Objective
CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS ON ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION OF ORGANIC WASTES TO PRODUCE METHANE. THE WORK HAS MET WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS, NUMEROUS PAPERS HAVING BEEN PUBLISHED. THE TIME HAS COME WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO ASSESS THE STATE OF THE ART OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE BARRRIERS TO THE EXPLOITATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY IN BOTH TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC TERMS.
THE AIM OF THIS STUDY IS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH AN OBJECTIVE APPRAISAL OF ALL THE RELEVANT INFORMATION WHICH IS NECESSARY BEFORE NEW PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES ARE GENERATED. IT COVERS A STUDY OF THE CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART, THE BARRIERS TO THE TECHNOLOGY, THE MARKET NEEDS AND TRENDS, AND A FULL ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION OF WASTE MATERIALS TO PROVIDE ENERGY WHILST SATISFACTORILY DEALING WITH THE WASTE. HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE ALSO INCLUDED.
THE MAIN CONCLUSIONS FROM THE STUDY ARE :
- ALMOST ALL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ALLOCATE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS TO WORK ON ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION; BUT LITTLE PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE RECENTLY IN BASIC MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY;
- FOR EACH KG OF ORGANIC WASTE TREATED BY ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION THERE IS AN AVERAGE YIELD OF O.3 M3 OF GAS; THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS YIELD, ALTHOUGH PILOT PLANT STUDIES ON TWO-STAGE DIGESTER SYSTEMS FOR THE TREATMENT OF STRAW SHOW SOME PROMISE.
- TO DATE LITTLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID TO THE WASTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO FEED A DIGESTER OR TO THE DOWNSTREAM REQUIREMENTS AFTER DIGESTION; IN PARTICULAR TO THE USE OF DISCHARGED SLUDGES/SLURRIES AND THE STORAGE AND USE OF THE BIOGAS.
- THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTION OF WASTE PRODUCTS TO ENERGY DEMAND IS 3 % OF THE COMMUNITY'S ENERGY REQUIREMENTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT A FIGURE OF 0,5 % IS NEARER REALITY. IT IS THEREFORE UNLIKELY THAT ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION OF WASTE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN REDUCING THE COMMUNITY'S DEPENDENCE ON OVERSEAS SOURCES OF ENERGY SUPPLY.
THE ECONOMICS OF THE SYSTEM ARE INFLUENCED BY THE SIZE OF THE INSTALLATION, THE VOLUME AND NATURE OF THE WASTES, THE TRANSPORT COSTS, AND ESPECIALLY BY THE REGULARITY OF THE FLOW OF WASTES. WHEN ALL OF THE ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF TRANSPORT, PREPROCESSING, STORAGE AND OTHERS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, THE NET BENEFITS WILL BE MARGINAL. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GENERALISE ABOUT THE ECONOMICS AND EACH APPLICATION MUST BE JUDGED ACCORDING TO ITS MERITS.
- THE MAIN INCENTIVE BEHIND THE INSTALLATION OF SUCH A SYSTEM IS THE POSSIBILITY OF SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS; ENERGY SAVING IS OF SECONDARY IMPORTANCE.
- THERE IS DUPLICATION IN RESEARCH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AS EVIDENCED BY THE INFORMATION CURRENTLY PRESENTED AT CONFERENCES, MEETINGS AND THE LITERATURE.
- IN THE LAST 3 TO 5 YEARS THERE HAS BEEN NO SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION PROCESSES.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Coordinator
NE6 2YD Newcastle upon Tyne
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.