Biogas Website

[Steve Ewings]

Hi Everyone

 

 http://www.build-a-biogas-plant.com/ is now a  free-to-public site with a good deal of downloadable information. Over 2,000 people a day from around the globe visit and download plans, reports and construction detail. Using funds from the previous paid membership model we have secured for 5 years a new commercial server as downloads are often in excess of 10GB per day. There is a new menu heading "Academic Papers" and I'm calling for links or papers that can be added. So if you have something that would benefit others please contact me through the site with details.

Regards

Steve Ewings

 

 

 

 

[Paul Harris]

G'day Steve,

Well done - I will add links to this from my 3 sites as soon as possible.

You might like to add me as an Australian Consultant.

I debate the grouping of hydrogen and geothermal under "renewable" - nothing over exploited is "renewable" and hydrogen is an energy carrier (like electricity), not a source (like the sun).

All the best,
HOOROO

Mr Paul Harris BEng (Ag) (Melbourne)
Visitor at The University of Adelaide

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Australian Biogas Group" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to australian-biogas...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

[Steve Ewings]

Hi Paul

 

I will certainly add you as an Australian Consultant and no doubt can find your bio from Adelaide Uni.

Thanks also for the compliment re site, it is pitched at the average punter, concerned individuals, NGO info hunters, and lower end commercial arena. Which leads to the final comment concerning "renewables". Arguably this is a nonsensical term when considered in terms of exploitation (over) and you are correct in pointing out hydrogen as a carrier... geothermal when accessing radiogenic or ground source is also debatable. My focus on both http://www.build-a-biogas-plant.com/ and http://www.build-a-gasifier.com/ has been to shift the cognitive and provide practical alternatives to the rampant use of fossil fuels. I'm savvy enough enough after dealing with comments from both  websites over the past 5 years to know that some are not concerned about sustainability, but rather the sheer economics of their particular circumstance. I do take your comment on board as any move from old-fossil fuels to alternatives equally as destructive is not the space I wish to play in, or encourage.

 

Regards

Steve Ewings

 

 

 

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mailto:australian-biogas-group+%3Cspan%20id=.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

[ric...@arqua.com.au]

Hi Steve and all

 

A bouquet from us too on your web site and looking forward to reading all and please add us as consultants too.  

 

While we’re here…I promised I would follow up on the issue of Standards raised at the conference.  We’ll try and be brief…

 

I’d be interested to hear from anyone with UK experience that can add to this picture;

The UK has the PAS 110: 2010 Specification for whole digestate, separated liquor and separated fibre derived from the anaerobic digestion of source-segregated biodegradable materials. http://organics-recycling.org.uk/uploads/article1775/PAS-110.pdf

 

PAS 110 Aims to ensure that:

·         digested materials are made using suitable inputs and effectively processed by anaerobic digestion (AD) for sufficient time

·         the process has been well managed and monitored so as to produce digested material that meets market needs and protects the environment

 

The likable aspect of EC standards is that they focus on ensuring the emission and output products are safe; and not unnecessarily on the processes. Meaning that operators are free to innovate ways to achieve the outcome.

 

I use the lift example where in 2013 we will see some 6x AS lift standards repealed from the BCA.  The Australian Standards (AS) typical dictate how to make a lift, whereas the EC standards say that the person must arrive safely.  The EC standard has fostered innovation and free trade.  The AS has crippled industry and innovation and invites cheap dumped product.

 

Standards are one part of the compliance scaffold and don’t exist in isolation. Again in brief…

 

Capacity:  The ability to achieve the standard (knowledge and resources, Quality Management Systems)

Institutions:  Organisation that make and support the standard ( accreditation, certification, compliance)

Acceptance:  community acceptance of the standard, (uptake, ownership, referencing by other websites and governments). 

 

Building capacity and acceptance is more efficient than building institutions and standards.  All are necessary although we advise that if they already exists it would be an extreme waste of resources to replicate and layer compliance.

 

About us: Our expertise is in standards and international compliance requirements and we’re gearing up to expand our BCA building codes certification to offer Quality Certification to the renewable energy sector.  

 

We’re interested in learning from the UK EC experience with standards and earnestly suggest that in the E age that we avoid creating a world where conflicting standards prevent trade between nations. Remember that 50 years ago one of the first agreements of the EC was to harmonise standards to facilitate trade. (A half century of trading and peace…compare that with the first half of last century, look at the innovation in safety and economy by VW). 

 

We are looking to partner with producers who would like to implement quality systems and eventually achieve third party certification for the end products for trading and the environment, here and internationally. 

 

Do ya best!

 

  Richard Brew       Director  AQ I  B.Arch Dip. Q.A. Accredited ACAA 173  I  M. 0433 633 712 

 

 

http://organics-recycling.org.uk/uploads/article1775/PAS-110.pdf