13.06.08 Farming event presents latest biofuel trends
Biofuel companies, technologies and trends were represented for the first time at the UK’s largest gathering of arable farmers.
The Cereals Event 2008, which was held in Leadenham, Lincolnshire, on June 11 and 12, attracted more than 20,000 visitors and featured exhibitors from 22 different German, British and American biofuel businesses.
The machinery displayed included straw and waste fuel converters that inform the owner via mobile phone alarm when they need to be refilled, and wood chip fuel plants for domestic use.
Technical transfer manager Adrian Higson from the National Non-Food Crops Centre said: “Biomass processors which convert straw or other organic material are the one of the main trends in the biofuel sector at the moment.
“I think the trend also clearly goes towards second-generation, i.e. non-food crops as a basis for biofuel production.”
Biogas proved to be another major trend at the event.
Co-director of biogas company Renewable Zukunft Benedikt von Thuengen said: “There has never really been a market for biogas in the UK until the European Union decided to increase renewable energies to 20% by 2020.
“Now, the numbers of biogas plants will increase considerably. We have just received the building licence for our first biogas plant in the UK, and the feasibility studies for 100 more are under way.”