David In March 2005 the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Renewable Power Association (RPA) published a report titled “The Quantification of the Potential Energy from Residuals (EfR) in the UK (Lee P et al. 2005). A briefing on this report was included in Energy Journal 160, (Crudginton A. 2007). The report indicated that […]
Read MoreToronto gets feed in tarrifs – we don't – we wonder why.
Quote “Renewable energy in Ontario got a massive boost Thursday with the proposal of a fixed-price plan that, by June, could see the province paying out generous premiums to large and small generators of green power. The premiums – called advanced feed-in tariffs – are what the government guarantees to pay over the life a […]
Read MoreTim Burr, National Audit Office, "England is at risk of missing the 2013 EU landfill reduction target"
This press release is basically saying the UK is at risk of not achieving its Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) landfill diversion target for 2013. This means that energy from waste plants (using anaerobic digestion) are too slow and difficult to procure even with government support for the PFI credits and with the risk of massive fines […]
Read MoreBiomethane vehicles open up green driving
UK business can now take advantage of the first mass scale second generation biofuel to be produced from waste. This is as a result of the launch in the UK of 3 brand new vehicles that have been developed by Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz to run on 100% renewable methane (biomethane)
The Volkswagen Caddy Ecofuel is ideal for companies who operate small white vans or far airport taxis who need 7 seats. The Sprinter NGT is the perfect large van, ideal for supermarkets and with thousands of applications. The Econic articulated truck is ideal for deliveries into cities and between distribution centres. All these vehicles have low environmental impact in terms of noise, NOX and particulates but it is their carbon neutrality when fuelled on biomethane that is transformational.
Read MoreBio-methane fuelled vehicles – John Baldwin CNG Services
Year 2008 may well be recognised as a turning point in the journey away from fossil fuels and this has major implications for the waste management industry. The increase in oil price to $140/bbl is the market signaling that, to use the words of Shell CEO van der Veer, ‘easy oil’ is running out. The large oil fields that have supplied the world with oil are starting to decline and new resources, such as oil sands in Canada, have much higher levels of CO2 emissions associated with their extraction.
At the same time, countries like Nigeria are capturing and liquefying the natural gas (to make LNG) that is a by product of oil production. Nigeria is forecasting LNG production of around 60 million tones per annum by 2012, bringing in around $60 billion of income – not a bad return for what was flared off as a waste product until 1999. High natural gas prices in the US are also bringing forward huge resources of ‘tight’ natural gas that are now economic to produce. Such gas needs more wells than normal gas and so requires the higher gas prices we have now – historically low natural gas prices in the US have acted to leave the ‘tight gas’ in the ground but it is now economic to bring it to market.
Read MoreBiomethane as a Vehicle Fuel – It’s the Vehicles, Stupid
By John Baldwin
2008 Conference Paper Synopsis:
1. Development of NGVs 2000 to 2008
2. 3rd generation NGVs launched in Q1 2009 – VW Passat on biomethane is the world’s best car in well to wheel CO2 terms
3. Potential biogas resource – The UK’s largest 3rd generation bio-fuel
4. Production of biomethane – Clean-up technologies and costs
5. Injection of biomethane into gas grids
6. EU Renewable Energy Directive
7. UK RTFO, ROCs and renewable heat support
8. Biomethane Eco-leadership projects
9. Conclusion – it’s the vehicles stupid