Tag: <span>AF WG</span>

Biomethane and Biorefineries – a perfect match?

In a valuable and promising initiative, a joint Biorefinery and Biomethane event was held on 22 Oct 2025 at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. The event was organised by IEA Bioenergy’s Task 42 Biorefining in a circular economy and Task 37 Energy from Biogas as part of a two-day joint …

Anaerobic Fermentation at the BBNet Conference – talk now available

Dr Yue Zhang’s invited talk on The Anaerobic Fermentation Working Group, and the role of Anaerobic Fermentation in the circular bio-economy is now available here on EBNet’s Youtube channel. The talk was given at the 4th BBNet conference The Future Prospects for Biorefining: Feedstocks, Technologies & Products held on 15-17 Oct …

Rags to riches, muck to brass?  Waste Crime finally hits the news

The UK’s huge problem with waste crime  –  the illegal and dangerous disposal of waste materials  –  is finally attracting some attention:  see BBC News, other media and responses from bodies such as CIWM, Environment Agency etc. A short report from the House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee …

19th IWA World Conference on AD (and all the rest) – abstracts due 1 Dec 2025

Date and venue: 9-13 June 2026 in Valencia, Spain Attention all EBNet members  –  not just those primarily interested in anaerobic digestion (AD).  The 19th IWA World Conference on Anaerobic Digestion has a range of topics directly relevant to several of our Working Groups: Adding value to (bio)gas (AD, AF …

Bioenergy and bioeconomy network synergies – IEA Report

An IEA Inter-Task report on Synergies for bioenergy supply chain in Bioeconomy networks describes efforts to expand the current linear value chain perspective into a broader network-based view of bioenergy and bioeconomy systems. The report introduces a framework to help identify and leverage synergies between bioenergy supply chains, biobased materials …

IWA on Resource recovery from wastewater

Thumbs up to a featured item in the International Water Association (IWA)’s The Source magazine, on Rethinking resource recovery in wastewater.  While it’s an opinion piece, rather than a presentation of fresh results or research, it marshals the arguments well and covers a wide perspective.  It also makes the powerful …

Tannery wastes – AD or AF?

A recent review paper looks at the application of anaerobic digestion (AD) for treatment of tannery wastes – including waste generated in leather production, and sludges from the treatment of tannery effluents. Leather production has historically been a notoriously polluting process, and despite technology improvements it continues to produce a …

BBIA webinars – introducing key bioeconomy concepts

The Bio-Based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) is hosting three free online sessions introducing key concepts in Bio-based and Biodegradable Materials for the circular bioeconomy. These sessions may be of interest to all EBNet members, especially ECRs and those interested in the activities of our Anaerobic Fermentation WG. Demystifying the …

Water treatment sludges – UKWIR study: but could we go further?

Earlier this year UKWIR published a study entitled Circular Economy – Water Treatment Sludges, which aimed to assess the current uses and marketplace for water sludges. The work forms part of UKWIR’s Big Question 11  –  how do we embed and maximise a sustainable circular economy within the water sector …

Joint call to promote nutrients in the EU Circular Economy Act

The European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform (ESPP) is inviting organisations to sign a letter calling for ambitious targets for nutrients in the EU’s Circular Economy Act. Sustainable nutrient supply and management is a critical issue for many regions, with several countries including the UK currently reviewing associated regulations: any further developments …

Organic Waste Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Biorefinery production

Two recent reports by IEA Bioenergy’s Task 43 add to the literature on assessing and tracking the availability of biomass feedstocks for production of bioenergy, biofuels and bioproducts. The Review of feedstock supply for bioenergy in selected IEA Bioenergy member countries aims to define and inform a structured framework for …

Integration of biorefineries and green hydrogen – TEA and case studies

A new report from IEA Bioenergy’s Task 42: Biorefining in a Circular Economy highlights the potential of combining biomass-based processes with locally-sourced hydrogen derived from surplus renewable energy.  The report includes four case studies – in Australia, Brazil, Italy and the USA – and suggests some guidelines for the establishment …

FOG in the news

A recent UKWIR Report on options for charging UK food service establishments based on the fats, oils and grease (FOG) content of their wastewater raises many fascinating questions. Alongside the practical and economic challenges of implementation, it notes our limited understanding of how these materials pose a risk to sewerage …