THIS month will see the first outing of research findings from an important Victorian-based dairy project.
At the 2015 Victorian Bioenergy Forum, chemical engineer James Yodgee from Algae Enterprises will discuss the pilot that used algae to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from dairy wastewater to produce an easily-manageable slow-release organic fertiliser.
The forum, to be held at Heyfield on June 18, will involve plenty of dynamic presentations from Algae Enterprises and other bioenergy enthusiasts on topics ranging from developing small-scale bioenergy projects, to funding and undertaking feasibility studies, through to implementation.
The algae pilot has demonstrated the process is low-cost and there is the potential to use algae biomass as a high-energy boost for anaerobic digesters.
It has strong potential to be rolled out to the about 4500 dairy farms in Victoria, which everyday produce many litres of waste water from hosing out the milking shed. Cow manure and other waste makes this water rich in compounds and micro-organisms that can damage river ecosystems.
The former Department of Environment and Primary Industries (now part of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources) worked with Algae Enterprises to run a successful Market Validation Program project to demonstrate the potential of algae in treating dairy effluent on a farm-scale at its Ellinbank dairy research facility.
Algae Enterprises chief executive Ayal Marek said the project delivered strong results.
“The challenge has been implementing this technology in a way that is commercially viable for farmers. Cleaning the water was the main target, but you can add value for farmers, and that’s what we were able to do,” Mr Marek said.
Details: Visit Gippsland Bioenergy Forum's Facebook page.
