Using silage additives to boost AD feedstock – a case study
For on-farm biogas plants using crop-based feedstocks, the quality of the harvesting and ensiling processes can make or break the efficiency of the plant and the anaerobic digestion (AD) process for the following year, severely impacting gas output and profit.
Having experienced issues with bought-in silage feedstock outside his control, Nick Cowie of Gloucestershire-based JJ Power now uses a silage additive from FM BioEnergy to ensure that the quality of his feedstock – and the performance of his digester –remain high.
Feedstock failure
JJ Power operates a 435 kW biogas plant within a larger 700-hectare (ha) farming operation, based around a single 2,750m3 digester. The feedstock is a mixture of chicken manure and maize silage, together with some liquid waste from the animal feed industry. However, when plant manager Nick Cowie bought in external silage feedstock from an unfamiliar source, the plant soon hit problems; the digester biology became upset, resulting in a drop in gas output.
Seeking a solution
Cowie was keen to ensure that...
Having experienced issues with bought-in silage feedstock outside his control, Nick Cowie of Gloucestershire-based JJ Power now uses a silage additive from FM BioEnergy to ensure that the quality of his feedstock – and the performance of his digester –remain high.
Feedstock failure
JJ Power operates a 435 kW biogas plant within a larger 700-hectare (ha) farming operation, based around a single 2,750m3 digester. The feedstock is a mixture of chicken manure and maize silage, together with some liquid waste from the animal feed industry. However, when plant manager Nick Cowie bought in external silage feedstock from an unfamiliar source, the plant soon hit problems; the digester biology became upset, resulting in a drop in gas output.
Seeking a solution
Cowie was keen to ensure that...
