Sustainable waste water management using short rotation coppice willow

plantations.

13th April 2016

Chris JohnstonAFBI Environment and Renewable Energy Centre, Hillsborough

Agenda

• AFBI• Overview & Objectives• Energy & Water Quality Drivers• (1st) Water Utility PoC Scheme• Licensing & Regulations• Larger Scale (EU-ANSWER)• Agri-Food Applications• Landfill Leachate Applications• Future bids for work areas

Who are we / Links ?• Multi-disciplinary Institute offering scientific

services to a wide range of customers in the agri-food sector.

• Policy - NIEA, DARD, DOE, Councils, NGOs, DETI, DRD

• Farming - UFU, AgResearch, Farmers• Advisory - CAFRE• Industry - Bioenergy, Agri-Food, Water Utility• Research - Ireland & UK Organisations

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute

Biomass - Research programme• Research related to the development of the whole Biomass

for Renewable Energy chain …• Evaluation and testing of new and improved willow

genotypes with particular reference to their suitability for inclusion in mixtures in N.Ireland

• Methodology for improved Disease resistance• Agronomy and Nutrient management• Harvesting & processing technologies – commercial viability• Emissions of Combustion of SRC and Biomass fuels• Effects of a renewable energy scheme on GHGs and cost.• Use of SRC Willow for the bioremediation of farm

wastewater / Municipal Waste waters• Carbon sequestration of miscanthus

SustainableWater Mgmt

Affordability (Fuel poverty)

Profitability

Carbon / Energy Reduction

Energy Security

Cost Reduction

Environmental(Decarbonise)

Improve Compliance

Overview and ObjectivesEnergy Policy & The Environment

Holistic Solutions to Delivers Multiple Wins!!!?Promote sustainable treatment technologies (energy and waste mgmt) – Energy Crop Multifunctionality

Energy & Water quality Trilemmas

EnergyTargets

WFDTargets

Energy Targets• Climate change act to reduce GHGs on 1990

levels– 20% EU, 34% UK by 2020– 80% 2050

• The N.I. Executive’s current Programme for Govt. – 35% reduction in GHGs by 2025

• DETI heat targets (Strategic Energy Framework)– 10% by 2020 (approx 4% by 2015 PfG)– 6% by 2016 achieved

• DETI electricity targets (SEF)– 40% by 2020 (approx 20% by 2015)– 23% by 2016 achieved

UK Govt to achieve 15% RE by 2020 (EU RED)UK Govt to achieve 11% of UK's total primary energy demand from biomass by 2020

Agri & Water Policy Drivers

• EU Water Framework Directive (Improve water quality)• DRD Long Term Water Strategy, Social & Environmental

Guidance• AFSB “Going for Growth”

– Increase in food production and agri-food processing– Increasing outputs– Sustainable Intensification

• Increasing energy demands• Increasing waste management• Biosolids / Organic waste recycling

• Recommendation 22 – Govt. must develop a Strategic Land Management Policy, specific to Agriculture ……Whilst enhancing Environmental Sustainability.

• Recommendation 25 – Govt. must review incentives for renewables to be complementary to the agri-food industry

WFD Status (2008-2011)• Improve and obtain good qualitative status of all water

bodies.– Chemical and Biological status – Minimal chemical pollution with regards to

environmental quality of river basin systems including groundwater and ecosystems.

• 72% of Northern Irish river sites had annual average P concentrations in excess of 0.02 mg l-1

• 6 lakes eutrophic and 11 mesotrophic due to N concentrations.

• The removal and reduction of discharges from small rural WWTWs into these river basin catchment districts can help us reach these goals

Ref:- (2012) Report on the State of Implementation of the Nitrates Directive in the United

Kingdom (Northern Ireland) 2008-2011. DoE, DARD.

Waste Water ManagementProof of Concept

• Water Utility (NIWater) requirements to improve sustainability.– Reduce costs, energy, GHG emissions & sludge!

Drumkee Treatment Works (50+YO) • Treating a population of approximately 23 people• Discharge into a small stream with variable flow rates. • Baffled reception tank with overflow to a percolating gravel filter• Adapted to divert the discharge to a collection sump for

controlled irrigation to willows.

Municipal Waste Water Scheme

Data Collection / Presentation

• Data acquisition– Frequent SMS– Real time SCADA

• Logging, recording– Temp– Rainfall – Volume irrigated– Volume in-flow– Zones Correlation– Web Application.

Data Log

Internet

GSMData Collection

GSM Network

Data Access

Irrigation pattern since commissioning

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

010203040506070

Cum. Irrigation Volume (m3)

Daily Irrigation Volume (m3)

Date

Daily Irrigation Volume (m3) Cum Irrigation Volume (m3)

• Approximate Daily irrigation of 5m3/day • Some spikes (errors/ flow back)• Harvesting period (discharge to stream)• Estimated 10% overflow back to the stream

Results• Irrigation data was recorded and uploaded via a GPRS facility

to an on-line data storage and management application.• Stream water and borehole water indicated minimal changes.• Yearly nutrient recycling …

• Over 90% recycled to biomass crop …• Environmental Control• Harvesting period• Breakdown / power outage

• Costing and emissions

Volume Total Total Totalrecycled Nitrogen Phosphorus Sus. Soilds(m3/y) (kg/y) (kg/y) (kg/y)

2014 1620 75 10 2152015 2316 107 14 307

Average 1968 91 12 261

Licensing & Regulations• You Want to do what ???

– Many precedents but not in Ireland or UK (Sweden)• NI - (DOE) consent to the discharges of waste water to the

environment in accordance with the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.

• RoI - Planning & Development Act [2000-2010] [Regulations] Part 8 Planning Approval.– Public notification and consultation– Discharge Points ? Sampling Points ?– Environmental Monitoring ?– Nutrient Management Planning– Irrigation and discharge conditions (Temperature, rainfall,

proximity water course, snow cover …)• Variable Discharge Consenting – “…When these conditions

prevail the primary treated effluent shall discharge to the nearby watercourse”

Nutrient Management

• Sustainable Nutrient Recycling!– SRC Willow fertilisation

• In line with nutrient management and recommendations– Ref. Fertiliser Manual (RB209) 8th edition

(ref. extra recognition)– Teagasc recommendations and – Independent AFBI data

• The different irrigation schemes represent the following..• 24 to 70 kg Nitrogen/ha/year and • 3 to 8 kg Phosphorus/ha/year• 1,300 to 2,200 m3/ha/year

NEXT STEPS

• Bridge the “Valley of Death”• Further regulatory confidence • Further commercial confidence• More publicity of benefits• Larger and longer term trial required !

ANSWER - EU(Agricultural Need for Sustainable Willow Effluent Recycling).

• Cross-border• Examining the use of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC)

willow for the bioremediation of effluents and leachates.

• Partners are NIWater, South West College, Teagasc, Sligo IT, Monaghan County Council and Donegal County Council

• The total funding is £2.1m ($3m) over four years.

Research• The study of the identification of the best SRC

willow genotypes for bioremediation, • The effect of effluents and leachates on willow

plants and their ability to take up nutrients• Changes in soil following long-term irrigation• Survival of human pathogenic bacteria (coliforms,

Campylobacter, Salmonella spp.) in the soil and • The impact of irrigation on biodiversity e.g.

Earthworms.• Studies of overland flow• 2 PhDs and 1 MSc

The EU ANSWER project“Taking it to the next level”

• 14 ha site - Bridgend Co Donegal• 7ha site - Clontibret Co Monaghan• 5ha site - Knockatallon Co Monaghan• 15ha site - Dromore Co Tyrone• 12 x lysimeters for landfill leachate• 2.5ha site with ICW - PoC Co Donegal

Upgrading WWTWs

Construction

Pumping Main & Valves

Challenges

Main pipeline and irrigation pipes.

Solenoid controlled valve on main pipe feed.

ConstructionIrrigation Pipework in a young plantation

27

Pre Harvesting

28

Post Harvesting

Bridgend SRC willow Scheme -Landscape

Bridgend SRC willow Scheme

• 3 Fields -14 ha• Irrigation pipe main• Discharge Point

1

23

Irrigation zones at BridgendDesign by Laqua showing

rising main & 25 zones

• PLC Control• Environmental stimuli

• Temperature• air• soil

• Soil Moisture• Rainfall

• amount• intensity

Valves turn on for an amount of time to irrigate…. little & often.

2014 to 2015Total Inflow = 65,298 m3

Total Irrigated = 30,816 m3

Recycled = 47%(980 kgN, 45 kgP)84 m3/day

2015 to 2016Total Inflow = 56,350 m3

Total Irrigated = 29,422 m3

(930 kgN, 43 kgP)Recycled = 52%96 m3/day

(14ha) ANSWER Scheme - Flow Data

72%

81%

85%

0100020003000400050006000700080009000

10000

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Irrigated. vol (m3) InFlow vol (m3)

0100020003000400050006000700080009000

10000

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Irrigated. vol (m3) InFlow vol (m3)

Nutrient Loading

• Bridgend approx 79% of estimated loading • All schemes well within nutrient loading capability• All schemes removing large amounts of nutrient from the water environment

WWTW Loading Est. PEb Irrigated Hydraulic loading Suspended Solids Nitrogen Phosphorus(ha) (m3/ha) (kg/ha/y) (kg/ha/y) (kg/ha/y)

Bridgend Total 670 33428 1671 1056 49Per ha 14 2388 119 75 4

Clontibbret Total 200 16259 537 525 76Per ha 7 2323 77 75 11

Knockatallon Total 105 15704 1225 427 57Per ha 5 3141 245 85 11

Dromore Total 520a 32266 549 365 50Per ha 15 2151 37 24 3

Drumkee Total 25 1968 261 91 12Per ha 1 1968 261 91 12

Agri-Food Sector

The Challenge

Option 1

• Continue to irrigate waste water to grassland and tankering to other farms• Concerns – Ongoing cost, environmental compliance risk, high carbon

footprint of tankering, unsustainable.

Option 2

• Mechanical / Biological / Chemical waste water treatment on site• Concerns – High CAPEX and no option for local treated effluent discharge so

tankering still required with associated high carbon footprint.

Option 3

• Effluent pre-treatment and transportation to treatment works• Concerns - High CAPEX and high carbon footprint and cost of tankering and

effluent disposal.

Option 4

• Effluent pre-treatment and irrigation to a local willow plantation• Benefits – Low cost, low energy, negative carbon footprint especially when

accounting for the energy generated.

(1) Dairy Processor

Construction & Control

(2) Fruit Processor

(2) Fruit processing waste water

Nutrient Management / Loading

• Sustainable management of waste water• No transportation costs• Automated irrigation• 3 yearly harvest (130 tonnes wood chip 0%dm)

•700MW (67,000 litres of heating oil)•Biomass installation for process heat

Land area 4.5 haHydraulic loading 640 m3/ha/yearNitrogen loading 44 kg/ha/yearPhosphorus loading 5 kg/ha/yearPotassium loading 95 kg/ha/year

• Uptake and implementation– Entrepreneurial– Still requiring confidence (TRL 8/9) Development & testing– Landfill leachate application (TRL 3/4) Research to prove feasibility

Farm, Agri-food, municipal and other Applications

Landfill Leachate

• Landfills leachate – highly environmentally damaging• High cost and carbon footprint to manage (WWT and tankering)• On site treatment issues – NIEA / evidence gaps• Facilitate the addressing of our growing water quality and landfill leachate

problems in N.Ireland. (1,000,000 m3 /year of leachate (£13m) to tanker off-site. SME and local council costs + Treatment costs & ‘C’ £££).

• Closed, Legacy and illegal sites

Evidence Gaps• Efficacy of willow to manage

leachate in N.Ireland maritime climate.

• Effect of rain fall and its contamination.

• Requirements for Regulation– Lining / Isolation– Landfill / brownfield– Agricultural land

• Ground and surface Water contamination.

• Biomass contamination.• Cost effectiveness.

EU - Potential for Circular Economy

Council Primary School (99kW)

Biomass Processing

centre

4.5 ha SRC willow To Manage leachate

HoweverPlans Exist !

Landfill Lysimeter Platform

•Twelve 12m x 6m contained lysimeters•Automated irrigation•>10 SRC willow clonal variations•Investigate (drainage water, treatment, biomass, soil …)

Proof of Concept Platform

Discharged

Continuous analyser

Recycled to header tank

•Efficacy of leachate treatment / effect of rainfall•Crop resilience / effectivness / operation performance

Future Bids

• Developing H2020 bid– Nutrient partitioning from wastes via energy cropping

• Developing INTERREG bid– Brownfield site remediation

• Submitted INTERREG bid– Determine the extent of small WWTW risk on

downstream water quality and efficacy of SRC– Willow biomass for diffuse pollution mitigation– Support for developing Biomass Supply chain

Direct effect of point Source on WFD

WWTW PE

WFD status

Disconnecting hydrological connectivity

• Woody Riparian Strips, placed in the ― path of “Over Land Flows” to ― break the flow of water, ― to precipitate sediment & P― provide better biodiversity, ― carbon sequestration and ― renewable fuel to heat farm house etc.

• Woody Biofiltration blocks, downhill― of farm yards & ― at discharges to septic tanks, ― to catch and filter grey water

• Subject of a recently approved INTERREG VB NPA

ConclusionsRenewable Energy and Biomass Research for N.I.

• Renewable energy targets, security, cost, local employment (DETI)• Agricultural benefits - land diversification, product value chain,

sustainability (DARD)• Waste water infrastructure - cost reduction, compliance, GHG

mitigation (DRD)• Environmental benefits – GHGs reduction, water quality,

environmental compliance, biodiversity (DOE)

• Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) – opportunities to harmonise the agri and environment benefits of

this work area and restrict ……. Falling between several stools !

• A tri-jurisdictional alliance launched in 2006• Aims to promote collaborative innovative research projects which

create value above and beyond individual efforts.• Scientists from the U.S., Ireland, and Northern Ireland may

develop collaborative applications and submit those, via a U.S. scientist, through an existing NIFA Request for Application that addresses the pilot research priorities.

• Agriculture – new for 2016 - focus on strategic research priorities of mutual interest. Four priority areas identified: – understanding plant associated microorganisms and plant-

microbe interactions; – plant-associated insects and nematodes; – animal health and disease; – and animal nutrition, growth, and lactation.

• U.S. funding provided through USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), additional funding of: • Up to €350,000 from Republic of Ireland’s Department of

Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) • Up to £250,00 from Northern Ireland Department of

Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). • The involvement of industry is also encouraged on a self-

financing basis • First call anticipated around mid to late April 2016• Further details - https://www.dardni.gov.uk/articles/us-

ireland-research-and-development-partnership-call-agriculture

Thank you

• Chris.Johnston@afbini.gov.uk

Effluent Comparisons

Parameter Bridgenda Clontibbretb Knockatallonb Dromorec Drumkeed Culmore Primary Greyabbey primary Culmore landfill Linwoods Hillsborough FDW(mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l) (mg/l)

NH3-N 10.6 32.3 27.2 1.1 44.4 493.0Total-N 31.6 32.3 27.2 11.3 1.7 18.3 16.1 494.5 47.1 160.7Total-P 1.5 4.7 3.6 1.6 6.0 4.4 7.0 3.3 1.6 55.5ss 50.0 33 78.0 17.0 132.5 430.3 98.0BOD 22.4 43 85.0 10.0 135.0 152.4 2694.0COD 93.0 130 180.0 n/a 367.0 634.0 296.0pH 7.3 N/A N/A 7.5 7.9 7.0 7.1 6.7 7.8 5.9EC 1989.0 2820.0 4009.0chloride 634.7a Data from Donegal County Council (2012)b Data from Monaghan County Council (2013/2014)c Data from NIWater (2011/2012)d Data from NIWater (2005/2006)

Effect of irrigation on electrical conductivity (µS cm-1)

• EC increases due to irrigation• During non irrigation periods, EC levels fall

2012 2013

Effect of irrigation on pH

• Decrease in pH measured due to irrigation• During non-irrigation periods, pH rises

2012 2013

Borewell N concentration

• No evidence of N migration to the groundwater• Borewells < 2.5 mg l-1: primary effluent = 18.3 mg l-1