Environment

Carbon Footprint

Life Cycle Assessment
Anaerobic Digestion

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

BPEX’s interest in the environmental burdens associated with pig meat production goes back a number of years, this includes participation in work carried out by Cranfield University for Defra.

It is important we understand primary energy use, global warming, eutrophication and the acidification potentials of food production if we are to quantify these, identify possible improvements or assess the full environmental impacts of changes in production patterns or methods.

A Defra project in which BPEX was a partner, “Determining the environmental burdens and resource use in the production of agricultural and horticultural commodities (ISO205)” www.defra.gov.uk/science/project_data/DocumentLibrary/IS0205%5CIS0205_3959_FRP.doc resulted in the production of a comprehensive computer model to assess accurately the impact of 10 important agricultural commodities, including pig meat. This Model is undergoing further refinement and updating during 2007, incorporating changes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology (www.ipcc-wg2.org).

BPEX-funded research is investigating in detail, both UK and non-UK pig production systems and the effects of changes, improving the understanding of producers, customers, regulators and policy makers, enabling authoratative discussion.

Anaerobic Digestion

Energy from slurry-derived methane gas is seen by many, including Defra, as offering a Win - Win -Win opportunity.

Tackling climate change by reducing methane emissions to the atmosphere, from
- agricultural slurries
- organic wastes currently going to landfill
Producing energy (heat and power) from a renewable source
Enabling plant nutrients in manures and wastes to be recovered, reducing dependency on manufactured fertilisers
Providing a new business opportunity

Methane produced from stored animal manures has long been recognised as a potential fuel, but in Western Europe commercial exploitation of this asset has not been universally viable. Advances in technology, experience gained as a result of greater uptake in countries such as Germany and the recognition of the potential of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) presents opportunities for reducing emissions of this harmful Greenhouse Gas, not only form livestock manures but other organic wastes, has renewed interest.

Pig farmers are well placed to develop biogas production and create new income streams from the sale of electricity, heat or gas into the renewable energy marketplace, where returns can be boosted through the sale of Renewable Obligation Certificates.

Pig slurry on its own is unlikely to produce viable yields of gas. Added organic substrates from wastes, such as those produced by the food industry or biomass from energy crops, are required.

BPEX is keen to help the pig industry take advantage of the opportunities available. Regional Development Agencies and other organisations are regularly updating and improving the range of information and support services on offer. Commercial scale installations involve substantial capital investment and there are a number of planning and regulatory stages to fulfil before production can start.

Anaerobic Digestion in Agriculture: Workshop on Increasing the Uptake of Anaerobic Digestion (Exeter University, 3-4 September 2007)

On 3-4 September 2007, Defra held a workshop on working with stakeholders to facilitate a faster uptake of anaerobic digestion in England at Exeter University. This was organised in collaboration with the Renewable Energy Association (REA), the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). The aim was to help identify what now needs to be done to achieve our goal of stimulating markets for anaerobic digestion and its products, and to address the administrative and technical challenges which may hamper their development.

A summary of the workshop can be found here.

A Factsheet produced by TASK37 provides links to relevant information and articles:http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/BEC_RESOURCES/
PUBLICATIONS/2.%20ANAEROBIC%20DIGESTION.PDF

Renewables East has produced guidance booklets, giving background information on AD technology, a comparison of equipment suppliers and their offer, case studies and financial data: http://www.renewableseast.org.uk/Biomass/FactsAndFigures.aspx