Wood v straw pellets

[Giles1]

Saw in a machinery thread that Krone ? is selling in field straw pelleting machines.Wondered what the relative values of straw pellet is to wood pellets.They'll not be RHI compatible I shouldn't think,but when warranties and RHI run out,might be an idea.

 

[frustratedfarmer]

When RHI runs out? That will be a while then!

Straw is cheap if producing you're own but pellets will push the price up.

Depends on output needed but getting it into a bale of some form has to be the cheapest form out there.

 

[renewablejohn]

Unfortunately technology has moved on. Its far more efficient to turn straw into methane gas using conventional bales than burning pellets direct. In electrical efficiency terms its 45% compared to 30%.

 

[Old McDonald]

Unfortunately technology has moved on. Its far more efficient to turn straw into methane gas using conventional bales than burning pellets direct. In electrical efficiency terms its 45% compared to 30%.

I am very interested in turning bales into methane. Would you please give me some links to follow.

 

[renewablejohn]

I am very interested in turning bales into methane. Would you please give me some links to follow.

http://www.verbio.de/en/products/verbiogas/biomethane-from-straw/

 

[Old McDonald]

Thanks, but impractical from an individual's perspective. I assumed you had some farm scale info.

 

[renewablejohn]

Thanks, but impractical from an individual's perspective. I assumed you had some farm scale info.

Depends on what scale of farm and what % of straw you want to digest. If you can mix the straw with other feed stock then one of these might be suitable.

http://qilaenergy.com/the-q250/

Although its a halfway house using both high and low temperature AD.

 

[Old McDonald]

Am I right in thinking you sell this type of equipment, and are not a farmer?

 

[renewablejohn]

Am I right in thinking you sell this type of equipment, and are not a farmer?

Completely wrong. I am a farmer but unlike most on here I have very few acres so have to maximise what I have. I have set up a biomass business by share farming and have allotments under the Land share scheme. Most of my land is grade 3 and very steep so finding diversification projects is demanding. Energy fits the bill as I am near to a 33kv power line. Planning is impossible for wind but I can do Hydro, Solar, Biomass, and AD. AD was low on my list of priorities as the conversion efficiencies used to be very low but with the advent of efficient fuel cells and high temperature AD making biomass and grass a valuable feedstock my interest in AD has been rekindled albeit on a very small scale. AD also has the advantage of producing cleaner gas then that derived from pyrolysis which invariably has tar issues over the long term.

 

[Old McDonald]

Thanks for the reply. It was an impression I had gained, and it appears I was partially right and partially wrong. I commend you on your enterprise, and I certainly have no objection to someone farming part-time. I did so for many years myself when younger, as did my father before me. We cannot all be gifted with a viable farm or two.

 

[renewablejohn]

Thanks for the reply. It was an impression I had gained, and it appears I was partially right and partially wrong. I commend you on your enterprise, and I certainly have no objection to someone farming part-time. I did so for many years myself when younger, as did my father before me. We cannot all be gifted with a viable farm or two.

I would hardly class myself as a part time farmer unless you dont classify forestry as farming. I dont classify the energy side as a job as I can be earning money while I sleep.

 

[Old McDonald]

I have been trying to be placatory whilst seeking information from you about farm scale methane production from straw (or other baled material perhaps). You give no info about yourself in your profile so I had to guess that, from the links you gave, you were selling this equipment as a business. You then told me you had limited acreage and had set up a biomass business. This means you have at least one business and a farm. Now you tell me you are also in forestry. I am happy to include forestry as a branch of farming.

 

[farmerm]

When RHI runs out? That will be a while then!

Straw is cheap if producing you're own but pellets will push the price up.

Depends on output needed but getting it into a bale of some form has to be the cheapest form out there.

Domestic RHI is only 7 years, we are already well into year 2

 

[renewablejohn]

I have been trying to be placatory whilst seeking information from you about farm scale methane production from straw (or other baled material perhaps). You give no info about yourself in your profile so I had to guess that, from the links you gave, you were selling this equipment as a business. You then told me you had limited acreage and had set up a biomass business. This means you have at least one business and a farm. Now you tell me you are also in forestry. I am happy to include forestry as a branch of farming.

Obviously you have misunderstood. I am actually in the minefield myself of looking for a small AD plant but in my case its for doing woodchip which apparently is very difficult to do but whilst doing my research it seems the same high temperature AD plant is also used to do straw. The one I quoted just happens to be the smallest farm sized system I could find. The one I am actually looking at is much smaller than that being two small underground tanks similar in size to large sewage tanks.

http://viking-house.co.uk/tad-digester.html

 

[Old McDonald]

That is better. I will follow through on this link and general info. I particularly liked the table of possible output. I have a few of the things listed, including comfrey. A new use for this crop that I would never be without.