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“Rural Organic Wastes to New Resources”
Energy & Food Security
- C. Change
Mitigation & Biodiversity Profitability & Resource Efficiency Improving Water Quality A Sustainable Rural Catchment
Rural Organic Wastes to New Resources The N. Ireland Experience Dr - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Rural Organic Wastes to New Resources The N. Ireland Experience Dr - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Rural Organic Wastes to New Resources The N. Ireland Experience Dr John Gilliland OBE Chairman, Rural Generation Ltd April 2012 Rural Organic Wastes to New Resources Improving Water Quality Energy Profitability A Sustainable
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Improving N. Ireland Water Quality is Essential
- N. Ireland’s current Water Quality
& EU Water Frameworks Directive in 2015
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Understanding the Consequences of Compliance
Water Quality Legislative Compliance has Accelerated Energy Consumption & Green House Gas Emissions, till now!!
- Eg. Upgrade at Ballyclare Waste Water Treatment Works
– prior to upgrade, Consumed £4k p.a. of Electricity
- post upgrade, Consumed £180k p.a. of Electricity
- N. Ireland Water is largest consumer of electricity
& largest emitter of Green House Gases in N.I. 80% above its 1990 GHG emissions Target of 35% below 1990 emissions, by 2020!!!!
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Engaging with the Farming Community Its Role is Essential!!
Scotland’s Pilot, preparing for the EU Water Frameworks Dir.
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Importance of Other Issues
- % of National GHGs from Farming
8% 9% 10% 11% 13% 13% 15% 17% 18% 18% 26% 10% 10% 9% 9% 8% 7% 7% 7% 6% 5% 8% 8% 8% 3% 3% 6% 6%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Luxembourg Malta Czech Republic Estonia Germany Italy Cyprus UK Bulgaria Slovakia Belgium Finland Greece Austria Netherlands Poland EU-27 Portugal Slovenia Spain Hungary Sweden Romania Denmark France Latvia Lithuania Ireland
Source: AEE
Nitrogen, doesn’t just impact water quality, Nitrous Oxide from wet soils is 296 times more potent than Carbon Dioxide, as a GHG!!!!
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The Multiple Wins - Benefits & Costs of Reducing GHGs, while improving Water Quality!!
2020 Central Feasible Potential
Source: CCC analysis 150
- 50
100 AD Crops and Soil 250 50
- 150
5 Livestock
- 100
Improved Drainage Timing (Mineral N) Manure N Use Timing (Organic N) Species Intro Nitrification Inhibitors Breeding (Fertility) MtCO2e Breeding (N Efficiency) Avoid N-Excess Probiotics
Why aren’t Farmers Delivering the Win Wins??!!
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Importance of Other Issues
- Decline in UK Farmland Birds
Source: DEFRA
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The Importance of Other Issues
- Food Security
John Beddington (Feb 11) UK Government, Chief Scientist “In Next 40 Years, Agriculture Needs to Double its Output while Halving its Environmental Footprint” How??!! Sustainable Intensification!?
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Importance of Other Issues
- EU Energy Security
Source: IEA 2008
- N. Ireland imports 98% of its energy
& 50% of house holds in fuel poverty
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Society Biomass Boiler or CHP
Nutrient Recycling Renewable Energy Non Fossil Fuel
Rural Generation’s “Holistic Approach”
Organic Fertiliser
Biofiltration of Tertiary Water Bioremediation of Sludges
Willows
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The Willow Crop July, Year 1, After Cut Back The Willow Crop, July, Year 3, Year of Harvesting
Why Willows?
Short Rotation Willow trees, trialled in Ireland since 1977
- Indigenous, found in most parts of the World
- Quick Growing, 3 year harvest, then re grows
- Woody species, no problems in combustion
- High Yielding, up to 12 dry tonnes/ha/yr
- Copes with large quantities of water, great for treating Dirty Water
- Non Food Crop, no risk to Food Chain
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Investigating using Willow as a Biological Filter
Trialled at City of Derry Sewage Works, since 1996
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Investigating using Willow as a Biological Filter
- Essential that Technology is based on Sound Science
- Credible Research Partners:-
- Agri Food & Bioscience Institute, N. Ireland
- Swedish University of Agriculture Science
- UK Water Research Council
- Credible Research Projects:-
- EU 5th Framework, Fair 5, 5 Countries
- EU 6th Framework, BIOPROS, 9 Countries
- EU Life, Water RENEW Project, UK
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Agricultural Need for Sustainable Willow Effluent Recycling
Commercialisation of Willow Biofiltration
The ANSWER Project – EU Support for Commercialisation, 2011 £1.6m for five commercial Projects with four County Councils and N. Ireland Water, Overseen by AFBI NI & Teagasc
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Commercialisation of Willow Biofiltration
Private Sector – Linwoods Creamery 2009 UK Rush light Award for “Best Innovative Waste Water Treatment”
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Commercialisation of Willow Biofiltration
2012 - 15 Year Contract with N. Ireland Water Drumkee Waste Water Treatment Works Delivering Compliance, 30% Cost & 1,500% GHG Reductions
- N. Ireland issues first ever Variable Discharge Consent
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Commercialisation of Willow Bioremediation
Municipal & Dairy Sludges injected in Willow as Organic Fertiliser since 1998
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Commercialisation of Wood to Heat
Heat Cost Comparison for different fuels
Oil @ 55p/l = £210/t of Woodchip @ 20% Moisture Without Cost of Boiler, Maintenance & Delivery
SDC “Wood Fuel for Warmth” - Wood prices @ 35% Moisture Content
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Commercialisation of Wood to Heat
E.g. Omagh Council Leisure Centre
- 400kW Boiler
- Run 1,700,000 kWh/yr (50% load)
- Oil Displaced = 160,500 Litres
- Oil Cost pa = £86,670 (£0.54/l)
- Wood Chip Cost pa = £51,944
- Saving pa = £34,726
- Payback without Grant or Cost of Carbon = 3.5 years
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Examples of Heat Installations 140 Installed to date
Public Sector e.g. Stormont Castle, Belfast
SW Regional College, Omagh Omagh Council Leisure Centre Ballyclare Council Leisure Centre College of Agric. Enniskillen Udaras na Gaeltachta
Dobbies
Aberdeen, Ashford, Braehead, Carlisle, Liverpool, Livingstone, Peterborough
National Trust
Ardress House, Florencecourt Crom Estate, Mountstewart, Inishfree
Private Sector e.g.
Brander, East Lothian Sangster, Wiltshire Gurteen, Tipperary Fane Valley Co Op, Armagh
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Growing Willows as a Multifunctional Tool
Willow as a Riparian Strip, Catching Defuse Pollution
Improving Biological Water Quality
Source: AFBI NI
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Reduction of Nitrates in Ground Water using Willows
Source: Hansen 2004
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Reduction of GHGs using Willows
SAC
Source: EU Commission
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Sequestering GHGs in Soils using Willows
Sequestering 2 to 5t/ha of GHGs per Year In the Soil & not removed when harvested
Source: Teagasc 2010
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Sequestering GHGs in Soils using Willows
From the injection of Biosolids (sludge) as organic fertiliser
- 500
500 1000 1500 2000 Zero tillage Reduced tillage FYM Biosolids Compost Paper Crumble SOC change Energy change
2
O change
kg/ha/yr CO2-C
Source: ADAS
N
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Increasing Biodiversity using Willows
Bird numbers per Hectare
Source: Rothamsted 2010
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The Alberta Capability
Considerable knowledge already exists!!
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Other North American Experience
Indian Head, Saskatchewan SUNY, New York State
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The Role of the Private Sector
A N. Ireland Alliance, “Working together to deliver Joined – Up, Clean Technology Solutions.” Delivering – Compliance, Cost Reduction, Collaboration, Carbon Reduction
- n a Catchment Basis
Supported by Invest Northern Ireland
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Our Experience Innovative Solutions can Deliver new Resources
- But – There are many Barriers!!
- Culture – Farmers, Policy Makers & Regulators, all react
negatively to being pushed out of Comfort Zone
- Finance – Banks will not take risks with new technologies
- Education System – Behind Curve due to speed of change
- Silo Structures - With in Policy Development, Regulation &
Public Procurement thwarts lateral thinking & delivering Innovation Without Vision, Leadership and Collaboration, the Prize of innovatively turning Organic Wastes into new Resources will never be achieved !!!
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