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

通过详细的市场研究和开发研究，该项目将评估利用生物质(和废弃生物质)燃烧残留物(主要是灰烬副产品)开发土壤调理产品的商业潜力。初步研究表明，将生物质转化为能源(主要是木质生物质)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：简而言之，BCRs在土地上应用可能会产生有益的影响。为了认识到这一机会，斯托普福德建议开发一种新的“技术升级”BCR回收流程，为BCR的管理提供具有成本效益和环境可持续的循环经济方法。这一概念将为英国每年生产的10万吨BCR提供创新的解决方案(保守估计是基于英国目前运营的五家最大的生物质发电厂的产量，总燃料需求约为200万TPA)，并生产出一种可持续替代基于矿物的土壤调理剂产品。Stopford将利用市场研究来研究农业中此类产品的市场障碍和驱动因素，以及当前的化肥和土壤调理剂市场。这项研究还将澄清斯托普福德对英国生物质灰资源基地现状的解释。它将有助于了解有关关键市场指数的关键信息，这些信息将推动化肥、生长基质、石灰剂和土壤稳定剂等终端产品的市场进入和接受。作为这项研究的一部分，将进行监管审查和与相关部门的接触，以突出必须克服的潜在瓶颈，以便将技术推向市场。最终报告将详细说明研究结果，并提供信息，以建立新型BCR回收过程的研发计划框架。

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.