The Victorian Bioenergy Network, supported by Cultivate Agribusiness, is holding a two-day Bioenergy Conference in Ararat on 11th -12 September. Source: Timberbiz
The aim of the conference is to provide local government businesses, community groups and others interested in reducing their energy costs and environmental impact, and learning more about how bioenergy benefits us all.
On the second day of this event, participants will have the option of attending a half day ‘hands-on’ workshop using their own energy data to produce bioenergy options for their particular energy needs, or a bus tour of local bioenergy sites.
The conference will be held at the Alexandra Oval Community Centre – 1 Waratah Ave, Ararat, Victoria 3377.
Guest speakers include:
- Andrew Lang – Vice President, World Bioenergy Association and Farm Forester Bioenergy basics – what is, how does it work, examples of existing plants and systems, discussion on potential opportunities
- Peter Burgess – Managing Director, Rainbow Bee Eater Pty Ltd ECHO2: gasification – base load, low cost energy and biochar from organic residues
- Kelly Wickham – Business Development Officer, Renewable Energy, DELWP Waste to Energy – a business case and government initiatives including the Australian Biomass Assessment – (ABBA)
- Daryl Scherger – Bioenergy Consultant Sizing up a bioenergy project, including Beaufort Hospital project case study
- Sohum Gandhi – General Manager, Enriva Experience with designing and building larger scale bioenergy systems in Victoria and across Australia
- Tony Stone – General Manager, Biogas Technology, Gekko Systems Overview of the Gekko Systems biodigester and progress with installation of biogas system at Bungaree dairy
- Shaun Quayle – Director, Dragon NRG Small scale thermal bioenergy systems, experience with local installations
- Taryn Lane – Community Energy Advocate and Consultant, Embark Setting up a community energy enterprise
- Steve Hobbs – Primary Producer, Yarrock Farms On-farm biofuel production and biomass briquetteing experience
- David Sproules – Business Banking Manager, Bendigo Bank Financing a community bioenergy project
- La Vergne Lehmann – Acting Executive Officer, The Grampians Central West Waste and Resources Recovery Group Waste resources for energy production in the Grampians Region
- Scott Grierson – Business Development and Transactions Specialist, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Funding opportunities for bioenergy and update on projects currently funded
A Forum Dinner will be held at 7:00pm 11 September 2017 at the Alexandra Oval Community Centre. Guest speaker will be John Sanderson from Earth Systems who will provide background on the development and progress with their Charmaker, which is currently generating energy and biochar via installations in Australia and overseas.
A Bioenergy Field Tour will be held on 12 September. The full day bus tour will visit four sites in the region:
- Beaufort Hospital – Participants will see a containerised 110kW Hargassner wood chip fuelled boiler system that supplies space heating for the hospital. It has been operating for four years.
- Pyrenees Timber – This operating sawmill uses a 240kW Moderator boiler to provide heat for timber drying as well as drying chipped sawmill waste for boiler fuel.
- KCC Recycling – This operation diverts timber waste from landfill and processes it into material suitable for boiler fuel.
- Meredith Dairy – This well renowned goat dairy has installed a 240kw biomass boiler to reduce reliance on LPG providing hot water for pasteurisation, washdown and domestic hot water within the factory.
An option to the tour is attendance at the Bioenergy Workshop with presenters John Sanderson and Daryl Scherger.
The purpose is to equip participants with a basic understanding of how to design a bioenergy system for their community, business or home.
Participants will be guided through the basic calculations required to determine the types and amount of energy they need for their situation and the type of bioenergy system best suited to deliver that need.
To gain the best value from the workshop, participants are invited to bring along energy data relevant to a project they are looking to develop. It will be an interactive experience for participants, enabling them to work through ideas, issues and potential solutions with others.
For further information email [email protected]
