and the Operpfalzhalle, the combustion
plant for horse bedding (1MW) was visited. The operators explained that
plant was working well but required more maintenance than a pure wood
chip-fired heating plant.
Subsequently, the group visited the biogas plant of Högl company
in Volkenschwand, Lower Bavaria. Not only the contents of biobins from
various rural districts are fermented there but also food remnants and
packed food. The fermentation residue is separated. After preclarification
in the company plant, the liquid phase is supplied to the municipal sewage
treatment plant. The solid rest is converted into humus.
On the second day, the delegation was received by C.A.R.M.E.N. in Straubing.
Lectures were given there on the combustion of horse bedding and on biogas
plants. Afterwards, the participants seized the opportunity to visit the
exhibition of stoves of the Technologie- und Förderzentrum, TFZ (Technology
and Promotion Centre) in Straubing. The last destination of the "biomass
tour" was the agricultural biogas plant in Ettling. Mainly slurry
and plant residues from agriculture are converted into electricity and
heat there.
All participants got numerous hints and information to be used for planning
their own biogas plants and combustion plants for the incineration of
horse bedding.
Information: biomasse GmbH, Gilbert Krapf, e-mail: info@biomasse-gmbh.com
Shell and BP Adding Biodiesel
Towards the end of the year 2003, the German Federal government
extended the tax exemption for biofuels to all mixtures of biofuels with
fossil sources of energy and to fuels and mixtures with bioheating fuels.
By this, the way for further CO2 reductions is to be paved. Pure biodiesel
and pure bioethanol can be added to diesel or to automotive fuel for Otto
engines in a taxed-privileged way. They have got a great CO2 advantage
over conventional fuel. It is for example allowed and tax-exempt to add
up to five per cent of rapeseed oil methyl ester to diesel fuel.
Moreover, the addition of biodiesel improves the lubricating effect of
low-sulphur diesel fuels. The particle-reducing effect of biodiesel also
lasts according to the proportion of addition.
Both big operators of filling stations in Germany, BP and Shell, have
already begun to add biofuel to diesel. A reduction of the fuel price
due to the tax exemption of the biological proportions of the fuel is
not realistic.
A shortage of rapeseed oil methyl ester, also known as biodiesel, could
lead to price increases. Up until now, the biodiesel industry has sold
approximately 700,000 tons per annum, produced in nearly two dozens of
mainly medium-sized oil mills. By going down-market, the sales potential
triples. The mineral oil industry will adapt the real proportion of rapeseed
oil methyl ester in diesel to the price trend.
According to a press release of Shell, the company is presently developing
novel second-generation biofuels. This also includes the production of
high-quality ethanol from agricultural products.
The additive ETBE can be made from ethanol. It improves the anti-knock
quality of petrol and is therefore suitable for fuel-efficient direct-injecting
petrol engines.
Information and sources: C.A.R.M.E.N., Hubert Maierhofer, e-mail: hm@carmen-ev.de,
Deutsche BP AG (http://www.deutschebp.de),
Shell (http://www.shell.de)
Technology and Environment
Börner, Chemisches Werk für Dach- und Bautenschutz
GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Hersfeld, produces roofing membranes on the basis
of bitumen. For the production of these polymer bituminous membranes,
the company uses natural rapeseed oil as a softener instead of mineral
oil components. Rapeseed oil is much more efficient as a softener than
mineral oil. Less fuel needs to be used for ensuring the flexibility of
the panels not only in summer but also on cold days. Due to the fact that
rapeseed oil provides sufficient resinification on the surface of the
roofing membranes in the course of time, long-term preservation is also
guaranteed.
Börner company annually uses rapeseed oil coming from about 700 hectares
of - mainly regional - agricultural land for the production of the roof
membranes.
In 1882, Georg Hermann Börner's company was founded as a "Roofing
and Slating Company". Being a trend-setter of his trade, Börner
already started producing roofing materials "in rolls" in the
1920s. In addition to that, the independent departments "Mastic Asphalt
Surfaces" and "Binders for Road Construction" were founded.
Besides, Börner is a member of ARGE RapsAsphalt (Working Group for
Rapeseed Asphalt). C.A.R.M.E.N. and four further companies are also members
of this group which supports the improvement of the product and processing
quality of rapeseed asphalt.
Rapeseed asphalt is used for the surface treatment of roads. Its special
feature is that a considerable part of the mineral oil-based bitumen is
replaced by rapeseed oil (see nawaros® 09/03).
Contact: Georg Börner, Chemisches Werk für Dach- und Bautenschutz
GmbH & Co. KG., Bad Hersfeld, Tel.: +49-6621-175-0, e-mail: info@georgboerner.de
(http://www.georgboerner.de)
"renewables 2004" - Mobile
From June 1st to 4th, 2004, Germany will be hosting the
international conference for renewable energies 2004 ("renewables
2004") in Bonn.
More than 1,000 participants are expected to come. A motor pool powered
by renewable energies will be available to them.
In agreement with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
(BMZ), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety (BMU) invites companies of the car industry, the mineral
oil and energy industries, companies from the field of traffic services,
and consortia from these industries from Germany and from abroad to join
a sponsoring project for meeting the mobility need of the conference.
Sources and information: Solarthemen 176, January 29th, 2004, and Bundesministerium
für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit (Federal Ministry for
the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety), http://www.bmu.de/files/renewables_interessenbe.pdf
Biogas and Agriculture
The Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, EEG (Renewable Energy Sources
Act) has made biogas plants a calculable source of income for agriculture.
The aid brochure "Biogasanlagen in der Landwirtschaft" ('Biogas
Plants in Agriculture', in German language) deals with preconditions,
planning criteria, biological foundations of biogas generation, important
process factors, plant technology, co-ferments, legal questions and provisions.
Information and ordering: The 48-page brochure is available for download
on the internet under http://www.aid-medienshop.de
for payment, or can be ordered at a charge of EUR 2.- as print edition.
In the evaluation of biofuels, the Institut für Energie-
und Umweltforschung, IFEU (Institute for Energy and Environmental Research)
in Heidelberg no longer deals with biodiesel and rapeseed oil only but
has now also included novel fuels such as ethanol or ethyl tertiary butyl
ether (ETBE) made of sugar beets, wheat, or potatoes and biomethanol made
of residues.
The whole life cycle from the production of biomass and the conversion
up the energetic use was analysed.
The results showed that the production of ETBE has got advantages
over ethanol because ETBE replaces ethyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) which
is produced in an energy-consuming way. Sugar beets as a raw material
have got a great advantage over wheat or grain in ethanol or ETBE production.
Regarding the conservation of fossil resources, all options for ETBE do
better than plant oil fuels.
The production of biomethanol from residues has got a good ecological
balance because no farmland is required. Due to lacking data, no meaningful
ecological balances are available for synthetic fuels that are presently
discussed, e.g. Sunfuel.
Sources and information: Journal Erneuerbare Energien, edition 02/2004,
and Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik, IFEU (http://www.ifeu.de)
Barometer for Renewable Energies
Utilisation of Renewable Raw Materials Far Below Expectations
The White Paper of the European Union on Renewable Energies
had set the objective of 12% for the contribution by renewable sources
of energy to the European Union's gross inland energy consumption by 2010
as compared to 6% in the year 1995. A share of more than 80% of the increase
was to be achieved by renewable raw materials the utilisation of which
was planned to be tripled from 45 to 135 million toe (tons oil equivalent).
The real developments are far below this plan.
The use of biogas increased from 2,600 ktoe (thousands of tons oil equivalent)
in 2001 to 2,760 ktoe in 2002. This corresponds to a 6.4% leap forward.
Germany records a 9.8% advance. Landfills, urban sewage treatment plants,
and industry provided 95% of biogas. 2% are supplied by agriculture. The
White Paper had estimated the biogas production potential at 15 million
toe for 2010. To achieve this task, an annual growth rate of biomass utilisation
from 25 to 30 per cent would be necessary.
In 2002, the primary energy production from wood energy amounted to 44
million toe. This marks a progress of 2.7 per cent with respect to 2001.
The White Paper objective for 2010 was set at 100 million toe. The current
growth rate cannot reach this target unless decisive changes occur. In
2002, 50% of the renewable energy sources came from the wood energy sector.
For comparison: Wind and solar energy provided 4% of the renewable energies.
In 2002, the total volume of fuels from renewable energies went up to
1.5 million tons. This is a 38% increase as compared to 2001. Despite
this considerable increase, this is not enough to reach the objective
of 17 million tons for 2010 as defined in the White Paper under the present
circumstances. The legal conditions for biofuels have very much improved
by the adoption of two new EU directives. The first of them, on renewable
fuels, has set biofuel consumption targets of 2% for 2005 and of 5.75%
for 2010. The second directive has decreed the rules for tax relieves
or exemptions that each country of the EU can set up to promote biofuels.
Europe has set ambitious objectives for the development of renewable energies.
In the field of biomass, they cannot be achieved under the present circumstances.
Information and source: C.A.R.M.E.N., Karl Hanglberger, e-mail: kh@carmen-ev.de
http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/res/publications/barometers_en.htm.
Further energy data under: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/energy_transport/figures/pocketbook/2003_en.htm
