CNMRC

Biogas/Biofuels Study Tour – March 2009

The tour, led by Scottish Enterprise, took place on 25/26/27 March 2009, included visits to a small scale farm digester, a large private/public sector facility for the treatment of farm slurry and production of derived biofuel for use in vehicles, a visit to a waste treatment facility which processes organic wastes for digestion and a local sewage treatment plant from which the gas generated is being used to fuel public buses and refuse collection vehicles.

Sweden is widely regarded as one of the most progressive European countries in terms of environmental protection. Certainly in terms of waste, less than 10% of municipal waste is landfilled, nearly 50% is recycled and the rest is subject to energy recovery from waste. But with what may seem already like a relatively balanced approach, Sweden wants to go further by breaking its dependence on fossil fuels by 2020, and requiring 5.75% of fuels to be from renewable sources. Its innovative approach to the production of biofuels from sources of organic waste now mean Sweden is a market leader in maximising the recovery of biogas and converting to fuel.

For full report click here.

Conference and Visit – September 2009

Due to interest in the innovative approach to the production of biogas and biofuels it is proposed to organise a further trip to Sweden in September which will incorporate a bioenergy conference. If you would be interested in finding out more details about this proposed trip please send your contact details to cec@gcal.ac.uk.