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Welcome members and friends
 The talk of transitioning to a low carbon energy future seems to be more about continuing the status quo rather than actually having a transformation. It seems also to be a factor of supporting vested interests.
The focus still seems to be on electricity and not energy.
A true transformation analysis would look at the renewable natural resources we have and ask how can we extract the maximum economic wealth and wellbeing out of them to meet our community needs, including that of energy. By focusing the discussion on how we can produce electricity and use energy today limits our opportunities for transition.
Biomass is 100% renewable and is available nearly everywhere. Processing biomass provides food, construction, biochemicals and energy products. Its sourcing affects land use. Processing it creates jobs, regional economic benefits and products for trade. An analysis starting from what we can do with biomass would show that many of these, including energy, are co-products and optimisation of output would show the importance of the interactions between the pathways. Yet what is happening today is that policy analysts are treating energy as if it were separated from the other product streams. The additionality of any energy project is ignored.
Many of the renewable energy sources such as solar and wind produce only electricity and have few other community benefits. There is only one supplier of solar and wind resource. A single piece of equipment will convert the resource into a useable form. And the distribution and sale of the useable energy tends to have one or two players. On the other hand the sourcing and transformation of biomass and waste into heat, electricity or a transport fuel requires a number of parties to work together and the community benefits may be a significant component of a bioenergy or biofuels project.
To achieve optimised renewable energy from biomass and waste requires integration of land use, forestry, waste and business growth strategies. This necessitates facilitation and leadership from central and local government so that bioenergy and biofuels can contribute to the wellbeing benefits, including that of climate change, that we all seek.
News items in this issue show some of those local government entities who are stepping up to the mark, it is a pity that central government policy makers aren't standing with them.
Brian Cox
Executive Officer
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Bioenergy NZ, Australia & the Pacific
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 Fonterra's Brightwater site burns wood biomass to reduce emissions
Fonterra says it is committed to finding a solution to reducing its carbon footprint at its Brightwater milk processing plant, near Nelson. The Brightwater plant, which produces whole milk powder, has started burning a blend of coal and wood biomass, using its 2-year-old 7.2 MW Maxitherm boiler.... Read more...>
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Energy Minister Megan Woods (left) at the Brightwater Fonterra site, Nelson
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The equivalent of taking 18,500 cars off the road'
Fonterra's latest move to reduce carbon emissions
Fonterra believes its latest initiative to cut carbon emissions could make the difference of the equivalent of taking 18,500 cars off the road. The co-operative's Te Awamutu site has just completed a trial to run its exisiting coal boiler exclusively on wood pellets. Read more...>
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Wood pellets have been used instead of coal at the Te Awamutu plant
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Fonterra making move to envrionmentally cleaner fuel option
Fonterra's latest move to reduce carbon emissions
A new diesel biofuel made from an agricultural by-product is helping power Fonterra's milk tanker fleet, and it's hoped more transport operators will follow suit. The biofuel from the plant at Wiri, south of Auckland, is now being used in 150 Fonterra milk tankers in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. Read more...>
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150 of Fonterra's fleet are using new biofuel
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Small scale waste to integrated energy system for the Solomon Islands
Nufuels Ltd has developed a small simple pyrolysis system to convert waste plastic bags and bottles into energy suitable for local cooking, baking, drying and electricity. It has the potential to be extended to biomass.
The system is suitable for construction and easy use by communities in the Pacific, and is being developed under a NZAID project with Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. Read more here
Methane moves: Give poo a chance
Carbon News, 15 May 2019
 Technologies like turning human waste into electricity could meet a large chunk of the Government's 2030 methane reduction target. While the vast majority of New Zealand's biological methane emissions comes from agriculture (29.1mt in 2017), the Bioenergy Association says the emissions from waste could deliver a large part of the 2030 target. Read more here
Grant for integrated waste to energy study approved
Kāpiti Coast District Council has given a small grant from its Waste Levy Fund to test the potential for an integrated waste to energy initiative at its Otaki Transfer Station. The study will test the potential to process plastics (via pyrolysis), food waste and possibly other biomass (via gasification) and biosolids (drying and pyrolysis), and capture and convert the energy created to electricity and either to use that within the Transfer Station or exporting it to the grid. The focus of the technical and economic analysis will be on the potential synergies from integrating different known technologies (e.g. using waste heat to pre-dry biosolids).
The team will be led by Nufuels Ltd, with Astara Technologies Ltd, Bioenergy Association, and Energise Otaki contributing.
Bioenergy Knowlege Centre launched
The Bioenergy Knowledge Centre www.bioenergy.org.nz/bioenergy-knowledge-centre managed by the Bioenergy Association has now been fully established and currently holds over 1100 reports, case studies, Technical Guides, technical notes and presentations from nine years of conferences and workshops. The Knowledge Centre search capability has recently been upgraded with funding from EECA so that any topic in the large collection of documents can now be found easier. The online library includes material relevant to bioenergy and biofuels across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific.
As the economics of biomass energy improve the discussion is on getting additional biomass
Discussion at the Minerals Conference indicated that biomass energy is attractive and the focus needs to be on developing more fuel supply from forests. Pioneer Energy say that more waste wood can be sourced from the forests if there is sufficient demand at scale to build up those logistics chains. Fonterra believes it can get about 15 megawatts of wood into each of its plants, based on the local supply in each region. Azwood Energy said there is ample forestry waste in the hills that could be used, but that demand is being held back by the government’s emphasis on electrification of industry. Read more here
NZIF Foundation 2019 - applications now open
Applications are invited for the awards and scholarships offered by the NZIF Foundation for 2019. The total value of the awards offered is $39,500.
Applications, including for the use of wood, must be received by the Foundation administrator (foundation@nzif.org.nz) no later than 5pm on Tuesday 17th July 2019. The awards will be announced at the Awards Dinner of the joint conference of the NZ Institute of Forestry and Institute of Foresters of Australia being held in Christchurch from 25th to 28th August 2019. Membership of NZIF is not a requirement for application.
SPC (Secretariat of the Pacific Community) joins Bioenergy Association
The Geoscience, Energy and Maritime Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has joined as a member of the Bioenergy Association. The Geoscience, Energy, and Maritime Division supports Pacific Countries and Territories by developing critical data, applied science, and technical solutions to overcome challenges faced by SPC’s 22 member Pacific island countries. Areas of emerging interest are:
- Pacific production of liquid biofuels
- Anaerobic digestion processing of waste to produce energy and fertiliser.
View SPC website
Funding for the Bioresource Processing Alliance and Product Accelerator
The Wellbeing Budget provides $18 million over four years to continue the Bioresource Processing Alliance and Product Accelerator.
View Bioresource Processing Alliance
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Bioenergy Knowledge Centre
Search the Bioenergy Knowledge Centre for conference proceedings, webinar presentations and reports relevant to New Zealand, Australia, SE Asia and the Pacific bioenergy sectors. Click here to begin searching. Members have full access to all the resources in the Bioenergy Knowledge Centre. Non-members may contact us to purchase copies.
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Bioenergy Association Gold members
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Process heat is the energy used as heat mainly by the industrial and commercial sectors for industrial processes, manufacturing, and warming spaces. This is often in the form of steam, hot water or hot gases. Around half of New Zealand's process heat demand is met by burning coal or natural gas.
[source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment]
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Analysis of benefits of using electricity for process heat
The Ministry for the Environment have released an analysis on the benefits of using electricity for process heat. The Bioenergy Association commented that “the Bioenergy Association welcomes the analysis but suggests that the Ministry should be focusing on the opportunities for biomass and waste to be used to replace coal as the employment, land use and environmental benefits are much greater than can be achieved from electricity. Utilising waste to produce biogas for process heat is a triple win as it transitions to a circular economy, avoids the need for landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental and societal benefits of using waste biomass from forest harvesting and wood processing are very significant and the Ministry should be focusing on these benefits. Using electricity for process heat is going to require a lot of new power stations to be built around the country and the environmental effects of these have not been considered in the analysis.” Read more here
Oxidation catalysts key to scaling up torrefaction
This article discusses the underlying issues hindering the commercialization of torrefaction, and then proposes a change in system design that resolves these problems.
Read more here
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Bioenergy Association Silver members
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Member
Announcements and Job Vacancies
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Member announcements and advertisements in the newsletter do not reflect endorsements by the Bioenergy Association. Contact us if you have any news or announcements to be included in the Bioflash.
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Evo Energy Technologies showcase 2G cogeneration engine
Evo Energy Technologies
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EvoET 2019 2G Factory Tour Video Clip
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 Touch wood - reusing our residues
Polytechnik Biomass
"The cost and requirements for burning coal these days are getting more onerous".
A quote from an article in BayBuzz Hawkes Bay. Read more here
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Samoa - Consultancy for Renewable Energy Management and Technology Experts
The Government of Samoa is seeking proposals for consultancy services: Consultancy for Renewable Energy Management and Technology Expert (s) under the IMPRESS Project (Improving Performance and Reliability of Renewable Energy Power Systems in Samoa project). Bids are due on Monday 17th June 2019.
For details contact vanda@mnre.gov.ws
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Contact a Bioenergy Expert directory
Members of the Bioenergy Association obtain free listing of their company profiles in the directory. Bioenergy Association profiles its members at every opportunity as this is one way of demonstrating the competence and capabilities of the industry.
Click here to begin your search
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International Bioenergy News
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Summary of international activities on advanced liquid biofuels
Task 39 - Commercialising conventional and advanced transport biofuels and biomass and other renewable feedstocks
The latest newsletter from IEA Task 39 ‘Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Transport Biofuels from Biomass and Other Renewable Feedstocks’ sets out a summary of work that is being undertaken internationally on advanced liquid biofuels.
Read more here
Scandinavia airline joins the move towards flights powered by biofuels
State of Green article
The February news article from State of Green reports that the Scandinavian airline, SAS, has joined the growing global group of airlines that are turnng to biofuels in an effort to reorient the industry in a more sustainable direction.
“As a company, we play a significant role in society and therefore we are also taking responsibility. This means that we must think seriously about climate challenges and inform of what we can do, now that we are seeing the severity of the challenge”, says the group’s managing director, Lars Sandahl Sørensen.
More here
Strategic biomass vision for the Netherlands towards 2030
A European Commission publication says it can provide clarity on the future use of biomass and what it can mean for the European climate and energy policy as we approach 2030. The report also explains how biomass can contribute towards policy objectives for food security, renewable energy, biofuels and a bio-based and circular economy, combined with the strong economic development of the Netherlands.
Read more here
Enerkem finalist to develop the cleanest, most affordable, and sustainable aviation fuel
In Canada, Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, was named as a finalist of The Sky's the Limit Challenge led by Natural Resources Canada – to develop the cleanest, most affordable, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Read more here
Setra and Preem first in Europe with renewable fuel from sawdust
In Sweden, wood products major Setra Group and oil refiner and renewable fuel producer Preem AB have given the go-ahead for the joint venture company Pyrocell AB to invest in a pyrolysis oil plant at Setra's Kastet sawmill outside Gävle, Sweden.
Read more here
Detroit turns zoo waste into biogas
Detroit Zoo is to build the first anaerobic digester at a zoo in North America, creating clean energy capable of powering some of the zoo’s operations. You might say, they’re turning poo into power. Some 20 years after the first digesters in Pyönyang’s and Munich’s zoo. The Detroit Zoo digester powers its animal hospital, which operates at 100-150 kilowatts per hour. For reference, a typical household in the United States uses about 900 kilowatts of electricity per month. In addition to helping reduce electricity costs, benefits include repurposing animal and food waste and reducing greenhouse gases.
Read more here
First of eight new biogas plant projects for HZI BioMethan
In France, a biogas technology subsidiary of Switzerland-headed waste-to-energy solutions provider Hitachi Zosen Inova AG has been awarded the contract to build the first in a series of eight biogas and biomethane production facilities over the next year.
Read more here
SKLM, SkyNRG and SHV Energy announce first European biojet plant project
In the Netherlands, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines SkyNRG and SHV Energy have jointly announced a project to develop the first dedicated European plant for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) primarily using regional waste and residue streams as feedstock.
Read more here
Biobased diesel fuels deliver largest carbon emission reductions for transportation
In California, new data gathered by the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard program, shows that biobased diesel fuels like Neste MY Renewable Diesel deliver the state’s biggest reduction in carbon emissions for the transportation sector.
Read more here
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The Toploader arrives in New Zealand and Australia - a new product has hit the wood energy market, and its called the "Toploader". It is manufactured by Javo International in Holland, and is delivered by Living Energy Ltd.
Click here for more details |
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Free webinar
Thursday, 6 June 2019 at 2.00pm (NZST), 12noon AEDT (NSW time)
The webinar will provide an overview of the potential for use of Miscanthus as a solid biofuel in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific and include:
- Background about what Miscanthus is and how it grows.
- Where and how it can be grown – the requirements for success.
- The results from field trials.
- How herbaceous biofuels differ from woody biofuels.
- Commercial end uses.
- Current research.
- The economics of Miscanthus production and use.
Peter Brown of Miscanthus New Zealand will talk about what Miscanthus is capable of, what it can be used for and how the Miscanthus industry is developing in Australasia.
Registration and further details here - www.bioenergy.org.nz/event/webinar-miscanthus-as-a-biofuel
 Renewable Gas in Australia Symposium
Thursday 6 June 2019, Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney
Energy Networks Australia and Bioenergy Australia are hosting the Renewable Gas in Australia Symposium - Hydrogen & Biogas to deliver Australia's Emission outcomes to discuss emerging innovations and research in hydrogen and biogas.
This event is a must attend for the gas pipeline owners and operators, gas distributors, federal, state and local government representatives in the waste, agriculture and energy sector, biogas and hydrogen producers and technology suppliers, engineers and project developers, investors and financial institutions, large waste producing industries such as pork, dairy, water treatment, agriculture, landfill, food processing and manufacturing.
Register for the Gas Symposium here.
View full program here.
 IEA Task 37 webinar: Anaerobic digestion of food waste for a circular economy
Wednesday 12 June 2019, 15:00 to 16:00 AEDT
Recent estimates suggest that ca. 1.3 billion tons of food are lost every year across the globe. The method of choice to treat and recover food waste in a circular economy is anaerobic digestion (AD) which is now undertaken commercially at a large scale internationally.
This webinar will present an overview on the dramatic scenario of food waste being lost along the whole food value chain and will provide an international perspective of the role that AD of food waste can play to reduce the 4 million tonnes of food that reach Australian landfills each year.
Registration details here
NZ Biochar workshop: Biochar for beef, diary and avocado health and productivity
Wednesday 19 or Thursday 20 June 2019, Dung Beetle Innovations, 42 Totara Road, Whenuapai, Auckland
The Australian and New Zealand Biochar Initiative Inc and Dung Beetle Innovations will hold two workshops repeated over two days.
Key speakers: Doug Pow an Innovative Beef & Avocado Grower who is getting great success with both his cattle and avocados using biochar.
Melissa Rebbeck, a researcher who has tested biochar to improve pastures and is now working on milk quality in dairy cattle by feeding them biochar, and
Shaun Forgie, a world renowned dung beetle specialist, he will present on what species of dung beetles are doing well in NZ soils and his experience with biochar.
Registration: $39 for non members - includes lunch if attending in person. Limited places available.
Register your interest here
Free webinar
Thursday, 25 July 2019 at 2.00pm (NZST), 12noon AEDT (NSW time)
With a number of recent installations of modern biomass fuelled heating systems for horticulture hot house heating there is a growing pool of knowledge on their optimal sizing and use.
Attendees to the webinar will
- Hear about good and bad installations;
- Gain an understanding of the critical elements when designing the heating system;
- Understand the importance of specific solid biofuels matched against different boiler types;
- Learn how the fuel costs can be managed.
Sohum Gandhi of Enriva has been increasingly involved with biomass fuels in an attempt to provide clients with renewable and low cost energy alternatives. His installed projects to date offset many thousands of tonnes of CO2 emission annually, and save clients millions of dollars in fossil fuel costs.
Registration and further details here
 Australia New Zealand Biochar Conference & Study Tour 2019
1st ANZ Biochar Study Tour
Sunday 20 - Thursday 22 October 2019
The Green Triangle Region S.A./Victoria, Australia
The 3 day Study Tour is to great locations in Mt Gambier and Tantanoola, South Australia and Portland, Victoria (the Green Triangle Region). Study Tour Intent is to attract and involve potential commercial scale users of biochar. Delegates will learn the practicalities of using biochar at commercial scale and be empowered with knowledge and contacts to become a new commercial scale activist user of biochar.
More details here www.bioenergy.org.nz/event/anzbc-conference-and-study-tour-2019
3rd ANZ Biochar Conference
Thursday 24 – Saturday 26 October 2019
Melbourne Metropolitan Region, Australia
The 3 day Conference will be held in the Melbourne Metropolitan Region and is hosted by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University), at their Melbourne City Campus with a field trip to Templestowe & RMIT’s laboratories.
More details here - www.bioenergy.org.nz/event/anzbc-conference-and-study-tour-2019
2019 Bio Innovation Week
November 11 to 15, State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Monday 11th - Regional Satellite events
- Tuesday 12th - Regional Satellite events. Bio Innovation Week cocktail reception
- Wednesday 13th - Bioenergy STRONG Conference Day 1. Bioenergy Innovation Awards Evening.
- Thursday 14th - Bioenergy STRONG Conference Day 2.
- Friday 15th - Asia Pacific Bioeconomy Policy Summit. Globally Engaging Networking Event (GENE2019). Optional Site visits.
Tickets available soon at www.bioenergyaustralia.org.au/home
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Bioenergy Knowledge Centre
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The Bioenergy Knowledge Centre holds over 1000 searchable documents including technical reports, information sheets, media releases/statements, workshop and webinar presentations, submissions and technical guides on bioenergy and biofuels relevant to New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific. Documents are searchable by topic, author, title or key words. Access to the BKC is free to members and with an admin fee for non members www.bioenergy.org.nz/bioenergy-knowledge-centre.
View some of the latest resources added to the Bioenergy Knowledge Centre below.
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Biomethane from dairy waste
A sourcebook for the production and use of renewable natural gas in California
This report examined the feasibility of producing biomethane from dairy manure. The authors investigated a number of possible technologies for producing renewable forms of energy and fuel from dairy wastes as well as applications and markets for these products. Although some of the applications proved to be technically or economically infeasible at the time, they believed that the information gathered could prove useful for other investigators or future studies. With this in mind, they designed this sourcebook for readers and investigators interested in exploring alternate uses of biogas created from dairy wastes.
Read more here and here
Opportunities for waste valorisation in the food industry
A case study with four UK food manufacturers
This paper applies a Waste Flow Modelling methodology to achieve two aims: to provide valuable food manufacturing and waste data in order to better understand current food manufacturing activities, and to analyse existing food waste management practices to lay the foundation for the implementation of alternative food waste valorisation solutions.
Read more here
Biogas: Developments and perspectives in Europe
This paper presents an overview of the development and perspectives of biogas in and its use for electricity, heat and in transport in the European Union (EU) and its Member States.
Read more here
A technological overview of biogas production from biowaste
The objective of this work is to provide an overview of biogas production from lignocellulosic waste, thus providing information toward crucial issues in the biogas economy.
Read more here
Economic analysis of anaerobic digestion
This paper analyses the economic performance of anaerobic digestion of a given biogas plant based on net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) concepts. A scenario analysis is carried out based on a linear programming model to identify feedstocks that optimize electricity production and to determine the optimal application of digestate.
Read more here
Theoretical analysis of biogas potential prediction from agricultural waste
This work provides a simplified model that predicts the biogas amount produced and could be applied for agricultural energy feasibility studies for instance dimensioning bioreactors digesting animal waste slurries.
Read more here
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Improved promotion opportunities for Members
Reminder - work with us to promote your business
Bioenergy Association has 2300 followers
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Contribute to growing the sector and setting best practice standards
The Association is a collective of people who believe that by working as a group we can make more progress than by acting individually. A quarter of membership fees is a contribution to a pool of money to fund activities to grow the sector and develop best practice standards. If you want to work with others to ensure that bioenergy solutions contribute to a sustainable future you should join the Association.
Support to grow your business
The Association provides free individual and confidential advice and support to each of its members to assist them grow their business or solve problems. If you have a bioenergy related matter where you would like assistance contact the Executive Officer. This could be related to the market, support for individual proposals or discussion of the business case for a proposal with an independent person. Association staff may not know the answer but they can point you to an expert who does know the answer.
Extend your profile through workshops and webinars
Participate in Association hosted webinars and workshops to extend your profile and your network of others in the sector. As a webinar speaker you can extend your network of contacts. If you have a topic which you would like to lead a discussion on contact the Executive Officer who will assist you prepare the idea for a webinar. As a member this is free exposure to hundreds of potential attendees you wouldn't otherwise reach. Event promotion is sent to up to 2300 potentially interested people.
News and advertising of products and services
Members are welcome to provide news for the Bioflash. The Bioflash is sent to around 1200 recipients across the sector each month according to the topics covered. If you have a product or service or have participated in a project you would like to shout about then find the news angle and we will share it with hundreds of readers of the Bioflash.
Contact an Expert
Members are listed in a Contact an Expert directory. Each member has an associated profile page where NZ and Australian specific information, case studies, contact details etc are set out. The size of the profile depends on membership levels - Silver and Gold Members get a larger profile. See examples here www.bioenergy.org.nz/contact-expert.
Members should:
- check their online company profile - are your profiles upto date and nd relevant to the Australasian markets?
- check your online project case studies - do we have them?
- are the projects you have been involved with listed in the Bioenergy Facilities Directory?
- is your expertise appropriately described?
Members may now also advertise brands and products through advertising on the website.
- advertising - the new sites have dedicated advertising space - contact us for more.
Promotion of products and services
The suite of Association websites provides opportunities to improve promotion of members' products and services.
Members are able to promote products in the equipment catalogues on the relevant website. A number of products listings are free to members according to the level of membership.
Contact admin@bioenergy.co.nz to have your profiles updated or replaced. Also ask us about advertising packages and rates.
LinkedIn
The association has set up discussion groups on LinkedIn. These are for members to communicate more widely with the public. Join the discussion group www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=4554869&trk=my_groups-tile-grp
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Bioenergy Association welcomes news, advertising and articles from members.
Contact the Executive Officer.
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