IEA Bioenergy Task 37: Energy from Biogas and Landfill Gas (Working Period 2010 - 2012)

Abstract

The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, is the national Austrian representative in the IEA Bioenergy Task 37 "Energy from Biogas and Landfill Gas" during the triennium 2010-2012. The delegates are from the Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, IFA Tulln. Through a network of international experts, key topics of biogas technology, i.e. reclamation from industrial-, municipal- and agricultural sources including energy crops, are elaborated. Concentrated information/results are properly prepared for all concerned interested Austrian players (biogas users, companies, consultants, authorities, associations) by means of reports, workshops, brochures, newsletters and the IEA Bioenergy Task 37 website.

In the 3 years project, all country representatives as well as selected experts provided case studies and experience data reports from various full scale applications, including mass- and energy balances, economic evaluations, experience on biogas upgrading and biogas use, potential of biogas applications as well as environmental effects of biogas technology. In 6 Task meetings of all Task members (14 participating institutions + EU JRC Petten, NL) the overall work and specific tasks was coordinated and the described measures for information dissemination organized.

The main topic of the Task 37 network is international know how- as well as experience generation and -dissemination, therefore avoiding wrong developments, unnecessary plant failures and parallel inventions in biogas technology.

The main advantage for Austria is a direct approach to the much broader knowledge base of the other participating IEA countries. By implementing important Austrian players, a direct information to concerned companies, users, experts, authorities, associations etc. is achieved. Through the presentation of Austrian concerns in the international Task group, economic-, standardization- and environmental protection issues can be prepared and enforced.

Following significant results could be achieved:

• Status reports for biogas technology and use in Austria are elaborated regularly.
• The information from Task members relevant for Austria are spread to persons and institutions interested in biogas.
• Essential inputs were given by publishing brochures of successful Austrian examples, available on the IEA Bio­energy Task 37 website.
• Austria elaborated together with Ireland a revised version of the brochure "Biogas from Energy Crops". This renewed brochure is available under the title "Biogas from Crop Digestion" also at the Task 37 Website.
• The Austrian Task representatives elaborated a new brochure on the topic "Substrate pre-treatment". This topic is of high interest at the moment. The detailed publication will follow in 2013.
• The Austrian Task representatives worked on a brochure on the topic "Monitoring of biogas plants". The final brochure will be available in 2013.
• The IEA Task 37 published a Biogas Handbook in 2013. The Austrian representatives contributed to four chapters, leading the elaboration of two of them.
• A symposium on "Digestate Treatment" was organised in September 2010 by the Austrian representatives. It was supported by IEA Task 37 and the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund.
• End of August 2011, the international biogas conference "6th ADSW&EC Anaerobic Digestion of Solid Waste and Energy Crops" was hosted by the Austrian IEA representatives.

All relevant publications are available on the website of the current working period.

Brasil, Denmark, Germany, European Commission, Finland, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna,
IFA Tulln, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology
DI Günther Bochmann
Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20
A-3430 Tulln
Tel.: +43 (2272) 66280-536
Fax: +43 (2272) 66280-503
E-Mail: guenther.bochmann@boku.ac.at

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna,
IFA Tulln, Institute of Environmental Biotechnology
Di Bernhard Drosg
Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20
A-3430 Tulln
Tel.: +43 (2272) 66280-537
Fax: +43 (2272) 66280-503
E-Mail: bernhard.drosg@boku.ac.at