Hampshire Farming Conference The Challenge of Smaller Scale On-farm Anaerobic Digestion

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 09/02/11 RASE Background  Charity - established 1838 to promote innovation  Science - for the advancement of UK agriculture  Technology - promoting development/adoption  Stoneleigh - serving industry at NAC since 1963  Showcase - technical events post Royal Show  Partnerships - promoting knowledge exchange  Sustainability - agriculture in the low-carbon era Increasing focus on rural sustainability

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 Practice With Science Protecting the Science Base  Recent reports: Soils, Water, GHG Emissions, Applied Research & Farm-scale AD  Seminars on novel technology applications (emissions & soil)  Raising applied science profile across industry & rural sector  Working with DEFRA, EA, NE, AHBD, BBSRC & REA

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 Anaerobic Digestion Biogas generation in oxygen free conditions:  Diverse feedstocks - but variable biogas potential  Misrepresented as a waste management system  Danger of over-regulation or policy straight-jacket  Scale matters - technology must be appropriate  Incentives - energy generation & surplus heat use Evolving technology:  Municipal: landfill diversion  On-farm: slurry/crops  Industrial: waste/co-products

Anaerobic Digestion & the Foodchain Entire industry under pressure to:  Manage waste more effectively  Cut carbon and water footprint  Cut fossil fuel energy costs What about smaller farms?  Economies of scale  Unsuitable technologies  Insufficient information  Capital Requirements Farm-scale AD solutions:  New Feed in Tariffs  Modular solutions  Finance packages

Case Study - Farmhouse Cheese makers The challenge of whey disposal  Decline in demand from pig sector  Energy Costs on the increase  Diffuse pollution concerns  Costs of off site disposal  Customer perception Energy from Waste  On-site energy  Carbon reduction  Revenue source  Pollution control

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 18/05/11 RASE REPORT Lost Opportunities  Misguided Gov ’ t Policy  Focus on Merchant AD  Grow for Gas Model RASE AD Report  Farm-scale systems  Appropriate design  Pollution prevention  Technology development  Access to information Policy Changes  Endorsement of mini AD systems  Controls on land application  De-regulate low risk plants  Better incentives for mini-plants

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 18/05/11 AD - Farming Benefits:  More effective slurry handling  Management of diffuse pollution  Enhanced nutrient availability  Reduced fertilizer purchase  Energy for other operations  Revenue generation Other Feedstocks:  Crop/silage wastes  Maize & grass (ethics)  Local food waste  Processing co-products  Bio-fuel wastes

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 18/05/11 On Farm AD - issues:  AD does not have to be large-scale  Feedstock – to supplement biogas  Energy – need to optimise its use  Technology – easy to install/operate  Drivers – manure/slurry management  Bureaucracy – excessive controls  Finance – payback/risk averse banks Report Follow up:  Input to DEFRA Strategy Document  Industry interest 14,000 website hits  More events to inform and advise  Competition to promote design of cheaper modular on-farm AD plants  Develop technology for UK market

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 18/05/11 Stimulating Farm Scale Digestion:  Overcome resistance to small scale AD  Development of modular technology  Use of food waste (hub & pod system)  Access to funding (lease finance/ Green Bank)  Planning – greater tolerance for local plants  Regulation – light touch for low risk small units  New small scale FIT band for under 100 kW  Greater flexibility for FIT rules (bands)  Access to better information/advice  Political Will (planning & other barriers) Wider opportunities for mini AD  Local community projects  Organic food producers  Micro brewers and dairies

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 Energy or Slurry Handling?  CO 2 Emissions from 100m tonnes of slurry  Methane (CH4)  25x worse than CO2  Risks of diffuse pollution of water courses  Experience of the on-farm AD pioneers Other issues like collection of biogas from farms 09/02/11

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 The Food & Energy Challenge “ Over the next 50 years, the world ’ s farmers and ranchers will be called upon to produce more food than has been produced in the past 10,000 years combined, and to do so in environmentally sustainable ways ”. Jacques Diouf, FAO Director General, 2007 “ I can feed my cows things I cannot feed to my digester ” & “ if there is any doubt [on interpretation], the answer [from the authorities] is NO ’. Comments from on-farm AD practitioners, RASE 2010

A Presentation to ‘Company Name’ 01/01/09 09/02/11 AD: The Key Issues:  Slurry & available feedstocks  Biogas potential of cow slurry  Year round feedstock supply  Regulation, policy & planning  Design of on-farm technology  Cost & return on investment Small-scale farm AD now on Government Agenda Conference at Stoneleigh on 22 nd and 23 rd June

AD improves slurry management & supplies on-farm renewable energy Need to make it happen? Vision ” to develop Stoneleigh as a platform for rural sustainability.