Springdale Group

Some examples of the role of “technology transfer” in developing crop derived bio-energy.

Clifford Spencer BSc. (Agric) CHAIRMAN

Head Office at Springdale Farm

Mission

To develop a global business establishing field production, added value processing and retail marketing of non food crops and their products. Principal markets include industrial oils, fibres and energy.

“The Springdale Project”

Innovation in non food cropping.

Springdale Group

Group Structure

Production FlowSpringdale Science - Breeding

Springdale Farm Ltd – Seed Multiplication and agronomy development

Springdale Crop SynergiesContract Production through Distributors

Springdale Natural Products(including MotherHemp & Eurofibre)

External end User Costumers e.g. Croda, Boots, AarhusKarlshamns

Springdale Renewable Energy

Springdale Group

Seed breeder

Farmer

Science

Extractor

Processor

End User

SPRINGDALE

Advisors

‘Technology transfer’areas in crop derived bio-energy

• Crop choice for region• Directed plant breeding• Agronomy development• Supply chain establishment• Logistics (national and global supply chains)• Development of crop energy conversion systems• Energy distribution network• Energy marketing and information

Crop breeding and agronomy technology transfer

• Springdale works closely with plant breeders

• e.g. Syngenta – trialling crops for Europe’s largest plant breeder, plus currently six specialist breeders from around the world for emerging non food crops (e.g. Crambe), and CNAP for hemp oilseed breeding.

• New ‘country specific’ non-food crop variety breeding development now ongoing for Springdale.

• First example was Syngenta’s Skipper oilseed rape selected by Springdale in the UK some seven years ago for biodiesel. Now with energy as a significant market, oilseeds can be bred for different desirable characteristics. Thus glucosinolates in the oilseed plant can be enhanced rather than suppressed in these breeding programmes due to their undesirable effect on seed meals for animal feeding no longer being an issue when the meal is burnt. Also the dietary problem of erucic acid in the oil is not seen as an impediment in oil for biofuel. Plants can be bred for low level input growing environments and systems.

• Husbandry development through comprehensive ‘in country’ trial and demonstration. Agronomy can also be different for non food uses e.g. use of biosolids for plant nutrition also assists another environmental challenge with these materials.

Springdale/Syngenta Partnership

Skipper oilseed rape multiplication(a short variety with a specific fatty acid profile of

benefit to biodiesel manufacture)

Springdale Crop Synergies

• Providing renewable raw materials for specific products for non food crop markets

• Clear identification and traceability through assured production including Organic

• Storage, conditioning, extraction, processing, and transport to the end user

• Reproducible quality

Springdale Crop Synergies Global Crop development

New opportunities for non-food oilseed crop ‘Crambe’

• Existing use as a slip agent

• New use as a biofuel

• Crambe has the highest Cetane value (burn ability) of any vegetable oil

• Crambe is a low input crop suitable to developing countries

• Crambe has an excellent environmental profile as a fast growing short season crop

Springdale Crambe seed multiplication (New Zealand)

Springdale pioneers Crambe (desert) production in Saudi Arabia

Bill Rustrick of Springdale in field production discussions in oilseed rape crop in Ethiopia

Springdale Crambe trial site in Chile

The role of

Springdale Renewable Energy

“To preserve and renew – is almost as noble as to create”

Voltaire (Philosopher)1694 - 1778

SPRINGDALE RENEWABLE ENERGY

Main areas of activity:

1) The use of straight vegetable oils in static engines for power generation

2) The use of biomass for power generation

Springdale Renewable Energy PROJECTS1) Stem Energy

-JV with Harworth Power-£11M project to generate 10MW from oilseeds and by-products using existing technology in a novel way (system patented). Thus the system rather than the technology is to be transferred to developing countries.

2) On-farm development unit - how do we use vegetable oils in reciprocating engines both technically and commercially? - what is the next step in bio-combustion?

Springdale Renewable Energy PROJECTS (continued.)

3) The use of SVO- vegetable oils (palm, soya, rape, new non food crops e.g. crambe) in continuous power and heat generation e.g. glasshouses, hospitals

4) Electricity from Biomass -Biomass Turbines – new technology particularly developed for use in developing countries e.g. equipment suitable to be containerised for use in remote locations.

• Joint Venture between UK Coal & Springdale • Renewable Energy power stations (+10MW) using

UK Coal sites on ex-mines

• Minimal costs grid connection

• Existing rail/road links for seed/oil/meal transportation

• Site at Harworth has existing boiler/generator and requires only a combustor/fuel handling system thus keeping start up costs to a minimum

Biomass Power Generation

• Reproduction not only on other UK ex-mine sites but on a worldwide template

• The system can utilise/revitalise redundant or underdeveloped crushing facilities in industrial areas of developing countries

• Ideal partner set up to biodiesel production and plant

Biomass Power Generation

UK Coal HQ at Harworth

Principle - Energy from seed

• Oil seeds crushed to separate the oil from the meal on site

• The oil can be used as a food oil or as transport fuel or in static diesel generators to produce electricity

• The meal will be burnt in a dedicated biomass conventional CHP plant to produce electricity and heat

• All the seed can be used for energy purposes

Different approach• Burn the cake, sell the oil

Mass Energy Value Oil 43% 54% 70%

Cake 57% 46% 30%

Cake has 53% by real value as energy

• Combust high volume low value cake on site• Utilise existing commodity chains as fuel supply• Utilise known technology• Attribute logistic costs to high value product (oil)

Stem Energy – Harworth Power Plant

ON-FARM DEVELOPMENT UNIT

OBJECTIVES

1. To accumulate a technical and economic database to assess the performance of oilseeds, oils and biomass in the production of electricity and biofuels

2. To be able to assess the efficiency of expelling, degumming, esterification and power generation from reciprocating engines and bioturbines

3. To be able to predict the optimal economic solution for power generation as fuel input and energy output prices change.

Redundant farm building used as base for bio-energy development unit

KEY:1. SEED INFILL HOPPERS.2. OIL PROCESSING PRESS.3. DEGUMMING PLANT.4. ESTERIFICATION PROCESS.5. BIO-COMBUSTOR/BIO-TURBINE.6. MEAL STORAGE HOPPER.7. ELECTRICAL LOAD TESTING PLANT.8. VEGETABLE OIL POWERED GENERATOR.9. OIL BLENDING.10. VEGETABLE OIL TO STORAGE LINES.

PROPOSED DEMONSTRATION/RESEARCH FACILITY

“Wet” processing side

“Dry” processing side

Economics of SVO in the UK

For example, crude palm oil:

9MW turnkey energy plant £4.4MCrude palm oil 39GJ/T @ £270/T dldEngine efficiency 44%1tonne oil 4.77MWh1 MW £92/MWhRunning hours 8000/yrOil consumption 14865T/yrGrid connection £1MO+M £0.5MDepreciation 10%ROC 26% + heat/cooling ???

Electricity from Biomass: “technology” options

• Boiler and steam turbine

• Gas Engines

• Gas Turbines

Direct combustion - the Bioturbine: technical concepts

• Direct combustion - potential for highest efficiency / lowest cost / basic technology

• Wood is the cleanest biofuel• Turbine inlet cooler than ash fusion

temperature. Sub micron ash flows• Simple and robust gas turbine with suitable

small units now becoming available• Resistant to deposition, erosion & corrosion• High quality exhaust heat for CHP applications

The Barnstaple Rig

• Created microturbine combustion conditions with small gas turbine generator set

• Demonstrated control of wood combustion

• Biodiesel burner - start-up, accelerate wood combustion, control

“The Barnstaple Rig”

30KW gas turbine assemblyy

Mini turbine from exhaust –very clean after 130 hours running

The next steps:facility development

• Combustor for 90% wood combustion & development to commercial system

• Gas turbine - low cost and ruggedised• Wood feed system• Controls for operation and safety• Experimental programme, including wood size

and type, other biofuels eg rape meal, endurance tests

• £1 million of support from UK government

Biomass Turbines Ltd.

(A Springdale Group company)Proposed 250 kWe biomass-fired CHP plant

(B)Process

Mass & Energy Inventory

Combustion air in

2.12 kg/s,1 bar,15 oC

Compressor

Combustor

Cyclone Filter

Primaryair

0.13 kg/s4.5 bar202 oC

Heat Recovery Stages

Secondary air

1.99 kg/s4.42 bar524 oC

CleanFlue Gas to Stack

2.17 kg/s

Final (Cold) Gas Filter

Comminuted Wood Fuel

170 kg/hour

Dry Ash out

3.4 kg/hour

from Heat Load

to Heat Load382 kW(th)

Alternator

to Electrical Load

245 kWe

Pressure Lock/

Air-Fuel Mixer

Cold Flue Gas out

2.17 kg/s1 bar

130 oC

Auxiliary Fuel

7.74 kg/hour

Primary air/ wood fuel

0.17 kg/s4.42 bar125 oC

System electrical efficiency: 27%

Overall conversion efficiency: 68%

Turbineexhaust

2.17 kg/s1.06 bar581 oC

2.17 kg/s4.33 bar850 oC

Secondary air (via

Recuperator)

Turbine

to System Auxiliaries

5 kWe

Patent Protection to protect technology transfer

• Patent granted on direct combustion system to promote fragmentation of the biomass fuel particles

• Various European and US Patents granted on this system

Significant potential in developing countries

• CHP applications

• Combating the increasing costs of imported fossil fuels and products

• Can site units near to fuel (crop) production

• Range of unit size - 250kWe to 15MWe

• World market

Economics of BIOTURBINE in UK

1MW Turbine £700kWood 20GJ/T @ £40/T dldEfficiency 23.5%1T wood 1.31MWh(e)1T rape oil 2.55 MWh(e)1MWh £92Running hrs 8000/yrWood consumption (90%) 5504T/yrOil consumption (10%) 313T/yrFuel cost £364k/yrIncome £736k/yrGross margin £372k/yrDepreciation 10%ROC 37%

http://www.springdale-group.com

Springdale Crop Synergies LtdSpringdale Farm

RudstonDriffield

East YorkshireYO25 4DJ

Tel: 01262-421100 Fax: 01262-41101Website: www.springdale-group.comEmail: info@springdale-group.com