China Agricultural University's Energy Engineering and Low Carbon Technology Lab/Renewable Resources Lab

Mission

The Energy Engineering and Low Carbon Technology Lab (EELC)/Renewable Resources Lab of China Agricultural University (RRL) are both dedecated to the development of Renewable Resources Production and Low Carbon Technologies, especially the technologies for bioenergy (biomass production like algae, biogas, gasification, biomass direct combustion for affordable, clean and efficient cooking and heating in the rural areas), solar energy (passive solar house and hot water heater), animal manure treatment and recycling (waste treatment, fertilizer and power generation, earthworm), plant residues resourcilization (feed, recycle into the soil, direct fuel, and biogas), village organic wastewater treatment (family wetland device, village wastewater treatment), and so on. Biogas, rural wastewater treatment, and affordable/clean/efficient cooking and heating are the three main research priorities of RRL.
A special laboratary of Biogas Engineering Lab has been set up for biogas technology innovation and test. It includes new technologies introduction and verification of foreign practices.
A special laboratary of Biomass Stove Combustion Lab has been set up also. The interests in affordable/clean/efficient cooking and heating include the study on the complex combustion in the biomass furnace, the emission assessment, the efficiency and convenience improvement, and the outlook design.

Organization Type Academia

Contact Information

Primary Contact
Dr. Renjie Dong
rjdong@cau.edu.cn
Secondary Contact
Ms. Jiaxin LIU
ndljx53719@sina.com
Address P O Box 184, East Campus, China Agricultural University
Beijing, Beijing
100083
China
Website www.cau.edu.cn
Phone 86 10 62737693
Fax 86 10 62737704
Calling/Fax Instructions

Our Focus

Primary Initiatives, Target Populations, and Scope of Work:

Overall Target: help farmers and un-rich people in China and Africa; work with pioneers in China, America and Europe for rural development; Lightening Africa

Initiatives:(1) Biogas Engineering
Targets: (1) Co-fermentation. (2) Affordabale and Economically Acceptable technology extension. (3) Digestates treatment to prevent secondary pollution into the environment. (4) GHGs emission monitoring and reduction. (5) Clean and Convenient Energy for cooking and lightening
Scale: (1) Village. (2) Livestock Farm

Initiatives:(2) Biomass Stove Technology
Targets: (1) Family-scale Gasification. (2) Gasify all kinds of organic residues including kitchen waste, plant and forest residues, and so on. (3) Clean and Convenient Energy for cooking, heating and lightening. (4) Inddor Air Quality monitoring and improvement.
Scale: (1) Village. (2) Family

Initiatives:(3) Algal Biomass Production
Targets: (1) Fast Algal Biomass production. (2) Crude Oil conversion from Algal Cellulose. (3) Clean and Convenient Energy for cooking, heating and lightening. (4) Organic Waste Water Treatment by Algal production. (5) Biological Carbon Cature and Storage (BioCCS).
Scale: Large region consists of lots of small scale algal production units

Initiatives:(4) Strategic Planning
Targets: (1) Regional strategy for biomass based energy development and ecological recovery and protection. (2) National strategy for biomass based energy development and ecological recovery and protection.
Scale: Large region or whole Nation

Fuels/Technologies: Biogas
Biomass
Solar
Sectors of Experience: Agriculture
Education
Energy
Environment
Renewable Energy
Rural Development
Water
Countries of Operation: Guinea
China
United States

Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas

Social/Cultural barriers to using traditional fuels and stoves:

Not convenient and clean enough and time-effective for farmers to use the traditional fuels and stoves; mis-understanding of "Modern" concept; and the young generation love to use easy/fast/convenient commercial fuels; not fully understanding of algae-energy conversion technologies.


Market development for improved cooking technologies:

Improved stoves usually have high cost and price, which is a barrier for marketing. The addvertisement for the benefits of the improved stoves will be much helpful for marketing. Better performance (efficiency/conveniency/emission/reasonable price) is the base for marketing.
After Copenhagen COnference, CCS for climate change control is attracting lot of focuses.


Technology standardization for cooking, heating and ventilation:

While national standards for farmers cooking and heating systems, the standards are not practically useful nowadays. New technical standards for design/outlook/installation and manufacturing/performance tests are necessary.
Standards for large biogas plants and algal production are also necessary for consideration.


Indoor air pollution exposure and health monitoring:

EELC/RRL carried out large scale and very diversed monitoring of stoves in rural regions. Factors relative to IAQ have been analysed. Collaborations are conducted with the Netherlands, US and India for IAQ monitoring.

Relevant Publications or Studies

About 100 articles but most in Chinese.

Our Contribution to the Partnership

1- Training on IAQ monitoring practices, experiences, technologies, knowlaedge, as well as monitoring devices usage. 2- Traning on biogas related technologies and knowledges cooperation. 3- Rural organic wastewater treatment technologies and extension/training. 4- Algal breeding and production, as well as algal crude oil conversion technologies. 5-Stategy development. 6-GHGs monitoring