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Biogas in Belgium, a SWOT analysis Bruno Mattheeuws

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

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Biogas in Belgium, a SWOT analysis Bruno Mattheeuws

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  1. Biogas in Belgium, a SWOT analysis Bruno Mattheeuws

  2. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  3. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  4. 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)

  5. Belgium • 3-level structure • Federal state • 3 communities • 3 regions

  6. Belgium • Energy & environment: regional matter • different vision and policy • different measures to stimulate renewable energy • Nuclear power and excises: federal matter

  7. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  8. 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)

  9. 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

  10. 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,…

  11. 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

  12. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  13. 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)

  14. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  15. Strengths • Academic & practical knowledge • Universities • Companies • Good reputation • Knowledge is still expanding • New research aspects

  16. 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

  17. Strengths • High efficiency for a wide range of non-lignin biomass • other bio fuels (specific input) • waste products of other industries • manure • energy crops

  18. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. Weaknesses • Amount of nutrients  by adding co-products  Increase of nutrient problem already present in Flanders

  23. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  24. 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)

  25. 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

  26. 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%)

  27. 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

  28. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  29. 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

  30. Threats • Investment support mechanism is uncertain • Resources are insufficient • Call system • Uncertainty on termination of nuclear power facilities • Instability of long term policy

  31. 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

  32. AGENDA • Federal state of Belgium • Biogas-E vzw • Biogas in Belgium • Strengths • Weaknesses • Opportunities • Threats • Conclusions

  33. 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

  34. 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

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