1. Project Kade Biomass to BioEnergy Project

2. Overview 1.AMW and IBERS – who we are, what we do 2.Outline of project aims 3.Description of end to end process 4.Harvesting 5.Processing

3. 12 months........

4. AMW Founded by Andrew Mark and Jonathan Walker Over ten years of experience working in woodland and wetland environments We operate specialist equipment to deliver conservation management objectives across a range of habitats including wetlands and woodlands. We have built a extensive client portfolio, who have sites including ancient semi natural woodlands, National Nature Reserves, SSSIs and SACs

5. IBERS The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) is an internationally recognised research and teaching centre Providing a unique base for research in response to global challenges such as food security, bioenergy and sustainability, and the impacts of climate change. IBERS scientists conduct basic, strategic and applied research from genes and molecules to organisms and the environment. The Beacon facility at IBERS conducts pilot scale experimental bioprocessing.

6. Aims of the Project To develop an end to end process to convert wetland biomass into energy. Sustainable wetland harvesting through development of specialist equipment to provide an efficient means of harvesting wetland biomass whilst minimising bulk and increase efficiency of handling. To develop a multiple product biorefinery that can accept heterogeneous feedstocks from wetland management. The production of a high quality combustion fuel for the domestic market. Solid fuel use is common in Scotland. Create rural jobs Biodiversity benefits Reduce GHG emissions

7. Wetland Harvesting We were keen to develop a system that utilises all by-products of wetland management. Rush and Course Vegetation Woodchip Reed

8. Wetland Harvesting Rush Autumn/Winter rush harvesting on a network of farms through Strathspey with Softrak and flail Standard agricultural machinery used until an automated system was developed.

9. Wetland Harvesting Rush Biomass harvesting faces two main challenges the machinery should be adapted to wet sites with low carrying capacity to avoid repeated passing over an effective harvesting chain, compaction, transportation and storage of biomass and still have high efficiency, cost reduction and long term profitability of biomass harvesting.

10. Wetland Harvesting Woodchip Removal of invasive trees and scrub from the wetland creates woodchip Low ground pressure soft track machine can access all but the most challenging of wetland environments!!

11. Wetland Harvesting Reed - Perthshire Softrak fitted with reed harvester and baling system We are developing two systems for reed harvesting which allows for multiple end uses: Most of the reed is cut for commercial thatch using Softrak fitted with reed binding & baling system In years where the reed is of poor quality for the thatch market it can be cut and collected for biomass using a Softrak fitted with forage harvester

12. Wetland Harvesting Reed storage Softrak fitted with reed harvester and baling system Biomass loaded in a portable dry storage system – AgBag Approximately 400m 3 of reed can be stored in a 60m bag Bags life span is 7 years

13. Processing Flow Chart

14. Processing – Stage 1 Preparing feedstock for screw pressing Stored material is broken down using an agricultural bale breaker It is feed to a screw press by a system of hoppers and conveyors

15. Processing – Stage 1 Screw pressing of vegetation The material is pressed to split out the liquid and fibrous fractions A tonne of material produces a press fluid that contains 250 Litres of liquid and 87kg of dry matter. The liquid is passed into tanks for settling Pressing reduces moisture content of the press cake by around 10 to 15%

16. Processing – Stage 2 Anaerobic Digestion The liquid is feed to two anaerobic digesters The gas produced helps power the process Fully automated system and can be remotely monitored

17. Processing – Stage 3 Char and Heat production The press cake, reed and rush can be processed in two ways using the multipurpose portable drying/charring system Charring in the field helps reduce bulk density for transportation from remote site Multiple end use of char as a soil improver and as a high energy material for adding to briquettes Rush char Reed char

18. Processing – Stage 3 Char and Heat production Rush charReed char

19. Processing – Stage 3 Char and Heat production Thermal energy recovery from slow pyrolysis is used to: Dry the press cake in the rig Draw heat into the AgBag system as an aid to increasing the drying capacity of the system Reed char

20. Processing – Stage 4 Mixing and Briquetting Press cake, woodchip and char are mixed, an electronic weighing system ensures that the correct quantities of each product are added. Mobile briquetting system with a throughput of 3,000 kg per day Stores of silage, wood chip and reed char can be used to allow briquette manufacture to continue beyond harvest time

21. A big thank you to Project Kade British Engineering Companies Qube Renewables, Loglogic, Swan Engineering Carbon Gold, and AB Systems DECC for providing funding for the project Sally Mills for ongoing help and support Karen Birkby, RSPB Site Manager for support and her wifi connection ESKTN for organising the event