Bioenergy Australia Webinar Series

Recent estimates suggest that ca. 1.3 billion tons of food are lost every year across the globe.

The method of choice to treat and recover food waste in a circular economy is anaerobic digestion (AD) which is now undertaken commercially at a large scale internationally.

This webinar will present an overview on the dramatic scenario of food waste being lost along the whole food value chain and will provide an international perspective of the role that AD of food waste can play to reduce the 4 million tonnes of food that reach Australian landfills each year.

The presenters will also discuss potential waste management strategies to support source separation of food waste.

Attendees will include waste managers of food industries, waste management schemes officers as well as consultants and even operators of AD installations.

Agenda:

4.00 pm: Welcome

4.05 pm: Introduction to Task 37 “Energy from Biogas” and setting the scene for food waste as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion in Australia (Bernadette McCabe)

4.15 pm: Overview of the Task 37 technical brochure: Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste for a Circular Economy (Urs Baier)

4:30pm: UK perspectives of anaerobic digestion of food waste (Charles Banks)

4.45 pm: Questions

5:00pm: Close

Presenters:

Professor Bernadette McCabe - Bernadette McCabe is a principal scientist at the University of Southern Queensland's (USQ) Centre for Agricultural Engineering (CAE) and is the Research Program Team Leader for Energy and Bioresource Recycling. Bernadette is Australia's National Team Leader for the International Energy Agency Bioenergy program Task 37: Energy from Biogas and is a Board Director at Bioenergy Australia. Bernadette has a background in agricultural biotechnology and has 20 years’ experience as an academic and researcher. Her research interest in energy capture, resource recovery of waste and biofertilisers has been applied to the livestock and cropping sectors (both on and off farm) and water utilities.

Professor Urs Baier - Urs Baier is Professor for Environmental Biotechnology at the ZHAW University of Applied Sciences since 1994. Under his guidance, an interdisciplinary team is developing technologies and implementing management strategies for organic wastes, biomass, water, wastewater and sewage sludge, exhaust air and flue gas, as well as biological inoculum for environmental applications. These applications are typically based on microbial processes performed under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, which, amongst others, are components of composting or biogas production technologies. Agriculture, horticulture and food processing industries are the major collaborating partners in both industrialized and third world countries. Since 2004, he developed strong activities in quality control and hygienisation concepts for bio waste treatment (including ecotoxicological issues). In this context, from 2007 to 2012, he was member of the Advisory Group of the Swiss Ecotox Centre. Based on his activities he has become one of the leading Swiss experts in organic waste treatment and biogas technologies. Since 2014, he is a member of SCCER BIOSWEET Swiss Competence Centre for Energy Research – Biomass for Swiss Energy Future. From 2016, he holds a mandate of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE within the implementing agreement Bioenergy of the IEA International Energy Agency.

Professor Charles Banks - Charles Prof Banks is Emeritus Professor of Environmental Biotechnology in the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton. He has interests in the areas of:
• Innovative technology for environmental protection and resource management
• Renewable energy from biomass and wastes
• Waste management
• Wastewater treatment

Cost:

Bioenergy Australia Members: FREE

Non-Members: $30 (excl GST)

Time:

Please note time is 16:00 to 17:00 AEST