Key role of bioenergy in the future renewable growth in Bulgaria
Interview with Chavadar Aygatov, Manager of ELLON, exhibitor at ‘EE & RE’ 2015
Bioenergy will be at the heart of future renewable energy growth in Bulgaria due to its great potential. An essential increase in the sector is expected in the coming years thanks to the well-developed agriculture, forestry, wood industry and policy framework supporting RES. Production of biofuels and energy from biomass are considered as a perspective market niche.
According to the latest statistics, bioenergy remains the major source among renewables in Europe, accounting for almost 62% of European renewables and showing steady growth patterns across the different market segments.
From the 11th to the 13th of March 2015 the Bulgarian capital Sofia will host the 11th edition of the annual Exhibition and Conference on Energy Efficiency and Renewables (EE & RE).
Companies working in the field of bioenergy show a strong interest in the event. Leading names will put on display their latest products and technologies.
We are pleased to introduce ELLON – one of our exhibitors. The manager Mr. Aygatov shares with us information about their realized project and what will drive the future company development ahead.
Have a nice reading,
Via Expo – www.viaexpo.com
● Mr. Aygatov, ELLON is a company that operates in the HVAC area and you recently opened a biogas power-plant in Tsalapitsa. Tell us more about this modern facility.
The project BionaGas is a biogas installation with a total capacity of 1.5 MWe. The main loading component for the fermenter is a mixture of cattle manure, supplemented with corn silage and straw. The installation is localized on the land of Tsalapitsa. It consists of a silage-transferring device, a pump-charged system and cutting mechanism, two main fermenters combined with a final fermenter, a separating press, lagoons, a subscriber station and a cogeneration facility with a room for monitoring and control. The high efficiency is achieved through two-stage fermentation with a final fermenter, combined with an improved mixing technology.
The processes are entirely automated. The daily quantity of material placed in the fermenters consists of 55 tons of manure and 70 tons of silage. The silage is preserved from one harvest to the next in large bundles, right out on the field.
The end product – biological compost, is used to fertilize the lands that produce the silage, and the dry component can be packed for the needs of the floriculture. The biogas power-plant fulfills the important EU requirement that all cattle farms need to have their own lagoons for storing cattle dung.
● What kind of projects are you working on at the moment and what are your plans for ELLON’s development in this direction?
Ellon company is a subsidiary of ATARO Clima, whose main activity is ventilation and air conditioning. Ellon was founded in Plovdiv in 2010 with the purpose of producing, developing and designing systems for HVAC installations and fitting structures for photovoltaic installations. For two years now Ellon has been working in the field of biogas systems.
Our partners from the photovoltaic sector will certainly confirm that the future of renewable energy lies in biogas and biomass power stations. This is why we hasten to meet market demand and constantly keep in contact with Bulgarian farmers. According to the Nitrate Directive farmers can build such power-plants that not only utilize the collected manure, but also receive funds from energy-distributing associations. Biogas is different, individually settled by law. The produced heat can be used not only for electricity production, but also for dry-rooms and greenhouses, significantly reducing heating costs.
● Your company will once again participate in ‘EE & RE’ 2015. What new developments will you introduce and what clients would you like to meet during the event?
Our future clients would mainly be people working in the stock-farming sector, because they are the ones that face problems with manure. It is necessary to breed over 200 heads of cattle or the required number of pigs, as well as sign a contract for silage purchasing or own land for producing silage. Currently, smaller farms and producers face financial problems, because building a biogas power-station requires substantial funds. The new Program Period presents a wonderful opportunity for solving the problem with waste products by having the option to finance such installations.
This will both ease and benefit farmers. The biogas installation law gives great priority to stock-breeders in this matter. Ellon is the only home company that both designs and builds biogas installations in Bulgaria. This is why we would be glad to cooperate with Bulgarian farmers.
