ニューヨーク州で乳牛2000頭の排泄物で稼動する1.4MW、州最大規模のバイオガス発電プラントが稼動: ソフトエネルギー

ニューヨーク州で乳牛2000頭の排泄物で稼動する1.4MW、州最大規模のバイオガス発電プラントが稼動

　ニューヨーク州、ニューヨークから500km北の町Covingtonのシナジーデイリー農場 Synergy Dairyにおいて、同州最大のバイオガスプラントが稼動しました。この農場で飼育されている2000頭あまりの乳牛の排泄物や関連加工所から生まれる生ゴミからメタンガスを発生させ、GEのガス発電機により1.4MWの規模で発電を行うというものです。手がける企業は、CH4バイオガス社 CH4 Biogas で、ニューヨーク州からの支援も受け、GEのJenbacher J420ガス発電機で、年間10,000 MWhもの電力を、地域の送電網に供給することができます。

　ニューヨーク州は、畜産の現場で、メタンガス発電を行うことに積極的に取り組んでいるようです。2011年の統計では、同州には、5300の牧場において600,000頭の牛が飼育されています。そのうちの17の牧場の20,000以下の頭数を利用して3MWが発電に供されているということです。そして、さらに17の牧場分が近々加えられ6MW相当の規模の取り組みが実施されるということです。今後は、残りの牧場でも取り組みを広げる予定であるということです。

　発電機は、GE EnergyのJenbacher J420ガス発電機です。GEは、さらに大型の発電機の開発も行っているということです。

　畜産のバイオマスを利用したバイオガス発電。この規模での普及は日本ではむずかしそうですが、どの程度の規模から成立するのか、是非可能性だけでも計っていただきたいです。

ニュース / CH4 Biogas,02 May 2012(Waste Management World)
・New York's Largest Farm & Food Waste Biogas Facility Opened

-----image : 同リリースより-----

" New York State's largest on-farm, 'co-digestion' biogas power project has begun processing animal and food waste at Synergy Dairy in Covington.
The anaerobic digestion (AD) facility is owned and operated by CH4 Biogas under the name Synergy Biogas and will generate 1.4 MW of electricity using GE Jenbacher J420 gas engines.

The project is expected to reduce the dairy farm's base load greenhouse gas emissions by about 8500 tons (7700 tonnes) of CO2 annually.
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Support
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The project also received additional support from the National Grid (NYSE: NGG) as part of its broader strategy to help upgrade New York State's energy infrastructure, promote further economic growth in the region and encourage the development of renewable energy resources.

National Grid provided a $750,000 grant through the its Renewable Energy and Economic Development Program to cover the cost of building the substation that connects the facility to the grid.

Under its renewable energy marketing program, the utility is purchasing the electricity generated by the biogas plant, which it states will produce approximately 10,000 MWh of renewable energy per year.

Through its partnerships with local food manufacturers, Synergy Biogas said that it has already has diverted more than 1.14 million gallons (4.31 million litres) of food waste from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities, highlighting another environmental benefit of the project.
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Bright future

The Synergy Biogas operation is the first of several New York dairy farm digester projects that CH4 Biogas and GE Energy plan to build.

According to the NYSERDA such projects illustrate how the state's food and beverage industries can utilise their on-site waste streams to produce free fuel for power generation.

According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, in 2011 the state had 5300 dairy farms with more than 600,000 dairy cows.

However, less than 20,000 of those cows were being utilised in energy production, through the use of 17 digesters that produce a combined 3 MW. As of 2011, an additional 17 digester systems were awaiting installation to generate a combined 6 MW.

The NYSERDA said that the Synergy project illustrates how the incentives it offers are supporting the purchase, installation and operation of more AD biogas systems to help the state create a more sustainable agricultural sector.
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関連
・Gas from Iron Gut Powers Homes, Farms-----GE Report,MAY 2, 2012

" John Noble’s family has farmed the quilt of green fields and rolling hills around Covington in western New York for five generations. Every day, Noble’s herd of 2,000 dairy cows produce 20,000 gallons of milk, which he sells to local yogurt and cheese factories. But starting this year, he’s tapped another bovine asset, liquid cow manure.
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・CH4 Biogas : Synergy Biogas

・GE Energy : Biogas Application - Gas Engines - Energy Solutions / GE’s Jenbacher Type 4 Gas Engines

-----image : 上記サイトより(GE Jenbacher J420:1,500kW)、下-発電概念図-----