PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
It is increasingly understood that the use of fossil fuels is leading to climate change caused by the discharge of greenhouse gases. The challenge is to find alternative energy sources. Biomass is considered a carbon dioxide-neutral energy source, since, when burned, it only releases the volume of CO2 bound in the biomass during its growth. Replacing fossil fuels with biomass would be a way of decreasing the discharge of greenhouse gases.
Prior to the LIFE BIOAGRO project there existed no effective and well functioning technique for using grain and grain waste as fuel. Grain is more difficult to incinerate directly than wood chips or wood pellets, because of combustion problems related to high ash content and corrosion caused by acid flue gases.
Existing producers of animal feed pellets are reluctant to use their production lines for producing fuel pellets based on this diverse raw material base, because of the operational scale required and the fear that the raw materials will bring salmonella contamination.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the LIFE Nature BIOAGRO project was to demonstrate an innovative method to produce and use high quality pelletised fuel from grain, grain waste, seeds and grass on a small scale. The production method used to make the pellets is flexible, enabling quick changes of raw materials and recipes, with and without additives.
The pellets were demonstrated in small units (pelleting machine, heating boilers, burners) easily adapted to different agricultural crops. Mixtures of additives together with seed waste produced a homogenous, cost-effective agro fuel (pellet) with low environmental impact. Skånefrö replaced oil and electricity used for heating with permanent fuel produced heat originating from its own seed production.
It was expected that heating costs at the project site would be reduced by nearly 100%. Greenhouse gas emissions would likewise be reduced by 100%. All the combustible waste generated at the beneficiary’s seed production plant would be converted to fuel.
RESULTS
The project has achieved its objectives both technically and with regards to the environmental impact: it provides a full-scale demonstration of the complete cycle of the BIOAGRO method, from agricultural waste to pellets that can be effectively burned to generate energy for the beneficiary's own production facilities and the local neighbourhood. Following incineration the ash can also be recycled into agricultural production. The technical solution is based on standard components and transferable/expandable.
The first stage of the project involved generating testing and evaluating 30 pellet recipes at lab-scale. Results of these tests were fed into a database called the ECOERA Pellet Formula Generator. Lab-scale evaluation of pellet burners and boilers for domestic use revealed that the silica content of the pellets makes small-scale combustion sensitive to sintering.
Two boilers (1250 Kw and 250 Kw) were installed at the project site in September 2007 and the automatic full-scale pellet production plant was successfully started up by Skånefrö in August 2008.
Although heat production satisfied the needs of the beneficiary's seed handling facilities, the project team encountered some teething problems with regard to the ability of the pelleting system to cope with a variety of raw materials with a wide variation in density and weight. Some aspects of the furnaces were then modified to improve the efficiency of the combustion process and improve performance under different loads. Consequently, combustion trials have shown good performance with low ash content and low ash sintering. The capacity of the press now exceeds the target of 3 tonnes/hr and the facility is continuously generating heat for the beneficiary's seed drying operations and for heating of buildings.
Within the context of its own operations, the beneficiary expects to achieve a complete elimination of the use of fossil fuels and electricity for heating purposes, replacing these with energy based on the use of grain and crop waste. The decentralised scale of operation allows for flexible production and permits the use of different pellet mixes depending on the availability of the raw materials. The inclusions of additives (mainly lime) in the pellet mix will make the ash resulting from incineration better suited as fertiliser, thus reducing reliance on fossil based products in cultivation. These advantages lead the beneficiary to believe that the BIOAGRO method could be transferred to the entire EU agricultural sector, thus contributing to achieving a breakthrough in finding alternatives to fossil energy. Fully implemented, the method has the potential to reduce the discharge of greenhouse gases in Sweden by 10% and in the EU by 2.5%.
Skånefrö is continuing to work on its market strategy and has undertaken a number of activities to disseminate the project results, including the publication of brochures in Swedish and English, participation in some 25 seminars and conferences, site tours for approximately 50 visiting groups, coverage in newspapers and magazines and regular updates on the project website and Facebook page.
As a result of its good work, the BIOAGRO project has been recognised by The Year of Creativity and Innovation as an example of the importance of innovation for social and economic development.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).