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| MAGazinE 17 M a g azin 16 EnviTec

Annual Magazine of EnviTec Biogas

Plant Construction Joyeux anniversaire EnviTec Biogas in its tenth year in France – French farmers like Régis Marie join forces with

EnviTec to promote the energy transition. +++ News from our company  Page 14 +++ Interviews, state- ments and opinions +++ Projects, technologies, services Annual magazine of EnviTec Biogas Annual magazine of EnviTec

Plant construction EnviTec grows its market share in Asia  Page 18 Service The engine experts – EnviTec’s all-round service  Page 33 company 100% satisfaction: customer survey results  Page 44 2 Editorial Editorial 3

Editorial Dear Readers,

Flexibility is the name of the game! Especially when this involves becoming and staying relevant as a mid-sized The yearly magazine of EnviTec Biogas company in the biogas market. Thanks to a sustainable busi- informs customers, employees and investors ness model, dedicated staff and our valued customers, we can look back with satisfaction on a successful past year and about its current activities. have every confidence as we look to the future.

This year, we have once again put our innovative skills and energies to good use. As a European technology leader, we’re setting standards in the market. Here, our in-house operations are the driving force behind our company’s suc- cess. Our pipeline is also well-stocked: there is a focus on our Service Team’s flexibilisation and repowering projects in Germany, while foreign projects are making waves with our EnviThan gas upgrading technology. Demand in this area is particularly high in France, as well as in China and Denmark.

This year, we’re celebrating our tenth anniversary in the French market, and it’s our flexible waste material model EnviWaste that’s winning over more and more agricul- turalists here. Our title story joins Sylvain Mesnard, who helped launch our French operations, and Christian Ernst, the Managing Director of our EnviTec Biogas branch office in France, for a ten-year retrospective of plant construction in Europe’s biggest agricultural nation.

While market prospects are good, we need to look further than our order pipeline, however. The competition never sleeps – and we must work continuously to keep our technological edge, identify the latest trends and continue to expand our portfolio. One example is gas feed-in, for example, where we are now extending our portfolio to CNG plant. Thanks to our partnership with the long-established CNG unit at Munich-based Bauer Kompressoren, a complete package from biodegradable waste to the CNG pump can now be offered from a single source (see Management Board interview, p. 10).

Our order books are not the only area where our flexible and farsighted management is proving its worth. We have to stay adaptable as people, too: Brexit, Trump & Co. are now disrupting the established equilibrium of policy and markets. Thanks to the versa- tility of our team, however, we are well-placed to weather turbulent times in the biogas market. Which is why we have dedicated the last double-page spread to showcasing the flexibility of our 439 colleagues at home and abroad. You’ll probably recognise a familiar face or two!

I hope you enjoy reading the sixth issue of our magazine,

Jörg Fischer, CFO EnviTec Biogas AG 4 Content Content 5 Content

EnviThan making inroads into the gas upgrading market Flexible at EnviTec: the variety of career paths taken by our employees

Please

feel free to 10 28 36 46 send feedback and entries for our next issue to our From biodegradable waste to the CNG pump: service stations New laboratory for our biological service in China powered by EnviTec editorial staff at magazin@envitec- biogas.de!

02 Editorial plant CONSTRUCTION 22 Full steam ahead Service company 05 Imprint for R&D 04 Content 13 Plant construction 31 service news 43 Company news EnviTec Biogas AG EnviTec Biogas invests around Boschstr. 2 news one million Euros in Research 06 Good to know … 33 the engine experts 44 100 % satisfaction 48369 Saerbeck and Development in 2016. Important and not-so- 14 Joyeux anniversaire Technical service at A clear sign that Tel. 02574 8888-0 [email protected] important news from the EnviTec Biogas EnviTec Biogas is seen as a EnviTec France 28 enviThan scores [email protected] industry and our company leading provider of all-in-one Our French subsidiary a score www.envitec-biogas.de solutions both domestically celebrates its 10th anniversary. 36 Precise analysis 08 Photo of the Year EnviThan conquers the and internationally Publisher: State-of-the-art lab tech + gas upgrading market at a EnviTec Biogas AG 18 asia goes green biological know-how = faster 10 interview with the breathtaking pace. 46 Flexibility Chief Editor: Well begun is half done. service Katrin Hackfort, EnviTec Biogas AG Management Board Few companies offer as wide Concept and Design: a range of career choices as Flexibility in all areas 20 setting a shining 38 retrofitting made easy Kreutzmann Unternehmens- EnviTec kommunikation, Hamburg example Whether flexitime or flexible Source of pictures pages 6/7, 19: investments, it always pays to EnviTec now building for the 50 Highlights 2016/2017 www.fotolia.de DONG Energy Group. be versatile Title: Régis Marie (r.), operator of Impressions from the last Agri Energie, Étréville (Normandy), financial year 40 Proactive protection with plant manager Loïc Chaise

The EnviTec allrounder team EnviTec MAGAzin is available free, now offers consulting services by post or e-mail. Reproduction, on safety topics. even in part, only with approval of the editorial staff. Printed on 100% recycling paper. 6 Good to know … Good to know … 7

Good to know …

Over 900 public filling stations are available in Germany for environmentally-aware car owners. Finding them is as simple as following the filling station sign with a CNG (compressed natural gas) symbol. EnviTec Biogas is also betting on CNG and has expanded its portfolio to include CNG plants. Thanks to our partnership with the long-established CNG unit at Munich-based Bauer Kompressoren, a complete package from biodegradable waste to the CNG pump can now be offered from a single source ( see also Management 15.000 Euro every year Board interview, p. 10). The tax rebate enjoyed by French biogas plant operators since 2016. While French annual tax legislation introduced tax relief for agricultural biogas plants in 2015 limited to a seven-year period, this tax rebate will now apply permanently from 2016 onwards. The benefits are impressive: for an agricultural biogas plant with an output billion Euros of around 200 kilowatts of electrical power, this equals an average annual tax rebate In 2016, revenue for the German bi- 200 of around EUR 15,000, reports the interdisciplinary law firm Sterr-Kölln & Partner ogas industry totalled EUR 8 billion, TOP 3 based in Freiburg, Germany. helping to secure 40,000 jobs. And In Germany, the top three reasons for buying plants this money stays where the biogas plants are built: in an EnviTec plant were the quality of the plant, Million tons currently feed directly into rural areas. Biogas plants boost business in the regions the ‘all from a single source’ model and the In Germany, 82 million tonnes of products the German gas network. and secure jobs with a future – a massive boost for the company’s reputation. In other countries, En- from industrial digestion are now being Upgrading biogas to bio- rural economy! viTec impressed customers with its technical used as organic fertilisers in the agricul- methane started around design, service, support and hotline, and plant tural sector. The main producers of this ten years ago. The great quality. These were the findings of the latest fertiliser are biogas plant operators, who thing about gas is that it customer satisfaction survey – thank you for use post-processing techniques to make taking part! ( For details, see p. 44) can be drawn off at any 82 marketable fertilisers from the generally point and converted into liquid digestate produced in biogas plants – heat and power or used to a highly fruitful approach! 23 % fuel CNG vehicles. that’s the new regional target for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Great many for the use of renewable energy sources in the Philippines by 2025. visitors During the last year of business, a great many visitors showed interest in products and innovations from En- 9.000 biogas plants viTec Biogas. The company exhibited An estimated 40 % at a total of 19 fairs in 12 countries. By the end of 2016, 9,000 biogas plants were able to provide EnviTec goes global! of the world’s biomass energy capacities are to be found in an installed electrical output of over 4,000 megawatts (MW) in Europe, with 30% in Asia. Worldwide, biomass energy has Germany. That’s as much as about four nuclear power sta- a 5.3% share (around 100 gigawatts), based on rated power 944 clicks a day tions. As a result of the positive developments in recent years, station output. This is almost double the share compared the German biogas industry can now draw on comprehensive are logged by the relaunched EnviTec Biogas to ten years ago, according to statistics published by the experience and the power to innovate needed to turn biogas website. With its clear and streamlined online International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). technology ‘Made in Germany’ into a successful global export. presence, the biogas allrounder has again impressed customers and partners with its outstanding transparency. Why not drop by for a look? www.envitec-biogas.com 8 Photo of the Year Photo of the Year 9

Photo of the Year

Biology at its best

Thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment at EnviTec’s new lab, experts like Manuela Bauer need only a few hours to find out just how and where help needs to be provided for a biogas plant. 10 Interview with the Management Board Interview with the Management Board 11

thanks to the cabinet resolution recently passed to amend German energy and electricity tax leg- Flexibility is the name Olaf von Lehmden, CEO islation: although the tax relief for CNG vehicles was due to expire at the end of 2018, the draft of the game »You need broad shoulders to bear paper now envisages extending this to 2026. the harsh realities of markets right now – and we have them!« So that means that EnviTec Biogas will be As a technology leader, EnviTec Biogas sets standards in markets looking to develop the German CNG market? across Europe. Backed by the economic powerhouse of its in-house handling and plant engineering, our technologi- That’s exactly what it means. We’re now expand- operations, EnviTec impresses international customers with its cal expertise will naturally be a key factor here. ing our portfolio to include CNG plant, as a joint ‘Made in Germany’ quality. But what does the future hold in store venture with the long-established CNG unit at for the biogas allrounder? Turning to gas upgrading: Germany is lagging Munich-based Bauer Kompressoren. Once com- behind its own goals for CO2 reduction at the plete, we’ll be able to offer a complete package moment. One of the main reasons for this is the from biodegradable waste good example. Although this high volume of traffic on German roads. Is there to the CNG pump from was our strongest market in a solution? a single source. High- 2016, this won’t be the case quality system compo- in 2017: Brexit has triggered The answer, again, is flexibility – on the part of nents – high-pressure currency fluctuations and a the Government. While Germany also acknowl- compressors, gas lack of clarity around renewa- edges the advantages of bio CNG (compressed buffer tanks and CNG bles legislation. We’ll therefore natural gas) as a carbon-neutral fuel, progress be looking closely at how the in developing the necessary infrastructure has British market for renewable been sluggish to date. We’ve actually had a lot of Jürgen Tenbrink, CTO energy will now develop. In success here with our customer Shandong Minhe the absence of direct action Biological Scitech Co. Ltd – albeit in China. Our by the Government, however, customer’s recently installed CNG plant com- »Our innovative R&D work is in demand like a slump in renewable energy presses the biomethane from around 13.5 bar never before – and always with the aim of taking investments in the UK seems to 200 bar in a CNG tube trailer for delivery to a EnviTec from strength to strength.« preordained. This at least is the CNG filling station. warning that has been issued A CNG filling After conquering the domestic sector, EnviTec by London-based think tank Green Alliance, citing Back in Germany, natural gas and biomethane pumps – will be supplied by Bauer and installed station on continues to make inroads in foreign markets. a Government-published list of private and public account for just 0.35% of domestic fuel sales. We in containers by EnviTec’s engineers. Depend- the factory Mr von Lehmden – what are the company’s key investment. But we’ll apply the British mantra need to do better here! There is hope, however, ing on customer requirements, these will then premises of our customer Shan- strengths and how has EnviTec managed time here: Keep Calm and Carry On! be integrated into the overall biogas plant and dong Minhe and again to be a trendsetter? gas upgrading system. This technology can then Biological Sci- Mr Tenbrink, your fellow Board member Olaf »As an international mid-sized busi- be used by CNG-powered trucks, cars and even tech Co. Ltd. Our sustained success story can certainly be von Lehmden has praised EnviTec’s flexibility ness operating in a highly dynamic watercraft. Our overall concept here is further attributed to the flexibility of our employees and ‘broad shoulders’. What part will Research sector, our watchword is to stay rounded off by a range of options for utilising the and our broad-based portfolio. You need broad and Development play in the orientation of the alert and keep a weather eye on the so called waste gases, which consist of over markets.« shoulders to bear the harsh realities of markets company over the next few years? 99% CO2. Downstream processing can be used to right now – and we have them! And once again, liquefy the carbon dioxide, for example, for use our achievements in 2016 were something to be A big part – no question about that! Our innova- in a number of applications – such as dry ice. proud of. tive R&D work is in demand like never before – These systems can also be ordered directly as Jörg Fischer, CFO and always with the aim of taking EnviTec from part of the EnviTec package. Mr Fischer, what challenges is EnviTec Biogas strength to strength. Over the next six years, facing in this time of crisis for the EU? we will therefore be consciously adapting our strategy to market requirements and planning As an international mid-sized business operat- the development of procedures and technologies ing in a highly dynamic sector, our watchword is to generate valuable resources from biomass – to stay alert at all times and keep a weather eye which will then make a major contribution to our on the markets. Recent events in the UK offer a future earnings. Especially in terms of biomass 12 Plant Construction Plant Construction 13

Plant Construction News

EnviTec scores on the Danish 4 x 500 kW added to EnviTec’s biogas market in-house operations Autumn saw the further growth of company-owned operations: after acquiring 3 x 526 kilowatts (kW) in Sukow, Mecklenburg-West Pome- rania, the biogas allrounder added another 500 kW from the biogas plant in Passin. Around 58 MW of installed capacity are now in com- pany-owned operation at EnviTec.

Happy 10th anniversary to our market launch in Czech Republic and Slovakia

Two plants in operation and four under construction: an impressive set of figures for the Danish biogas market from EnviTec Biogas AG! One topping out ceremony was held in March in Hjerm, Central Denmark Region, These results speak for themselves: EnviTec for the EnviThan plant currently under construction with Biogas has built 27 biogas plants in the Czech a nominal output of 508 Nm³ of biomethane. And just Republic and Slovakia since 2006. Nearly 80% of one week later, EnviTec was celebrating with the own- these are managed on-site by a total of 22 local ers of the EnviThan plant in Sindal, rated at 950 Nm³ of colleagues. With the opening of the sales office biomethane, in the North Denmark Region. Both plants EnviTec Biogas Central Europe s.r.o. in the Czech use digesters that are operated at thermophilic (52 °C) Republic and Slovakia, EnviTec has now been suc- rather than mesophilic (38 °C) temperatures, as would be cessfully active in the East European biogas plant the case in Germany. market for ten years. The know-how of EnviTec’s experts at Velké Meziříčí has been especially successful in attracting business from third-party customers. 10 Plant Construction Plant Construction 15 ans 5 questions for  Sylvain Mesnard

constant. This in particular is what You were there right from the start, and Joyeux anniversaire makes France into such an attractive have been helping EnviTec develop the market for EnviTec, Ernst continues. market from 2007 to the present day. What EnviTec With plans to add another 1,000 are the key differences between German and Biogas biogas plants by 2020, France is French biogas plant projects? EnviTec France also one of Europe’s most dynamic As projects, the French builds are certainly much more France markets. A key objective of France’s individual. This is mostly due to the sheer variety of inputs in package of measures is reducing France – waste materials in particular. This variety does mean that the high market share of nuclear planning takes longer, however. In Germany, most biogas plant power from 75% to 50% by 2025. projects are the same, because the inputs are so similar. Europe’s largest agricultural nation is pushing ahead with In return, the share for renewable the energy transition and EnviTec Biogas is playing its part. energy sources should increase. This Do you still remember your first EnviTec project? is an ambitious undertaking, since But of course! After three years of work on planning and approv- As its French subsidiary celebrates ten years in business, the current share of 14.2% needs als, we finally got off the ground in 2010 with our project partner expertise in flexible waste material recycling is keeping to be boosted to 32% by 2030. The Jean Paul Le Crom. Even then, we already knew that we would customers flocking to the German biogas allrounder. general conditions for this growth need a lot of staying power, due to the novelty of what we were were established in 2011 with the doing. And that’s been the case ever since. introduction of higher feed-in tariffs. “Our decision to position ourselves “Alongside our technical expertise, These tariffs also benefit plant opera- Meaning? in the French market by starting with our highly qualified French team is tors who have decided to build an Even today, we spend a lot of effort convincing people. Not the our own biogas plants that typically absolutely the reason for our suc- EnviTec biogas plant. “This wasn’t agriculturalists so much, but certainly the authorities and inves- run on biogenic waste proved to be cessful project pipeline.” always the case,” says Sylvain tors. The financing process is the silken thread by which each and the perfect strategy,” says Christian Mesnard, Sales Director at EnviTec every project hangs – and this is where our long experience and Ernst, Managing Director of the With usable agricultural land of France. “After our successful launch the many successful construction projects we’ve completed in the EnviTec Biogas branch in France. around 33 million hectares and some on the market in 2007, it took a good past are a tremendous help. To date, the ten-strong team at the 515,000 companies working in the while before our first project actu- biogas allrounder’s branch office agricultural sector, France is Europe’s ally could be completed.” Today, 306 How important is service to the French plant owners and has constructed and commissioned biggest agricultural player. While biogas plants are now operational in operators? Vive le team: with its ten- We brought our first service expert on board in 2010 – i.e. at the a total of six plants. Having a local strong branch office team, official government figures show France – still a very low share of the presence is crucial to the success of EnviTec has already built and that the number of firms has actually market when compared to Germany, same time as we were commissioning our first plant. Our local the allrounder from Lower Saxony, commissioned no less than halved over the last two decades, which already has over 8,000 plants. service unit has now expanded to a team of three technicians. In says Managing Director Ernst: six plants in France. the production volume has remained addition, all of our plants have an on-demand service contract for A pioneering start technical plant services, while 60% of our plants have signed a full- service contract for the combined heat and power (CHP) unit, and “Back then, biogas was a totally around 80% of our customers have also signed up for our Biologi- new concept in France, and getting cal Service. All of which speaks for itself! In light of our healthy regulatory approval for biogas plant order books, we have also decided to open a second service hub projects took time,” Mesnard adds. to the north of Paris: once operational, we will then be able to Three whole years went by before respond faster to call-outs from plants based in this region. the ‘Biowatt’ project company in Brit- tany could be formed by EnviTec and What projects are currently in the pipeline? its French agricultural partner Jean In spring this year, we will be starting work on our third gas up- Paul Le Crom and was finally able grading plant in Compiègne. Geographically, this 400 Nm³/h plant to plan and construct the company’s is situated close to our plant in Senlis and will simultaneously be first French biogas plant, situated in used as the base for our second service hub. When completed, Rohan. In November 2010, the plant which is likely to be in the first quarter of 2018, this plant will be finally started operations with a total operated with agricultural waste, straw, catch crops and sugar beet pulp. All other plants for which contracts have been signed are cur- connected electrical load of 550 kWel, and the long-term involvement of rently in the approval or financing phase. Our team is also focusing cooperation partners drawn from its efforts on many other promising projects all over France, which the region’s agricultural and manu- means we are both confident and optimistic about business oppor- facturing sectors. Since then, seven tunities in the years to come. 16 Plant Construction Plant Construction 17

Government goals

more years have passed, and a total of five other slurry and solid manure. Organic waste is continu- from the region makes up 100% of Alongside EnviThan and EnviWaste companies have now followed our first project. ously generated by the manufacture of food and the feedstock for the plant, which is projects, the French team headed by “Our total installed output in the French market agricultural products, which is one reason why now “our first reference facility in the Ernst and Mesnard also sees opportu- now stands at 6.1 MW – and that number is set to renewable resources are very rarely used as input south of France.” The biogas plant 1000 nities in the small plant segment. “In grow,” says Christian Ernst. in France – “the discussions about maize usage generates and sells some 5 million Biogas plants by 2020 early 2017, a new tariff was published we have in Germany simply don’t take place in kWh of electricity, enough to meet for plant under the 500 kW limit – Good opportunities for France,” comments Mesnard. the needs of about 950 households. which is comparable to the feed-in The customer uses the thermal en- tariff introduced in Germany in 2011,” EnviThan gas upgrading But back to the waste materials: with the right ergy produced by power generation says Ernst. This is where EnviTec Apart from conventional rural biogas plants that technology, by-products such as fats or slaughter- to heat the digester and pasteurisa- could score with its compact plants – produce electricity via cogeneration, the idea is to house waste can be utilised as valuable substrates tion system, and for drying work in 50% bonne chance! increase the numbers of plants that feed biometh- for biogas production. This increases the eco- the adjoining composting facility. Nuclear power share ane into the gas grid. “There are only 17 gas up- nomic efficiency of production enterprises and by 2025 grading plants in France at the moment,” reports contributes to the generation of environmentally Sylvain Mesnard, “which is why we believe there friendly energy. The efficient utilisation of organic are good sales opportunities for our efficient waste in biogas plants creates a cycle of economic EnviThan gas upgrading over the next ten years.” sustainability: waste that would otherwise require 2030 At the moment, 80% of our customer enquiries expensive disposal procedures can be profitably are about EnviTec’s gas upgrading technology. employed to produce electricity, heat or bio natu- This high level of demand for EnviThan projects is ral gas. “The 1 MW plant went online back in 2010 2017 being powered by the French government’s fixed and we are expanding this system in two steps: feed-in tariffs. “What we have here is a fixed tariff with construction of an additional digester already with tiered pricing by plant size that is valid for 15 complete, we are now expanding the plant with Renewable energy share of 14.2% is years,” explains Mesnard. With the ink already dry the gas upgrading unit,” Ernst explains. The chal- planned to expand to 32% by 2030. on six contracts for gas upgrading projects, con- lenge in this project is connecting the plant to a struction has now started on two plants: the tanks high-pressure network running at 67 bar, notes the are in place, and Mesnard and Ernst estimate that plant engineering expert: “this means we need to commissioning will take place in the second half draw up a very detailed set of plans and our site First reference plant in southern France: organic waste from the Haute-Garonne region of this year. management has to be perfect.” makes up 100% of the feedstock for the 637 kW CLER ENR plant.

One of these two EnviThan flagship projects is A poster child for the entire based in Senlis in the Haut de France region. “We are working with Valois Energie SAS to construct region a 400 Nm³/h gas upgrading plant here,” says Another flagship project for an ideal closed-loop Ernst. When completed, three agriculturalists with economy is the CLER ENR plant. After just nine arable farming businesses will operate the plant months of construction, the 637 kW plant was jointly with a mixture of agricultural waste, straw, commissioned in Belesta-en-Lauragais, Occitania, catch crops and sugar beet pulp. EnviTec also in November 2016. “Our most recent project in the faced new challenges in this construction project: French market is now our poster child for an entire “our customers’ plant is located close to the his- region,” enthuses Christian Ernst. Customer Jean torically important town of Senlis and one of our Luc Da Lozzo and Gerard Lanta operate a compost- tasks was to satisfy the architectural regulations of ing business that collects and processes organic the local authorities,” Ernst continues. waste: dry and structurally complex materials are The biogas allrounder’s second gas upgrading composted directly, while liquid and moisture-rich project is situated in Normandy. Here, the op- waste is sent to the biogas plant. Supermarket erator family Marie (cover story) owns a waste waste is one of the types accepted, while 16 stores management company in Etréville. Vitaligaz SAS run by an American fast food chain from the will be expanding its existing 1 MW EnviTec plant Toulouse region send their biodegradable waste with a 360 Nm³/h gas upgrading unit, which will to Cler-Verts, the composting firm run by Da Lozzo be operated using waste from the family’s own and business partner Gérard Lanta. “The vision business. Input here will include waste materials of a sustainable closed-loop economy has truly such as fats, sewage sludge, organic waste, cattle become reality here,” says Ernst. Organic waste 18 Plant Construction Plant Construction 19

Palm oil

Palm oil is one of the world’s most heavily-used commodities. The WWF puts its market share at 30%, which makes it one of the most valuable plant oils worldwide. The main producers are very clear goals. “Thanks to the sustainable use Indonesia and Malaysia, who together manufacture over 60 million of waste materials, the local palm oil industry will tonnes of palm oil every year. Major consumers include China, Pa- no longer be a mere consumer but also a produc- kistan and the EU. To date, the palm oil industry has used at most er of renewable energy. At the same time, green- wastewater in biogas plants. Although the empty fruit bunches house gas emissions can be cut significantly,” can be digested, these are incinerated for energy recovery or left says Marcello Barbato, EnviTec Sales Manager unused. Unlike incineration, digestion in a biogas plant has the South East Asia. The technical design used by advantage of producing digestate that can significantly reduce the the joint venture is the result of many years of volume of artificial fertiliser used in the plantations. development work by the biogas allrounder from Lower Saxony. While the signing of the contract marks only the beginning of EnviTec’s entry into The oil palm (Elaeis The fruits are perishable The orange pulp this market, “the many enquiries from the region guineensis) is one of and must be processed provides palm oil, and the Philippines mean our Asia business has the most economically rapidly once harvesting while palm kernel plenty of growth potential,” estimates Thomas important species of is complete. oil is made from the Wagner. palms. kernel.

Strong demand

This growth has also been confirmed by EnviTec Biogas CFO Jörg Fischer. “Together with our sales partner, we have four employees in China at Asia goes green the moment, busy handling the large number of enquiries,” Fischer reports, noting that China is increasingly turning to renewables as its megaci- 良好的开端是成功的一半。– Well begun is half done. ties start to choke on the smoke from its power The Chinese proverb is very appropriate: EnviTec’s stations. “The situation’s similar in rural areas, as local farmers simply burn what’s left after the Chances in China market share in Asia is growing steadily and is harvest,” Fischer explains. EnviTec is now looking perfectly in step with demand for eco-friendly energy to establish a Chinese joint venture company, Boom-time for EnviTec’s order books in China: complementing supply solutions. whose future activities will largely involve han- the 1,000 Nm³ gas upgrading plant already completed in Minhe, dling local after-sales service. Shangdong province, another Chinese plant has now entered the commissioning phase. The customer for this plant, which is also Asia is going green with its energy – and palm oil are available locally, development of the biogas “In the longer term, we’re also planning to set up rated at 1,000 Nm³, is Shandong Minhe Biological Scitech Co. Ltd., is a perfect example of the transition. “In Indone- industry in Malaysia and Indonesia is still subopti- our own plant engineering business,” continues one of the world’s largest poultry farmers. With its Yingtan project, sia and Malaysia in particular, this industry seg- mal, according to Asia expert Wagner, who notes China expert Fischer. EnviTec is currently enjoy- a 700 Nm³ EnviThan plant, EnviTec has been showcasing its skills ment offers us a wide range of opportunities for that only a small portion of the available oil palm ing particular success with its Far Eastern Envi- in both construction and commissioning; the project is scheduled our biogas business,” says Thomas Wagner, who biomass is currently used for generating biogas. Than projects. The signing of a contract exten- to start in May. In late 2016, a letter of intent was also signed for has managed sales and distribution for EnviTec In recent years, however, both Malaysia and Indo- sion between Beijing-based Sifang Leo Livestock the construction of a gas upgrading plant as part of another project. Biogas in Southeast Asia since January 2017. nesia have been increasing their efforts to develop Science and Technology Co. Ltd. and the biogas Although large quantities of the natural resource this particular sector and to promote biogas usage allrounder now marks the addition of the seventh – with feed-in legislation for biogas, for example. construction project on Chinese soil to EnviTec’s In February this year, EnviTec achieved an initial order books. Rated at 420 normal cubic metres milestone for establishing biogas plants in the re- (Nm³), the plant in Dingzhou, Hebei province, will gion with the signing of a cooperation agreement run on cow slurry and maize stover silage, and is with two local companies: PT Herfinta Farm & due to come online in summer 2017. Already in Plantation from Indonesia and Calfield SDN BHD service are the two 1,000 Nm³ EnviThan gas up- from Malaysia. The plant, to be built in Indonesia’s grading plants run by customer Shandong Minhe North Sumatra, will contribute a total of 4 MW to Biological Scitech Co. Ltd, which have been the green energy transition. This new joint ven- supplying biomethane to a CNG filling station in ture will trade under the name PT Power Energi Yantai since March this year ( p. 28 ). Nusantara Indonesia. The joint venture will func- tion as a flagship project for the region and has 20 Plant Construction Plant Construction 21

separated out using a ‘decanter’ »With the techno- ensure everything runs smoothly, we Setting a shining example system and handed over to DONG logy deployed here will also be handling plant operations Energy for further processing via a for about six months after commis- transportation and logistics network. plus EnviTec’s long- sioning,” adds von Lehmden. EnviTec Energy that is environmentally friendly, decentral and cost- The liquid phase is partially evaporat- standing expertise in Biogas has now completed a total of effective – a key goal that we also share with our Danish ed by the company in an evaporator twelve plant projects in the UK, with an while the remaining process water is plant construction, installed total output of 15,1 megawatt customer DONG Energy. For a subsidiary of DONG Group, channelled back into DONG Energy’s we are aiming to set hours: this figures includes an impres- EnviTec is now constructing the world’s first biogas plant initial treatment process. new standards in sive 2,149 Nm³ generated by no less that uses enzymes to convert waste into clean energy. than five EnviThan plants. Yet the 6 MW EnviTec has supervised construction waste recycling.« plant for DONG Energy is a singular of the digestion plant both above and Benny Mai, Director Commercial achievement even for EnviTec: the below ground as a turnkey project Thermal Power, DONG Energy Northwich site is now the third-largest for the customer through its local construction project in the company’s Northern Europe’s leading energy A flagship project in in- subsidiary EnviTec Biogas UK. “To 15-year history. group, Denmark-based DONG En- ergy A/S, is promoting the green The ternational sustainable energy transition with a unique type customer waste management of technology – and as plant engi- The technique, which is used to treat Unsorted household rubbish and many other kinds of waste can be used in the REnescience process. Here are the first photos from the pioneering 6 MW plant in Northwich, UK. neer, EnviTec Biogas has an impor- Based in Denmark, DONG unsorted household waste with the tant role in making this worldwide Energy A/S is one of the leading aid of a specialised formulation in- premiere a reality. Together with energy companies in northern volving the use of enzymes, has been DONG’s subsidiary REnescience Europe. At DONG Energy, some developed and rigorously tested in a Northwich, EnviTec’s specialists 6,700 employees work on the pilot plant operated by the company have been working since early 2016 development, construction in Copenhagen. With the new plant on building the world’s first biogas and operation of offshore wind in Northwich, DONG Energy A/S is plant that uses fermentation to con- farms. The company generates looking to prove its new technology vert waste pre-treated with enzymes electricity and heat from power under real-world conditions. “With into clean energy. stations, supplying energy for an annual capacity of 120,000 tonnes residential and business custo- of waste from around 110,000 house- The plant, which is rated at 6 MW, mers. REnescience Northwich is holds, we naturally see our sustaina- is now ready for commissioning in a wholly-owned DONG subsidi- ble waste management as a flagship Northwich (near Manchester, UK). ary. For more information, visit project for the international sector,” “This unique project is a milestone www.renescience.com Mai continues. Waste will be col- in the practical realisation of innova- lected by the UK waste management tive energy products – for us and company FCC Environment, treated our customer alike,” comments Lars in the plant and then processed as von Lehmden, Managing Director of a bioliquid in the biogas plant to be EnviTec Anlagenbau. “As a global constructed by EnviTec. Here, the brand leader in offshore wind farm annual volume of around 328,000 construction and operation, we tonnes of bioliquid will be filled into are aiming to set new standards in a holding tank at the biogas plant waste recycling with the technology and processed in four digesters. The we are deploying at REnescience biogas produced will in turn be piped and the long-standing expertise of into four co-generation (CHP) units, EnviTec in plant construction and creating some 45.5 million kWh of operation,” says Benny Mai, Direc- electricity, which will be fed into the tor Commercial Thermal Power, local grid. Fermentation residues are DONG Energy. moved to intermediate storage for hygienic treatment in a pasteurisa- tion plant for one hour at a tempera- ture of 70 °C. Solid residues are then 22 Plant Construction Plant Construction 23

Thermal pressure hydrolysis from EnviTec increases biogas plant efficiency High pressure plus high temperatures: the recipe for success from thermal pressure hydrolysis (TDH). The optimised process developed by the company’s own R&D department utilises high pressures and temperatures to digest biomass even more effectively.

“Like EnviTec itself, thermal pressure hydroly- sis is an allrounder: the technique can be used universally for any biogas plant while also being suitable for any substrate where the breakdown A high-pressure of organic material – typically raw fibre – is not allrounder: extensive enough in the biogas process,” ex- thermal pres- plains Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Tenbrink, CTO of EnviTec sure hydrolysis Biogas. boosts gas yield by between Apart from a long-term increase in gas yield, 10% and 60% which can range from 10% to over 60% when or more, and renewable raw materials are used, the process enables the use of substrates also facilitates the use of substrates that have to that have been date been entirely unsuitable for use in biogas largely unsuit- plants – or at least not in any quantities worth able for biogas mentioning. plants to date.

The process is not itself new, however. “Previ- ously, thermal pressure hydrolysis was used Precise analysis for a precise result: state-of-the-art technology is used in the new EnviTec lab. with the input materials – i.e. the raw matter. This is a hugely involved process, however,” explains Tenbrink – since the additional mashing means additional heating or cooling is required, depending on the type of hydrolysed material. Full steam ahead for R&D Handling unwanted materials also adds to the effort here. EnviTec’s method skips this step, savings thanks to the more cost-effective use of however: the process targets only the difficult- difficult-to-digest inputs like solid manure,” Ten- According to industry association Stifterverband, Ger- to-degrade raw fibre from the biogas process. brink adds. Depending on the project, input costs Since the technique doesn’t involve any mash- can be cut by as much as 35% or more. man companies spend around EUR 62.4 billion on re- ing of the input, this significantly reduces heat- search and development each year. SMEs also invested ing requirements. Other advantages include the EnviTec HighGester lowers heavily in R&D, and EnviTec Biogas itself spent around exclusion of unwanted material as well as lower throughput. input costs by 10% one million EUR on research and development in 2016. One year after its launch by biogas allrounder This sustainable approach, now successfully de- EnviTec Biogas, the HighGester has marked its ployed in Kalbe (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) since anniversary by surpassing all expectations. Nor autumn 2015, also has a positive effect on the is it only impressing the operators of the biogas plant owner’s cash flow: compared to a conven- plant in Bakum in the district of Vechta, where tional biogas plant, a biogas plant equipped with the vertical ‘plugflow’ digester is now saving a TDH system is significantly more economi- them over 10% of their input costs. Compared to cal to run. “Operators can make considerable a conventional digester, operating costs are also 24 Plant Construction Plant Construction 25

» Every day, customer satisfaction is what motivates us in R&D.«

“We’re currently investigating Energy (BMWi). A comprehensive programme of at hand from Brüß and his team: the membrane whether the HighGester’s central trials will be completed as a BMWi-funded “ZIM” rejuvenation process EnviClear reliably purifies agitator can be omitted com- project, whose end result will be a system that is contaminated surface waters so as to ensure pletely. For our customers, this optimised for a range of different operating mod- compliance with limit values for plant run-off. would result in a much lower els. The data obtained by this trial programme EnviClear was first successfully put into practice initial investment and running will be fed into an economic viability assessment, at the 1.2 MW biogas plant operated by Biogas costs. We have also discovered in order to present the Ministry with the final set Greven e.G. in North Rhine-Westphalia. Here, that future models of the High- of recycling options for the system. up to 4,000 m3 of water collects on the facility’s Gester could be designed for pathways and silo surfaces. To date, the contami- mesophilic operation only, which nated water had been purified using a reed bed would also work to cut costs by A clean, all-in-one solution: R&D Department, treatment plant. Yet time and again, contami- enabling the use of a smaller heat EnviTec Biogas EnviClear and EnviDrain nated run-off with a chemical oxygen demand exchanger, for example. Just as Prevent, drain away and clean – sustainability (COD) of 1,500 to 3,000 mg/l had escaped from our trials had shown, the scaled- can be so simple. With EnviClear, EnviDrain the lagoon into neighbouring surface waters – up plant now also produces biogas and an intelligent separator, EnviTec Biogas that is much energy-richer than expected – with up to 60% subsidiary A3 Water Solutions GmbH now has percent methane by volume! By involving other research three innovative and environmentally friendly institutes and analysing the bacterial composition within Water supply from surface water purification solutions in its port- storage basin the HighGester, we now hope to identify the reasons for folio for biogas plant operators. But what is the this highly positive effect on gas production.“ problem, exactly? Often, biogas run-off water is only partially purified via wastewater treatment Drain into At the heart ponds or reed bed treatment before re-entering waters The supersaver HighGester: it uses less electricity, less water, of every the environment. Unsurprisingly, both monitor- shortens the dwell time of the digester substrate, and can save EnviClear ing authorities and the general public are quick operators around 10% of input costs! Ventilation lower: “as the digested suspension is not fully plant: in the to protest about this practice. As a result, biogas mixed and the volume is smaller, this technology aeration plant operators are increasingly having to resort requires less electricity and less heat,” explains reactor, fans to storage tank construction and agricultural are arranged Jens Bischoff from EnviTec’s R&D unit. spreading. “The associated initial investment and Lower operating, input and so that air is running costs are naturally a financial burden maintenance costs continuously Other benefits include the shorter dwell times circulated into for any agricultural business,” comments A3’s of the digester substrate: “our tests have shown Thanks to the novel digester technology devel- the water. Managing Director Ulrich Brüß. But help is now that the gas yield is not actually lower even with oped by EnviTec Biogas, the system can also dwell times of only about 20 days,” Bischoff adds. handle a higher proportion of dry matter, permit- In turn, this means that volumetric loading can ting the larger-scale use of problematic but cost- be increased by over 300% without this increase effective input materials such as poultry litter or causing any problems for the system’s biological solid manure, for example. processes. This can be explained by the fact that 10% all of the process phases run sequentially in the savings Biological processes have proven to be excep- plugflow digester, as spatially and chronological- for input tionally stable, both in the internal tests con- ly discrete phases, each in its ideal environment. ducted by the company a few years ago and in This is not possible in a fully mixed digester, the current, large-scale commercial plant with a where all of the process phases occur simultane- volume of 950 m³. It has been possible to ramp ously. Apart from the system’s superior level of the digester up to its nominal load within a few performance, methane yields are also greater. 20 hours without any faults occurring. days dwell time Alongside lower operating and input costs, main- tenance costs for the HighGester are also impres- sively low, since no rotating parts other than the central agitator are installed in the digester. 950 EnviTec Biogas is receiving development funding m3 volume for this technology until early 2018 from the Ger- man Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and 26 Plant Construction Plant Construction 27

»Testing our processes under real- world conditions is a fundamental

With its mod- tion is separate collection of this run-off for feed- exactly? Thanks to the concentration of biogas part of our work.« ular structure, ing directly into the biogas plant – but this isn’t slurry, they can avoid having to set up additional EnviClear possible with the standard silage slab systems digestate tanks, while still remaining compliant “Each new technology is typi- plant technol- cally tested for over a year ogy is easily used. With virtually no drainage, the effluent with the new German fertiliser legislation passed before being launched on extended. backs up in the silage clamp, leaks out and be- at the beginning of the year. Transportation and come mixed with rain water. Help is at hand here spreading is also less cost-intensive, since less the market. With EnviStrip, from the EnviDrain system and an intelligent water needs to be transported. we have verified the entire separator. “The separator measures the water’s process at our company- contamination level and decides automatically Another advantage of the process is that the operated plant in Schenken- how it should be routed”, Brüß explains. For its ammonium sulphate created by scrubbing the horst. While we naturally had part, the EnviDrain system offers clog-free drain- exhaust air can be used as an optimal and pre- to make a few adjustments age of the effluent, and the drainage surface area cise highly concentrated fertiliser for improving until the technology was ready is increased by a factor of 500. This effective so- plant growth, which can in turn reduce the costs Dietmar Stockdiek, for production use, we can now lution can be installed during ensiling and driven of cultivating arable crops. R&D unit, offer a saleable product for over even if covered by only a shallow layer of EnviTec Biogas over two months. Demand is maize. Sustainability can be so simple! high, since many farmers want the maximum permitted value is just 65 mg/l. to reduce their costs while ensuring their production is The waste water is now treated biologically using Less digestate with EnviStrip environmentally friendly.” EnviClear, with the subsequent sludge separation being achieved with membrane filtration. As a re- The EnviStrip process developed by EnviTec is sult, only purified water is released into upstream able to halve the quantity of liquid digestate. waters. At the heart of the EnviClear plant is a 40 “The ‘stripping’ in the process name refers to the m³ rejuvenation reactor and a membrane filter removal of various substances from a solution – 5 questions for  module. “The monolithic concrete container is in this case, water and ammonia,” explains Diet- sunk about three metres into the soil and is fitted mar Stockdiek, who works in EnviTec’s R&D unit. Jürgen Tenbrink, CTO with ventilators that continuously force air into As a first step, a reverse flow mechanism is used the water,” Brüß explains. to concentrate the liquid phase of the digestate What applications and processes How can operators make their ex- separation in an air current. This partially evapo- are you now testing for market isting plants fit for the future? The oxygen dissolved in the rejuvenated sludge rates the water held in the effluent and ammonia Mr Ten- readiness? This is where our comprehensive is used by microorganisms to break down the outgasses in the form of ammonia gas. “This brink, with We are currently trialling many plant repowering service can help. organic contamination in the water. In addition, process of concentration means we can reduce spending alternative technologies at various Operators can add a CHP unit, for the ventilation system also keeps the water in digestate volume by up to 50%,” Stockdiek con- totalling one mil- facilities all over Germany. Exam- example, or use alternative sub- motion, so as to rinse deposits off the membrane tinues. But what’s the advantage for customers, lion EUR, you’ve kept your R&D ples here include novel disintegra- strate mixtures and processes that filter. budget at the same high level as tion methods designed to achieve are designed to improve efficiency. in previous years. Is the expense greater digestion of the substrate In each case, we draw up a tailor- The water is drawn through the filter by a pump worth it? Flowchart for an EnviStrip plant: the ammonium sulphates that or the use of alternative measuring made strategy for the plant. and then fed into the watercourse. The contami- are generated by scrubbing exhaust air can be utilised as a highly Absolutely: we want to keep our methods, processes for digestate nation is retained as sludge – and this sludge can concentrated fertiliser for nourishing plants. technical edge. And we haven’t treatment, new digester designs, Why should operators focus on be reused in the biogas plant, for example. One become the technology leader and methods for generating valu- improvements to their existing major advantage of the technology used here is accidentally – it’s something that Digestate Seperator Solid matter able resources from biomass. plants? its flexibility. By altering the ventilator unit output requires a constant focus on As we see it, the objective must – and thus the supply of oxygen – the treatment R&D. If you want to enjoy long- High running costs are a key issue be to upgrade these facilities to process can be adjusted in cases where COD val- term market success, you need H2SO4 Exhaust air facing operators. What approaches a point where they can then be ues become too high. Structurally, the plant can to offer customers solutions for are you and your team looking at to operated profitably even without also be extended with modules. their various problems while also reduce costs? government subsidies: after all, the developing your competitive dif- Water Scrubber (NH ) SO We’re always looking for identify po- ultimate aim is not to shut down or For biogas plant operators, Brüß and his col- 4 2 4 ferentiation. We want to use inno- tential ways to reduce plant energy even decommission the plant. leagues also have another solution at hand for vations and quality to ensure we consumption. Examples here include the clean separation of rain water and silage can remain an attractive partner the use of more efficient technolo- water: EnviDrain. “This process is the logical ex- Thickening / for our customers. Air gies or new control system designs. tension to EnviClear,” Brüß explains. Producing Stripping Concentrated effluent silage from maize creates effluent. The ideal solu- 28 Plant Construction Plant Construction 29

EnviThan scores a score

Germany, UK, France, China and Denmark – EnviThan is conquering the gas upgrading market at a breathtaking pace. In the short space of five years, EnviTec has planned and completed 20 plants with the efficient and environmentally-friendly membrane process.

But you’ll never catch EnviTec its biogas plants are run exclusively plants have been completed in Biogas resting on their laurels: on poultry litter. the UK to date. In Denmark, one New in China: the 1,000 just five years after its market site now using the high-selectivity Nm3 EnviThan plant oper- launch, the high-efficiency, eco- EnviThan was launched on the membranes is located in Hammel, ated by Shandong Minhe friendly EnviThan gas upgrading German market in 2012. “Up to Jutland. The client is WEFRI A/S, a Biological Scitech Co. Ltd. process is currently enjoying partic- this point, we’d been constructing modern agricultural company with ularly strong demand – and all over pressure washing-style plants,” a history extending back over three the world. “Our ‘EnviThanization’ explains gas upgrading expert centuries. “Apart from this flagship is proceeding apace,” says Stefan Laumann. The new technology, plant, three other EnviThan plants Laumann, Head of Gas Upgrading at which promptly won the German across Denmark are now preparing EnviTec’s plant construction divi- Agricultural Biogas Innovation Prize for their first feed-in,” Laumann sion. in the year of its launch, is now reports. successfully in operation at four On the market sites in Germany – Sachsendorf, Continuous The EnviThan plant commissioning team (left to right): Bernd Schür- Köckte and Beetzendorf in Saxony- mann, Schulz Systemtechnik Visbek; Andreas Kley, EnviThan Project »It didn’t take long for us since 2012 improvement Lead; Cornell Möbus, Gas Upgrading Commissioning Engineer to decide on the perfect The most recent addition is a 1,000 Since the first feed-in in Sach- Nm³ EnviThan plant in Penglai, sendorf, Germany, the EnviThan all-round package, since

China. “Our customer, Shandong NEw technology has seen a series of lation country has also proven its offers a single-container model for we were particularly im- Minhe Biological Scitech Co. Ltd, For biogas plants up to improvements over the last five worth. biogas plants up to 300 Nm³/h. The pressed by the local Ger- supplies the raw gas from the 300 Nm³/h, EnviTec now offers years. “While the membranes in the new container design also provides existing biogas plant,” Laumann a single-container model. Sachsendorf and Köckte plants are “Another change was introducing dedicated space for up to two hori- man-Chinese sales team. explains. A recently installed CNG One space-saving change here installed vertically, we used a hori- the option to source the feed-in zontal membrane racks: this is much Other key factors in plant compresses the biomethane is the horizontal alignment of the zontal arrangement for Forst, and compressor from EnviTec as well,” more cost-effective, since it not only EnviTec’s favour included from around 13.5 bar to 200 bar in membranes. this is now the standard membrane says Laumann. First deployed as avoids using a second container but a CNG tube trailer. The first trailer design,” Laumann continues. By part of a project in France, this com- also saves on the pipework, cabling its efficiency, the techni- was filled in March for delivery to using this horizontal arrangement, pressor boosts the pressure of the and base. cal quality of its gas up- Yantai, a trip of around 90 minutes EnviTec is now able to install almost biomethane produced from around grading and its first-class by road, where the gas is utilised Anhalt, and Forst in Brandenburg. three times as many modules in 12 bar to the network pressure in a CNG filling station. Private Construction of yet another plant, a single container. “Three out of required by the various destination service. A final point is cars are also filled at the company- the twentieth all told, is now being four projects now use a horizontal gas networks. The booster compres- that we also stand to owned filling station. Equipped planned for Solschen in Lower membrane layout,” says Laumann. sor is delivered as a fully-equipped, benefit from EnviTec’s with SEPURAN® Green mem- Saxony. “Evonik’s is now patented, and ready-to-go unit. And EnviTec can branes, the gas upgrading plant is we’re proud to say we’ve been us- of course supply the high-pressure international expertise also the largest plant featuring this “Outside our domestic market, ing it from the outset”, Laumann gas lines needed to connect the in biogas plant construc- technology in the Chinese mar- we also see huge potential for continues. plant to the network operator’s tion.« ket. Based in Penglai, Shandong our upgrading technology in the feed-in point. Progress has also province, the company is one of the UK, France, Denmark and Asia,” Using two pressure stages based on been made in developing smaller, Ms Dong Tai Li, Shandong Minhe world’s largest poultry producers – reports Laumann. Five EnviThan the electricity price in the instal- more compact plants: EnviTec now Biological Scitech Co. Ltd. 30 Service Service 31

Service News

Bienvenue! New warehouse Velkommen til Danmark for EnviTec Service in France Following the construction of two and Germany biomethane plants, EnviTec is also First three, now four: EnviTec Service is expanding – and expanding its service provision in not just its customer base but also in terms of its square metres of warehouse space. Alongside Lohne, Friedland Denmark. With one plant already and Calbe, a further 132 m3 of storage plus office space under contract, the setup of a are now available in Europe’s agricultural powerhouse. Danish-speaking service team, With the leasing of the space in Compiegne near Paris, EnviTec will now be able to supply its French customers storage facilities and a hotline is in particular with spare parts from GE Jenbacher, 2G, now well underway. Seepex, Vogelang, Netzsch, Xylem and many other manufacturers.

At the warehouse site in Calbe/Saale, building and expansion work is underway: complementing large and Partnering with small parts units of approx. 160 m² and 80 m², respec- 2G Energietechnik GmbH tively, a further 80 m² of office space is also available. This location will also be interesting for external cus- tomers, as a result of its extensive service parts man- A recent success for agement for series 3 and 4 CHP units manufactured by EnviTec Service is GE Jenbacher. the conclusion of a partner agreement with 2G Energie- technik GmbH. Based in Heek, the company’s engines are particularly well-known in the biogas industry. The company intends to use this partnership to further aug- ment and expand its competencies within the core field of CHP.

A perfect storage solution: Service expert Frank Odebrecht in EnviTec’s Friedland warehouse. 32 Service Service 33

New cooperation agreement with Malmberg Bioerdgastech Successful introduction of the FlexOverhaul programme

Intelligent, flexible and outside the German market tailor-made – Zwenkau- For several years, the gas based Malmberg Bioerd- gastech GmbH is the latest engine division at GE Jenba- customer to enjoy support cher and EnviTec has offered from EnviTec Service. “After its German customers a very an in-depth period of train- ing, we’ve been working special kind of service, where since spring on putting together an optimal portfolio operators can book a flexible of services,” says Martin Brinkmann, Managing Direc- overhaul – “FlexOverhaul” – for tor of EnviTec Service. The Malmberg Group itself is a Swedish clean technology company that offers all-in- their system as and when nee- one solutions in the fields of water purification, biogas ded. Alongside Czech Republic upgrading, boreholes and geothermal energy. The and Slovakia, the service pa- family-owned business operates in Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, Italy, Norway, Denmark and the UK. ckage is now also available to customers in Italy, France and Latvia. The engine experts

What’s your opinion of EnviTec? Oil filters, valves and spark plugs – the engine is the heart of any combined heat and power (CHP) plant, and it Reasons for purchasing an EnviTec plant in Germany needs both care and attention. Thanks to its highly skilled employees like Gordon Pinske, EnviTec now also offers an 75% all-in-one technical services package for operators. of respondents rate our 2011 2016 Biological Service as ‘very good’. 1. Quality of the plant Quality of the plant One turbocharger change, please! ficiency – is standard practice during Pinske says. He calls the first cus- No problem for Gordon Pinske and a CHP engine’s 10,000-hour service. tomer to inform them when his team 2. Technical design Everything from a single source his team. The agricultural machinist It’s a tricky assignment, however, will arrive on the Monday. “This from Mecklenburg-Western Po- since the component is not only hot is important because the operator 3. Everything from a single source Well-known manufacturer merania knows the engine like the but is also typically fairly difficult has to shut down the plant an hour 51% back of his hand. “And I have to,” to access. “Protective clothing like before we can start work.” Typically, says the 34-year-old: “after all, we work gloves or respiratory protec- a team of five to ten EnviTec em- Over half of respondents also 4. Economic viability Technical design use both the Technical and the don’t want to lumber our customers tion is absolutely essential when ployees will be on customer call- Biological Service. with unnecessary downtime.” After removing glass wool insulation,” outs, so as to finish as many service 5. Well-known manufacturer Proximity to manufacturer eleven years on the job at EnviTec says Pinske. jobs as possible at the same time. Biogas, Pinske is now one of the ‘old This keeps customer downtime to a For further details, see our customer survey on page 44. hands’ in the technical service team. The service expert and his team re- minimum. Once on-site, team mem- Replacing the turbocharger – the ceive their schedules every Friday in bers are usually assigned different part of the engine that is responsible the form of a duty roster. “The first tasks. “My junior co-workers will be for increasing its performance or ef- tool I grab is usually my phone,” draining the water from the engine, 34 Service Service 35

Interview with André Grootes, biogas plant operator in Gallin, »If you want to com- pare a CHP engine with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania changing the oil, re-seating valves a vehicle engine, then troubleshooting,” says Pinske, who extensive warehouse facilities. And Which EnviTec services do you use? and checking filters,” says Pinske. 10,000 hours of opera- really enjoys the chance to play important spare parts and tools are Our plants use both the Technical While they do, machinist Pinske detective in his work, since no two always kept to hand in the Service and the Biological Service from gets to work on the turbocharger tion would be roughly machines are exactly the same. Team’s call-out vehicle. “From a 41 EnviTec – it’s better to be safe than and water pump during a 10,000- the same as a car that’s “And this is where our wealth of mm to a 10 mm wrench, we keep a sorry! hour service. “Both parts are usually travelled 500,000 kilo- experience truly pays off,” com- full set of socket drivers, pistons and replaced during this service,” he ments Stephan Stiens, Managing bush extractors in the vehicle,” says What makes a service a 5-star says, also offering a piece of expert metres at a speed of Director of EnviTec Service: “typi- Gordon Pinske. The service experts service for you? know-how: “if you want to compare 50 km/h.« cally, we’ll be able to repair the fault usually close their working day with Round-the-clock availability, with- a CHP engine with a vehicle engine, on the same day as the call-out,” he care and maintenance of their tools. Mr Grootes, you run two 549 kW out a doubt. But apart from the then 10,000 hours of operation Gordon Pinske, EnviTec Service says, clearly proud of his 100-strong After the eight-hour call-out typically biogas plants as a joint operation Service Hotline itself, I’d also defi- would be roughly the same as a car GmbH & Co. KG team. Thanks to their dedication, the required for a 10,000-hour service, with EnviTec. What persuaded nitely give top marks to the team. that’s travelled 500,000 kilometres at average efficiency of the 280 plants tools need to be replaced in stor- you to choose EnviTec’s expertise Technicians are very well-qualified, an average speed of 50 km/h.” While EnviTec provides with technical sup- age and the team needs to check when setting up your plants in which means maintenance work is others work on the turbocharger and port is an impressive 95%. “We’re the requirements for the next job. 2006 and 2008? quick and effective. water pump, technicians like Marco happy to provide our customers “Just putting the tools back in place First and foremost: sustainability. Grandt concentrate on the agitators. with advice and assistance,” says takes up a good half-hour of our EnviTec Biogas is well known for Where could the company make “Surface crusts and settlings that this beating heart of the manufac- Stiens. In most cases, simply call- time,” Pinske reports. But it’s time its solid, high-quality structures improvements, in your opinion? get deposited in the digester often turer’s 312 series of gas engines is ing the 24-hour hotline can get the well spent, “because on the next and the outstanding reliability of There’s nothing I can complain cause problems for the digester’s ready for a new installation. problem resolved by remote diag- day we’ll typically be driving straight its single-digester system. The lon- about, to be honest, although we agitator,” says Grandt. Defective nosis. If the defect does turn out to off to the next plant visit, which can gevity and the technical expertise are fairly remote, geographically bearings – caused by leaks or inad- Apart from routine maintenance be more serious than anticipated, easily be 300 kilometres away from were key factors that influenced speaking – so our warehouse and equate lubrication – can also prevent work like the 10,000-hour service, EnviTec promptly dispatches one yesterday’s job,” he adds. our decision to use EnviTec for spare part systems need to work the agitator from working properly the team also provides an emer- of its technicians. Nor is sourcing these plants. properly! in the plant. As a result, the techni- gency call-out service. “If a CHP important spare parts a problem, Alongside 10,000-hour services, cal service team is also assigned the has stopped working, it’s time for either, thanks to the company’s EnviTec can naturally perform any task of regularly inspecting the fer- mentation tank. “Agitators see really other kind of engine maintenance. heavy usage – so if you don’t want “The really big jobs – such as the A job well done: the five-strong technician team with Gordon Pinske after completing the A steady hand and the right protective clothing are also to risk agitator failure, you’re well 60,000- and 80,000-hour services – 10,000-hour maintenance at the Gallin biogas plant, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. important when working on the agitator! advised to have them looked at after obviously take longer than a 10,000- a relatively short time in operation,” hour call-out,” says engine expert Grandt continues. Pinske, “and I’ll only manage one of those a week – not one every After the successful removal and day! But if a thing’s worth doing, it’s replacement of all of the parts, the worth doing well – and that’s just as plant’s CHP is then slowly but surely true for engine maintenance.” brought back online. This requires both know-how and finesse: “the ramp-up procedure takes about an hour from start to finish,” Pinske comments. But the new component must not be ramped-up to peak load immediately. “With the engine idling, we first increase the load to 45 kW, then move up to 160 kW and ultimately all the way up to 500 kW,” he explains. Nor is the old turbo- charger simply thrown away: it’s sent back to the original manufactu- rer – in this case, ABB. Once ABB has refurbished the turbocharger, 36 Service Service 37

biogas plants will behave the same,” says Clemens High-precision analysis Willenborg, authorised manager and head of biological A closer look at the lab service.

The formula couldn’t be simpler: state-of-the-art lab tech + biological Providing biological support to biogas plants doesn’t Measurements taken: know-how = faster service. Thanks to the new EnviTec lab, experts just involve lab work but also requires effective team-  Digester: pH value, ammonium- can get results back from samples taken in just a few hours, and find work from the service partner and the operator. The best results are achieved by careful monitoring of the nitrogen NH4-N, acetic acid equivalent out just how and where help needs to be provided. biological systems plus frequent discussion of ideas (FOS), acid capacity (TAC) (to calculate and suggestions, reports Willenborg from experience. the FOS/TAC value) In the space of a few short weeks after routine site visits to the biogas plant from EnviTec’s experts, significant  Input materials: dry weight, raw ash, improvements to performance are often seen, frequent- raw protein/fat/fibre (to calculate nitro- ly coupled with a reduction in operating costs due to gen-free extract, NfE) improvements made to pump and agitator settings. “The routine The biological service experts from EnviTec Service  Digestate: dry weight, raw ash, nitro- inspection of di- GmbH & Co. KG now support around 85 MW of plant. gen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesi- gester, substrate Key competitive advantages here include EnviTec’s all- and digestate um, calcium, copper, zinc, sulphur is essential for round, single-source approach to service provision and the long-term the company’s many years of experience, Willenborg maintenance of explains. all processes,” says Clemens Willenborg, head of biological Five senses aren’t always enough: Manuela Bauer (left page) uses state-of-the art laboratory service. equipment to ensure that the plant’s biology stays in perfect balance.

Since the beginning of this year, EnviTec’s investment tion,” Brinkmann continues. Biological services include in its own, state-of-the-art lab equipment at its Lohne standard monthly sampling work, as well as specialised site has offered customers an efficient and especially samples taken in the event of the plant’s biological sys- time-saving route to sample analysis. To meet these tems “going off the rails,” as Brinkmann puts it. demanding requirements, EnviTec’s specialists deploy standardised methods oriented on generally accepted “In many cases, our colleagues can get a very good pic- standards, such as those issued by the German Institute ture of the situation just by visiting the plant in person for Standardisation (DIN) or the Federal Compost Qual- and discussing current problems directly with the cus- ity Mark Association (BGK). tomer,” says the service expert. “Thanks to their wealth of expertise, they know these plants inside and out, and Offering 77 m3 of space, the new lab neatly rounds off can offer detailed advice on what needs to be done.” EnviTec’s service portfolio – not least because every hour that a biogas plant is offline means a serious loss Identifying and correcting negative of earnings for the operator. trends early on “Our Service Management operations are naturally To provide biological long-term support for operational focused on minimising outages while also ensuring that plant, regular examination of the substrate quality and every plant is operated to maximise its performance,” the ambient conditions of the anaerobic biology in the explains Martin Brinkmann, Managing Director of digester is essential. This is the only way to identify EnviTec Service GmbH & Co. KG. “Since we can now negative trends and intervene before they become offer our customers sampling and analysis either as part problematic. This enables a proactive approach that can of a service contract or as an on-demand service, we be effective in avoiding long-term problems with gas can now respond more quickly and give the operator production. “Digestion is a natural process and there- valuable, proactive advice about the best course of ac- fore subject to fluctuations now and then – and no two 38 Service Service 39

Benefits of a heat accumulator: A prestressed concrete container with extra lagging and seal- ing helps to deploy process heat as energy while also making it storable.

gas storage volume.” Whether this is ultimately achieved by adding a CHP plant or replacing an old CHP plant with a new unit offering greater output is decided on a plant-by-plant basis. Retrofitting

“One key focus we have at EnviTec The advantages at-a-glance: Biogas is on the increasing use of heat,” says Meistermann. According 1. Partial financing of gas engine replacement possible Fancy a new motor? The flexibilisation of to Lower Saxony’s Climate Protec- with Flex Bonus existing plants is usually achieved with perfor- tion and Energy Agency, around two mance improvements to the CHP system and 2. Flex Bonus of EUR 130/kW/p.a. Part-financing of CHP, greater gas volume. thirds of final energy demand in Ger- avoids the need for a major inspection many’s manufacturing and industry 3. lower maintenance costs and insurance fees 4. Prolonged service life »Flex plants can generate 5. Improved CHP energy conversion efficiency reduces Retrofitting power to match demand at substrate input specific times – which makes 6. Enables more sustainable heat usage them interesting for network 7. Makes the plant fit to face the situation after the 20-year made easy operators.« EEG subsidy – i.e. the ‘bidding market model’ From flexitime to flexible investments – it always pays to be versati- Jan Meistermann, Sales Director, EnviTec Service GmbH & Co. KG le. And what’s true for careers or finance is also true for plant opera- revenue can also be earned from the tions: flexible plant means greater operating efficiency. EnviTec Biogas sectors result from providing process sale of excess energy,” adds Meister- shows why investing in the future of your plant is a wise decision. heat. The vast majority of this pro- mann. Another positive side effect cess heat escapes from production is that process heat re-use makes unused, however. The government a positive contribution to building agency estimates that around 20% energy performance, resulting in a “With a flexibilised plant, smart man government’s bonus systems: roundtable event, and the customer of the theoretical waste heat poten- considerable boost to the company’s biogas plant operators will be well- only those operators who flexibilise response to Partetzke’s talk was over- tial could actually be utilised cost- image as a sustainable energy user. placed in a difficult energy market their CHP output and orient green whelming. As renewables continue effectively in Lower Saxony. “This is While anyone making their plant fit once the EEG subsidies expire,” says electricity generation on demand can to expand, there is a growing need exactly what we are addressing with for the future by adding a large CHP Jan Meistermann with conviction. stay independent and turn a profit. for dispatchable power generation our container construction for heat unit has to accept a slight reduction And the Sales Director at EnviTec So anyone who seizes this chance for plant whose feed-in can be quickly storage units,” says Meistermann. A in the operating periods in which Service GmbH & Co. KG should flexibilisation will be fit for the future. matched to demand. Accordingly, prestressed concrete container with electricity can be produced, they can know, since flexibilisation solutions But is the expense really worth it into says Partetzke, flexible plant technol- extra lagging/sealing and technical nonetheless reap the benefits from are now very much in demand: “un- the long term? “Definitely,” says Mat- ogy represents a key competitive systems is used not only to deploy a heating model based on intelligent like wind and solar power plants, flex thias Partetzke from IngenieurNetz- advantage for plant operators. process heat as a sustainable source waste heat storage. plants can generate power to match werk Energie in Bad Iburg, “since an of energy but to actually put this demand at specific times – which extra Flex-CHP will pay for itself after As Jan Meistermann goes on to heat into storage. This increases the makes them interesting for network about ten years.” EnviTec invited explain, “flexibilisation typically plant’s overall cost effectiveness, operators,” Meistermann explains. the flexibilisation and heating grid involves boosting the performance since this step works to significantly This is the intended effect of the Ger- expert to attend its annual operator of a CHP plant and expanding the lower energy costs. “Additional 40 Service Service 41

Proactive protection

Drawing on the extensive experience gained by operating its own plants, EnviTec’s allrounder team now offers consulting services in the field of Health, Safety and the Environment (HSE).

Hazard control engineer Friso Reinecke (left) and Christian Albers make up the HSE Team.

Plant safety, animal diseases, build- Saxony arose mainly in response to provider in this industry offers such Apart from duties related to compa- ing regulations – the list of legisla- the strong demand from external op- a broad-based portfolio of fault pre- ny-run facilities, the HSE Team has tion governing the biogas plant erators. “Many plant operators now vention, fire and occupational safety supported 20 projects from the start business is both long and varied. feel out of their depth, due to the services, paired with practical experi- of the year. Farmers are especially sheer volume of existing legislation ence gained from plant operations,” anxious about the amendments to For plant operators, just keeping up and tougher regulation in the future adds Martin Brinkmann. fertiliser and water management with the latest legal requirements is – water management legislation which comes into virtually a full-time job. Starting this law being one example,” force on 01.08.2017. Along- year, plant operators can now draw says Reinecke. “While »Our HSE Team neatly closes ope- side more extensive recurring on the support and comprehensive operators obviously want rators’ knowledge gaps in relation inspections of single-walled know-how provided by Friso Rei- to stay compliant with the to issues affecting health, safety containers, retrofitting work necke, Hazard Control Engineer at regulations, time is often will also become necessary. EnviTec Biogas and his colleague lacking – as is the need to and environmental protection.« Silage effluent, as well as its Christian Albers, a specialist in water see the bigger picture,” Martin Brinkmann, Managing Director, associated tanks and pipe- management law. “Our HSE Team the Hazard Control Engi- EnviTec Service GmbH & Co. KG work, is one particular area neatly closes operators’ knowledge neer continues. that has been neglected in gaps in relation to issues affecting the past, due to a lack of regulatory health, safety and environmental Practicable and inter- Alongside in-depth consulting and inspection criteria. Clean-up meth- protection,” says Martin Brinkmann, assistance during inspections by ods for clamp silos, inspection plans Managing Director of EnviTec Ser- disciplinary regulatory authorities and insur- for pipeline systems and necessary vice GmbH & Co. KG. The package of But help is at hand here from the ance companies, the HSE Team also extensions such as the setup of res- services is intended for any plant op- HSE Team, whose portfolio of ser- handles the creation or updating of ervoir facilities will all now be added erator who needs advice on achiev- vices not only includes site safety fault or fire prevention plans. These to operators’ workloads, “although ing regulatory compliance. “We inspections or support for operators plans form part of the plant approval we are of course already working don’t just cover the typical areas of preparing hazard assessments but documentation. Here, the team on solutions to help operators save plant/operational safety and hazard even extends to organising training focuses on the structural fire preven- money over the long term,” Rei- control but also give advice on safety for employees or management staff. tion provided for technical buildings, necke concludes. for plant personnel and subcontrac- Nor are biogas plant operators containers or gas storage facilities, tors,” Reinecke explains. the only ones to benefit from the as well as escape routes, roofing experience offered by the HSE Team: quality and technical or organisation- The new service provided by the several in-house training sessions al fire safety. “Typically, the creation biogas allrounder from Lower have now been given for accident of a fire prevention plan takes about insurers, who requested EnviTec’s four weeks in all from commission- expertise for their fire service district ing to completion,” says Reinecke.

Stop! It’s safety first when operating biogas safety officers. This interdisciplinary Depending on time requirements, plants. The list of binding instructions contin- work is what makes the solutions this kind of plan will cost operators ues to grow. ready for the real world. “No other around EUR 1,000. 42 company company 43

our company News

Run on TRGS training Approval department helps With TRGS 529 (TRGS = Technical with the change procedure for Rules for Hazardous Substances), your biogas plant standards have been introduced for the safe operation of a biogas In April, it was announced in the German Federal Law Gazette. And on 1 August 2017, it enters into force: the plant. During the two-day train- German “Regulation for Plant Concerning the Handling ing offered by EnviTec Service, all of Water Pollutants” (AwSV). There is also a new Ferti- of the necessary know-how on liser Ordinance: while operators are granted a transition period to upgrade existing facilities in line with AwSV hazardous substances legislation, requirements, operators who decide to initiate a change the properties of specific sub- procedure for their existing facility immediately may stances and hazard assessment is find they are then required to upgrade the facility to comply with new technical requirements pursuant to the acquired and discussed. By now, AwSV even before the expiry of the transition period. 149 operators have taken part in EnviTec is happy to the training course. Up-to-date support you here – please contact Birgit course information is available Bagert, Head of the from [email protected] Approval Planning department, at b.bagert@envitec- biogas.de. EnviTec@Social Media

Twitter, Facebook & Co. have also been wel- comed by the biogas industry. EnviTec is active on all channels and looks forward to growing numbers of ‘followers’. On Facebook, the biogas allrounder reaches around 3,200 people every month with press releases and news updates. The Twitter feedback is also positive: “We’ve got 1,718 followers worldwide here with over 9,000 impressions a month for our posts,” comments Sandra Nowack, who works with Judith Plog- mann in Corporate Communications and is re- sponsible for managing our channels. Alongside the ‘Big Two’ platforms, the team also maintains a presence on LinkedIn, XING and of course You- Tube, where the channel has 350 subscribers and 120,598 views to date. 44 company company 45

100 % satisfaction repeat purchase rate In its latest customer survey around a hundred customers 100% rated the biogas allrounder. Abroad, no less than 100% The repeat purchase rate for custo- of customers would choose EnviTec again! A clear sign mers surveyed is 100% abroad and that EnviTec Biogas is seen as a leading provider of all-in- 87% in Germany. one solutions both domestically and internationally.

»Apart from reliability and Service marks in quality, I was keen to get a other countries clear picture of the system “Reliable, safe – EnviTec”: this short Besides specific questions focusing used for biogas generation. phrase could be used to sum up on the EnviTec Biogas brand aware- As a result, I was especially the results of the latest customer ness and assessing the technical impressed by my visit to satisfaction survey run by EnviTec quality of the plant, questions were EnviTec’s plant in Ribeau- 1,7 Biogas. Following surveys in 2009 also included for the first time about villé for Agrivalor Energie.« and 2011, this survey, which was the company’s services. “This ap- Very good response times for faults carried out with the support of mar- proach was designed to give us an Fabrice Noël, operator of a keting expert Professor Dr. Susanne honest appraisal of our qualities 637 kW EnviTec biogas plant in Hensel-Börner, is now the third com- as an allrounder and to subject our Meuse, France prehensive survey of EnviTec’s cus- services to close scrutiny,” Hackfort tomers. “Once again, we also made adds. “By answering these ques- »After we’d visited a 1,7 sure to include our international tions, our customers actively help Professional troubleshooting by number of EnviTec gas customers,” says Katrin Hackfort, us to design our products and ser- the survey in 2011. In Germany, provided during plant ramp-up ac- 24-hour hotline upgrading plant projects, EnviTec’s Head of Corporate Com- vices – and especially our support – customers are impressed by tivities. Asked about planned exten- EnviTec was an obvious munication. The customer survey, to be focused even more closely on EnviTec as a premium provider sion work for existing plant, about choice, thanks to its long- which was split into five topic areas, the customer,” she continues. that offers high safety standards half of German customers think standing expertise.« was sent to customers in Germany, Overall, she says, the results were and technological quality and is there is plenty of potential for plant Ross Forster, Deputy Manager, France, Italy, Latvia, Czech Republic very positive and comparable to able to provide a full range of expansion. Mixing, measurement Peacehill Farm, UK and the UK. the same high level achieved by services from a single source. and pump systems were mentioned 1,7 by both domestic and international For foreign customers, EnviTec’s Expert support during customers when replying to a ques- design excellence plus service ramp-up and support were the key factors tion about failure rates for individual Top marks for for their decision to buy from the parts. “When fixing these problems, plant quality Lower Saxony-based company, this is where our major investment followed by the high quality of in company-owned operations re- the plant itself. ally pays off,” comments Hackfort. With in-house operations totalling 1,8 Overall, service packages are a solid 58 MW, EnviTec allows itself Very good support offered by my »Thanks to comprehensive 2,04 used by 97% of German custom- the opportunity to develop and test customer advisor flexibilisation and advice International ers who took the survey, with the technical methods on its own plant. from EnviTec, our twin 500 Biological Service receiving par- In the future, one particular focus kW standard plant now of- ticularly high marks and therefore here will be the long-term durability fers the option of seasonal being a key indicator of overall of mixing, measurement and pump operation.« customer satisfaction. systems. 1,8 Hermann Strathmann, Bio- 2,15 Planned maintenance completed to our Customers were also particularly energie Preußisch Ströhen, Germany complete satisfaction North Rhine-Westphalia (3.o.r.) pleased with the availability of re- placement parts and the support 46 company company 47

Coordination broadens the EnviTec success stories Flexibility mind Hanna Heuing has also been a member of the ... is not only an advantage for biogas plants. Few companies EnviTec family since 2006. A draughtsperson and offer career opportunities that have the sheer variety of those construction technician for structural engineer- ing by trade, she started at EnviTec in the CAD at EnviTec Biogas. How do people make the move from department. “Today, however, I’m putting my Project Planner to Costing or from Plant Construction to Service? knowledge to good use in Approvals,” says the We asked – and found some real allrounders. 33-year-old. Here, she enjoys direct contact with customers and the on-site visits. But doesn’t she also spend a lot of time on the phone and talk- ing to regulatory authorities? She grins: “Every A brief digression into the world of sport: in project, every customer and – yes – every local the game of cricket, an allrounder is of course a authority is different,” says Heuing: “It never player who is happy to play both defending and gets boring!” Now an Approvals specialist, she’s attacking the wicket as a batsman or bowler. In thankful for the time she spent in CAD. “The business, an employee stands out as a capa- time I spent coordinating technical planning with ble allrounder when he or she has talent and is EnviTec’s subsidiaries gave me expertise in many »The huge advantage of my work is prepared to take on responsibilities. “The ideal different areas, and I’m really benefiting from this that I’ve learned the ropes and allrounder thinks like an entrepreneur and acts now in my approvals work,” Heuing concludes. day-to-day working practice directly on the job.« independently, and therefore has great job flex- ibility,” says EnviTec Managing Director Olaf von An allrounder abroad Marcell Stege, Lehmden. And he should know, since he heads up 39 years old, Installation/Service, EnviTec Service a team of 439 men and women whose all-round André Scholz can also draw on a wealth of skills approach is one of their most important skills. and expertise. The 31-year-old is an allrounder An HVAC fitter by trade, Marcell While employees obviously need specialised, in- in assignments abroad. Straight after joining »Continuing to develop skills and Stege has been with EnviTec Biogas depth know-how in many areas at EnviTec, their abilities in every way, staying curi- EnviTec in 2011, the energy electronics technician versatility and broad-based expertise is ultimately ous about the unknown – that really and plant systems specialist was deployed for since 2006. He started in plant con- the winning formula. pays off.« projects in Latvia and Italy. “And I’ve been work- struction – “and straight away, I was ing in the UK since 2013,” says Scholz. Although Stephan Stiens, Managing Director, working on what was then the world’s originally planned for just a few months, he’s now Seeing eye-to-eye with EnviTec Service GmbH & Co. KG largest biogas plant, in Penkun,” he customers says. “Continuing to develop skills and abilities in Just one year later, the 39-year-old every way, staying curious about the unknown – says. His first position at EnviTec was in biologi- that really pays off,” says Stephan Stiens, speak- cal ramp-up operations for biogas plant. “As time then moved to Service, “which was ing from personal experience. The 52-year-old went on, our crew of six Service guys slowly at the time a crew of only five other is Managing Director of EnviTec Service GmbH developed into a larger team and I then assumed service technicians,” he recalls. & Co. KG. With a long background and interest the role of Head of Department for the Technical in agriculture, even he never thought he would Service,” Stiens continues. As the service port- After the birth of his daughter in find his way into an office job. After completing folio began to diversify and customer demands 2011, however, Stege then swapped his schooling, he went on to study agriculture at started to grow, Stiens’ own sphere of responsi- the roving life of a Service technician Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, but bility became larger. As signing officer and then for a desk job: “Since then, I’ve been broke off his studies to work in a family-owned company director, he and his team have been responsible for operational planning agricultural business and then as a contractor. responsible for developing and shaping EnviTec’s “Here, I was a bit of a lone wolf, so to speak, with service philosophy. for my team – the huge advantage of no office or immediate colleagues,” Stiens says. »Every project, every customer and – my work is that I’ve learned the ropes Unsurprisingly, joining EnviTec Biogas in 2006 yes – every local authority is different: and day-to-day working practice di- required a fair bit of personal adjustment. But he it never gets boring.« rectly on the job.” was a good fit. “I saw eye-to-eye with customers Hanna Heuing, Approval Planning Department, – I knew where they were coming from,” Stiens EnviTec Anlagenbau 48 company company 49

been overseas for three and a half years. “But you three years in 2009. Today, the all-round manager take the long periods of time away from home works in Management Accounting at EnviTec En- in your stride, since you not only improve your ergy. “Juggling with numbers, data and facts, the language skills but also develop a lot personally putting together of many different pieces of the and broaden your own horizons.” At EnviTec, he business puzzle into a successful final picture – appreciates the support from colleagues and the that’s what my work at EnviTec involves and what strong focus on professional development. Scholz makes it so interesting,” Ebben continues. And will, however, be switching over to the German this is exactly what seems to be the recipe for Service team from summer 2017, “because at success for the biogas allrounder: keeping an eye some point you do actually want to get your on the bigger picture while looking for strength in »I find it easy to give 101% for my own ‘family business’ going,” says Scholz with a diversity – both in terms of the product portfolio customers and the company.« smile. itself and the makeup of the company’s teams. Cornell Möbus, 33 years old, “Among all the many skills and abilities that an Gas Upgrading Commissioning, allrounder should also be capable of, one of these Staying on top of it all »It is fascinating to juggle with num- EnviTec Anlagenbau in particular is what we are looking for: team bers, data and facts and putting to- Already a highly successfully homemaker in her spirit and a motivation to develop professionally. gether so many different pieces of the Cornell Möbus is another true all- private life, Joanna Ebben joined the company as Only in this way we can build the best team for business puzzle.« round talent: After completing his Personal Assistant to Olaf von Lehmden back in our markets,” says Olaf von Lehmden. Joanna Ebben, Management Accounting, 2004. After completing her studies at the private apprenticeship in metalworking as a EnviTec Energy design technician, his first position College of Business and Technology in Vechta, combined the back office jobs of pro- she took the bold step of joining EnviTec Biogas GmbH – still a fledgling company – on graduating. gramming cutting/sawing machines “Even now, I’m still fascinated by the company’s and preparing technical drawings development, its continued growth and the need with site manager work. to readjust to new legislation, customers and markets,” says the 37-year-old. In her first three At EnviTec, he’s been putting his years as a PA her support for company manage- Building the best team for the market: the allrounder approach is top priority many skills and abilities to good use ment was provided mostly in management ac- at EnviTec Biogas! since 2011: first as a service fitter in counting, personnel and investor relations, taking the field, then by training one of our on this last role in 2007 for a year before then US colleagues and helping to set up moving to Group Management Accounting for the Service field office. Since 2015, the experienced techni- cian has been supporting the com- missioning phases of EnviTec plants and training operating personnel on- site as a commissioning specialist. “I had a good feeling about EnviTec from my first day here: the teamwork culture here is one-of-a-kind and really motivating,” says the 33-year- old. “Which means I find it easy to give 101% for my customers and the

company!” »You not only improve your language skills but also develop a lot personally and broaden your own horizons.« André Scholz, Service Technician, EnviTec Service UK 50 company company 51

Visit to EnviTec plants Highlights Inauguration of the first reference plant in southern France with Carole Delga, President 2016/2017 of the Occitanie Region: organic waste makes up 100% of the feedstock for this 637 kW CLER ENR plant.

Ecomondo in bella Italia: EnviTec Biogas exhibited at the trade fair from 7–10 November in Rimini. The main focus of the company’s stand was the internationally successful EnviThan gas upgrading technology. Hands-on at a flex plant: 15 plant operators and potential operators took a closer look at the Trade shows in Preußisch Ströhen biogas plant in Rahden. Germany and abroad Keeping fit with EnviTec

Individual advice guaranteed: in 2016, A climbing session or a voluntary check-up: to date, sales and technical experts from the company-internal fitness programme “EnviTec EnviTec once again offered a wealth for Fit” has helped 100 of our colleagues get their of information about the green energy work-life balance into shape. wonder biogas at Energy Decentral in Hanover. On this occasion, the company materials showcased by the biogas plant allrounder focused in particular on topics from the areas of flexibilisation, service and plant construction.

A key step towards establishing renewable energy sources in the Philippines is regular participation in trade fairs. Photo: Marcello Barbato, Sales Manager EnviTec Biogas Philippines, at Energy Smart Philippines 2016. Events at EnviTec

One for all and all for one: teamwork is a major focus of life at EnviTec – and not just for day-to-day work, either!

Photos taken in the Christmas season are always special – and the 2016 Christmas Party had a number of surprises in store. A selection from our photo album.

Welcome to EnviTec!

Visit from the Far East: in summer 2016, a 24-strong delegation from China joined Stefan Dehne, EnviTec Fun in the sun with EnviTec: Guests at the summer party take the LEGO challenge Technical Sales Manager Asia, to make a site visit to the EnviThan plant in Forst. The party, which included representatives of agricultural businesses, project developers and the Ministry of Agriculture, learned about plant operations and designs during the tour. www.envitec-biogas.com