Colin Robertson
Edinburgh Napier University
Environmental Sustainability Conference
11 November 2015
Objective:
“At the heart of the Programme is the simple yet
potent concept of creating bio-energy and
sustainable biofuels from low value organic
waste and by-products.”
Scottish
Businesses
Research
Technology
Experts
Industry
Energy Demand (TWh) and renewables target 2020
Total
Heat
Transport
Electricity
Scotland TWh
183
90
55
38
renewables 2020
target
30%
11%
11%
100%
2013
3%
UK TWh
1695
renewables 2020
target
15%
710
46%
598
387
10%
Also…
• 42% reduction in GHG cf 1990 by 2020 (UK 34%)
• 500 MW community and locally-owned renewable energy by 2020
Landscape - resources
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Waste has become a transitional state — a phase — rather than an endproduct.
Zero waste legislation and policy
Biofuel is a highly relevant issue in the promotion of waste-management
Landfill impact on business costs – and environment
Responsible use of carbon
Management of business costs
Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012
Ambitious target of 70% recycling of all waste by 2025
Key points :
• Businesses & organisations to present key recyclable material for collection
• Separate collection of food waste - businesses and households
• A ban on the use of macerators to discharge food waste into the public sewer
• A ban on municipal biodegradable waste going to landfill by 1 January
2021
Process:
 to support potential action
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Increase awareness & understanding
build expertise among different actors
provide new or supporting evidence
pull together data
facilitate knowledge-exchange
Motivation:
Reduce
business costs
Environmental
concern
Carbon
management
Circular
Economy
Resource
management
New
products
Regulation
Legislation
New
services
New
income
Customer
demand
How SMEs work with the Programme
1. Awareness
− Case studies – conversations, print, web, events
2. Initial Advice & Support
– Identify economic & environmental benefits
– Identify potential opportunities
Free to SMEs
3. Feasibility
– Technical feasibility/lab analysis of feedstock
– Commercial feasibility & economic modelling
Biofuel Development Fund
Awards from £3K-£30K
4. Development
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Specification & tender writing
Demonstrate production process viability
Optimisation and scale-up
Facilitate research & commercial partnerships
External Funding
High Value
Low Value
Creating bio-energy & sustainable biofuels
from low value organic waste or by-products
Biomass
Waste
Residues
By-product
Co-product
Biofuel
Bioenergy
Address
disposal
problem
+
Produce
renewable
energy
Generate new revenue
Reduce costs
Meet environmental goals
Comply with legislation
Fermentation
feedstock
fermentation
butanol
ethanol
acetone
Liquid fuels
Commodity
chemicals
Anaerobic Digestion
feedstock
anaerobic
digestion
Fertiliser
digestate
biogas
Biomethane
Fuel
Heat and
electricity
Pyrolysis/ Biochar
feedstock
pyrolysis
Soil
Improver
oil & gas
biochar
Carbon
Capture
Heat and
electricity
Analysis of Projects by Technology/Feedstock
On-site conversion of by-product
Wider biofuel opportunity/ technology development
Biofuels Supply Chain
Your Co.
Agriculture
Harvest
Collection
Logistics
Design
Construction
- civils
Innovation
- engineering
- technology
Analytics
Users
- grid(s)
- local
- self
- transport
Logistics
Wholesaler/retailer
FEED
PROCESS
BIOFUEL PRODUCT
Your product
Your Waste/
Co-product
Co-product
Agriculture
Logistics
Professional services
Past Projects
AD
Algae
Pyrolysis
Fermentation
Current Projects
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Angus Growers and partners- joined project application for interface food
and drink competition to develop new solutions that can utilise waste and
losses from the supply chain more efficiently. Awarded £42k (Nov2015).
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Williams Bros Brewing/Six Degrees North -investigating the viability of
microAD installation using brewery waste as a feedstock.
•
Errington Cheese Co.- investigating the key considerations and risks in
support of an on-site anaerobic digestion plant centre on the opportunity for
whey co-product from the cheese-making process as a feedstock.
•
Matthew Algie-The project’s aim is to develop a viable way of diverging
spent coffee grounds from the waste stream and landfills and upcycle it
using pyrolysis process to a useful horticultural product.
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Arbikie- investigating the key considerations and risks in support of an onsite anaerobic digestion plant centre on the opportunity for craft distilling
and potato by products as a feedstock.
Sectoral Opportunities
• Craft breweries, craft distilleries
• Farms (micro scale AD) and processing
plants e.g. soft fruit, vegetables
• Bakeries, Confectionery
• Cheese Makers
• Food waste
• Fish Farms
• Rural/ Closed-Loop Communities
Challenges & Opportunities
• FIT (incentive)Review
– Commercial case
– Productivity improvements
– New markets
• Industrial Biotechnology
– Higher value products
• Circular Economy
– Competition for materials
Impacts - April 2012 – March 2015
• Supported 250 SMEs to do 50 Projects
• Identified:
• 110,000 tonnes material to process
• 4.2 MWe renewable electricity
• 15,700 tonnes CO2e savings
• New net turnover of £9.1m
• GVA of £3.3m
• 35 jobs supported or safeguarded
Contact
• Colin Robertson
Project Manager
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T. 0131 455 3234
M. 07557 458740
E. c.robertson@napier.ac.uk
W. www.biofuels-scotland.co.uk