Wetland Conservation Biomass to Bioenergy End User Report A DECC funded project Sally Mills July 2016 Contents 1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.1 Quick Reference Guide ............................................................................................................ 7 2. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 8 3. Harvesting ........................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Machinery specification/comparison ......................................................................................... 9 3.2 Choosing the right kit for the job ............................................................................................. 23 3.3 Harvesting decision making tree ............................................................................................. 30 3.4 Exchange of information ......................................................................................................... 31 4. Monitoring the effects of vegetation cutting and removal .................................................................... 32 4.1 Monitoring the impacts of mechanical harvesting on vegetation .............................................. 32 4.2 Monitoring the impacts of mechanical harvesting on soil structure........................................... 33 4.3 The most effective harvesting pattern ..................................................................................... 34 5. Turning your biomass into energy ...................................................................................................... 37 5.1 Realising the potential of your biomass ................................................................................... 37 5.2 Biomass characteristics .......................................................................................................... 40 5.3 The principles of moisture content and calorific value ............................................................. 42 5.4 Storage and drying ................................................................................................................. 42 5.5 Ensiling .................................................................................................................................. 48 5.6 Grazing animals and biomass harvesting................................................................................ 49 5.7 Yields ..................................................................................................................................... 50 6. Conversion technologies .................................................................................................................... 53 6.1 Combustion ............................................................................................................................ 53 6.2 Anaerobic Digestion ............................................................................................................... 70 6.3 Bio-charring............................................................................................................................ 76 6.4 Conversion machinery/technology access requirements ......................................................... 79 7. Energy delivery .................................................................................................................................. 80 7.1 Biomass boiler........................................................................................................................ 80 7.2 Combined heat and power engine .......................................................................................... 83 7.3 Supplying existing conversion plants ...................................................................................... 84 8. Life Cycle Analysis............................................................................................................................. 85 8.1 Green house gas savings ....................................................................................................... 85 8.2 Biomass energy efficiency ...................................................................................................... 86 8.3 LCA results from the DECC projects ....................................................................................... 86 9. Which conversion technology is right for you? .................................................................................... 87 9.1 Conservation biomass calculator ............................................................................................ 87 10. Funding ........................................................................................................................................... 88 10.1 Feed in Tariffs (FiTS).............................................................................................................. 88 10.2 Renewables Obligation (RO) .................................................................................................. 88 10.3 Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)............................................................................................. 89 11. Permissions and Regulatory Requirements ...................................................................................... 92 11.1 Planning Permission ............................................................................................................... 92 11.2 Waste Management ............................................................................................................... 93 11.3 Grid Connection ..................................................................................................................... 97 12. Framework and structures to facilitate delivery ................................................................................. 98 12.1 Payment for Ecosystem Service Approach ............................................................................. 98 12.2 Energy for Nature ................................................................................................................... 99 12.3 Models, frameworks and administrative structures ................................................................ 100 13. References .............................................................................................................................. 106 14. Useful contacts ........................................................................................................................ 108 15. Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 109 16. Appendices .............................................................................................................................. 110 Appendix 1 Monitoring Protocol ................................................................................................... 110 3 Tables Table 1 Machine transport dimensions ................................................................................................. 22 Table 2 Machinery comparison ............................................................................................................. 23 Table 3 Wetland biomass characteristics .............................................................................................. 40 Table 4 Heathland biomass characteristics ........................................................................................... 41 Table 5 Passive rush bale drying trials.................................................................................................. 44 Table 6 Wetland habitat biomass yields - RSPB ................................................................................... 50 Table 7 Wetland habitat biomass yields - other ..................................................................................... 51 Table 8 Heathland habitat biomass yields ............................................................................................. 52 Table 9 Bulk density ............................................................................................................................. 55 Table 10 ISO standards comparison ..................................................................................................... 67 Table 11 A basic comparison of the two briquetting methods, linear and rotary. .................................... 69 Table 12 Wetland material characteristics for AD .................................................................................. 70 Table 13 Small scale AD outputs .......................................................................................................... 72 Table 14 Medium scale AD outputs ...................................................................................................... 74 Table 15 Charred biomass calorific value comparison .......................................................................... 76 Table 16 Conversion technology transport dimensions ......................................................................... 79 Table 17 DECC project LCA results...................................................................................................... 86 Table 18