Pioneering spirit
Biomass power generation is one of the keys to renewable energy diversity. Brian Tinham examines a next generation, modular version that is capturing the imagination
Inside recycling
The Recycling and Waste Management show, co-located with the Energy Event and the new Renewables event at the NEC looks interesting for plant engineers, says Brian Tinham
Electric Engineers
It's often said that one of the biggest differences between plants in, say, the chemical or pharmaceutical industries, as opposed to those in power generation, is that the former are developed in a laboratory pilot (where the learning is done) and scaled up for mass production, while the latter are built to produce power from day one, but then evolve constantly over time, as efforts are made to improve efficiency and output.
Ener-G uses poultry power to generate brass from muck
Green technology firm Ener-G is using chicken litter and maize to help a Hereford chicken farm become more eco friendly and generate additional income from renewable energy.
Bio or non-bio?
Bio energy plants are being touted as offering significant economic as well as environmental benefits. Steed Webzell explains the sustainable technologies involved and assesses what plant engineers need to know
Bioenergy:the next generation
Biomass plants are more advanced and more prolific than many realise. Birmingham City University's head of bioenergy research Dr Lynsey Melville looks at what's out there – and the future
Biogas generation
Experience with growing numbers of biogas plants has been pointing up design, construction and operation problems that are resulting in higher insurance premiums.
Challenges of biomass
With so many organisations building biomass plants and/or converting existing units to biomass fuel, Alan Fitzpatrick and Marcus Robson examine some of issues being seen by the insurance industry.
Waste not, want not
With legislation, under EC pressure, now forcing reductions in the quantity of municipal and industrial waste that goes to landfill, the relatively simple processes of collecting rubbish and tipping it into holes are having to be replaced by increasingly complex, automated plant-based operations.