Programme:

Part 1: Welcome to the seminar
 Introduction of the seminar participants and experts
 Expectations from the seminar
 Collection of the first questions

Part 2: General introduction into biogas technology
 Status and prospects of the technology in Europe
 Definitions and biogas composition
 Technology overview and its main components

Part 3: Building and equipment for biogas projects in South Africa
 Status and future of the technology in South Africa
 Comparison between Europe and South Africa
 Low tech versus industrial standard
 Suitability of South African building standards
 Quality and durability of equipment

Part 4: Different technologies and components of biogas plants
 Wet and dry fermentation plants
 Bio-waste digestion
 Agricultural biogas plants
 Treatment of industrial effluents
 Experiences with investment and operation
 Developments and adaptations of the technology

Part 5: Experiences with biogas plant equipment in South Africa
 Pumps, mixers, compressors, pipes
 Measurements: temperature, flow, pressure
 Digester types and installation technology
 Process and feed in technology

Second day

Part 1: Overview of different substrates which can be used into a biogas plants and its advantages and disadvantages
 Input substrates: agricultural slurries, industrial and communal organic residues
 Pre-treatment and pre-storage
 Gas yields from residue material and industrial wastes
 Wastes as a feedstock for biogas plants
 Pollutants and contraries in bio-waste

Part 2: Introductory microbial physiology in biogas reactors
 Introductory microbial metabolism and growth parameters
 Introductory microbial genetics and population dynamics
 Microbial biogas production requirements and products, Including seeding, population development time and acclimatisation
 What do microbes do inside a biodigester?

Part 3: Basic engineering parameters for the operation of a biogas plant with different substrates
 Basic principles of process technology
 Temperature, retention time, organic loading rate
 Operating experiences from 8000 agro-industrial biogas plants
 Conditions for the generation of biogas
 Process failures and trouble shooting

Part 4: Start-up phase and practical measures for monitoring the digestion process
 Initial phase: seeding, heating and start of the feeding
 Daily monitoring and maintenance
 Testing parameters during operation
 Practical devices for on-site monitoring (FOS/TAC, pH, gas analysis)

Third day

Part 1: Safety aspects and standards with biogas plants
 Definitions: explosive zones, distances, materials
 Choosing technical equipment under safety aspects
 Designing failures
 Technical failures
 South African safety standards

Part 2: Biogas management, treatment and upgrading
 Basic biogas cleaning steps
 Desulphurisation technologies
 Upgrading technologies - pros and cons
 Quality of biomethane versus Natural Gas
 Gas safety

Part 3: Proper usage of digestate as organic fertilizer in agriculture
Environmental aspects
 Application and management of digestate
 Digestate processing
 Treatment costs – profitability
 Digestate handling in South Africa
 Preparation of digestate / delivering to third party

Fourth day

Part 1: Trip to exemplary biogas plant(s) in the Western Cape Region (to be confirmed)
 Talk to operator and analyze his practical operation
 Discuss trouble shooting needs
 Practical lab test on site (FOS/TAC tests)

Part 2: Trip to exemplary biogas plant(s) in the Western Cape Region (to be confirmed)
 Talk to operator and analyze his practical operation
 Discuss trouble shooting needs

Programme may be subject to change