Hello everyone, Long time reader and first time poster. I'm based in Ireland and i'm doing a project looking to see if an AD plant would work alongside an indoor dairy farm. I have very little experience with these plants and i'm hoping some of ye could help me out. We used to grow miscantus but that didn't really work out however I'd still like to keep my options open in terms of renewable energy.
Anaerobic Digester
- Thread starter Tipp away
- Start date
- Location
- Essex
Rough idea of size? You know you are opening a Pandora's box of opinions...
Right given our location and easy access, we plan to run a 200 cow indoor operation and use their slurry, bring in waste if possible and get tillage farmers to grow some crops that we could feed to the cows and the plant. We then supply digestate to them in return. There is a large pharmaceutical factory across the road from us so if they have waste that is suitable it could be useful.
you will probably have to apply for dozens of licenses for waste collections, disposal, emissions etc etc. Apply for planning permission for the AD plant, they will dictate the access to the AD plant with regard to trucks etc. Neighbours won't be too happy with all the traffic and odours etc. not sure pharma will have suitable waste but if they do there will be forests of paper work to go with it.. Have you thought about local farmers delivering slurry/muck to your AD plant in return for digestate? rather than contract growing, I think this is done in Denmark. I'm sure I read somewhere recently that Bord Gais were looking into the viability of AD plants feeding into the gas network. so if you are near a main line they might be interested. Keep us posted.
Fowler VF
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Surely the key thing here is the tariff rates for electricity and heat? Not sure that Ireland has implemented its RHI policy yet and the green electric policy isn't that clear either.
Your biggest hurdle will be grid connection. The fact you have a pharmacudical company close by I'm assuming they will have a decent 3 phase supply so you could probably get a connection at reasonable cost. Find out how much electricity the company use as well, you might be able to tie up a supply deal which would give them a " greener" image.
woodworm
Member
- Location
- Thetford Norfolk
Speak to these guys http://seabenergy.com/
They have some good systems and you could possibly supply the pharma company with energy?
They have some good systems and you could possibly supply the pharma company with energy?
- Location
- Cumbria
Assuming you are in the South of Ireland, check out the progress and launch of REFIT 4, then post the tariffs on here.
Refit 3 does not really add up.
In addition, if you are in the South, you MUST have a use for heat to get the full tariff.
Refit 3 does not really add up.
In addition, if you are in the South, you MUST have a use for heat to get the full tariff.
We do quarrying and we're located on main road so truck access is very straightforward. We have 3 phase on our farm and one of the main grid connections for the south east is about a 1Km away also the gas pipe line for Waterford travels through our farm. The one thing i noticed was the amount of paperwork. There's a few large dairy farms and piggerys only a few Kms away. The biggest thing i have noticed so far in Ireland is the amount of uncertainty around them. No one seems to know what will happen next in terms of energy production in Ireland. But in terms of setting one up and the running costs what would they be roughly or where could I find out ?
- Location
- Cumbria
The basis of any AD project is the feed-stock. Big is beautiful, the bigger the better as the cap-x trajectory per MW or Kw/hr does not run parallel to the profit trajectory.
However, it is then a question of looking at the utilisation and where the best returns lay, for this you need to know the tariffs, and the nearest and costs of connection to the gas or electricity export or utilisation.
In addition you will require a heat usage, the pharmaceutical company will have that requirement, however they will also be experts in energy usage and costs, you will need similar help before you approach them.
So, a project calculation is required that will give feed-stocks, energy produced, nutrient outputs, as well as the technical specification of the plant (tank sizes etc, etc, etc, etc, etc)
What is the cost, and what are the costs to run are irrelevant at this stage, however it will become important later.
The AD Plant is only a part of your project, as is: Development, Planning, Permitting, Connection Costs (el or th), Civils, AD Plant, Digestate Disposal, Operation and Maintenance, Biological Support etc.
You will be building a process plant, the competences and qualifications for this can be easily found, try Cre.
http://www.cre.ie/web/wp-content/up...-the-Anaerobic-Digestion-Industry-by-2030.pdf
However, it is then a question of looking at the utilisation and where the best returns lay, for this you need to know the tariffs, and the nearest and costs of connection to the gas or electricity export or utilisation.
In addition you will require a heat usage, the pharmaceutical company will have that requirement, however they will also be experts in energy usage and costs, you will need similar help before you approach them.
So, a project calculation is required that will give feed-stocks, energy produced, nutrient outputs, as well as the technical specification of the plant (tank sizes etc, etc, etc, etc, etc)
What is the cost, and what are the costs to run are irrelevant at this stage, however it will become important later.
The AD Plant is only a part of your project, as is: Development, Planning, Permitting, Connection Costs (el or th), Civils, AD Plant, Digestate Disposal, Operation and Maintenance, Biological Support etc.
You will be building a process plant, the competences and qualifications for this can be easily found, try Cre.
http://www.cre.ie/web/wp-content/up...-the-Anaerobic-Digestion-Industry-by-2030.pdf
Last edited:
- Location
- Cumbria
I think you mean Kw ?
Contact these people, my only reservation is, it appears several of the UK reference plants do not exist.
http://www.biogest.at/home/en
- Location
- Cumbria
Yes..........
This is worth browsing:
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/ad-plants-are-you-really-happy-with-yours.158528/