Assessing the market potential of developing soil conditioning products from biomass combustion residues

通过详细的市场调查和开发研究，该项目将评估从生物质（和废生物质）燃烧残留物（bcr）中开发土壤调理产品（主要是灰烬副产品）的商业潜力。初步研究表明，将生物质转化为能源（主要是木质生物质）产生的灰烬具有独特的化学和物理特性，在农业和园艺领域具有潜在的应用前景。简而言之，bcr应用于土地可能会产生有益的影响。认识到这一机会，Stopford建议开发一种新的“技术升级”BCR回收工艺，为BCR的管理提供一种具有成本效益和环境可持续性的循环经济方法。这一概念将为英国每年生产10万吨BCR提供一个创新的解决方案（保守估计，基于英国目前运营的五个最大的生物质工厂的生产，总燃料需求约为200万吨/年），并生产矿物基土壤调节产品的可持续替代品。Stopford将利用市场研究来检查市场障碍和驱动因素在农业中采用这种产品，以及目前的肥料和土壤调理剂市场。该研究还将澄清Stopford对英国生物质灰资源基地现状的解释。它将有助于了解关键市场指数的关键信息，这些信息将推动肥料、生长基质、石灰剂和土壤稳定剂等最终产品的市场准入和接受度。作为本研究的一部分，将进行监管审查并与相关当局进行接触，以突出必须克服的潜在瓶颈，以便将该技术推向市场。最终报告将详细介绍研究结果，并为建立新型BCR回收过程的研发计划框架提供信息。

Through a detailed market research and exploitation study this project will assess thecommercial potential of developing soil conditioning products from biomass (and wastebiomass) combustion residues (BCRs), principally ash byproducts.Preliminary research indicates that ash from converting biomass to energy (principally woodybiomass) possess unique chemical and physical properties with potential applications inagricultural and horticultural sectors: In short, BCRs may have beneficial effects whenapplied to land. In recognition of this opportunity, Stopford proposes to develop a novel“technological upgrading” BCR recovery process which offers a cost-effective andenvironmentally sustainable circular-economy approach to the management of BCRs. Thisconcept would provide an innovative solution to >100,000 tonnes of BCR produced annuallyin the UK (a conservative estimate based on the production of the five largest currentlyoperating biomass plants in the UK with a total fuel demand of ~2,000,000 tpa) and produce asustainable alternative to mineral based soil conditioning products.Stopford will use the market study to examine market barriers and drivers for uptake of such aproduct in agriculture, as well as the current fertiliser and soil-conditioner market. The studywill also clarify Stopford’s interpretation of the current state of the biomass ash resource basein the UK. It will facilitate an understanding of critical information on key market indices thatwill drive market entry and acceptance for end products such as fertilisers, growth substrates,liming agents and soil stabilisers. A regulatory review and engagement with relevantauthorities will be undertaken as part of this study to highlight potential bottlenecks that mustbe overcome in order to bring the technology to the market.A final report will detail the findings of the study, and provide information to establish aframework for an R&D program for the novel BCR recovery process.