Biogas Plants, Anaerobic Digestion - Precast Concrete
Anaerobic digestion is a process in which micro organisms break down bio-degradable material. It is important that there is a lack of oxygen for the process to occur. The idea is to reduce waste and to produce energy in an environmentally friendly way. When looking at Biogas plants, precast concrete comes into play when considering where to store the organic material or biodegradable waste. Often concrete panels, retaining walls and freestanding concrete walls will be used to create storage areas for the materials prior to processing.
The process of anaerobic digestion is very effective at reducing the amount of organic matter that would otherwise be sent to landfill or be destined for an incinerator. Many types of organic material can be used including waste paper, left over food, sewage and animal waste. The process not only reduces waste, it also produces biogas which can be used as a fuel and is considered as a renewable fuel source.
Many biogas plants have started to appear on farms as farmers have looked to diversify. The plants can use a variety of materials; maize silage, cow slurry, pig slurry, and so on. The initial outlay for a farmer can be a lot however payback is generally quite good with power being used to run the farm and go back into the grid hence giving the farmer a good revenue stream. As part of the biogas plant, farmers will often require a slurry store or silage clamp for storing the materials. This is where precast concrete often plays it's part. Silage clamps and slurry stores will often be constructed using concrete panels or retaining walls due to their ease of installation, and their durability.
As systems and processes develop biogas plants are likley to become a regular feature of the agricultural landscape.