Energy Production by Biomethanisation
By fermenting damp organic matter, it is possible to produce biogas, which is rich in methane. This process, known as biomethanisation, is the activity of bacteria (in the absence of oxygen) breaking down organic compounds using microorganisms. Biogas can serve as a fuel and add efficiency to the production of electricity and heat. Using manure, slurry, vegetable waste, energy plants (i.e. grown for the purpose of energy production), waste produced by the agri-food industry or even sludge from water purification stations, methane (CH4) can be produced in a digestor. The technology, as well as being applied in many countries, is reliable and economically viable.
In the same way, this phenomenon is produced spontaneously with the organic fragmentation of simple household waste. Certain Wallonian waste dumps are already being exploited to recover this energy. The electricity is then resold to the electrical network and the heat can be made available for heating buildings and homes, or to support industrial processes.The aim of the energy policy is to achieve electrical production of 225 Gigawatt hours (GWh) and heat production of 100 GWh by the year 2010.
Quévy Welcomes Wallonia’s Largest Biomethanisation Unit
Vanheede Environment Group has invested 15 million euros in its Sodecom Quevy NV recycling company, 6 million of which was used in the installation of a biomethanisation unit on site. This investment is part of the group’s global policy whose aim is to make Sodecom Quevy NV a unique site in Belgium, combining composting (the re-use and labour process of biomass into a more practical enegy source of by biomethanisation), and in time, wind energy and solar energy. It is the largest known unit in Wallonia.
The potential annual electrical production is estimated at 16.8 megawatts, with heat production equivalent to one million litres of fuel oil. About 25% of the electricity will be used on the Quévy site to run the installations and the remaining 75% will be injected into the network. This approximates to the energy consumption of 3,500 to 4,000 households.
EnergyMons
The Renewable, New, and Green Energies and Mobility forum will be held from 23 to 26 October at Lotto Mons Expo (23 October 2008, reserved for professionals).
Visit Vanheede Environment Group biomethanisation unit in Quévy: A waste treatment facility based on 40 years experience, opening up to green energy production.
For further information, visit the website: www.energymons.be
Source: http://energie.wallonie.be/