ADBA Northern Ireland National Conference, 5 October 2017
08.45 – 09.30 – Registration and networking
09.30-09.40 – Welcome and introduction to our first anaerobic digestion conference focused on Northern Ireland
At a time when Northern Ireland is falling behind the rest of Europe in its commitment to tackling climate change, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) Chief Executive will outline the enormous value of AD across energy, waste, climate policy and farming. Northern Ireland reduced emissions by just 18% between 1990 and 2015 compared to 38% for the UK as a whole. Anaerobic digestion has huge potential to support carbon reductions: according to the Questor Centre, anaerobic digestion has the potential to reduce Northern Ireland’s emissions by 2.4 million tonnes of CO2e, which is a reduction of 12% – making anaerobic digestion essential to Northern Ireland.
Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive, Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA)
09.40-10.00 – How can anaerobic digestion contribute to Northern Ireland’s waste, energy and farming challenges?
David Simpson, MP, DUP, Spokesman on Business, Innovation & Skills and Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Member of the DEFRA Committee
10.00-10.15 – Case study: 3 MW 100% poultry manure project at Ballymena
Jørgen Fink, Country Manager, Xergi A/S
Morgan Burke, Development Manager, Stream BioEnergy
10.15-10.30 – Introduction to the ADBA Best Practice Scheme
With the operational, environmental and health and safety aspects of anaerobic digestion high on the agenda, ADBA’s Best Practice Scheme Manager will provide an overview of how the Best Practice Scheme can help operators improve performance, save money and reduce their risk.
Ollie More, Head of Policy, Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA)
10.30-11.00 – Coffee break and exhibition
11.00-12.15 – Nutrient management and the new Environment Agency Digestate Directives
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is concerned about the vulnerability of land and water and is therefore preparing new legislation regulating digestate spread. What are the conditions needed to get the best digestate from farm-waste feedstock? And how can the resulting digestate be managed?
Chair: Ollie More, Head of Policy, Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA)
Shane Carr, Director, Irwin Carr
Dr. Gary Lyons, Senior Scientist, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)
Keith Finegan, Natural Environment Division, Northern Ireland Environment Agency
12.15-13.15 – Lunch and exhibition
13.15-14.30 – Separate food waste collections: How are they working in Northern Ireland?
With food waste rules becoming stricter in Northern Ireland, how are local authorities adapting? And is the AD industry starting to see the benefits? From operation to matters arising from the planning process, this session will set out how to make the most of these reforms.
Chair: Dr. Ian Garner, Head of WRAP Northern Ireland
Shane Doherty, Plant Manager at Granville Ecopark
Colin Sinnamon, Waste Manager, Fermanagh and Omagh DC
Owen Lyttle, Head of Waste Policy, Environmental Policy Division, DAERA
Martin Doherty, Project Manager, Belfast City Council
14.30-15.30 – Brexit, the new government and trade between north and south: How will this impact the NI AD industry?
The UK’s decision to leave the EU has created uncertainty for north-south trade in energy, food, digestate, waste and livestock. What can be done to minimise any impact on the AD industry?
Chair: PJ McCarthy, Chair of the Renewable Gas Forum
Michael Doran, Managing Director, Action Renewables
Ian Kilgallon, Innovation Manager, Gas Networks Ireland
Sam McCloskey, Centre Director, Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE)
Charlie Sheldon, Senior Investment Manager, Foresight Group
15.30-16.00 – Break
16.00-17.00 – Improving my plant’s performance
Some AD plants in Northern Ireland and across the UK and Ireland operate at load factors of over 98%, while others operate at under 60%. For the lower-performing plants, this represents a huge loss in income. Our panel discusses how you can ensure your AD plant is one of the top performers.
Chair: Christopher Osborne, Senior Policy Officer, Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU)
Dr. Les Gornall, Process Consultant at PROjEN (part of Capita)
Dr. David McKee, Technical Director, B9 Energy
Thomas Cromie, Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE)
Gary Hawkes, Chairman, Ulster Farmers’ Union Rural Enterprise Committee
