SECTION II: CLIMATE CHANGE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT “Some energetic and environmental aspects regarding the recycling of bio-waste" by Mr. Joan Mata, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Barcelona

1. Outline of the presentation
SOME ENERGY AND • Introduction
ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS • Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
OF BIOWASTE RECYCLING environmental aspects
• Potential of biowaste recycling
JOAN MATA
DPT. ENGINYERIA QUÍMICA. UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA • Biowaste AD
• Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection
and process)
• Conclusions

2. Management of RW and
Outline of the presentation Biowaste
• Introduction Residual waste Biowaste
• Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
environmental aspects
• Potential of biowaste recycling
• Biowaste AD
• Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection
and process)
• Conclusions

3. Most developed countries lead incineration
Management of RW and
option in Europe
Biowaste
Residual waste Biowaste
IA’s through LCA show
% Incinerat dels RSU
the advantages of
option A, that is the
energy recovery
alternative

4. INCINERACIÓ A ESPANYA
10 Plantes: t/any % del total
Asturias 94600 4.3
Baleares 255000 11.6
Total
Catalunya Besos 328000 14,9 Catalunya
Catalunya Tarragona 180000 8,2 719000
Catalunya Mataró 170000 7,7 32,6%
% Incineració a Catalunya: 16,5% Catalunya Girona 41000 1,9
Galicia 550000 24,9
% Incineració a Espanya*: 9,9% Madrid 299000 13,6
Melilla 46000 2,1
% Incineració a UE15: 22,8%
242000 11,0
2205600 100,0
* Inclou Catalunya

5. Most developed countries lead recycling in EU Management of RW and
Biowaste
Residual waste Biowaste
Recycling with
% Reciclat dels RSU
effects on
energy, material
recovery and
greenhouse gases
emissions

6. Renewable energy sources (RES)
Outline of the presentation
Directive (2009/28/EC) ‐Targets
• Introduction • Each Member State shall ensure mandatory national
target of at least a 20 % share of energy from
• Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and renewable sources in 2020 (art. 3.1)
environmental aspects • Each Member State shall ensure that the share of
energy from renewable sources in all forms of
• Potential of biowaste recycling transport in 2020 is at least 10 % of the final
consumption of energy in transport in that Member
• Biowaste AD State (art. 3.4)
• Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection • … the contribution made by biofuels produced from
wastes, residues, non‐food cellulosic material, and
and process) ligno‐cellulosic material shall be considered to be twice
• Conclusions that made by other biofuels (art. 21.2)

7. Recycling of biodegradable waste
Recyling of biowaste
(new documents May 2010)
• Communication from the Commission on
future steps in biowaste management in
the European Union ‐ COM(2010)235 final
• Commission Staff Working Document Accompanying the Communication
from the Commission on future steps in biowaste management in the
European Union ‐ SEC(2010) 577 final
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/compost/developments.htm
(Zambrzycki, 2011)

8. (Körner, 2011) (Körner, 2011)

9. Outline of the presentation Still a long way to go…
• Introduction
• Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
environmental aspects
• Potential of biowaste recycling
• Biowaste AD
Spain: Only AD sites are listed
• Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection Only 15-20% treating biowaste
and process) 1,5 Mt
0,35 Mt
6 AD sites
30 AD sites
• Conclusions
(Gilbert, 2011)

10. Potential of bio‐waste contribution to
Outline of the presentation
RES targets
• Introduction
• About 1/3 of the 2020 EU target to use • Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
renewable energy in transport could be met
environmental aspects
by using the biogas produced from biowaste
as vehicle fuel • Potential of biowaste recycling
• Around 2% of the overall renewable energy • Biowaste AD
target could be met if all biowaste is turned • Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection
into energy and process)
• Conclusions

11. Recycling of biodegradable waste Recyling of biowaste
• Recycling definition requires re‐use of
• Basic options:
materials, excludes use as a fuel.
• Composting, AD and AD + Composting
• AD can be counted as recycling only if
• These options should be placed in accordance digestate is used on land.
with economics and European legislative
• AD aspects:
regulations.
– Recyling <‐> LCA effects
– Bioenergy <‐> GHG reduction
∙ CHP ∙ GRID INJECTION ∙ FUEL FOR VEHICLES

12. Results of the 20in2020 directive Outline of the presentation
• In most of the countries (new) feed‐in tariffs • Introduction
were announced or introduced • Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
• Some of the countries announced goals for environmental aspects
biogas • Potential of biowaste recycling
• There is hardly any measure set for biogas as • Biowaste AD
transport fuel • Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection
and process)
• Conclusions

13. Implementation in Europe Grid injection: A sustainable solution
• Technology to upgrade biogas to • Biomethane has very low
biomethane is well proven emissions
(industrial level) • Car engines are less noisy
• Currently main market for grid • No distribution
injection is in Germany. Market infrastructure needed,
develops also in other European
grids are available
countries now
• Biomethane can be
• Grid injection of biomethane
allows different ways of energetic blended at any ratio with
natural gas
utilization.

14. Right now: CHP the optimum Improving AD efficiency
IMPROVEMENT OF FEEDSTOCK BIODEGRADABILITY
Advantages: Drawbacks:
FEED STOCK PRE‐TREATMENTS EFFECTS:
• No upgrading is required • The grid structure More efficient digestion (higher reduction of
needs significant • Thermal,
• Electricity will become an VS).
• Biological,
important vehicle fuel improvement Higher gas production (up to 30%)
• Mechanical More stable Biological process (material more
• Utilisation of heat
homogeneous, mixed)
• Peak loads in the grid
Gas injection into the grid and production of heat and
electricity in densely populated areas.
(Wellinger, 2011)

15. Improving AD efficiency Outline of the presentation
ADDITIVES IN THE DIGESTION MEDIUM
• Introduction
• Digestion process (bacteria, archea,
enzymes involved, essential nutrients and
macronutirents)
• Biowaste recycling: Energy, Material and
• Higher gas yield (up to 20%) environmental aspects
AD OPERATION CONTROL • Potential of biowaste recycling
• Mixing, pumping.
• Control, automation
• Biowaste AD
• HRT, temperature
• Improvements on Biowaste AD (grid injection
• High efficiency CHP units. and process)
DON’T FORGET THE CO‐DIGESTION OPTION
• Conclusions

16. Recap Recap
• As in the case of residual waste thermal
valorization, biowaste management has large • Cost effective solutions such as excess heat
effects on climate change. utilization, grid injection, biogas use in
• Only 25% of the biodegrable waste potential is transport and co‐digestion should be sought
used. for.
• Biowaste recyling through AD contributes to the • There is still room for process and biogas
RES directive targets and WFD statements. production optimization
• Large potential for CO2 savings (energy, nutrients,
C sequestration), soil improvement and recycling • We should turn out as a competitive
of N, P and Organic Matter). advantage biowaste recycling obligation.

17. • Thank you for listening!
jmata@ub.edu