Small Scale AD

Against_the_grain

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
S.E
Been thinking about a small scale AD plant. Bare with me! We dont have any livestock and are a cropping farm only. We have solar power already and dont really have a demand for the power (although heat may be useful) We do have a few gas mains running through the farm although not near our buildings. What are my options or is it just completely uneconomic.
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
Been thinking about a small scale AD plant. Bare with me! We dont have any livestock and are a cropping farm only. We have solar power already and dont really have a demand for the power (although heat may be useful) We do have a few gas mains running through the farm although not near our buildings. What are my options or is it just completely uneconomic.
Totally uneconomic on crop fed. You might make it stack up on slurry + waste silage, but only if you use the electricity and the heat to good purpose. You will get more electricity per acre from your solar by a long way, and far less work, maintenance costs, haulage and the rest.
 

Will0

Member
Been having similar thoughts, but small enough to cover our winter demand when solar is down (10kw/h Average)

Speaking to AD owners, if you think you can justify the upfront cost, just double it to cover maintenance and running costs. 👎
 

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
Been having similar thoughts, but small enough to cover our winter demand when solar is down (10kw/h Average)

Speaking to AD owners, if you think you can justify the upfront cost, just double it to cover maintenance and running costs. 👎
Anyone going seriously down this route is welcome to come to our farm and see how we have had to modify our AD to get it to work, and reduce maintenance costs.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
3rd World biogas production... Saw these in the early 80s in action in India, but possibly not quite what the OP had in mind.... :)

 
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sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
3rd World biogas production... Saw these in the early 80s in action in India, but possibly not quite what the OP had in mind.... :)

I helped in the build of the gasholder in this one in Malawi in 1977. It made gas for cooking the farm workers food. Ran on cow manure (got a hyaena stuck in it after I left)
2277 Biogas Bunda.JPG
 

maen

Member
Location
S West
Yes, they do work. I have seen them in Africa and India. In India there are many but some become silted up from crop residues and the Ladies refuse to clean them out. So no longer operate.
Simple process can power a simple ring gas burner for domestic family or small village community cooking. A few cows can provide power, digestate spread on adjacent land to feed grass for said cows. Perfect cycle. Better than slash and burn or charcoal production.
So cows can save the planet!
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Simple little systems like this could be useful for farmsteads to produce gas for heating or cooking. However, I expect the H&S aspects will make it unfeasible....

The Indian style units need a better system for cleaning them out in that case.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
They work well in warm climates, but I can’t see the bugs surviving British temperatures very well without some serious insulation/ heating, which would no doubt alter the viability somewhat.
 

f0ster

Member
one of my customers has a small scale one, it was financed by the Scottish gov many many years ago, they only used it for cooking and heating the house,
 

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