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，本项目将评估开发生物质土壤调理产品的商业潜力（和废弃生物质）燃烧残留物（BCR），主要是灰分副产品。初步研究表明，将生物质转化为能源的灰分（主要是木质生物质）具有独特的化学和物理特性，在农业和园艺部门具有潜在的应用：简而言之，BCR在应用于土地时可能会产生有益的影响。Stopford认识到这一机会，建议开发一种新的“技术升级”BCR回收工艺，为BCR管理提供一种具有成本效益和可持续发展的循环经济方法。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（根据英国五个最大的目前运营的生物质工厂的产量进行的保守估计，总燃料需求约为2，000，千吨/年）并生产矿物土壤调理产品的替代品。Stopford将利用市场研究来研究市场壁垒和驱动因素，农业对这种产品的吸收以及目前的化肥和土壤调节剂市场。该研究还将阐明Stopford对英国生物质灰资源基地现状的解释。它将促进对关键市场指数的关键信息的理解，这将推动最终产品（如肥料，生长基质，石灰剂和土壤稳定剂）的市场进入和接受。作为本研究的一部分，将进行监管审查并与相关机构合作，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，并提供信息，以建立一个新的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.