Biogas in Belgium, a SWOT analysis

Bruno Mattheeuws

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Belgium

• Population: 10 396 421 (2003)

• Surface area: 30 528 km²

• Federal capital: Brussels

• Head of state: King Albert II

• Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt

• National day: 21st July

• National languages: Dutch, French, German

• Currency: Euro (€)

• National Product: € 283,7 Billion (2004)

• Annual growth rate: 2,7% (2004)

Belgium

• 3-level structure

– Federal state

– 3 communities

– 3 regions

Belgium

• Energy & environment: regional matter

– different vision and policy

– different measures to stimulate renewable energy

• Nuclear power and excises: federal matter

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Biogas-E vzw

• 2000: co-operation between a company and Technical University Kortrijk

• 2000-2002: project ‘Platform for implementation of anaerobic digestion in Flanders’

• 2004-now: structural support from Flemish government Biogas-E vzw (non profit organisation)

Biogas-E vzw

• Specialized in all aspects of anaerobic digestion– Legal

– Technical

– Subsidiary issues

• Intermediary organisation between– Government, policy makers

– Industry, technology

– (future) owners and operators of an

anaerobic digestion unit

Biogas-E vzw

• Goals– Maximize the use of biogas potential present in Flanders

– Increase public awareness and counteract not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndrome

– Function as a neutral partner in projects concerning anaerobic digestion

– On demand low cost advice concerning input streams, scaling, legal aspects, subsidies, yield,…

Biogas-E vzw

• Tasks– Informing

– Sensibilizing

– Networking

– Policy support

– Advisory partner in projects

• Important– Neutral

– Independent

– Focus on agriculture

– Focus on energy crops, organic waste and manure

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Biogas in Belgium

• Flanders

– 17 operational (16,2 MWe)

– 6 being built (9,6 MWe)

• Walloon

– 4 operational (1 MWe)

– 1 being built (2 MWe)

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Strengths

• Academic & practical knowledge

– Universities

– Companies

– Good reputation

– Knowledge is still expanding

– New research aspects

Strengths

• Basic technology proven and known

– Easy to implement

– Basis for further research in pre-treatment of biomass and post-treatment of biogas and digestate

– Synergies with other technologies

Strengths

• High efficiency for a wide range of non-lignin biomass other bio fuels (specific input)

– waste products of other industries

– manure

– energy crops

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Weaknesses

• Energy savings are only benefits considered hitherto

Other policy objectives are left out (Kyoto, Nitrate directive 91/676/EEC)

• Large knowledge has not been put in practice

Few farm-scale digesters operational

Weaknesses

• Differences between basis for green certificates between regions– Flemish region

• Green certificates for every net MWh produced out of renewables

• CHP certificates for every MWh primary energy saved with qualitative CHP

– Walloon region

• Green certificates based on CO2-ratio (CO2-emissions in renewable chain divided by CO2-emissions in classic chain

• Max. 2 certificates/MWh

Weaknesses

• Differences between basis for green certificates between regions– Brussels Capital region

• Green certificates issued for each 217 kg CO2 reduction compared to a traditional installation

• No limit on the number on certificates/MWh

– Certificates can not be exchanged between regions

• 4 Ministers of energy: 1 Federal + 3 regional

Weaknesses

• Amount of nutrients by adding co-products

Increase of nutrient problem already present in Flanders

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Opportunities

• Manure surplus in Flanders as input material

– Ideal for stability in reactor

– Free (or even at a gate fee)

– Drying of digestate with heat AD is more and more seen as first step in manure processing (50% of planned installations use AD)

Opportunities

• Circular on environmental planning

– Possibility to construct an AD plant up to 60.000 tonnes in agricultural area

– Some conditions have to be fulfilled

– At least 60% of input material must be of agricultural origin

Opportunities

• New CHP-resolution– Easier to be qualitative CHP (relative

primary energy saving (RPE) >0% for installations <1MWe and RPE > 10% for installations ≥1MWewhereas before new resolution small CHPs had to have a RPE > 5%)

Opportunities

• Ongoing research in pre- and post-treatment– Digestion of 100% energy crops

– Synergies with other biofuel technologies (e.g. glycerol, waste products of bio-ethanol production,…)

– Selling electricity to the day ahead market

– Alternative use of biogas: transport fuel, injection in gas grid, fuel cells

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Threats

• Public acceptance – 33% of planned ongoing initiatives deal with

protest from neighbours

– 40% of last year’s initiatives have been cancelled or delayed over the last year, mainly due to protest

– In many cases this protest is inappropriate or exaggerated

– One protest stimulates others to do likewise

– Uncertain how this trend will evolve

Threats

• Investment support mechanism is uncertain

– Resources are insufficient

– Call system

– Uncertainty on termination of nuclear power facilities

– Instability of long term policy

Threats

• Uncertainty on cost of input and output

– Maize silage is already more expensive

– Price for disposal of nutrients depends on policy

Threatening for return on investment

AGENDA

• Federal state of Belgium

• Biogas-E vzw

• Biogas in Belgium

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

• Conclusions

Conclusions

• Excellent knowledge is greatest strength

• Lack of operational (farm-scale) digesters and political structure of Belgium are biggest weaknesses

• Manure surplus can be seen both as an opportunity and as a threat

• The biggest threat as we speak is the lack of public acceptance

Thank you

Filip Velghe

Technological advisor

filip.velghe@biogas-e.be

Biogas-E vzw

Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5

B-8500 Kortrijk

T - +32 56 24 12 63

F - +32 56 24 12 24

www.biogas-e.be

info@biogas-e.be

Bruno Mattheeuws

Policy and communication advisor

bruno.mattheeuws@biogas-e.be