Bio-Energy Production Europe (BEPE)

Project nr. 2011-1-EE1-LEO04-02423-1

REPORT Third BEPE meeting in Germany

Bavaria 03-06 June 2012

I. Practical agreement
Next meeting in Perugia, Italy 17 - 21 October, 2012 Estonian partners are preparing a first draft of a new professional standard for Bio-gas Plant Operator and curriculum. It is expected that partners will contribute their expertise and recommendations in developing this field according to ECVET parameters.

II. Direction of the Project

Each country meeting has met or exceeded our expectations with excellent information and sharing of ideas and know-how in the area of biomass production in Europe. The Bavarian meeting was particularly successful in that Estonian partners gained the information necessary for the first planning stages of biomass energy production and management. Although the project website is still a work in progress, Jrva County Vocational Training Centre has the site available at: http://ldvbepe.weebly.com/index.html. It is also accessible through the schools website (www.jkhk.ee) in the English section under currently running projects.

III. Report of the sites visited

Monday 4 June 2012 KONARO Day Participants from visiting countries Belgium, Estonia, Italy and Poland visited the KONARO Centre in Straubing, a competence centre for regenerating resources. Useful information was provided on creating added value by utilizing raw materials and waste materials for use in products and then as energy.

The Centre was full of creative displays illustrating biodegradable products, products samples that added value made from raw material waste, as well displays showing the most energy efficient SRC crops for energy production.

Tuesday 5 June 2012 Biogas day The day was full of visits to different sized biogas plants, the first was to the biogas plans and dairy farm in Triefing owned and operated by the Brandstetter Familly. Here we learned practical farm arrangments in utilizing dairy cow maneur in energy production, thereby producing enough energy for the farm to operate as well as residual energy for sale.

Brandstetter Familly Farm

Later in the day we visited a different form of biogas plant (800 kw), broiler farm and hops planter in Eschelbach (near Wolnzach) owned and operated by the Hckmeier Family. It was interesting to learn how profitable hops farmers have a complete life-cycle plan for crop utilization in growing and selling hops, ending with burning of unused portions of the plant for energy production necessary for operating the farm. The Hckmeier Farm has received awards recognizing the operational efficiency of this processing.

Wednesday 6 June 2012 Wood energy day

Hckmeier hops

Our day began with a visit to the woodchip plant on a hops farm in Westing owned by the Schapfl Family. This followed with visits to CHP-Station to the energy- and heat grid in Wolnzach and concluded with a wood pellet-production and woodchip-energy plant of Binder Holz in Ksching.

Schapfl Hops

CHP-Station

Binder Holz

IV. Concluding remarks

All in all, hosting partner Agri-Cultur-Society located in Bavarian, Scheyern provided a splendid programme, that aside from these main site visits shown above, also organized side programs including a tour to the Helmholtz-Research Station. They made excellent choices in restaurants that meals served with the world renown Bavarian flair in cultural style and cuisine.