Biocarbon might be emerging as an important ingredient in efforts to decarbonize metallurgical production. Envirotec spoke to Sam Beardshaw of UK firm Invica Industries about how it fits into the menu of technologies being primed for a role.

The pressure is on to decarbonize the metals industry, which alone contributes 7% of global CO2 emissions (5% in the EU). Global Energy Monitor reported in July that the iron and steel industry had made important strides towards net zero in the past year, with figures suggesting around 93% of new steelmaking capacity will use low-emissions electric-arc furnaces (EAF).

But there is a long way to go. The IEA wants to see 37% of the industry have an EAF by 2030. In the meantime, the traditional setup of a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) tends to predominate, particularly in China and India. And these have tended to run on non-renewable fossil fuels.

Technology pathways
Likely contenders in the contest to find a technology to decarbonize steel production include principally: hydrogen (either via direct injection, or a method called “direct reduced iron”), carbon capture and storage, and – as this article discusses – biocarbon.

The direct injection of hydrogen into blast furnaces is considered promising, and is currently at proof-of-concept stage, with a number of approaches receiving funding via the UK government’s Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator Programme. But current estimates suggest it will need extraordinary quantities of hydrogen, which in turn requires phenomenal amounts of green electricity to drive the electrolysis process (enough to power every home in Scandinavia for a year, says Teratel).

The process called Direct-Reduced Iron (DRI) is likely a longer-term bet given the need to construct new plants, and install EAFs. While DRI has run on natural gas, its replacement with green hydrogen offers a pathway to decarbonization.

This kind of DRI process involves exposing iron ore to hydrogen in a reactor vessel. Hydrogen reacts with the oxygen in the ore to produce direct-reduced iron, or sponge iron, which is then melted in an EAF to produce steel. An additional drawback is that it requires a higher-than-usual grade of iron ore, and a consistent size and quality of feedstock.

Carbon capture is being deployed widely in the steel industry, and can capture emissions from blast furnaces, or where there is limited opportunity to deploy lower-emissions production methods. But there are still huge challenges with figuring out a way to do it at scale, and within reasonable cost and energy constraints.

Near-term solution?
What looks like a more immediate prospect for decarbonizing all metallurgical applications – and other forms of hard-to-abate production – is to run existing blast furnaces not on hydrogen but on something comparable to existing feedstocks. “Biocarbon” has a more specific meaning than broader terms such as “biochar” or “bio-coal”, and really refers to a feedstock made from wood waste or otherwise biogenically-sourced material, which has been processed to produce something with a performance specification more closely matching fossil materials. The resulting product – available from Invica Industries as “ecoke” – is able to serve as something like a drop-in replacement for non-renewable fuels like coal, anthracite and metallurgical coke, without any significant requirement for modification of blast furnaces and other processes.

Recently, biocarbon has become a more commonplace fixture in discussions of steel industry decarbonization, suggests Invica’s Sam Beardshaw, “as people are starting to realize it’s the only immediate way to decarbonize the industry, or to ensure it can hit some of its near-term targets”.

A biocarbon product like ecoke is something quite different to the charcoal you might pull from a home barbeque, he explains.

Key to the proposition is its tight specification in relation to emissions, and the fact that it can enable steel production that complies with zero-emissions regulations such as the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.

Beardshaw explained that the differences were fairly stark between a product (coal) which, without human interference, would allow carbon to remain locked underground (where it has lain for millions of years), and which you are now proposing to liberate from the ground via a mining process, and, on the other hand, another product (biocarbon) derived from a material like waste wood, which has been sustainably sourced, and which would otherwise decompose (and produce emissions) if you didn’t take it and transform it into something useful.

Sourcing is obviously a key part of the proposition, and ecoke uses material certified as coming from a sustainable, biogenic source. For this sourcing, Invica Industries has partnered with leading biocarbon producers in the world, said Beardshaw, all pulling from waste wood sources like sustainable forestry projects.

Producing the briquettes
The other element of the USP is the production process itself, and this waste material passes through a few process steps before you end up with the finished hybrid solution – an ecoke briquette, which provides a minimum 30% reduction in emissions in comparison to traditional fossil fuels.

Invica Industries literature quotes the ecoke30 product as providing emission reductions of 1 t CO2 / 1 t ecoke30 (i.e., for every tonne of ecoke used in place of conventional carbon-based fuel (like metallurgical coke), the resulting CO2 emissions are reduced by 1 tonne).

The material used to make ecoke is aggregated at the company’s production facility in Immingham. It undergoes pyrolysis, as with the production of biochar, to concentrate the carbon content. In its raw form, biocarbon is lower in fixed carbon than metcoke and anthracite. At this stage the material is also blended with some proportion of the latter kind of high-grade fossil fuel material, “in whatever proportion the end user requires”, says Beardshaw. In this way, biocarbon can be brought up to the performance specifications required by a steel producer.

Biocarbon in its raw form is also higher in volatiles (things like water vapour, tar, and organic materials) than metcoke or anthracite, for example, which would (if not minimised or removed) impact the behaviour and performance of the material during steelmaking. So these materials are also partially removed in the ecoke production process.

To provide the final pillow-shaped briquette, the blended material also passes through a proprietary agglomeration process, where a biomass binder material is added. This means the finished product can be transported in bulk, doesn’t break into small fragments, and won’t tend to absorb moisture from its surroundings.

The whole process entails overcoming a number of challenges. For example, some degree of yield loss is entailed in achieving the high-carbon fix, and so the selection of economic raw materials is essential.

Invica Industries’ facility is able to produce about 0.5M tonnes per year, which equates to a lot of fossil material being taken off the market, and Beardshaw said it is probably the only biocarbon solution in the EU that is ready to go at-scale, to create a product that can be used by almost any end user in the metals sector. “We think we’re in a good position to help people immediately decarbonize,” he said.

Experience gained
The huge selling point is obviously a putative zero-capex requirement for the end user, and the quoted 30% drop in emissions compared to using traditional fossil fuels.

No process changes are required. And existing handling and storage methods can be used.
Granted, it has a greater reactivity than traditional fossil fuels, so is unsuitable for some applications. It also provides a lower bulk density than conventional solid fuels.

But the company has been supplying ecoke since 2019, and Beardshaw said it is already the focus of “several interesting case studies with household names in the steel industry”.

One of the first customers has been Liberty Steel, which has had an ongoing R&D programme to increase the share of biocarbon in its production. The firm now provides a 100% biocarbon product that has been successfully used to create specialty steels used in the aerospace industry.

Balance sheet
Data is obviously paramount for firms looking to secure permits and satisfy the requirements of emissions trading schemes, a point that Inivica’s literature doesn’t overlook. “Each batch of ecoke is supplied with a comprehensive data pack that means end users can be confident in their application for ETS exemptions for the biocarbon share of the ecoke product”.

While approaches to decarbonizing steel production like hydrogen and CCS look very promising for the future, the ETS landscape seems to be changing quickly, with free allowances scheduled to decrease rapidly from 2026 onwards, and to disappear by 2034. There may well be an expanded role for technologies that can help pull down emissions a bit more quickly, and with less of an overhaul of existing processes.

When it comes to advancing along the decarbonization path, the accountancy certainly looks compelling, and favours a rapid shift.

An equipment-supply deal will enable the conversion of an offshore platform supply vessel (PSV) to operate with ammonia fuel, in what is described as a first for this kind of vessel.

The contract was signed between Finnish firm Wärtsilä – which manufactures equipment for the marine and energy sectors – and Norwegian shipowner Eidesvik.

The vessel, ‘Viking Energy’, which is on contract to energy major Equinor, is scheduled for conversion in early 2026 and is expected to start operating on ammonia in the first half of 2026, becoming the world’s first ammonia-fuelled in-service ship. In addition to chartering the vessel Equinor contributes with financing for the conversion. Wärtsilä will then supply the engine and complete fuel gas supply system and exhaust after-treatment needed for the conversion, making it also the first vessel to use Wärtsilä’s recently released ammonia solution.

Ammonia is viewed as a promising alternative fuel as the shipping industry looks to decarbonize. With new global regulations having set a clear destination for shipping – net zero emissions by mid-century – ammonia looks like it’s being primed to play a significant role.

A recent report by Wärtsilä relates to the role that sustainable fuels look likely to play in achieving this target which is set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). According to the report, existing decarbonisation solutions, such as fuel efficiency measures, can cut shipping emissions by up to 27 percent; however, sustainable fuels, such as ammonia, will be a critical step in eliminating the remaining 73 percent.

In this context, Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO of Wärtsilä highlights the importance of cross-industry collaboration: “In just 25 years – the lifetime of a single vessel – shipping needs to get to net zero emissions. Achieving this will require coordinated action by all maritime industry stakeholders to bring about the system change needed to accept a new generation of sustainable fuels.

Wärtsilä, Eidesvik and Equinor have professed a shared a commitment to support the industry’s efforts to decarbonise. The conversion of the Viking Energy is the latest project in a history of collaboration between the three companies. Viking Energy is said to have an impressive record of demonstrating new environmental technologies.

Eidesvik was the world’s first shipowner to have an LNG-powered offshore platform supply vessel, which was powered using Wärtsilä dual-fuel engine technology. It also received the world’s first Battery Power notation, given to Viking Energy, for a battery system (installed also by Wärtsilä, as the firm’s announcement explains).

This latest partnership is a result of the ‘Apollo’ project which is co-funded by the Horizon Europe framework programme. The programme aims to accelerate the transition towards a climate-neutral Europe by 2050 through funding projects, such as Apollo, which contribute research and innovative solutions in various sectors related to climate, energy and mobility.

“Close collaboration throughout the value chain is key to succeed in the green transition. Eidesvik has a unique history of pioneering the implementation of innovative emission-reducing technologies, and we are proud to spearhead yet another groundbreaking project together with Wärtsilä and Equinor,” said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO & President of Eidesvik Offshore.

In addition to the Wärtsilä 25 Ammonia engine, Wärtsilä will supply the complete ammonia solution, including its AmmoniaPac Fuel Gas Supply System, the Wärtsilä Ammonia Release Mitigation System (WARMS), and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system designed for ammonia. A service agreement, covering maintenance, is a highly essential part of the deal. The conversion project is planned for early 2026, with final commissioning expected in Q2 2026.

Water- and energy-hungry mining operations have made lithium an uncomfortable topic for those championing a transition to renewable energy. Can it be mined in a more environmentally friendly way? One or two new approaches appear to make the case that it can, including an initiative that hopes to begin mining operations in the North of England in the next couple of years.

Demand has obviously soared for lithium in recent years, with prices following an 11-fold increase between 2020 and 2022.¹ But the material is hard to extract from the ground. Much of the world’s supply seems to reside in Latin America, where mining operations have now made Chile and Argenina major suppliers, but most of it comes from Australia.

A 2022 UNDP document asks whether the race to exploit lithium is not a new El Dorado, referencing the mythical quest associated with so much tragic failure. The same report explains why lithium is so hard to exploit, principally because it requires significant investment while most of the profit comes from a long value chain that creates lithium batteries. There are limited gains for countries who simply extract and export it.

There are also the environmental costs associated with the way lithium mining has been undertaken to date. But new methods of extraction and new kinds of geological resource are being presented as a way to leave behind many of these problems.

Presenting at BlueTech Forum in Edinburgh in June,² Durham-based Northern Lithium’s Nick Pople spoke about lithium’s “crazy supply chain”, and the fact that it’s not only “mined in an unsatisfactory way” but it’s also transported long distances. “The lithium in your car battery will have done maybe 35k miles already”, he said.

The aim is to get that down to a few dozen kilometres, then into a car, and into a car showroom, as he explained. And his own firm seems to be closest to achieving that goal, although many other groups are looking for lithium in the UK (around 340, he said), and two other companies seem quite far along the path towards commercial extraction.

It’s estimated that the UK will need up to 80,000 tonnes per year by 2030 – and as much as 135,000 tonnes per year by 2040.³

Propitious geology is certainly one part of the equation, and deposits considered most promising for lithium exploration tend to be either mineral (rock) or brine deposits.⁴ Mineral deposits predominate in Australia, the world’s largest producer of lithium by far (around 54% globally). Rocks are crushed, ground and heated to extract the ores, in an energy-intensive process.

Brine-based lithium sources, on the other hand, tend to fall into two types: continental deposits, and geothermal or oilfield brines. “Continental” brine deposits have been the main source of lithium from brines.⁵ These are formed by the evaporation of water in arid or semi-arid inland areas, and the lithium is extracted from the brines that are pumped up from deep groundwater wells.

These account for the hundreds of salt lakes whose brines support Latin America’s lithium industry, with Chile being the second largest global producer (with around 24% of global supply). The process of extraction uses vast amounts of water, mainly salt water, but also a significant amount of freshwater for purification. Lithium mining firms in Chile and Argentina have been accused of depleting water resources, by up to 65 percent in the Salar de Atacama region.

Mining operations are also associated with an elevated risk of contaminating water basins, according to the UNDP.

Geothermal or oilfield brine are at an earlier stage of development, and account for much of the interest currently being generated in parts of Europe, where a few countries slip into the USGS’s 2022 list of prominent lithium resources worldwide, specifically Germany (3%), Czech Republic (1.5%) and Serbia (1.4%).⁶

But new resources are being uncovered all the time, and much interest is also apparent in Italy and the UK, for example.

Geothermal brines tend to be found deep underground, in areas also associated with geothermal or hydrocarbon reservoirs.

In May, UK firm Watercycle Technologies Ltd, announced it had successfully extracted lithium to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from geothermal brines. The firm’s proprietary technology, called Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC), was put to work on brines obtained from two geothermal wells from the Lazio, a province of central Italy.⁷

Watercycle Technologies has also been working with Weardale Lithium Lrd, one of two firms (along with Northern Lithium) to have secured exclusive access to boreholes in Weardale in the North Pennines. Weardale’s website explains that the boreholes were previously developed in 2004 and 2007, for geothermal purposes, and so have already been drilled, with more recent investigation identifying “high levels of lithium”.⁸

Three areas of the UK are currently the focus of exploration: Cumbria, the North Pennines and the Southwest. Cornish Lithium located reserves of lithium in the southwest in 2020, and has ongoing projects to develop lithium in geothermal waters and from hard rock.

Northern Lithium has also secured mineral rights in Weardale and, again with saline brines extracted from geothermal boreholes. NLi is working with technology firm Evove. The two completed trials in August 2023, in which they produced around 2kg of battery-grade lithium carbonate, at a purity level above 99.5%.

In late June, NLi and Evove signed a contract to install and trial a lithium extraction plant at a production site in County Durham.⁹

The initial module will be installed this autumn, as a precursor to a series of modular extensions that are intended to see it reach fullscale commercial production of battery grade lithium in 2027.

The advantage claimed for Evove’s DLE technology “lies in the ability to extract lithium at a high purity”, as NLi explains. Core to the approach is the use of membrane filtration technology, which “processes brines containing lithium very cleanly, reducing the energy, water and chemical footprint and improving the economics.”

As The Chemical Engineer reported last year, the firm’s approach employs a coating on the membrane, able to remove the divalent ions (i.e., magnesium, calcium and so on) making it easier to subsequently isolate the lithium. The last few divalent ions are removed by a subsequent ion-exchange stage, prior to the refining of the material to achieve a high purity.¹⁰

The group said it is targeting commercial production of up to 10,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium per year in the North East within the next decade.

Both Weardale Lithium and Northern Lithium say they intend for their products to be used in local factories building electric vehicles.

The geopolitical complications of the present era obviously add impetus to efforts to produce a homegrown supply of many minerals. The EU this year announced plans to ensure at least 10% of its supply of critical minerals are extracted in Europe by 2030, with its European Critical Raw Materials Act.

In Serbia, Rio Tinto’s planned $2.4 billion mine in the Jadar Valley has mobilized unprecedented levels of public protest against lithium mining in the country, with the country’s president Aleksandar Vučić having warned in mid-August that this protest was the locus of a plot to carry out a Balkan “colour revolution”.¹¹

Some of the protest seems located with antipathy towards the EU, and the Serbian mine is being developed from a memorandum of understanding that these resources will be brought into Europe’s supply chain. But protestors have also been vocal about the potential for environmental problems.

Much of the promise of emerging techniques to exploit lithium from brines is that it can be done “in an environmentally responsible and cost-effective way”, as Wearcycle Technologies’ literature puts it. While the case for new approaches to lithium mining is currently being made, it seems clear there is still some distance to travel to convince the public.

Notes
[1] US Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022 Data Release. See https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/6197ccbed34eb622f692ee1c
[2] BlueTech Forum 2024. Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh. 3-4 June 2024.
[3] Press release, “North of England partnership to deliver 1st UK-sourced Direct Lithium Extraction plant for domestic supply of lithium”, December 19, 2023. See https://www.northernlithium.co.uk/north-of-england-partnership-to-deliver-1supst-sup-uk-sourced-direct-lithium-extraction-plant-for-domestic-supply-of-lithium/.
[4] “The potential for lithium in the UK”, UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre. See https://ukcmic.org/downloads/reports/the-potential-for-lithium-in-the-uk-2022.pdf.
[5] ibid.
[6] US Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022 Data Release. See https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/6197ccbed34eb622f692ee1c
[7] Press release, “Battery grade lithium carbonate produced from central Italy brine”, May 2024, Watercycle Technologies Ltd.
[8] See https://weardalelithium.co/.
[9] “Northern Lithium places commercial order for a Direct Lithium Extraction demonstration plant from Evove”, June 26, 2024. See https://www.northernlithium.co.uk/strongnorthern-lithium-places-commercial-order-for-a-direct-lithium-extraction-demonstration-plant-from-evove-strong/.
[10] “UK lithium boost as engineers use membranes to extract lithium from brine”, The Chemical Engineer, 19 September 2023. See https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/news/uk-lithium-boost-as-engineers-use-membranes-to-extract-lithium-from-brine/.
[11] “Activist opposed to Rio Tinto lithium mine receives anonymous death threats”, The Guardian, 22 August 2024. See https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/22/activist-serbia-rio-tinto-lithium-mining-environment-death-threats

A £3.4 billion funding package has been awarded to build a proposed new subsea and underground 500km cable between Scotland and Yorkshire which could power up to 2 million homes, and expedite the delivery of energy generated via offshore wind in the North Sea.

Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is the first of 26 projects to complete a fast-track process to secure funding through Ofgem’s new ASTI framework, which the energy regulator said accelerates the funding process by up to two years, allowing electricity generated by offshore wind to be delivered to consumers sooner.

EGL2 will deliver a 2GW high voltage electricity ‘superhighway’ cable link between Peterhead in Aberdeenshire and Drax in North Yorkshire, which will help harness the potential of British offshore wind power. Most of the cable (around 436km) will be under the North Sea with the remaining 70km buried underground onshore. Two converter stations, one at each end of the cable, are planned to help feed the electricity transported by the cable into the grid and from there onto consumers.

As part of its declared mission to upgrade the energy system at least possible cost to customers, Ofgem said it scrutinised the developers’ proposal and identified over £79m of savings which have been cut from the project costs without impacting delivery or quality.

By boosting grid capacity, ASTI projects will open up access to homegrown wind energy, and deliver an estimated £1.5billion of savings, said Ofgem, by reducing the need to compensate generators who are currently asked to turn off production, during times of high wind, due to lack of grid capacity.

Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem CEO, said: “Ofgem is fully committed to supporting the government to meet its aims of getting clean power by 2030. Today’s announcement is a further step in putting the regulatory systems and processes in place to speed up network regulation to achieve its aim.

“Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) accelerates approval times for projects such as Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) by up to two years. However, streamlining the process does not mean blank cheques for developers as we are able to step in and make financial adjustments to maximise efficiency and consumer benefit.”

Work on the project is expected to begin later this year and to be complete by 2029.

Responding to the announcement, Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association (ENA) which represents the UK’s electricity network operators said: “This is really welcome news from Ofgem. To move us forward towards clean power will require the biggest upgrade to the grid in decades. In turn these projects will unlock jobs, secure work for contractors and suppliers, and ultimately mean more secure energy supplies in the future. This is a crucial part of that jigsaw.”

Other projects in the ASTI cohort include the Yorkshire Green Energy Enablement (GREEN) project, for which Ofgem has announced a proposed funding allowance of £294.8m. GREEN involves a proposed upgrade to the local electricity network to help transport energy generated by Scottish and North Sea windfarms to consumers.

A perennial problem with anaerobic digesters is the tendency to produce ammonia, which can introduce complications when it comes to finding a suitable destination for digestate. Scout Mata and Katie Hetrick discuss nutrient recovery initiatives being undertaken at the University of California (Davis) with an anaerobic digestion facility called the Renewable Energy Anaerobic Digester, or READ.

A typical day at READ involves processing 20 tons of food and grease-trap waste from local grocery stores and campus dining rooms – waste that would otherwise end up in landfill. Trucks deliver food waste in plastic garbage bags, which are then separated by depackagers into an organic fraction (food) and contaminants (mostly plastic). The organics are liquified into a slurry and added to the digester.

The process generates ammonia in concentrations that are too high for disposal and processing at the campus’s wastewater treatment plant, yet too low to be valuable as fertilizer. Proper disposal of this ammonia-rich digestate can be costly.

“We ultimately had to pay a farmer to remove and use it,” said Joe Yonkoski, UC Davis Facilities Management superintendent of thermal infrastructure and biodigester supervisor. “This cost represented a significant portion of READ’s operating costs.”

To address this challenge, Facilities Management collaborated with Harold Leverenz, then a postdoctoral researcher in the UC Davis Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In his spare time, Dr. Leverenz conducted research in his garage with Rus Adams, to evaluate strategies for separating and concentrating the ammonia from waste streams, including urine, the digestate from READ and other sources. They produced research prototypes of nutrient recovery technologies which were installed on campus for testing at UC Davis’ wastewater treatment plant. The team also founded Advanced Environmental Methods LLC, or AEM, to explore the commercial aspects of nutrient recovery projects, and tackle some of the problems.

“I’ve been interested in helping solve the problem of nutrient pollution through nutrient recycling since my time as an undergraduate in biosystems engineering at Michigan State University,” said Leverenz, who still conducts research for UC Davis Civil and Environmental Engineering and also designs constructed wetlands and other natural treatment systems as an engineer at Biohabitats, Inc.

“We could be capturing nutrients from waste streams for beneficial use in crop production and create a closed-loop system instead of discharging these fertilizers into our waterways or putting it into the air or landfills.”

This collaboration led to an auspicious partnership between AEM and Facilities Management who together led the design of this one-of-a-kind ammonia distillation system, the Chemdist Group who fabricated it, and California Safe Soil, a fertilizer and pet nutrition product manufacturer.

The system processes the ammonia-rich digestate, separating it into nearly ammonia-free digestate and concentrated ammonia. The ammonia-free digestate can be processed at the campus’s wastewater treatment plant, or by other means, locally without adding excess nutrients to inland waters. The concentrated ammonia product has now become a valuable commodity purchased by California Safe Soil as an ingredient in the formulation of a certified organic fertilizer.

“The new ammonia extraction system not only eliminates a major operating cost, it’s environmentally responsible, generates revenue, and helps support the operation of READ,” said Yonkoski. “It’s taken years of hard work and collaboration so we’re excited that it’s up and running.”

Fossil-free solution
With this update, UC Davis addresses a significant challenge for anaerobic digester facilities worldwide. READ’s novel ammonia extraction system can remove 90-97% of ammonia from the digestate without the use of fossil energy sources – resulting in a low-carbon or “green” ammonium fertilizer. With more efficient and sustainable digestate recycling, the facility’s capacity to process food waste can increase from 20 tons per day to 50 tons per day, further reducing landfill waste.

The system also aligns with California’s SB 1383 objectives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the economic viability of anaerobic digestion. To this end, research is ongoing at READ to advance the biorefinery concept, where our urban waste streams are processed for the recovery of various products, including organic acids, nutrients, energy, and water. As demand grows for “green” waste management solutions, UC Davis serves as a model for institutions worldwide, while READ’s progress highlights the importance of continued research and collaboration in achieving sustainable solutions.

While the ammonia distillation column has enhanced digestate management, the Facilities Management group said they are eager to make further improvements. Help towards this end has so far been forthcoming in the shape of a CalRecycle grant.

Ultra-low gas-fired power generation, falling demand, and the restart of solar generation build-out characterized Britain’s electricity market in the second quarter this year, according to a new report by energy data analyst Montel Analytics.

Gas output reduced by over a third in this period to 13.4TWh – the lowest quarterly figure recorded by Montel Analytics in the last 20 years. Gas prices rose steadily, starting the quarter at £23.24/MWh, dipping to a low of £21.26/MWh in early April, then climbing above £23.00/MWh for most of the month. After a brief decline for a few days from May 10 due to a warm spell, prices surged to a peak of £30.06/MWh on June 3 and remained above £26.00/MWh for the rest of the quarter, closing at £27.35/MWh.

Average transmission system demand dipped to 23.5GW, the lowest figure for any Q2 since the first lockdown in 2020. This was attributed in part to milder weather, particularly in May and late June and increased embedded generation from solar and load shifting from batteries and other sources.

Renewables contributed 47% to the GB power generation mix, with wind output (17.2TWh), biomass (6.8TWh), and hydro (1.1TWh) all boosting Britain’s clean energy output during the quarter. Solar generation reached its highest level for any recent quarter, rising from 4.90TWh in Q2 last year to 5.1TWh.

Overall GB power generation (excluding imports) fell 17% from the previous quarter to 54.6TWh, marking the lowest quarterly total since Q2 2022. This reduction was attributable to decreased demand and high levels of imports, which resulted in the steep drop in output from CCGT plants.

Net imports into GB rose to 9.2TWh from 7.4TWh the previous quarter, with most of the power coming from France (6.4TWh).

Phil Hewitt, director at Montel Analytics – which is part of the Montel group – said:
“Solar generation rose by 4% on Q2 last year, which is lower than the previous year-on-year growth in Q2 2023 but this is in the context of some pretty horrible weather. The pattern of demand destruction also continued due in part to warmer weather and people and businesses becoming more conscious of limiting their energy costs.

“Higher levels of net imports resulted in very low gas output, while gas prices increased steadily following a decline in the previous quarter. This rise was driven by several factors including escalating tensions in the Middle East affecting liquid nitrogen gas (LNG) shipments, an earlier-than-expected stop in Russian gas flows to Austria, and reduced supplies from Norway due to maintenance at production facilities.

“Wind output fell from 24.9TWh in the first quarter to 17.2TWh in quarter two. Reductions in wind generation became necessary during windy spells, with bid volumes being used to reduce the excess of available wind generation. Most of the accepted bids occurred during the first three weeks in April and the highest daily bid volume for the quarter of more than 4GW was observed on the morning of June 28 when wind was substantially high.

“The nuclear fleet mostly operated at capacity in this quarter due to the return to service of most units, with only limited outages observed compared to the previous quarter. Consequently, generation increased by 37% on a quarter-on-quarter basis to 10.7TWh, the highest for any quarter since Q3 2022.

“Meanwhile, coal-fired generation fell to 0.3TWh from 1.0TWh in Q1 2024. This decline aligns with the decommissioning of the last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which is scheduled to close on September 30 this year.”

Renewables generation (wind, biomass, solar, and hydro) was the largest contributor to the GB power generation mix during Q2 2024, accounting for 47% of the total output. Gas-fired generation made up 21% of the total, with nuclear (17%), imports (14%), and coal (0.3%) accounting for the rest.

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has announced the winners of this year’s AD and Biogas Industry Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements and innovations in the global anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas sectors. Co-organised by ADBA in partnership with World Biogas Association (WBA), the awards ceremony, held 10 July 2024 at the NCC in Birmingham, UK, recognised the exceptional international contributions of individuals, companies and projects that have demonstrated excellence and leadership in advancing the biogas industry.

The award winners, judged by an expert panel representing the global biogas sector, exemplify the innovation, dedication and progress driving the global shift towards sustainable circular economy solutions to waste and energy issues.

WBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton OBE said, “I heartily congratulate the winners of the 2024 AD and Biogas Industry Awards, who stood out among an extraordinary competition. The exceptional standard of this year’s shortlisted nominees highlights the remarkable innovation and dedication within the sector. Each nominee has demonstrated pioneering advancements, operational excellence and a commitment to sustainability, setting new benchmarks in the biogas industry. Their contributions underscore the dynamic progress and potential of AD and biogas technologies in addressing global energy and environmental challenges. This year’s shortlist not only reflects the industry’s current achievements but also its promising future.”

During the ceremony, host Chris Hines MBE, sustainability pioneer and co-founder of Surfers Against Sewage, spoke about his decades campaigning for sustainable waste water management and praised the AD and biogas industry for creating sustainable solutions, supporting healthy rivers and seas. Chris’ message resonated strongly with fellow guest speaker, and avid surfer, the 11-year-old Child Prime Minister of the UK Children’s Parliament, Clark Dearson, who spoke passionately about his own love of the sea and the inspiring power that solutions like AD and biogas have on overcoming the environmental despair felt by many children – and motivating the next generations.

The ceremony was attended by global industry leaders and policy makers with a delegation from India including Mr Pankaj Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, and the Chairman of the Indian Oil Corporation Mr Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, both major advocates for biogas’ great potential to decarbonise the global economy and cut harmful methane emissions. They were joined by representatives from the United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), C40 Cities and the Global Methane Hub along with Shell Energy, Future Biogas and Hexagon Agility – the award sponsors.

The AD and Biogas Industry Awards 2024 Winners and Highly Commended:

1. Health and Safety

Winner: Marches Biogas Ltd

Highly Commended: Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW)

2. Women in Biogas

Sponsored by Shell Energy

Winner: Katrin Pütz – (B)energy
Highly Commended: Alexi Dragonetti – Agrivert; Christine Mapp – Eco Verde Energy (EVE); Deanna Martin – Deanna Martin Biogas; Helen Edwards – Ceres Energy Limited; Mantopi Martina de Porres Lebofa – Lesotho Council of NGOs (LCN)

3. AD Hero of the Year

Sponsored by Future Biogas

Winner: Christopher Kellner

4. Best Anaerobic Digestion/Biogas Support

Winner: Marches Biogas Ltd

5. The Net Zero Circular Solutions

Sponsored by Hexagon Agility

Winner: Madrid City Council’s Anaerobic Digestion Complex –  Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Parque Tecnológico de Valdemingómez (Madrid City Council-Valdemingómez Technology Park)

6. Education Campaign of the Year

Winner: Advancing CBG and Biomethane Projects – Dr Rahul Jain – Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
Highly Commended: Biogas and Gases Technologies – TIND-BGASTECH

7. Best Biogas Plant Below 1MWe Equivalent

Winner: Fylde Fresh and Fabulous AD facility – Fylde Fresh and Fabulous
Highly Commended: Gorakhpur Biogas Plant, Uttar Pradesh – Indian Oil Corporation Ltd

8. Best Biogas Plant Above 1MWe Equivalent

Winner: Cocal Energia S.A. – Cocal and Geo Biogas & Carbon
Highly Commended: Edina and Biotech4 – Holme Bioenergy; Geo Tamboara – Geo Biogas & Carbon

9. Micro AD Initiative

Winner: O Biodigestor Sertanejo (The Brushland Biodigester) – Diaconia

Highly Commended:  Biolectric Small On-farm AD – Biolectric; Portable biogas plants in Yemen – BioTreasure

10. AD Rising Star

Winners: David Payne – Zebra EM / Khanittha Monthaklin – Viridor (Process optimisation with SLR Consulting)

Highly Commended: Kevin Kirubakaran – Olleco

11. Research and Innovation

Winner: Electrochaea´s Biomethanation Technology – Electrochaea

Highly Commended: Transforming Sustainability: The SMASH Project’s Outstanding Contribution to AD Biogas Innovation – Ixora Energy

Applications are now open for innovative companies based in Scotland to join the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s award-winning Launch Academy programme. Launch Academy is an industry-backed technology accelerator programme designed to support the commercialisation of new technologies that will enhance the UK’s offshore wind supply chain, enabling greater local content while supporting cost reduction.

The prestigious Launch Academy was established in 2020, and this will be the inaugural Scotland-wide programme which will provide 10 early-stage businesses with technology development and business growth support to help them to accelerate the commercialisation of products and services targeting the UK and global offshore wind markets.

Since 2020, Launch Academy has supported 57 companies, raised £26.7m in private investment, £8.4m in grant funding and had 150 patents filed through both the national and regional Launch Academy programmes across the United Kingdom.

Launch Academy Scotland is sponsored by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, global renewable energy developers BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership and Ocean Winds, as well as Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. The 10 most promising solutions will be selected by a panel of experts to join the Launch Academy Scotland cohort.

Industry experts from the sponsoring organisations will engage and support the cohort companies throughout their seven-month Launch Academy journey. At the end of the programme, the innovators will pitch to industry partners and ORE Catapult’s network of investors with the aim of securing investment and a route to market for their products.

Dr Stephen Wyatt, Director of Strategy and Emerging Technologies at ORE Catapult, said: “Our Launch Academy was established in 2020 to accelerate early stage disruptive innovations which can address the challenges facing the offshore renewables sector. I’m delighted that we have this dedicated programme for Scotland linking so closely to the biggest offshore wind projects in our waters.

“Scotland has forged an enviable reputation for excellence and specialist expertise within the energy sector and we are delighted to welcome the support of Scotland’s enterprise agencies, Inch Cape, BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership, and Ocean Winds as we launch this latest programme. Launch Academy Scotland will mentor 10 promising companies, providing them with technical and business growth support, as well as industry insights and market connectivity, positioning them to thrive in the UK offshore wind supply chain.”

Shane Macken, Inch Cape’s Innovation Champion and Interface Manager said: “Inch Cape is a showcase for numerous innovative technologies and applications, from the UK’s largest AC offshore transformer and use of Vestas’ 15MW turbines to the installation of 110m long XXL monopile foundations.

“However we still see huge potential for innovation, not just for our project but for the wider offshore wind industry, with Scotland at the forefront of that potential thanks to its energy heritage combined with future development pipeline. This is why we are dedicated in our support of the inaugural Launch Academy Scotland in partnership with innovation-drivers ORE Catapult.”

David Robertson, Portfolio Director (Scotland), BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership said: “We are delighted to sponsor the first ever Scottish cohort of ORE Catapult’s successful Launch Academy programme. With a pipeline of over 3 GW of floating offshore wind in Scottish waters, we recognise the importance of stimulating innovation through our project designs and SMEs based in Scotland are well-positioned to help with this thanks to our rich history of innovation and invention. We look forward to working with successful candidates to tackle some of the technical challenges the industry is facing, in a bid to accelerate delivery and improve efficiency.”

Mark Baxter, Caledonia Project Director, said: “Ocean Winds is proud to sponsor the ORE Catapult Launch Academy programme, shaping Scotland’s energy future. Our Moray Firth projects have showcased the exceptional talent within Scotland’s supply chain, and this initiative represents a significant investment in both supply chain and innovation.

“Funding for the Launch Academy has been committed by Caledonia – a 2GW offshore wind farm that will be Ocean Winds’ third in the Moray Firth. Caledonia is keen to see Scottish companies and innovators focussed on decarbonisation and manufacturing excellence, furthering the development, construction and operation of offshore wind, and accelerating Scotland’s green energy transition.

“Caledonia is committed to spend £46m in early support for the UK supply chain and will lead to potential investment of £3.5bn in the UK across all its stages. Ocean Winds has proven its commitment to supply chain development through its existing projects in the Moray Firth, and Caledonia – across its development lifecycle and through support for initiatives like the Launch Academy – will further enhance opportunities for growth.”

Adam Swainbank – Offshore Wind Supply Chain Specialist – Scottish Enterprise said: “Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise are delighted to take part in this Scottish iteration of the UK flagship offshore wind technology accelerator programme  – Launch Academy. This is a great example of the 3 economic development agencies in Scotland working in collaboration with ORE Catapult and industry to address the offshore wind challenges before us, helping accelerating, de-risk and commercialise innovative technology from the Scottish supply chain with a goal of ensuring we maximise local content and reducing costs and risks for offshore wind developers.”

Applications are open from tomorrow, 19 July 2024 and can be submitted until the closing deadline of 16 August 2024.

A Launch Academy Scotland briefing webinar will take place on Monday 29 July, 2024. Click here for more information and to sign up.

This post includes sponsored content produced in collaboration with Gen-C.

The Avocet Renewables’ anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at Coston Hall Farm, Barnham Broom near Norwich uses agricultural feedstocks such as energy crops to generate biomethane and electricity, which is exported to the grid, as well as heat, which is used locally on the farm for crop drying. The 500 kW V12 MAN E3262 engine was installed in 2017 to provide heat and generate electricity. Following a technical issue, Peterborough-based GenV Ltd were brought in to service and support the engine. However, issues such as a locked control panel meant that GenV were limited in their ability to optimise CHP performance, so turned to support partners Gen-C for help.

Limited by legacy controls

“The control system was old, and because it was locked to the original supplier we had no access to change key aspects of how the engine ran, and we couldn’t access anything remotely,” explains Warren Vessey, Managing Director at GenV. “After struggling for 18 months with failing engine performance, we performed a full R3 service and agreed with the client to undertake a number of upgrades, including a new open-access control system, with the help of our long-term partner, Gen-C.”

As well as replacing and upgrading the control panel, Yorkshire-based Gen-C were also commissioned to upgrade the engine in a bid to restore lost power output and improve reliability.

“The engine was underperforming – producing only around 400 kW – misfiring and vibrating badly, so the client was losing considerable revenue” says James Thompson, Managing Director of Gen-C. “The engine was also comprised of a mixture of equipment from varying brands, which is something we see quite often – the ignition controller, actuator, fuel mixer, pick-ups etc. were from different manufacturers, which was impacting performance.”

Streamlining CHP operation

James continues: “To improve overall performance, we upgraded the key components such as the mixer and throttle speed control. And because everything we install comes from one manufacturer (leading German brand Motortech), the client now has a single point of contact for all servicing and spares – as we are the sole Motortech agent for the UK. We simultaneously removed the old controllers and screen in the control panel and installed a new touch screen with our controllers and expansion cards.

“The new open-access control system means the AD operator, GenV and ourselves can all access the system remotely and make immediate changes as required, keeping downtime to a minimum. The system also features smart diagnostics, with alerts based on user-defined parameters, and is backed by our 12-months free remote technical support.”

Benefits of remote access

The most immediate benefit enjoyed by Avocet Renewables following the engine upgrade is that their CHP is once again running at full power, providing a 20% uplift in output. With the new components designed to last for at least the next ten years, the engine is also operating more smoothly which will improve reliability, cut downtime and reduce servicing requirements.

“The open protocol on the new control panel gives us full access to the engine via remote monitoring. That means I can see everything that’s happening and can assist the Coston Hall Farm site at any time, from wherever I am, making it far more efficient and easier to use,” stresses Warren Vessey.

“Another big advantage for the client is that they now have full flexibility and choice over who handles their maintenance contract. It’s an industry-known system with readily available parts and support, so anyone can access it. It’s user friendly and modifications or adjustments can be made from anywhere, which really helps to limit downtime.”

The upgrade was only completed in mid-June, but Mark Gill, Plant Manager at Coston Hall Farm, is already positive: “The system works well and is a lot speedier than the old control panel. It’s also much easier to operate and, most importantly, our CHP is operating at full power again.”

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced on 8 July that the Government will reform the National Planning Policy Framework before the end of the month to end the de facto ban on onshore wind in England.

The move fulfills an earlier promise to overturn the block on new projects within Labour’s first weeks in power. This had been a legacy of David Cameron’s government and its adjustment of the National Policy Planning Framework which meant that even a single objection was enough to stop a project from going through the planning stages.¹

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Milliband said on Twitter: “The onshore wind ban has been in place for nine years. We’ve been in government for 72 hours – we’ve lifted it. That’s the pace we’re going to move at.”

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Dan McGrail said the move was “long overdue”, citing public support for onshore wind – “78% according to the latest official polling”.

“The onshore wind industry is committed to ensuring that communities are properly consulted about any proposals, including the wide range of economic benefits they will bring to local people. This process can take several years, including measures which help ensure that wildlife is protected, so it will be some time before brand new projects go ahead in England.”

Building wind farms is an undeniably resource-intensive undertaking, although industry initiatives to embed circular principles have been getting underway.

Dan McGrail’s statement also said: “Modern turbines are substantially more efficient and powerful than the turbines built in previous decades, so doubling the UK’s onshore wind capacity by 2030 won’t mean doubling the number of turbines in the UK. We can generate more power from fewer new turbines, and we can replace older turbines with far more powerful ones, making the most of our superb natural wind resources. Our research shows that delivering 30 gigawatts of onshore wind by the end of the decade would boost the economy by £45 billion and create 27,000 jobs”.

The Government also published a policy statement to accompany the onshore wind announcement.

Notes
[1] https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/07/09/labour-lifts-nine-year-ban-onshore-wind-farms