”Whenever and wherever bioenergy is discussed” Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020INTERNATIINTERNATI NA NALL

Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 1 Team

Alan Sherrard Editor in chief alan.sherrard@ INTERNATI NAL bioenergyinternational.com ARTICLES FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT BIOENERGY INTERNATIONAL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION IS BOOMING, Kammakargatan 22 Pre-treatment with pulp friction 6 Novel biogas liquefaction enables cost SE-111 40 Stockholm, Sweden effective biofuel distribution 34 Tel: +46 8 441 70 80 Dorota Natucka Persson Boosting manure-based biogas with straw 8 GREEN GAS IS GOING GLOBAL Sales, marketing, co-editor E-mail: [email protected] Unique Canadian landfill Twitter:BioenergyIntl dorota.natucka@ Breaking the straw to biogas conundrum 11 gas to energy facility 37 www.bioenergyinternational.com s governments around the world recognise the scale of the climate crisis and acknowledge the bioenergyinternational.com Asia Biogas turning POME to Power 12 need for action to counter and mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, anaerobic digestion Cryogenic upgrading with Cryo Pur 38 PUBLISHER (AD) is one bioenergy technology that has enormous untapped potential and is seeing remar- Thai biogas sector needs low-cost systems 14 Kjell Andersson Future Biogas inaugurate first [email protected] kableA growth. Novel biogas plant feasts on culinary Triogen ORC in the UK 39 A recent report by the World Biogas Association (WBA) illustrates the contribution that the AD can cultivar using GreenWatt's technology 16 EDITOR IN CHIEF Jeanette Fogelmark Sweden's largest biomethane producer 40 Alan Sherrard make to meeting the Paris Agreement commitments, and its potential to become a key player in the deve- Sales, marketing, production [email protected] lopment of a sustainable circular economy. A key finding of the WBA report, ‘Global Potential of Biogas’ jeanette.fogelmark@ Kumac for processing slurry and digestate 41 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS SALES, MARKETING & CO-EDITORS is that anaerobic digestion (AD) technology, which produces biogas from the treatment of wastes, can bioenergyinternational.com More value from biowaste with unique Beans, Baboons and Biogas 18 Dorota Natucka Persson help reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 3 290 to 4 360 million tonnes CO eq or approx- [email protected] 2 measurement solution 42 imately 10-13 percent of the world’s current GHG emissions. Herzberg double bottom-line benefits 21 Jeanette Fogelmark [email protected] Furthermore, the report finds that only 2 percent of the feedstocks available are treated through AD. For Wyke Farms ‘100% Green’ BIOGAS MARKET These include food waste, sewage waste, farm waste and crops, which can all be used to make biogas in Xinyi Shen is anything but cheesy 22 Xinyi Shen [email protected] Sales, marketing, co-editor A 100 percent French renewable gas mix every country. Indeed, an estimated 80 percent of all global wastewater discharged is currently not being Passionate dairy and biogas pioneers 24 by 2050? Feasible new study suggests 43 recycled through an AD process suggesting that there is still a huge potential for governments, city- and xinyi.shen@ SUBSCRIPTION bioenergyinternational.com Small scale biogas boom in Cuba 26 6 issues 125 EUR. urban administrations to address wastewater treatment and curb methane emissions while improving air- Order: [email protected] and water quality, nutrient recovery and produce biogas as an energy source, displacing fossil fuels. The Very cool with cow heat and power 28 BIOGAS DIRECTORY 2020 42 PRINTING use of untreated wastewater from cities to irrigate crops downstream is 50 percent more widespread than E.ON inaugurates Sweden's largest dry BIOGAS EVENT Pipeline Nordic AB, Stockholm, Sweden previously thought, 65 percent of all irrigated areas within 40 km downstream of urban centers – amoun- fermentation plant 31 ting to about 35.9 million hectares (about the size of Germany) – are affected by wastewater flows to a Markku Björkman Bio360 Nantes – the Nordics are OWNER SBSAB/Svebio Reporter Biogas expansion on Crete 32 coming to France 44 large degree. Of the total area of 35.9 million hectares, 29.3 million hectares are in countries with very [email protected] ABOUT BIOENERGY INTERNATIONAL limited wastewater treatment, exposing 885 million urban consumers as well as farmers and food vendors Bioenergy International is produced in co- to serious health risks according to the study ‘A global, spatially-explicit assessment of irrigated croplands operation with Bioenergy Europe (previously influenced by urban wastewater flows’. AEBIOM) and published 6 times a year. Another recent report, ‘Global Food Waste Management: An Implementation Guide for Cities’, also by COVER PHOTO the WBA in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Food, Water and Waste Pro- Anders Haaker ADVERTISERS gramme puts particular emphasis on the importance of separately collecting and treating inedible food Editor in chief Bioenergi waste. A “how to do” guide for cities, the report highlights the role of biogas technologies, which through anders.haaker@ Agraferm 44 bioenergitidningen.se AD recycle inedible food waste into renewable heat and power, clean transport fuel, and nutrient-rich Bright Biomethane 44 biofertiliser. AD technologies, which are mature, ready-to-implement, and cost-effective, allow maxi- BTA 44 mum recovery of resources for both green energy generation and soil restoration. Eggersmann 4,44 Most cities around the world currently do not collect food waste separately, leaving it to be disposed of Host Bio-Energy Installations 45 Kjell Andersson in landfills or, at best, in waste-to-energy facilities. As a result, food waste is not treated and loses its po- Landia 4,45 Information Secretary tential to resolve a series of environmental issues faced by all cities. A timely guide given that the ‘Global [email protected] Streisal 45 Gas Report 2018’, jointly published by Snam, International Gas Union (IGU) and The Boston Consul- Sychem 45 ting Group (BSG estimates that more than 90 percent of global gas’ consumption growth to 2040 will Vaisala 4,45 come from cities. Weltec Biopower 45 On biomethane (aka green gas or renewable natural gas – RNG), the joint report suggests that it is still at “an early stage of development”, although biogas plants have seen strong growth in Europe, driven by favourable policy environments in certain countries. Renewable gas used in existing gas infrastructure could play an important role in "BOOM" YOUR BRAND - ONLINE AND IN PRINT Giannis Petrakakis, Plant Manager of reducing Europe’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net- Sychem Biogas says that his company zero by mid-century, according to a study conducted Eco- The Bioenergy International media plan for 2020 with editorial themes, copy deadlines and advertising rates, is able to provide integrated solutions fys and commissioned by the Gas for Climate initiative. in print and online, is available on www.bioenergyinternational.com for the management of organic waste Such a reduction is needed to comply with the Paris and the production of biogas by Twitter:BioenergyIntl Agreement to keep global warming well below 2°C “BOOM” YOUR BRAND – ONLINE AND IN PRINT! BIOENERGY – THE UNSUNG ENERGY TRANSITION HERO designing plants incorporating novel Bioenergy International (BioInt) is a master key in your marketing mix Sector Bioenergy International is read by qualified representa- Half of all renewable energy consumption in 2018 came from modern bioenergy, and, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) kit. As an advertiser you can leverage our channels to reach qualified tives from different business sectors that share a common interest latest market forecast – Renewables 2019 Market Analysis and Forecast to 2024 – modern bioenergy (liquid biofuels, solid biomass, biogas, and could save Europe EUR 138 billion annually target groups and relevant decision-makers with purchasing power. As in bioenergy. municipal and industrial waste) will continue to have the biggest growth in renewable resources between 2019 and 2024. www.bioenergyinternational.com advocate press with a clear editorial focus on the biomass-to-energy 1% 1% Although buildings are anticipated to account for over half of global renewable heat growth, followed by industry, the share of global heat consumption from value chains, your advertising is always in context. These span across Equipment Manufacturer / Supplier technologies (photo Markku Björkman). 6% renewables is expected to increase only marginally, from 10 percent today to 12 percent in 2024. Overall, the IEA notes that renewable heating (and renewable traditional industry sectors, sub-sectors and markets opening up new 6% Other/ Not Specified cooling) potential remains ”vastly underexploited” and deployment is not in line with global climate targets, which calls for greater ambition and stronger policy opportunities for your products and services. Build, Own, Operate and 27% the study suggests. Fuel Producer / Trader / Supplier support. Maintain your brand, online and in print, in Bioenergy International. 7%

Utility (Steam, Heat, Cooling and / or Power) According to the International renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), bioenergy was the second largest employer 2017-2018 – over 3.22 million direct and indirect Print - reach readers in 66 countries/territories jobs globally were found in bioenergy – the population of Mongolia (ranked 136 in the 2019 revision of World Population Prospects). Many of these employ- Other Agencies / Consultancies / Services EDITORIAL DATES & Bioenergy International comes out with six print issues of which one is a dedi- 10% ment and payment opportunities are found in rural areas where both the feedstock and production plant are located such as corn and sugarcane ethanol plants, cated issue on pellets ”Pellets Special”. Each issue has a minimum print run Project / Construction / Engineering Consultancy manure-based biogas plants or wood pellet plants – a circular bioeconomy symbiosis. Initiated mid-2017, the Gas for Climate group of 4 000 copies. The e-magazine is the digital version of the printed edition. ADVERTISING RATES 2020 Governmental, Association, NGO, Other Authority Benefits aside, biomass is still arguably the most misunderstood and emotive energy source. Its inherent diversity and interdependency makes it complex. INTERNATI NAL All print advertisers appear in the digital version opening additional marketing This would seem especially true for so-called crop-based biofuels – grain ethanol or palm oil biodiesel – as well as forest derived biomass such as wood opportunities. Financial / Laboratory / Certification Services 16% 26% pellets. A recently published “four fundamentals guide” to help policymakers develop a science-based approach when the discussing carbon accounting 2% Emerging Technologies and the potential role forest biomass energy can play in energy and climate policy is particulary useful. 9% No part of this publication may be repro- consists of seven leading European gas transmis- Europa 1 The carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass energy are well established – most debates 10% regarding the carbon benefits of forest biomass energy are about the timing of the benefits rather than whether they From Google Analytics exist. duced or stored in any form without the Reach 215 countries/territorries, 228 302 users, 302 453 user 2 Measuring the carbon benefits of forest biomass energy must consider cumulative carbon Americas sessioners, 00:01:26 average visit duration, 89% new and 11% sion companies; Enagás, Fluxys Belgium, Gasu- emissions over the long term – the most effective carbon mitigation measures are those which reduce carbon returning visitors respectively (from start Oct 2016 - Nov 2019). accumulation in the atmosphere over time. Comparisons between forest biomass emissions and fossil fuel emissions prior written consent of the publisher. at the time of combustion and for short periods thereafter do not account for long term carbon accumulation in the Asia / Oceania atmosphere and can significantly distort or ignore comparative carbon impacts over time. 300000 79% 3 An accurate comparison of forest biomass energy carbon impacts with those of other nie, GRTgaz, Open Grid Europe, Snam and 250000 energy sources requires the use of consistent timeframes in the comparison – measuring the net Whilst every reasonable effort is made to cumulative carbon emissions from forest biomass energy over a 100 year timeframe, as is done for fossil fuels, more ac- Africa 200000 curately captures and more appropriately demonstrates the cumulative carbon benefits of bioenergy compared to fossil 150000 fuels. check accuracy, all articles and informa- TIGF and two renewable gas industry associations, 4 Economic factors influence the carbon impacts of forest biomass energy – demand for wood Web - Bioenergy International 24/7 100000 helps keep land in forest and incentivizes investments in new and more productive forests, all of which have significant Ensure that your company appears on www.bioenergyinternational.com. Ad- 50000 vertise 24/365, part of the year or campaign based. Our web platform is re- carbon benefits. tion are published in good faith. Readers sponsive and works for all desktops, tablets and smartphones. Updated daily 0 2020 sees Bioenergy International enter into its 19th consecutive year of publication, reporting firsthand on biomass to with news and commentary from around the world, it has seen continual the European Biogas Association (EBA) and User Sessioners User Sessioners User Sessioners energy developments around the world. A big shoutout and thank you to all of our advertisers, readers, sponsors and year-on-year growth in visitors and reach since its launch in October 2016. November 2016- November 2017- November 2018- subscribers that have made this milestone possible. It is your advertising, sponsoring, and subscription custom that October 2017 October 2018 October 2019 are advised to verify statements and facts Africa 2 % enables our coverage and dissemination through the different channels and platforms. We look forward to 2020 and Oceania 2 % continuing as part of the growing global bioenergy movement, together with you. Consorzio Italiano Biogas (CIB). Of the 228 302 users, 65% came via organic search and 22% from Alan Sherrard direct with official sources before acting the ”BioInt News & Views” newsletter. EDITOR IN CHIEF

Asia 19 % 6% 1% Organic Search on them as the publisher cannot, under The study, ‘Gas for Climate: How gas can help to ac- 6% BIOENERGY INTERNATIONAL OWNER EDITOR IN CHIEF SBSAB/Svebio Email - BioInt Newsletter Europe 53 % Alan Sherrard Kammakargatan 22 [email protected] SE-111 40 Stockholm, Sweden, Ph:. +46 8 441 70 80 any circumstances, accept any responsi- E-mail: [email protected] 22% Twitter, Linkedln, Facebook, MARKETING, COMMUNICATION & CO-EDITORS hieve the Paris Agreement target in an affordable way’ Reddit, Google+ and Pac Americas 24 % Dorota Natucka-Persson PUBLISHER Referral [email protected] Kjell Andersson 65% bility. Opinions expressed should not be Jeanette Fogelmark [email protected] [email protected] Other Xinyi Shen shows that it is possible to scale up renewable gas produc- [email protected] construed as being those of the publisher. in BIOENERGY INTERNATIONAL – YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER AND SOURCE 3 Biochemicals & Biomaterials – Heat, Power & Cooling – Biofuels & Bio-oils – Biogas, Biomethane & Hy- SI units and ISO 4217 currency codes are >> linkedin.com/company/ @BioenergyIntl @bioenergyinternational www.bioenergyinternational.com tion between now and 2050 to more than 120 billion m (bcm) BioenergyInternational drogen – Pellets, Woodchips & Solid Fuels – Storage, Transport & Logistics – Feedstock – Technology & Service Suppliers – Innovation, Research & Development – Policy, Markets & Finance – Opinion & Com- mentary and much more! used as a matter of preference.

2 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 3 “Biogas can be used as a fuel for transport and as energy for electricity and heat, whilst the residue left over from biogas generation, digestate or natural fertiliser, can replace 5-7 Turn On Your percent of inorganic fertiliser currently in use. This means it From waste to value with MGP261 could fertilise 82 million hectares (ha) of land, equivalent to Improve methane concentration Bio-Engine the combined arable land in Brazil and Indonesia” Prolong the replacement interval of active carbon filters DR SARIKA JAIN, the lead author of the Global Potential of Biogas report

Prevent the CHP engine from wear and shutdown due to wet gas

Know your gas quality better >> annually, including both renewable hydrogen and South America, Brazil is taking regulatory by the US Stockholm Environment Institute

(H2) and biomethane. This, the study suggests, steps to exploit its huge potential. (SEI) and Hivos evaluating the performance of is possible through the large-scale implementa- the Africa Biogas Partnership Program- tion of sustainable biomethane production pro- It should also be emphasized that biogas and me (ABPP) of its biodigester market creation ef- duced from a range of agricultural and woody AD technologies can play an important role on a forts in East Africa finds that biogas is a feasible biomass types. A “prudent estimation of a truly household level for instance as a self-produced and scalable means of promoting clean cooking sustainable” production potential of biomethane source of a renewable clean cooking fuel. In and household air pollution reduction in rural within the EU shows that it is possible to pro- many developing countries, biogas cooking can Sub-Saharan Africa, though not without adop- duce at least 98 billion m3, or 1 072 TWh of en- also improve the livelihoods of rural households, tion challenges especially related to financing. ergy, annually by 2050. as by-products of biogas production such as slur- Thus in summary, the potential for growth The study highlights an additional potential ry and fertiliser boost agricultural productivity. for anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies – to produce 24 billion m3 of renewable hydrogen Modern biogas use, meanwhile, reduces the from rural household biodigesters to large inte- Take your biogas production to another level: by converting low-cost wind and solar electricity amount of time spent by women and children grated urban wastewater and food waste treat- www.vaisala.com/biogas into hydrogen. Using this renewable gas in exis- collecting fuelwood or saves money by not ha- ment facilities – is huge, and with it, the deve- ting gas infrastructure for the heating of buil- ving to buy fuel such as charcoal, kerosene or lopment of a major economic force that provides dings, to produce dispatchable electricity as a LPG. Biogas is also one potential solution to renewable energy and food security manages VIM-G-BG-Ad-200x145mm.indd 1 27/03/2019 13.37 complement to wind and solar, and to fuel heavy combat household air pollution – according to waste, protects water bodies, restores soil health, transport, could save about EUR 138 billion an- the World Bioenergy Association (WBA) ocia- improves air quality, promotes health and sani- Landia GasMix nually by 2050 compared to a future energy sys- tion (WBA), over 3 billion people worldwi- tation, and creates mass employment. MIX THE A Ground-Breaking Mixing System for tem without any gas. de currently use traditional cookstoves (TCS) This the inaugural edition of Bioenergy WHOLE Anaerobic Digesters! Long centred in Europe, the green gas sector fuelled by solid fuels such as fuelwood, charcoal International’s Digital Biogas Special is a dedica- TANK! is indisputably going global according to a re- or dried manure. These generate considerable ted compilation of articles featuring some of the Optimize biogas yields to achieve energy net-positive port from France-headed international natural indoor air pollution causing serious health and feedstocks, anaerobic digestion technologies (bio- digester mixing with Landia’s innovative technology. gas association CEDIGAZ. There will soon be environmental problems. mass gasification and power-to-gas (PtG) are ex- more than 1 000 biomethane production plants Despite these clear advantages, the potential cluded in this edition) and biogas plants that have Landia GasMix can be installed in any type of digester to handle all types of sludge up to 10% TS. operating in thirty-four countries, up from 720 of domestic biogas has not been fully exploited. previously appeared in regular issues of Bioenergy at year-end 2017 and 173 in 2010. Since 2010, A technology brief, ‘Biogas for Domestic Coo- International in recent years. The choice is subjec-  Externally-mounted world biomethane production has increased ex- king’ from the International Renewable Energy tive and based on what has captured the imagina-  Easy to maintain [email protected] ponentially, reaching three billion cubic meters Agency (IRENA) provides technical back- tion of the editor in terms of good practise, no- Tel. +45 9734 1244 (bcm) in 2017. ground information, analyses market potential velty and potential.  No process downtime Chopper Pumps invented by Landia  Improved sludge reduction landiaworld.com - Installed by the World! In Europe, biomethane use is spreading across and barriers, and offers insights for policymakers Text & photo: Alan Sherrard the continent. There are now nineteen European on biogas for domestic cooking. Recent research DBS1/6492 producing countries, whose output totalled nearly 2 bcm in 2017. Across the Atlantic, the United States (US) is now world leader for the use of bio- Innovative Energy methane as vehicle fuel, further to its production surge of 2014-2017 and driven by federal and sta- Production From te regulations. The fact that China and India have recently adopted biogas upgrading technolo- Organic Residuals gy promises to be a game changer. Both countries have set ambitious biomethane production targets

The BEKON® dry fermentation process offers and figure as huge emerging markets. In Central efficient and modular systems for biogas production from waste materials. The ideal solution for municipalities, waste Long centred in Europe, the green gas sector is in- management companies and agriculture. disputably going global. According to a report from France-headed international natural gas associa- tion CEDIGAZ, there will soon be more than 1 000 +49 89 9077959-0 biomethane facilities operating in 34 countries, up [email protected] | bekon.eu from 720 plants at year-end 2017 and 173 in 2010 (graphic courtesy CEDIGAZ).

4 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 5 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

as possible without damaging fibres and without breaking down non-paper components or contam- inants such as plastics, metals and glass often found in recycled paper bales, explained Lekander. Instead, high consistency (HC), 18-22 per- cent dry solids (DS) pulpers make use of a phe- nomen known as ”internal friction”. The pulper enables intensive but gentle fibre-to-fibre friction while maintaining the original fibre properties and minimising fragmentation of contaminants.

Pre-treatment process That is what makes the concept very attractive, provided of course it can be applied to separat- ing and dissolving organic content from house- hold waste. A typical pre-treatment unit consists of three basic components; a receiving and feed- ing unit, a HC-pulper and a reject separator with accept material buffer. Working batchwise the HC pulper vat is filled from the receiving bin with the material to be treated such as sorted or unsorted household waste or solid manure. Water is added to reach an operating consistency of up to 22 percent DS. The helix shaped screw stirer at the bottom of the vat creates a certain turbulence in the liquid mass subjecting the solid organic components to PRE-TREATMENT WITH PULP FRICTION internal friction and dissolve whereas the non- organics like plastic remain unfragmented. A key pre-treatment process for papermills using recycled paper is the high consistency pulper that converts this feed- – In effect the HC pulper opens the plastic stock into a homogenous contaminant-free substrate. An application that, on paper, lends itself to the biogas sector. bag and dissolves the contents without chewing up the bag which instead is collected for material or energy recovery, remarked Johan Göth, Sales in the paper industry, pulpers are an important Installation to Norway number of stand alone HC-pulpers all ad-hoc and Marketing Director, Cellwood Machinery. piece of kit that transform the bale of pulp into a Up to now it seems that this pre-treatment unit and at the back-end of an existing biogas or Once the batch is fully dissolved the pulper is pumpable homogenous substrate free from con- has been a pretty well-kept secret. Not any more. waste pre-treatment plants so to speak, he said. emptied by the reject separator. Here the accept taminants but without damaging the fibre. A The Norwegian company, Greve Biogass AS, an- material, substrate, passes through a sieve screen Swedish company, Cellwood Machinery AB, nounced in June that it had begun construction Leveraging pulp know-how of a pre-determined size, usually 4-6 mm, and is which develops, manufactures and supplies ma- of its biogas plant in Tönsberg, southern Nor- In short, dispersers, pulpers and dewaterers pumped to a buffer tank. The system washes the chinery and systems for the pulp and paper in- way, which includes a turnkey 12 tonne-per- with ancillaries for the pulp and paper are the reject before it is removed to minimise losses of Household waste may not look pretty or smell nice but it has an energy and material recovery value. Seper- dustry has taken note of this. hour capacity pre-treatment unit. core technologies and know-how base. In 2000 ating the two is the challenge even if it arrives at a plant source seperated. Here the RTC 1-tonne-per-hour organic material with recirculation of the water Although the company may be the new kid According to the planning specification, the Cellwood Machinery established a full-scale pre-treatment unit testing a batch of client feedstock with (1) infeed from the receiving bin to the (2) HC- to the next batch to be processed. on the biogas block, it is not a new company. It biogas plant will use about 60 000 tonnes per Research Technology Center (RTC) with its pulper. (3) the reject separator (photo courtesy Cellwood Machinery). –The entire cycle sequence of filling, dissolv- has roots that date back to 1913. In 1954 Cell- annum of a feedstock mix comprising mainly equipment and laboratory, at its headquarters ing and emptying is done automatically by intre- wood Machinery started to produce its first of solid and liquid manure but also biowaste in Nässjö, Sweden. grating it with computer setup control. The Sedimentation - a ticking bomb? (Above left) Cellwood has already begun installing equipment, a woodchip grinder, for the pulp, from the food and meat industries, sewage – The RTC is one of the smartest investments power consumption is low, 15 kW for the pulper Three optional components are also available; a its pulper food waste pre-treatment and its Grub- paper and wallboard industry. In 1972 it laun- sludge and the organic fraction of sorted house- we have made. It allows existing and presump- bens High Density Cleaners (HDC) systems adapted and about 20 kW for the whole pre-treatment cyclone sand remover, a dewatering screw press ched dispersing systems for waste paper. In 1976 hold waste. Start-up with first waste in is sched- tive clients to test their material using our equip- for biogas plants such as this one installed at the unit, commented Johan. for DS optimisation and a disperser. These are it acquired Grubbens Fractionator, which fo- uled for September 2015. ment and verify results together with our sales dediciated food waste processing line at the Tuvan While this all sounds straight-forward stand-alone components that can be retrofitted cused on pulpers and ancillary equipment for and engineering staff who are in the same build- wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Skellefteå, enough it is not just a matter of fill up the vat to most existing biogas plants. the paper industry. Not the first ing. The HC-pulper with reject separator is a Sweden. and press start. The entire principle hinges on – Digester sedimentation is perhaps not a It has adapted its pulper experience and As it turns out Greve Biogass is not the first plant complete system for dissolving and separation of getting the right combination of percent DS, problem that many biogas plant operators have know-how to develop a turnkey pre-treatment to have such a pre-treatment installation. household waste and other organic materials and stirer rpm and time, which in turn depend on come across. High density particles will accum- CELLWOOD unit for biowastes which, it claims, can handle – Actually we have already supplied several is a direct result of development work using the the material coming in and the degree of dis- mulate over time and, if not removed, cause sorted and unsorted household waste. And with pre-treatment units to household waste treatment RTC, explained Olof Lekander. solving required, up to 99 percent particle frac- gradual loss of effective volume and eventually Cellwood Machinery is part of the Cell- about 2 500 pulpers installed at papermills plants in China, Denmark, South Korea and tion under 4 mm. agitator failure due to high density loading. Not wood Group, a privately-owned Swedish around the world it would be fair to say there is Sweden since we launched the unit in 2008/2009. Internal friction – pulper 101 – This is why the RTC one-tonne-per-hour to mention abrasive wear on pumps and pipes all industrial group. The other companies are ample experience and know-how to draw from. These have capacities ranging from about 3-12 What makes this pre-treatment unit different is unit is so valuable. It is here we, together with the of which lead to extensive downtime, costly re- Söderhamn Eriksson (machinery and sys- Yet is there not an issue of scale that separates tonnes per hour, said Lekander. He also revealed that despite appearances to the contrary, a HC tems for the sawmill industry), Bruzaholms client, test run the feedstock mixes to determine pairs and loss of income through missed produc- the pulp and paper industry from say the biogas that the first high consistency (HC) pulper for pulper is not a mechanical fragmentation pro- Bruk (iron foundry) and Simson Power the ”receipe” that achieves the desired degree of tion. A heavy density particle remover is a very sector in terms of feedstock processing capacity? non-paper industry use was installed at a waste cess typically used at biogas plants, whereby all Tools (hydraulic power jacks). Cellwood dissolving. Once this receipe is determined then worthwhile investment for any biogas plant, – No scale is not an issue, capacity is custom- treatment plant in Denmark in 1995, at the re- the material is size-reduced, including any con- Group has approximately 350 employees we can start discussing the size of the unit needed. concluded Olof Lekander. ised in the level of 2-20 tonnes per hour per unit, quest of the client. It is still operational. taminates that may end up in the digestate. and annual turnover is around SEK 700 mil- And it forms part of the operational output guar- lion of which 75 percent is generated from commented Olof Lekander, Business Develop- – I suppose that’s when you can say things – The purpose of a pulping system is to dis- antee, highlighted Johan Göth. Text & photo: Alan Sherrard export markets. ment Manager with Cellwood Machinery. started for the non-paper applications. We sold a solve or ”slush” the fibre material as completely BI80/4567/AS

6 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 7 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

And Danish farmers produce a lot of straw. On an annual basis 5.5–6 mil- lion tonnes of which roughly one third is used as fuel for heating, one third is used for animal bedding and feeding and the remainder is essen- tially unused. – The Danish government’s 50 per- cent manure-based biogas target can only be achieved by using large amounts of straw to increase methane yield and secure plant economies. All other high yield residues such as from the food processing industry are al- ready taken, said Bonde. In theory cereal straw has a poten- tial methane yield of 240–320 Nm³ per tonne but up until now has had limited use in biogas plants. – Under the microscope a strand of cereal straw is a fantastic ligno-cellu- losic structure. It is light, strong, hy- drophobic and decay resistant with the cellulose and hemi-cellulose locked behind the lignin coated cell walls. The challenge is to make these components readily available for mi- crobial conversion, he said. biogas yield when used, said Torben. Quite a challenge as even shredded There is though more to it than Boosting manure-based biogas with straw or macerated straw that absorbs some that. The briquetting process itself also degree of water is difficult to mix in has, as Bonde reveals, a remarkable ef- Agricultural residues the baltic sea region (bsr) is an area lion. The Danish government is keen gies, as well as a Director and Partner with cattle or pig slurry. It is volumi- fect on the straw and its properties. in the form of animal of intensive arable and animal hus- to both increase biogas production ca- of Kinetic Biofuel A/S, a newly nous and will inevitably float causing – In short it can be described as manure and straw re- bandry production, though not wit- pacity while mitigating the environ- formed company for the patented surface crust or dead-zones in a reac- mechanically induced steam explo- present a significant hout its environmental issues. Metha- mental impact of its livestock industry straw pre-treatment technology. tor, and blockages in pumps and sion, said Torben adding that the C.F. ne and ammonia emissions to the air, and has set a target of digesting 50 pipes. Furthermore electrical con- Nielsen briquette press has been yet under-utilised groundwater nitrate pollution, run-off percent of the total annual volume of Straw as substrate sumption of pumps, stirrers and mix- adapted and modified to optimise this source of renewable leading to freshwater eutrophication animal manure by 2020. Cattle and pig manure at 8–10 per- ers goes up in addition to the energy internal process, and patented. energy and fertiliser. and algae blooms in the Baltic Sea, cent dry matter content typically have needed for shredding or maceration. The shredded and milled particles Increasing livestock which is one of the world’s largest Yield hampers economics a methane yield of 15–25 Nm³ per are compressed under high pressure. densities and tougher brackish inland seas and a particularly Whilst anaerobic digestion (AD) is a tonne whereas poultry litter does bet- Mechanical industrial The kinetic energy on the moment of environmental de- sensitive marine environment regula- suitable technology to treat manure, ter, at 30 percent dry matter content pre-treatment impact by the piston and sudden pres- mands on manure ma- ted under the 1992 Convention on the produce biogas and use the digestate and 30–100 Nm³ per tonne. Manure Given the above mentioned, the tech- sure drop on its retraction together plant is one of the world’s largest of its (Top) Mogen Møller Hansen, nagement are com- Protection of the Marine Environme- as organic fertiliser, manure-based bi- pales compared to crop-based feed- nology solution offered by Kinetic with the high temperature caused by kind and the University has its own Plant Manager Foulum Biogas pounded by low nt of the Baltic Sea Area. ogas remains largely untapped com- stock such as maize or grass silage at Biofuel comes somewhat as a surprise dissipation of kinetic energy into the livestock and crop research and pro- sharing research results and experiences with visitors from methane yield from According to Baltic Manure, a re- pared to its potential. 33 percent dry matter content and at first as it too is entirely mechanical, straw causes steam explosions ruptur- duction in the surroundings. Re- a 70 strong delegation of the cently concluded European Union – For the farmer the economics of 160–220 Nm³ per tonne not to men- a briquetting press line consisting of a ing the fibres, cell walls and pores. search at the full-scale biogas plant is manure-based biogas European Forage Association. plants and the ligno- (EU) funded flagship project to ad- manure-based biogas production is tion substrates such as fats and crude bale conveyor, shredder, stone trap, – This as you know changes every- focused on advanced technologies for dress manure management practices often the most serious bottle-neck for hammermill, cyclone and filter, feed thing. The dry straw particles are able improving the biogas production in- cellulosic nature of glycerine which can reach 1000 Nm³ (Above) The complete set- around the BSR, some 187 million increasing capacity, even with gener- methane per tonne. silo and briquette press. Furthermore to absorb water at high capacity and cluding optimisation of the biogas po- straw that makes it up of a 1.5 tonne per straw tonnes of cattle, pig and poultry ma- ous feed-in tariffs for heat and/or elec- – Mixing livestock manure types the press itself is a seemingly standard the cell structures are opened allow- tential and improvement of methods elusive to co-digest. briquetting line at the Foulum nure are produced annually in the tricity, simply because the biogas yield and energy crops as co-substrate in BP 6510 HD 1.5 tonne per hour bri- ing enzymatic and microbial conver- such as pre-treatment, high techno- biogas reserach plant. A Linka Until now that is. Da- BSR, excluding Russia, most of which per tonne of manure feedstock is very manure-based biogas plants can im- quetting press from Danish manufac- sion of the contents, said Torben. logy separation of nutrients, thermal straw bale feed conveyor and nish company Kinetic is generated in Poland, Denmark and low compared to a crop-based feed- prove profitability by increasing the turers C.F. Nielsen A/S. The straw briquettes can preferably conversion of the residual fibres after shredder (red) stone trap, Biofuel A/S has de- the northern German states. stock, said Dr Torben A. Bonde, dur- methane yield, but results in addition- As straw briquettes have a much be fed directly from the briquetting digestion, high solid digester techno- hammer mill, cyclone, press monstrated a paten- EU legislation regulates applica- ing a visit to Foulum biogas plant in al organic nitrogen applied to the higher bulk density than a big bale, line via a screw conveyor into a biogas logy and upgrading of biogas to ve- feed silo, briquetting press ted straw pre-treat- tion rates of animal manure according Denmark where the straw pre-treat- fields and potentially increased leach- about 550 kg per m³ compared to 150 reactor or fed into a mixing tank and hicle fuel or natural gas quality. and combined briquette cooling and feed conveyor ment technology that to its nitrogen content. Especially for ment technology has been installed ing. Furthermore additional land is kg per m³, the immediately obvious stirred in liquid manure before pump- The research part of the facility to the biogas receiving and pig manure this can result in over-fer- and demonstrated. benefit is a radical reduction in trans- ing the mixture into a reactor. consists of four 15 litre reactors, four enables manure-based needed to grow these crops or addi- feedstock mixer bin (photo port and storage costs. biogas plants to use tilisation of phosphorous since pig A specialist in microbial ecology, tional costs are incurred to purchase 200 litre reactors, two 10 m³ continu- courtesy Kinetic Biofuel). Full-scale research plant straw as co-substrate manure is characterised by a high con- Dr Torben A. Bonde is a distinguished them and this eats into profitability, – This is of course an important ously stirred tank reactors (CSTR) tent of phosphorous relative to nitro- Danish entrepreneur with a long sci- benefit as it enables cost-effective vol- The entire briquetting line including and two 30 m³ CSTRs all of which and over double bio- said Bonde. gen. Denmark is one of the world’s entific R&D career. He is a founder However profitability can now be ume aggregation. Briquetting also both reactor feed-in systems have are used for test and piloting research. gas output. leading exporters of pork and, accord- and CTO of Biofuels Technology considerably improved by using other preserves straw quality over time with been installed and tested at Aarhus In addition there is a section that can ing to Statistics Denmark, the stock of ApS, a company specialised in devel- residues from agricultural production minimum degradation that would University’s biogas research plant in accommodate up to six independent pigs in 2013 numbered almost 12 mil- oping biofuel processes and technolo- such as cereal straw as co-substrate. otherwise have a negative effect on Foulum. Built in 2007 the Foulum set-ups for testing equipment and pro- >> 8 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 9 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

“Under the microscope a strand of cereal straw is a fantastic ligno- lity consists of a dedicated solid fee- ding system, a liquid input system cellulosic structure. The challenge is to make these components consisting of a pump and cutter, available for enzymatic and microbial conversion” two 2 174 m3 digester tanks, a single 2 174 m 3 post-digester tank, a sepa- DR TORBEN A. BONDE Kinetic Biofuel. rator system, after-storage tanks and a building with a control and hea- >> cesses along with a fully-equipped laboratory percent higher gas yield than shredded or macer- ting room, a 1.5 MWe gen-set and a and conference facilities. Furthermore there is ated straw. The addition of 1 percent lye to bri- room for the operator. also a separate unit for testing biomass combus- quetted straw gives another 10 to 20 percent high- One of the striking features is tion up to 1 MW thermal. er gas yield. The resulting digestate is also a better the dedicated straw input system. The main biogas plant, supplied by Danish fertilizer with soil improvement properties. Straw bales are placed on a large biogas technology designers and builders Xergi – Briquetting allows for the addition of large straw conveyer that can handle A/S, consists of a 1200 m³ primary digester, a quantities of straw and, at the same time increas- straw bales and feeds the bales to a 1500 m 3 secondary and two 1500 m³ gas storage es the biogas yield. This means that production bale breaker. Here the first initial tanks. The daily gas production is around 4800 can be doubled in biogas plants that currently size reduction takes place before a m³ with a 15-day average retention time in the use manure as the key feedstock, said Mogens hammer mill. The hammer mill is main digester. A biological gas scrubber is used Møller Hansen, Plant Manager at Foulum. BREAKING THE STRAW TO sufficient to mill the straw enough If the results at Foulum biogas plant are anything to to reduce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to below 100 The overall increased yield depends of course to break its tubular structure to ppm and the biogas is cooled to condense water on the technology used and retention time in the go by then Kinetic Biofuel duo, Dr Torben A. Bonde prevent floatation. Tests were con- vapour before pressurisation to around 200 biogas plant. Achieving a biogas yield of around (top) and Mogens Slot Knutsen have good reason BIOGAS CONUNDRUM ducted with different sieve sizes to to be pleased. mbar. The high-pressure is needed to ensure 150 250 Nm³ methane per tonne of briquetted straw With around 13 percent of the global cereals production 2013, the European Union (EU) is also find the optimal particle size for mbar entry pressure for the 625 kWe 12-cylinder is possible provided it is good quality straw, uses ing costs such as power consumption of about 75 one of the largest straw producers. Most of this is unused something that Netherlands-based the digestion process. Jenbacher 312 gas engine which is located a thermophyilic digestion of 30-40 days ideally kW per tonne, spares and maintenance of about biogas technology developers HoSt seeks to address. Recently it commissioned a 1.5 MWe – Apart from the feeding system, around 1.5 km from the biogas plant. The nor- in serial reactors, and not least has a well-adapt- EUR 3-4 per tonne, and labour at 25-50 percent manure-based biogas plant in Bulgaria with a novel dedicated straw input line. the digester tanks are optimized for mal daily output for the engine is around 1 ed micro-flora for ligno-cellulosic biomass. of full-time per shift, the total pre-treatment the digestion of straw. A special MWh power and 1.4 MWh heat. – Another important result is that the addition cost is around EUR 30-40 per tonne, the cost according to 2013 figures from mentation for liquid biofuels, anae- the beginning, he remarked. paddle mixing technology combi- ned with propeller mixers ensures The plant also has several feedstock reception of straw briquettes to manure reduces H2S in the being further reduced for larger plants treating Eurostat, some 305.7 million ton- robic digestion for biogas, combus- Novel pre-treatment and pre-treatment options. This includes two 75 raw biogas significantly, as much as 75 percent for instance up to 50 000 tonnes per annum. nes of cereals including rice was tion for heat and/or power and ga- that no floating layers are formed. m³ tanks for fatty residues, one of which is heat- compared to manure only, said Møller Hansen. – Such a 1.5 tonne per hour unit is built semi- harvested in the EU-28. This repre- sification for syngas. HoSt has conducted an extensive Furthermore, recirculation ensures ed and a 600 m³ slurry tank. A decanter centri- Very encouraging technical and biological mobile meaning it can be dismantled, and sents about 13 percent of global ce- – We provide technologies for research programme in association that enzymes and bacteria are retai- fuge enables slurry separation into a solid frac- results, but do the numbers stack up? They do moved to another location within one or two real production based on estimates the three latter straw conversion with the Technical University of ned, which improves the degradabi- tion with a high dry matter content of 25–30 according to a presentation on the subject com- days which makes it attractive from a financing by the United Nations’ Food and pathways, each have their complex- Münster in Germany on the prepa- lity, explained Klein Teeselink. percent and a liquid fraction. For solid feedstock paring different pre-treatment options by Hen- perspective, remarked Slot Knudsen adding that Agriculture Organisation (UN ities, advantages and disadvanta- ration of straw to increase conver- Nutrient capture a 50 m³ stationary feeder is installed and, since rik B. Möller, Senior Scientist, Aarhus Univer- Kinetic Biofuel is offering capacities of up to 10 FAO). Of the EU-28 total land ges, remarked Klein Teeselink. sion. Some of the research topics in- th 2011, a Kinetic Biofuels straw pre-treatment sity at the 5 Nordic Biogas Conference in Re- tonnes per hour. area, about 40 percent or 175 mil- Why is straw not more widely cluded making powder, hammering, According to him another advan- line. There is also a mixer/dosage module in- kavijk, Iceland last August. A benchmark di- If the technology, biology and numbers add lion ha is utilised agricultural area used in biogas plants and how can thermal treatment at medium tem- tage is that nutrients, such as nitro- stalled where fats, raw slurry and solids are mensioning figure is a 100 000 tonne per annum up for a manure-based biogas plant, as they seem of which around 105 million ha this be addressed? According to peratures together with acid or high gen (N), potassium (K) and mixed and pre-heated to around 52°C before be- slurry-based biogas plant can increase its biogas to do, one cannot help but wonder how it could was used for to grow cereals 2013. Klein Teeselink the early feed-in temperature treatment and enzymes. phosphorus (P) are made available ing pumped into the reactor. The plant facilitates production by up to 160 percent, from around work for say a straw based cellulosic biofuels tariff (FIT) regimes put the focus The high thermal treatment for use as fertiliser along with the 3 3 testing at all temperature levels and this makes it 2.5 million Nm to up to 6.5 million Nm , by plant. Or with other agricultural residues for Unused potential on electricity production resulting gave the highest gas production per organic matter in the digestate. possible to test for instance process efficiencies adding 10 000 tonnes straw briquettes, 10 per- that matter. With that in mind it’s not a stretch – This annual cereal production in ever-larger fuel, energy and cost tonne of straw, but needs a large – In many countries with a cool related to changes in temperature. cent, as co-substrate. to suggest that we may learn more from Messrs results in enormous amounts of inefficient power only plants. amount of steam, more than a gas climate, a second commercial grain According to Mogen Slot Knudsen, CEO for Bonde and Slot Knudsen in the not too distant straw as each ha of cereal generates In countries where biogas pro- engine can supply. It is also an ex- harvest is not possible, though a The results C.F. Nielsen and also CEO for Kinetic Biofuel, future. between 2 and 3 tonnes of straw duction is stimulated, digesting pensive system which is difficult to fast growing cover crop such as It is reasonable to assume that there have been the investment cost for a complete 1.5 tonne per yet maybe 5 percent is currently manure with an energy crop such make economical feasible. grass, winter rye or tubers is. These ample testing and demonstration opportunities. hour straw pre-treatment briquetting line is in Text & photos: Alan Sherrard used for energy purposes. In fact as maize is the most common as an – In nearly all the biogas projects can be used for the biogas plant to Results show that briquetted straw has up to 19 the region of EUR 400 000. Factoring in operat- BI80/4853/AS most of the straw has no direct input combination. we’re currently involved in the bio- increase the overall production application but is directly ploug- – It is not widely known that gas is converted in biomethane for while the same amount of cereal Background Kinetic Biofuel Foulum Biogas hed under, said Herman Klein you can build anaerobic digestion grid injection or compressed. This can be produced, he suggested. Teeselink, Director for HoSt. plants using only agricultural resi- means that there is no heat available The additional biomass not only In late 2011 a consortium consisting of C.F. Nielsen, Biofuels Technolo- Gas production: 2.08 million m³/yr According to Klein Teeselink, dues as input streams, without the for the high thermal treatment op- leads to an increased biogas pro- gies and Aarhus University were granted project co-funding by the Power production: 4.4 million kWh/yr, 625 kWe gas engine one tonne of digested straw can yield need for dedicated energy crops, tion, explained Klein Teeselink. duction, also the available organics Danish Energy Agency, EUDP to build, demonstrate and further de- Digesters: 1 200 m³ primary & 1 500 m³ secondary 300 – 400 Nm3 of biogas which, if said Klein Teeselink. on the land increases. Moreover, velop a full-scale mechanical straw pre-treatment technology at Aarhus Final storage: 2 × 1 500 m³ upgraded is about 180 – 250 Nm3 Part of the problem is that straw First straw to biogas the winter cover crop reduces the University’s biogas research plant in Foulum. Up to 10 000 tonnes of Process temperature: 52°C biomethane or fossil gas equivalent. is a “difficult” material. As a light, Therefore HoSt is focusing on low risk of mineral and nutrient leach- straw was to be pre-treated and co-digested with 50 000 tonnes of Biomass boiler: 895 kWh – Based on a EUR 40 per tonne dry material, using straw will also temperature pre-treatment, where ing. The concept of using straw se- Biomass feedstock used 25 890 t/yr manure and other biomass over the two-year project. In addition a cost for straw, the feedstock cost increase the solid content in the di- hammering is one of the best op- ems to be catching on. No sooner partial stream of the pre-treated material was to undergo enzymatic Cattle manure: 16 000 t/yr works out at EUR 0.16 - 0.22 per gester, which calls for special mix- tions. In Chernozemen, Bulgaria than Chernozemen came on line, liquefaction to demonstrate the viability of the concept for cellulosic Pig manure: 6 200 t/yr ers that can handle this. the company has commissioned its HoSt revealed it has started buil- ethanol. Aarhus University has conducted and documented a wide Mink manure: 1 000 t/yr m3 biomethane whereas the fossil first biogas plant in which large ding a second plant, this time in range of pilot and full-scale measurements of biogas yield under vari- Chicken litter: 135 t/yr gas price fluctuates EUR 0.16 – – If you want to digest large 3 ous conditions as well as experiments with the addition of chemical Sheep manure: 80 t/yr 0.30 per m , said Klein Teeselink. amounts of straw, you need special amounts of straw are fed. The 1.5 France. More are likely to follow. additives such as sodium or potassium hydroxide, lye. The results of the Fodder residuals: 1 000 t/yr feeding systems, because of the lar- MWe capacity plant will use around development project have been patented and transferred to Kinetic Non-food crops: 360 t/yr Straw co-digestion ge volumes. You need special pre- 50 000 tonnes per annum of cow Text: Alan Sherrard Biofuels A/S, a company formed in 2014 by C.F. Nielsen and Biofuels Cover crops: 15 t/yr Essentially there are four energy treatment and the conversion pro- slurry co-digested with maize silage Photo: courtesy HoSt Technology to market the technology. Fats: 500 t/yr conversion pathways for straw; fer- cess is relatively slow, especially in and straw. The Chernozemen faci- BI87/5354/AS

10 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 11 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

ASIA BIOGAS TURNING POME TO POWER

(Left) The palm oil mill operated by Krabi Oil-Palm Farmers Cooperatives Federation Ltd generates about 500 m3 of palm oil mill effluent (POME) per day during its processing. This is piped online from the production to the KrabiWTE biogas plant built next door. The POME is received in the fat pit and cooling pond (centre) where fats, oil and grease (FOG) is removed and the temperature cooled before it is pumped into the modified Anaerobic Baffle Reactor (ABR). The raw biogas from the ABR is then passed through a cleaning unit (right) to remove impurities before it goes to the gas gen-set. >> flows in the digester. We can design in tank sys- certainly one of the first of its kind in Southeast land’s first, commercial cassava wastewater bio- tems but in tank systems are inherently more ex- Asia. Transaction costs usually make non-re- gas plant and a great success. It was a BOOT pensive and less robust than in ground systems, course project finance impractical for small-scale project and was followed by five more such cas- therefore we recommend and prefer in-ground projects, but we have received great support sava wastewater biogas projects all on a BOOT systems, explained Godson. from the Caterpillar team and the advisors basis. Incidentally KWTE was handed over to which has ensured that this transaction not only the host Sanguan Wongse Industries (SWI) in Powerful partner gets over the line, but also we now have a set of 2013 and is still operating today, said Godson. KrabiWTE has a Power Purchase Agreement documents available for a number of follow on We also deliverd a second project to SWI in Converting residues to revenues (PPA) for the electricity with the Provincial projects in our pipeline, remarked Godson. 2012 which was the solid waste - cassava - pulp Asia Biogas has developed a Electricity Authority (PEA) under the Very from the factory. Collectively both projects modified ABR biogas technology Small Power Producers (VSPP) scheme and en- Cash-flow to BOOT now generate over 11 MW of electricity and for the palm oil industry. Here tered commercial operation in January 2016. As There seems to be no shortage of projects and to over 40 MW of thermal energy. Desmond Godson, CEO, Asia grid-fed electricity is a major component of the date the company has completed some 80 or so Biogas (Thailand) Co., Ltd at the cost structure of industrial plants and farms in biogas projects in Thailand, Philippines and In- EFB to biogas next? KrabiWTE plant in Thailand. the region the biogas plant has a suitable gen- donesia with another two under construction – Here at this site in Krabi we’ve also looked at set unit. Here the choice fell on two Cat and a further two in the design phase. Projects utilising the empty fruit bunches (EFB) from the Palm oil mill effluent (POME) represents a major untapped source of energy and greenhouse gas emissions in the form CG170-12 engines supplied by Metro Machi- are on either an Engineer, Design and Construct oil mill for biogas and compost production. Pha- of methane. Capturing and converting POME to biogas not only significantly reduces the environmental and climate im- nery Co. Ltd, the exclusive Caterpillar dealer (EPC) basis, or on a Build Own Operate Trans- se two here involves setting up a 3 MW high so- pacts of palm oil production, it can also provide a revenue stream. for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Metro also fer (BOOT) basis, such as KrabiWTE. lid digester, said Godson without revealing runs a Power System Division for the sale and – KrabiWTE is our forty fifth project on a much detail on how feedstock pre-treatment and thailand is the world’s third largest palm ers any remaining FOG in the POME and is gen- lids high treatment rates are high, while the service of Cat gas engines in Thailand. BOOT basis and we have another under con- preparation would be solved. oil producer. According to the US Department erally recovered by the mill operator. The cooling overall sludge production is low. struction in Indonesia and a strong pipline of The original plan was that construction of of Agriculture (USDA) June 2016 forecast the pond decreases the temperature of POME, creat- – We have researched numerous types of di- Commercial non-recourse loan projects in development. The BOOT projects phase two would begin during 2015. 2016/2017 production is estimated at 2.3 million ing optimal conditions for the decomposition of gester technologies, before deciding upon a sys- On the subject of financing, in May 2014 the provide cash flow that help to balance the fi- – We’ve had to push back and put it on hold, tonnes. Though its production is a factor ten less organic material in the anaerobic and aerobic tem that would be efficient at both methane pro- company via its subsidiary for the KrabiWTE nancial tops and troughs that one can experi- not because of technology or finance issues but than compared to that of Indonesia and Malay- ponds. After treatment in these four ponds, the duction, wastewater treatment while being ex- project struck a deal with Caterpillar Financial ence with EPC contracts, commented Godson. for local power politics. The regional grid has sia, the world’s largest two producers, all three effluent is safe to discharge to waterways or apply tremely cost-effective and easy to operate. Tradi- Services whereby Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) feed-in capacity restrictions and there are plans share a major untapped source of energy and on land as a fertiliser. Although open lagoon sys- tional tank digester systems are quite the oppo- Ltd provided debt finance on a non-recourse ba- Cassava roots for a coal fired plant despite significant local op- greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction. tem is economical, it is land and time intensive, site, with lower methane recovery, higher capital sis. According to Godson the loan is most likely The company is open to taking a position in oth- posite and the huge abandance of biogas and and releases large volumes of methane to the at- and operating cost structures, said Godson. one of the first commercial non-recourse loans er projects such as in 2014 when it acquired biomass feedstocks from the palm industry, end- Major GHG source mosphere primarily from the organic decomposi- – We never retrofit lagoons with cover. That provided to a biogas project in Southeast Asia. TEPCO’s stake in a cassava waste to energy pro- ed Desmond Godson. – It is estimated that methane slippage from con- tion that occurs in the anaerobic pond. approach fails due to sludge build up inside the The project has been funded to date by sharehol- ject in Kalasin, Thailand. ventional treatment systems for palm oil mill eff- reactor reducing retention time. The upflow in ders Asia Biogas Singapore Pte Ltd, parent of the – Actually we’re well established in the cas- Text & photos: Alan Sherrard luent (POME), the organic liquid waste genera- Adapted ABR ABR system prevents sludge build up, he said. Asia Biogas Group and Metro Machinery Co Ltd. sava starch industry as it was in 2002 when we BI87/5334/AS ted during palm oil production, can account for This is a major market opportunity that Asia Asia Biogas Palm Oil Mill ABR System has been – Closing a non-recourse deal is always a dif- commissioned the Korat Waste to Energy up to 70 percent of the total GHG emissions in Biogas is addressing with its modified Anaerobic installed at palm oil mills in Indonesia and Thai- ficult process but even more so in this case as it is (KWTE) project. It was our first, indeed Thai- crude palm oil (CPO) production, said Desmond Baffle Reactor (ABR) biogas technology desig- land with the latest, Krabi Waste to Energy Co Godson, CEO, Asia Biogas (Thailand) Co., Ltd. ned to be able to handle the high FOG content Ltd, (KrabiWTE) entering into commercial op- Fresh POME is hot (temperature 60–80°C), in POME. In principle an Anaerobic Baffle eration in January 2016. Located in Krabi prov- FACTS POME acidic (pH of 3.3–4.6), thick, brownish liquid Reactor (ABR) is a tank with alternating hang- ince in southwest Thailand, KrabiWTE process- Processing fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) from palm trees for palm oil production generates several 3 with high fats, oil and grease (FOG), Chemical ing and standing baffles that create reactor sec- es 500 m POME per day supplying biogas for a types of waste. Oil extraction, washing, and cleaning processes generate liquid waste called palm Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxy- tions within the tank. The baffles forces the- li 2.2 MWe power plant at a palm oil mill oper- oil mill effluent (POME). In the oil extraction process, three major operations generate the bulk of gen Demand (BOD) values. quid to flow up and down from one section to ated by Krabi Oil-Palm Farmers Cooperatives POME; sterilisation of the FFBs, pressing station where extraction, separation and clarification of – Typically in Thailand and Indonesia palm the next, enabling an enhanced contact between Federation Ltd. the crude palm oil (CPO) takes place and finally empty fruit bunch (EFB) pressing. An average palm oil mills use open lagoon systems for anaerobic the incoming wastewater entering the reactor – ABR’s have the advantage that they are very oil mill generates from 0.7 to 1 m3 of POME for every tonne of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) processed. and aerobic treatment of POME before discharge and the residual sludge with the microorganisms robust to hydraulic and organic shock loading, The oil extraction process does not use chemicals in its process and POME contains a considerable to a recipient due to their low costs and opera- that digest the organic pollutants and generate which is an important consideration given the amount of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, magnesium and calcium making it a desirable fertilizer for palm oil plantations. However fresh POME is a hot (temperature 60–80°C), acidic (pH of 3.3– tional simplicity, explained Godson. the methane. This sectional design separates the variable seasonality of palm oil production. 4.6), thick, brownish liquid with high fats, oil and grease (FOG), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) A conventional open lagoon system consists of However our design is highly engineered, that hydraulic retention time from the solids reten- and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) values and must be pre-treated before field application or

four types of ponds: a fat pit, cooling pond, an- tion time making it possible to maximise diges- involves careful design of the ABR and feeding >> discharge to recipient. aerobic pond, and aerobic pond. The fat pit recov- tion of suspended solids in the wastewater. So- system to ensure correct vertical and horizontal

12 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 13 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT THAI BIOGAS SECTOR NEEDS LOW- COST SYSTEMS Agriculture is one of Thailand's most prominent industries, and as a conse- quence there is an abundance of bio- mass resources. These include resi- dues from the oil palm industry, bagasse from sugar and ethanol pro- duction, and wastewater treatment from the food processing industry to mention a few. natural gas vehicles (ngv's) are also beco- ming increasingly prevalent in Thailand whereas local authorities in the Gulf of Thailand wants to turn a whole island chain into a green tourism paradise. The third largest Thai island of Koh Chang and it's 51 neighbouring islands around 240 km southeast of the capital Bangkok want to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.

Growth in biogas The development of biogas plants and the cor- Dr Stephen P Etheridge, CEO, Biotrix inspecting the digester complex at General Starch Ltd (GSL) Digester (Above left) An aerial view of the General Starch plant at Chonburi, Thailand. Light Blue Bioscrubbers are shown in the foreground before the gas is used in MTU responding installed capacity has steadily in- System which now comprises 1 x 120 000 m3 (rear) and 1 x 60 000 m3 (left) Biotrix Flexible Liner Reactors CHP sets. Four large flares located the back of the site as well as the SCADA PLC control system, Laboratory and Control Building. (Above right) Dr Ulrike Leroff ad- creased in Thailand in recent years. As of Octo- (FLRs), capable of producing up to 20 MWe of biogas if all the starch effluent and wet cakes are used. vising on granule formation at an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor at Chok Yuen Yong Plant in Nakorn Ratchasima (photos courtesy Biotrix). ber 2016, the total capacity of these facilities, both on- and off-grid, was 412 MW. In 2013- Acting as CEO, Dr Etheridge is a biogas en- subsequent optimaisation for the digestion of >> technology to treat starch residues that con- The Bangkok Post recently commented on decade of success that Thailand has achieved on 2015 alone, a total of 179 MW of new additional trepreneur having designed, developed or oper- range of crop materials and animal wastes. This tain fibrous solids in the effluent stream. Biotrix the Thai Minister of Energy announcement that the path toward sustainable energy. capacity was installed. ated nearly 100 plants worldwide, starting in the work has contributed to the vibrant plants which systems can now treat effluent and wet cake -al the government plans to stop purchasing elec- At the same time, the latest national Alterna- On-grid plants refers to facilities that export UK in the early 1980s. In Thailand, he devel- we see in Europe today. most doubling biogas production output. tricity from renewable power projects over the tive Energy Development Plan (AEDP) calls for power to the grid and most of these facilities are oped major biogas projects in the starch, ethanol – Over the earlier years, our team has under- The tapioca starch market in Thailand is -ma next five years. The reasoning is that such pro- more than 900 MW of new biogas installations found in the livestock sector. Off-grid facilities and oil palm industry sectors. taken projects in Europe, USA, Nigeria, Central ture and probably 80 percent saturated, with jects have caused retail tariffs to jump by 20-25 by 2036, cautioned the national daily. are typically found in industrial applications His colleague and company chair, Dr Leroff America, Southeast Asia, working on a wide over 120 biogas plants already installed to treat satangs per unit and that the electricity system such as the production of palm oil, tapioca has more than 30 years experience in the biogas range of substrates using many different reactor the effluent. has enough installed capacity. Text & photos: Markku Björkman starch or sugar where the power is used for inter- and renewable energy sectors having . commis- designs said Leroff. – The production of ethanol from cassava is – This policy, if implemented, will undo a BI99/6028/AS nal self-consumption. sioned and operated biogas plants in the cassava, becoming increasingly popular but is dependent The number of pigs bred in Thailand amounts ethanol and oil palm industry sectors in SE Asia. Large and small on the political implementation of biofuel to about 10 million animals, with almost half of ‒ Biotrix Asia is an environmental technology After a number of milestone plants in the UK, blending policies, underlined Etheridge. them in provinces in central Thailand. Most pig company based in Bangkok Thailand that pro- later work focused on China and SE Asia. From According to him, Palm Oil Mill Effluent farms in the region are located in the provinces of vides complete bioenergy, biogas and renewable its base in Bangkok, Biotrix has a been awarded (POME) and Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB's) are Ratchaburi and Nakorn Phatom. At Kacha Re- energy solutions, Dr Etheridge said adding that a number contracts to design, construct and another major opportunity for biogas production, sort on Koh Chang, nine unusual guests moved the team also installed and operated some of the commission biogas plants to treat wastes and ef- although there are relatively few palm oil mills in in recently: a gang of wild boars. first commercial H2S scrubbers in Thailand. fluents from the agro-industrial sector including Thailand compared to Malaysia and Indonesia. – The hotel produces 150 kilograms of organ- – Coupled with the microbiological expertise tapioca starch, cassava, wet cake, ethanol, and – We actively market ourselves to the animal ic waste, and every pig can eat 10 to 15 kilos a available within the Biotrix team, it was a logical palm oil, including what the company says is the waste and food industry sectors and in the past day, said HR Director Nopparat Chomchoei step for Biotrix to develop its own bioscrubbers largest biogas plant in the world (222 000 Nm3) the team has operated 60 pig manue biogas adding the boar manure is turned into biogas. as well as its anaerobic digestion (AD) systems, without revealing any further details. plants on the day to day basis, but most could Leroff commented. According to Dr Etheridge, the company has only generate 100-200 kW. There are opportuni- Enter Biotrix The Biotrix team also provides consultancy also designed one of the smallest commercial ties, but the scale is small and very low-cost sys- During a recent visit to Thailand, Bioenergy In- services and has undertaken a range of projects scale biogas systems used to treat food waste, tems are needed, Etheridge stressed. ternational met two experienced biogas profes- from advising on the development of China's Na- which is a growing global issue. Ulrike Leroff stated that the key strength of sionals, active in the Thai biogas sector – Ger- tional Biogas Action Plan, as part of a UN GEF – We have also developed small-scale projects the Biotrix team is its experience and knowledge man microbiologist Dr Ulrike Leroff and Eng- funded programme, which included a number of with design, optimisation and plant operation at of the anaerobic digestion process and system lish chemical engineer Dr Stephen Etheridg. pilot biogas plants across the country. the Thai Yamaha canteen digester in Bangna, design. This enables the company to tailor Both Dr's have been developing novel biogas – Our other projects have included promot- Bangkok. Food waste from the 4 000 staff is processes to new substrates and microbial re- systems in several countries since 1981 and have ing the uptake of industrial-scale biogas systems treated each day to produce biogas for cooking quirements leading to innovative systems. been active in Thailand since the turn of the cen- China, Philippines and Indonesia as well as de- on the site, he said. According to Etheridge, Biotrix is actively tury, working on a number of early biogas pro- veloping the first CDM methodology for indus- developing this approach internationally with jects across the region. In 2010, the duo jointly trial biogas systems explained Etheridge. Cassava pulp, ethanol and POME agents, and also with partners in Thailand. established Biotrix Asia Company Ltd and the Incidently, the founders´ early work in the Although Biotrix offers a range of AD treatment Unfortunately, renewable energy companies company has already become a key a player in the 1980s, sponsored by the European Union (EU), systems, the use of a Biotrix FLR lagoon system have been inundated by some cold policy show- biogas sector in Thailand and South East Asia. was to determine the baseline parameters and is preferred for industrial plants as it is based >> ers in normally hot and humid hot Thailand. Bathing the elephants is not a hobby for these Thai guys. Its normal procedure after a hard working day.

14 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 15 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

ment but biogas in itself is not our business or interest. We wanted to address these issues with a turnkey solution that was easy to man- age and not time consuming, said Joost De- paepe from Joluwa.

Novel technology A project to utilise the energy potential of the chicory roots was set-up in 2009 with Green- Watt SA, a Belgian company specialised in the design and installation of on-site biogas plants for farms and agribusinesses. A research spin-off from the Catholic University of Louvain, Green- Watt developed a novel high yield flushing an- aerobic digestion (HYFAD) reactor and the Joluwa project is the first commercial installa- tion of this patented technology. – We specialise in designing biogas plants View of the Joluwa biogas plant. To the left the red receiving bin with the hydrolysis tank, the HYFAD unit based on fruit and vegetable waste as substrate. is inside the shed. In the foreground the feedstock chicory roots and endive leaves alongside the solid di- gestate discharge. Further to the right, out of view, is the CHP unit and the post digester. Each project is tailored to fit the residue gener- ated, said Baptiste Genin, R&D engineer at GreenWatt. The different stages of the anaero- bic digestion process have conflicting operating parameters which need strict regulation man- agement. A change in the composition or vol- ume of the feedstock input in a conventional biogas plant risks destabilising the process through acidification damaging the methane producing bacteria. – We have removed this risk entirely. The methane production is stable and consistent re- gardless of feedstock quantity variations. Our multi-stage technology process is based on the separation and specialisation of these phases into two or three stages to control the operating pa- rameters of these different reactions indepen- dently of one another, Genin said.

Two-stage AD plant The HYFAD reactor consists of two well insulated Baptiste Genin R&D engineer at GreenWatt spoke The Joluwa facility is a two-stage anaerobic di- 25m3 vessels keeping a temperature of 38oC and on the benefits of converting fruit and vegetable gestion (AD) biogas plant with three main pro- neutral pH. It produces 75 percent of the biogas. residue to energy with examples of other projects. cess steps: a hydrolysis tank, the HYFAD reactor NOVEL BIOGAS PLANT FEASTS and a post-digester. On average the plant pro- duces 850 m3 biogas a day 75 percent of which is ON CULINARY CULTIVAR produced in the reactor and the rest in the post- “This project was about 1 million EUR including the 1 km digester. The solid digestate is used as fertiliser heating circuit to the printers. Payback is within four years” and the fluid is discharged to the public waste- While Belgian endives may have been Chicons are produced by forcing mature chicory FEEDSTOCK water system after decantation. The biogas has discovered by accident, the biogas roots to grow in darkness. Once the chicon is BAPTISTE GENIN GreenWatt. an average methane content of 54 percent and is plant at endive grower Joluwa N.V. is harvested the root is discarded. Start-up: September 2010 used to fuel an on-site a combined heat and Located in countryside just outside the town purpose built. Commissioned in Sep- Technical: Two-stage anaerobic power genset with 104 kW power rating. All the genesis, this acid liquor is fed into the HYFAD at 38oC and the pH is always kept neutral and of Nivelles is the Witloof grower and producer tember 2010 the fully automated plant digestion plant: hydrolysis tank, High Yield electricity and around 65 percent of the heat is fixed bed reactor to produce biogas. The -HY remains stable even if the liquefier is overfed. Joluwa N.V. The company currently produces Flushing Digester (HYFAD) reactor uses spent chicory roots as feedstock. used by Joluwa for the chicory processing plant FAD reactor consists of two 25 m3 vessels that The post-digester in the final step allows the -di around 4 000 tonnes of forced chicory roots per & postdigester. CHP with 104 kWe rating It is the first commercial installation of and self-consumption of the biogas plant. An are side by side and connected to each other. The gestion of organic material that had not been year at its growing, harvesting and packing facil- Feedstock: 4 000 tonnes/year of forced a novel high yield digester technology additional 30 percent of the heat is supplied via a vessels are packed with vertical honeycomb col- fully processed in the hydrolysis tank. The global ity. According to Joost Depaepe from Joluwa the chicory roots and vegetable waste developed by another Belgian firm small network to a printing company located umns which function as the fixed bed media. hydraulic retention time (HRT) for the plant is company needed an environmentally suitable, CH potential: 38 m3 per tonne (chicory roots) 4 about 1 km from the biogas plant. The honeycomb structure provides a very large 45 days. GreenWatt SA. cost effective and long-term solution for the PEAK INPUT – The overall heat loss is only 5 percent which surface area in relation to the reactor volume. The plant uses on average 11 tonnes of chico- growing volume of residue from spent chicory Hydrolysis tank: 30 tonnes/day, is very low for a biogas plant, Genin pointed out. This leads to a high concentration of bacteria at- ry roots per day but can handle up to a 30 tonnes in the culinary world the term “Endive” de- roots. The expanding business was having issues 165 tonnes/week, 500 tonnes/month In the first step, hydrolysis and acidogenesis, tached to the bed as biofilm enabling a high per day peak. According to Genin, chicory roots notes a lettuce like leaf vegetable, Cichorium en- with odour and leaching from storage piles of 3 HYFAB: Up to 35 kg COD/m per day the chicory roots along with other vegetable methane yield. Organic loading rates (chemical yield about 38 m3 methane per tonne. divia, from the chicory genus. Often used in sa- rotting roots. Disposal costs at external process- matter are loaded into the receiving hopper us- oxygen demand) of up to 35 kg COD/m3 per – This is quite low compared to other feed- lads they are especially popular in France, Bel- ing facilities were increasing and the company ANNUAL PRODUCTION Biogas: 280 000 m3 at 54% methane content ing a front loader. An X-ripper grinder pump is day have been achieved with this reactor. The stocks and is due to the high water content, gium and the Netherlands. Somewhat confusing had heat and power needs but had no particular Electricity: 500 MWh used to get the material into the hydrolysis tank reactor has an anti-clogging system that cleans around 85 percent, said Baptiste Genin. Belgian endives or Witloof is a cultivated variety desire to run a biogas plant. Heat: 760 MWh where it is converted into a liquid loaded with the columns and recovers the biofilm. Text & photos: Alan Sherrard of the common chicory, Cichorium intybus, – It is important for us to be independent and volatile fatty acids. In the second step, methano- The temperature in the HYFAD phase is kept BI70/3992/AS whereby the blanched, tight heads known as cost efficient in our waste and energy manage-

16 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 17 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS

BEANS, BABOONS AND BIOGAS (Above) The biogas plant is a two-stage process type with a hydrolysis stage followwed by the methanogenic stage. In March 2015 Tropical Power commissioned Gorge Farm, the largest biogas plant in sub-Saharan Africa. Located in Naivasha, (Left) The coast is clear - a troop of baboons from neighbouring Hells Gap National Park take the opportunity to rumage around recently delivered vegetable waste for an afternoon meal. Whilst they tend to avoid getting close to humans they are risk factor to take into account as is the odd big stray cat. Kenya, it is reputed to be the first biogas to grid-connect project on the Continent. By all accounts it is a pioneering showcase of how such a project is possible and anything but a monkey’s business. Except when it comes to risk assessment. biogas trials here on other feedstock that could Normally for a new plant startup one takes UK-headed Clarke Energy, also mark a first for be grown or used to produce biogas for power samples from a selection of biogas digesters using GE Jenbacher in so far as they are the first biogas – i suppose baboons are not top of mind for sidaries in Ghana and Kenya, Tropical Power is Horticultural major projects elsewhere in Kenya. For instance cacti the same type of feedstock to get the microorgan- engines from the company in East Africa. They European biogas plants, but they are certainly a UK-headed engineering, procurement and The biogas plant is owned and managed by Bio- that could be grown in the non-used semi-arid ism base needed to start the biological process. are configured for cogeneration with engine heat a risk assessment factor to be reckoned with construction (EPC) company specialised in de- joule Kenya, an Independent Power Producer regions or invasive species like the Giant Water – Being the first such plant we had to feed recovery supplying heat to the biogas process as here in Kenya, commented Christopher Mach- veloping and building utility scale renewable (IPP) which in turn is jointly owned by Tropical Hyacinth which is a problem here in Lake Na- cows and other herbivores with the different well as heat to nearby plant propagation houses. aria, Project Engineer, Tropical Power Energy energy projects from biomass and solar. The re- Power and Kenya-headed VP Group, the largest ivasha, explained Macharia, adding that plenty substrates and take samples from their digestive – This is also the first biogas plant in Kenya to Group during a visit to the plant. His work cently commissioned 2.6 MWe Gorge Farm fresh-produce exporter in East Africa. Gorge of residues from neighbouring farms were avail- system to find the right mix of micro-organisms, be granted a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) brief includes setting up operational health and biogas facility is reputed to be the first biogas Farm is nestled on the slopes of the Rift Valley able should the need arise. he explained. to supply to the grid, said Macharia. safety procedures, which in Kenya includes power to grid plant in Africa and the largest bi- between Hells Gap National Park and the south- The PPA with Kenya Power Lighting Co dealing baboons and big stray cats. With sub- ogas plant in sub-Saharan Africa. ern shore of Lake Naivasha. The farm is an 800 ha Two-stage process Displacing artificial fertiliser (KPLC), the sole power distributor in the coun- horticultural estate owned and operated by VP The biogas plant is of a two-stage process type, A key product for VP Group is the digestate that try, is for the excess power after supplying Gorge Group. Complete with its own on-site packing with the hydrolysis stage separated from the when dewatered is reminiscent of horse-manure Farm. In theory this means that there is no min- facilities, Gorge Farm is one of several large “flow- methanogenic stage enabling optimum tempera- in colour and texture. The plant gives rise to imum or maximum supply obligation. The cur- er, fruit ’n’ veg” farms in the Lake Naivasha re- ture and pH conditions for the various microor- roughly 35 000 tonnes annually of nitrogen-rich rent (2012) feed-in tariff (FiT) for a grid con- gion. Situated around 2 000 m above sea level the ganisms to work in. The plant is of German ori- digestate. Both the liquid and dewatered mate- nected biogas plant in the 200 kW - 10 MW region has a warm, dry climate which together gin, from Snow Leopard Projects GmbH (SLP) rial are used as fertiliser on the farm and it is ex- band is US$0.10 kWh. The value is fixed, except with fertile soils and access to water makes it suit- in Bavaria. SLP have been involved in over 40 pected that this will help reduce the overall use for the annually indexed operations and mainte- able to grow flowers and vegetables. Lake Naiva- biogas installations in Europe and elsewhere of artificial fertiliser over time. How much re- nance (O&M) component which in this case is sha’s relative proximity to Nairobi’s airports, though this is one of the largest. mains to be seen. 15 percent, from the signing the PPA and valid about 90 km, gives producers direct daily access An advantage with a two-stage plant, of par- – While fertile the soil lacks humus so the for 20 years. to major export markets in Europe and the Mid- ticular importance to Gorge Farms, is feedstock digestate is a very important product for the – Obviously it is in our best interest to supply dle East especially for roses and French beans. flexibility in terms of time and type. farm as it acts both as a fertiliser and a soil con- as much power as possible to the grid as it is our – The farm grows a variety of seasonal prod- ditioner, Macharia explained. main source of revenue, said Macharia. Feedstock availability ucts over the year. As you can see at the moment Water is also a constraint and irrigation is In essence the feedstock supplied by VP Gorge Farm alone generates around 50 000 we’re getting in residues from baby sweetcorn, monitored, all commercial farms around the Group is free subject to receiving the digestate in tonnes per annum of organic material in the form beans and cauliflower, said Macharia. lake need permits that regulate water usage. return for free. The electricity supplied to VP of harvest residues, pack-house rejects as well as Mixing the feedstock and gradual progres- – We don’t need to add water to the process Group is estimated to displace 6 million litres of tops and tailings. sion from one substrate to another over a season other than the initial start-up. The feedstock is diesel fuel previously used to run gensets. “I suppose baboons are not top of mind for European – Through our partnership with VP Group, avoids shocking the micro-organisms while fresh plant material that contains a lot of water biogas plants, but they are certainly a risk assessment we are able to access abundant high-quality feed- keeping retention time and biogas yields on an and the facility recirculates its process water Tech-transfer stock: around 150 tonnes of fresh organic matter even keel. The retention time is around 20 days, with the excess used as a nutrient rich liquid fer- The Gorge Farm biogas project investment was factor to be reckoned with here in Kenya” every day. We only use farm residues as feedstock significantly shorter and with better biogas tiliser, Macharia pointed out. around KES 591 million (≈US$6.5 million) and not purpose grown energy crops such as maize yields than what might have been achievable includes the biogas plant and grid connection to- CHRISTOPHER MACHARIA silage, stressed Macharia emphatically rebutting a with a typical single stage plant. First biogas power to grid gether with onsite workshop, office and laboratory. Project Engineer, Tropical Power Energy Group rumour that the contrary could also be the case. – Plant start-up was a challenge though and The two containerised genets, each with a GE – The plant has work. As you can see we have – However, we also carry out experimental took quite a long time, revealed Macharia. Jenbacher 420 biogas engine and supplied by cont. on page 20

18 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 19 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS

Receiving and mixer bin. (Far right) A key product is the horse-manure like digestate.

cont. from page 19 a fully equipped workshop with a comprehen- Herzberg double bottom-line benefits sive spares stock along with a proper laboratory. Just getting OEM spares takes a long time in this part of the world so we need to be as profi- cient and self-sufficient as possible on-site, re- marked Christopher Macharia. The plant took less than 12 months to build, quite a remarkable achievement and a testament to the commitment of the project partners and the knowledge-transfer capabilities of the tech- nology providers. Unlike countries with a well developed industrial biogas sector, there were no experienced engineers in Kenya at the start of the project to build or operate a facility of this scale.

Renewable hybrid ahead With the PPA the biogas plant has, according to Tropical Power, an estimated payback of just under six years and a technical lifespan of 20 years. Furthermore the company can begin to leverage on its experience and expertise in devel- oping other biogas projects in Africa as part of its overall target to build 130 MW of renewable power assets by 2018. For instance it has already announced plans for a 5 MW biogas project in Ghana where VP Group also have operations. The proposed setup is similar: Tropical Power the EPC, Biojoule the IPP owner operator and feedstock supplied by VP Group. – Actually we’re renewable technology agnos- tic. We have a biomass boiler installation that uses residues from a VP Group rose farm to heat The biogas plant (left) is located next door to the Deutsche Tiernahrung Cremer animal feed facility in Herzberg, Germany. Cremer provided the site and leased it to the farm at another location in Kenya, said Mike EnviTec who financed and built the biogas plant. The plant supplies heat in the form of hot water and saturated water vapour to Cremer. Nolan, Operations Director, Tropical Power. Apart from serving as a demonstrator and shop- Like many other pro- producing around 2.8 million ton- mer and EnviTec Biogas Beteili- ses is maintained at temperatures in front for other African biogas project developers, cessing industries, nes of product per annum, Deutsche gungsgesellschaft, a subsidiary of the the storage tanks between 40-60 ˚C. Tropical Power have additional development heating oil has been Tiernahrung Cremer GmbH & Co. German biogas technology supplier Another pipeline from the biogas plans for Gorge Farm, a 10 MW grid-connected used for fuel by one KG is one of Germany’s oldest and EnviTec Biogas AG. Cremer provided plant supplies saturated water vapour solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. of Germany’s leading leading animal feed and pet food pro- the site and leased it to EnviTec, who that is used in the pelletising process. – We’ve secured the PPA and the PV plant animal feed produ- ducers. Located on the border bet- financed and built the biogas plant. – We need about one tonne of satu- will be set-up adjacent to the biogas facility. The ween Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony, rated vapour per hour. About two cers for its process The plant consists of two 500 kW idea is to integrate the two facilities to provide some 90 kilometres south of Berlin, electric output modules and the heat thirds of this volume is supplied by heat needs. Since the baseload and dispatchable peak load power to Herzberg is one of 14 production sites generated in the electricity production the biogas plant, said Thomas Schulze. end of 2009 a neigh- the grid. VP Group has a very clear agenda to operated by the company. Previously process is sold to Cremer. The saturated vapour comes from a reduce its climate impact and environmental bouring biogas plant the entire heat needs of the Herzberg – Thanks to this cooperation, we steam plant that utilises the high ex- has been supplying a footprint. Our job is to provide the best suited (Above) The biogas is used to fuel two self-contained GE Jenbacher 420 gensets. The engine and exhaust plant were met using heating oil. Since need fewer fossil fuels, which greatly haust gas temperatures from biogas renewable energy solution adapted for the site heat is recovered to support the biogas process and to heat nearby plant propagation houses. Nighttime major share of the the end of 2009 the neighbouring bio- improves our bottom line and carbon combustion in the co-generation units and situation in question, ended Mike Nolan. temperatures can be quite cool at 2 km above sea level and roses love a steady 22 degrees. heat demand for its gas plant has supplied a significant footprint here at Herzberg, said thereby increasing the overall efficiency Text & photos: Alan Sherrard Herzberg production share of the heat requirements. Schulze. of the plant. This saturated vapour is BI88/5395/AS facility. This has cut supplied to Cremer at 180 ˚C and a pres- fossil carbon dioxide Bottom-line benefits Heat and saturated vapour sure of 10 bar. FACTS emissions and impro- – We originally intended to build our The biogas plant uses poultry manure, – We are of course pleased that we own biogas plant. But then we are able to make a contribution to cli- Lake Naivasha is one of several flori- ved the bottom-lines liquid manure and other non-food or- thought that we know how to produce mate protection. However entering and horticulture regions in Kenya that of both operations. ganics, so called “NawaRos” make up an export industry that has animal feed best and that EnviTec (Nachwachsende Rohstoffe) as feed- into the partnership with EnviTec Bi- mushroomed since 2000 and conti- knows very well how to build biogas stock material. A heat pipe carries wa- ogas was fundamentally a very sensi- nues to bloom. According to figures plants. So we very quickly reached an ter heated to around 90 ˚C from the ble business decision especially in from the Kenyan Export Council the agreement, explained Thomas biogas plant to the Cremer facility. light of increasing fossil fuel prices, sector generated just over 17 percent Schulze, Plant Manager of Deutsche Apart from heating the administrative ended Thomas Schulze. of the country’s total KES 581 billion Tiernahrung Cremer GmbH & Co. building and the production halls the (≈EUR 5.2 billion) in commodity ex- KG (‘Cremer’) in Herzberg. heat is also used in the production Text: Alan Sherrard ports 2015, second only to tea which The biogas plant and heat supply is process to ensure that the liquid state Photo: courtesy EnviTec Biogas had 21 percent share. the result of cooperation between Cre- of ingredients such as oil, fat or molas- BI79/4842/AS

20 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 21 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS

“Straw especially, is a nightmare for most pumps – but not For Wyke Farms ‘100% Green’ here. As long as we manitain a consistent feed and flow rate, the Landia equipment just keeps on working”

is anything but cheesy ANDREW LANGLEY, Laminar Pumps Ltd Regular maintenance is of course key to equip- for delivery and reducing its packaging waste. ment performance, this maintenance however With its attention to detail and firm belief in leads to the escape of product which is collected sturdy, efficient equipment, it is no surprise that in a local reception tank, then with the use of a Wyke Farms’ long-term commitment to being Landia DG chopper pump the digestate is re- ‘100% Green’ has seen it become the UK’s first turned to the feed stock, this duty can be very ag- dairy company to become 100 percent self-suffi- gressive with the high grit content, but the pumps cient in green energy. One result of its efforts is just keeps on going, they are very tough”. that Wyke Farms has been awarded triple Car- Andy has first-hand, day-in, day-out experi- bon Trust certification to become the first UK ence of which kit works best at Wyke Farms – dairy to achieve the Carbon Trust Standards for and together with Jason Fewell, has sourced carbon, water and waste at the same time. quality equipment for the AD plant and beyond “This is a very efficient operation”, continued – for the long-term. Andrew Langley. “Nothing is left to chance. Re- “As always, it’s a learning process – with a sources are precious. Any excess heat from the switch to Landia’s mixers for Wyke Farms’ first CHP (now 2 x 500kW engines) is recovered for two digesters we have seen a noticeable improve- the lining of the four digesters to help keep them ment in performance. at their optimum temperature." “Pumping the feedstock for AD plant can be As a result the AD plant is self-sufficient and such a heavy duty”, Andy continued, “and there the gas-to-grid unit is achieving over 20 000 has to be scope for variables, no matter how hard Nm3 of biomethane per day. Following on from we try to control it. We always want to get to the the digesters, the biosolids in the final settlement very heart of the process to understand what’s tank make excellent fertiliser for the lush pastures going on, so we work closely with a number of of the Mendip Hills where Wyke Farms’ 1100 pump manufacturers to find the most suitable cows graze, where the whole process begins again. equipment for each application. Some, for exam- “Wyke Farms has been at the forefront of sus- ple are very good with Landia being excellent for tainability in farming and dairy for many years high volume and hard to handle solids. The Lan- because they work very hard to strike the right dia mixers, together with their pumps, there balance – and it’s fair to say that the now 22 dif- have been addition to the biogas plant, which are ferent pumps and mixers from Landia that we’ve sized specifically for our process, so they are invested in are continuing to play their part in the trouble free and easy to service”. phenomenal success of us being 100 percent green”, concluded Andrew Langley. Very efficient operation At Wyke Farms they know a good thing when they’re on to it. When your degradable waste such as manure into heat, elec- Straw especially, is a nightmare for most pumps - Wyke Farms has continued to make significant Text: Alan Sherrard award winning cheddar proves so popular, it’s best to guard and stay loyal to tricity, biomethane and biofertiliser. Pumps be- but not here. As long as we maintain a consistent impact on further reducing its carbon emissions Photos courtesy Wyke Farms & Chris French/Landia that 150-year-old recipe. Yet this third-generation family-run business realises come a key component in keeping movement in feed and flow rate, the Landia equipment just by fitting solar panelling across its family owned BI107/6418/AS that presenting yourselves with new challenges is also key to continued success the various flows throughout the AD process. keeps on working, said Andrew Langley. farms and cheese dairy, using electric vehicles – in this case, motivated by its genuine love for its Somerset home and sustain- Andrew Langley from Laminar Pumps Ltd "Also, we were able to provide a simple up- able practices that will protect it. works in close conjunction with Wyke Farms’ grade too of the long shaft pump to allows for the Engineering Director, Jason Fewell to diligently increased duty required for the new plant exten- set in somerset, wyke farms ltd is one of the UK’s first national cheddar brand to be 100 per- keep the 10MW ‘100% Green’ operation run- sion. We only run this Landia pump and mixer UK’s largest independent cheese makers and cent self-sufficient in green energy. ning as smoothly and as efficiently as possible. for 20 minutes per hour - 5 minutes, every 15 milk producers. With a herd of 1 100 cows, the In 2014, phase two of the biogas plant was Two 18.5kW Landia mixers and an 18.5kW Lan- minutes so the power consumption is low and im- integrated dairy farm and cheese factory selling commissioned. This saw additional 4 600 3m di- dia AirJet serve a 0.5 million litre part-under- proves the longevity and the equipment. We feed over 15 000 tonnes annually to over 160 countri- gester and another 499 kWe generator unit along ground tank that receives the milky and fatty the digesters gradually, one by one. As the solids es around the world. With the help of some with an upgrading unit and biomethane-to-grid wastewater from the cheese making process. After get broken down, this keeps everything nice and pumping equipment from another traditional injection supplied by CNG Services Ltd, an in- treatment to remove fats, these effluent solids are consistent," said Langley. yet forward-thinking company, Wyke Farms is dependent UK biomethane consultancy and then sent to a sludge holding tank before being harnessing its resources in style. project management services provider. The com- pumped to the AD plant – with excess water Innovative ‘big box design’ pany also struck a green gas supply deal with cleaned and polished for use as wash-water. As if that early part of the process wasn’t tough Going for ‘100% Green’ Sainsbury’s, one of its supermarket clients. The One mile away at the totally self-contained AD enough, it has taken Andy’s own innovative ‘big In 2013, the company commissioned phase one same year also saw a wastewater treatment and plant, a 75m3 slurry pit is a firm reminder that box design’ to conquer the second part. At this of its biogas plant supplied by German company recovery plant brought on-line enabling the managing an AD plant is no walk in the park. stage of the process, maize and straw (that often Biogas Nord. Consisting of three 4 600 m3 di- company to recover up to 95 percent of its fac- Here, a 30kW long shaft Landia chopper pump, contain grit), are injected in to the slurry feed line, gesters it also introduced its first biogas-powered tory wastewater. assisted by an 18.5kW Landia propeller mixer acts this process involves the compression of the straw 500kW generator to produce green heat and as the main slurry feed to the AD plant, chopping to form a sealing plug between the ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ power to run its dairy. Part a £10 million long- Pump up it up and around and mixing a demanding blend of slurry, maize sides of the products. This causes a highly viscose term sustainability plan, the launch of its own Today, the four anaerobic digesters at Wyke and straw. substrate to be released, this is collected and then (Top left) A view of the digesters at Wyke Farms. (Above) Andrew Langley (left), Director, Laminar Pumps on-site biogas plant saw Wyke Farms become the Farms convert 75 000 tonnes per annum of bio- “This is a very hard duty for any pump or mixer. pumped back into the feed line. discussing plant operations with Landia’s Paul Davies.

22 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 23 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS PASSIONATE DAIRY AND BIOGAS PIONEERS Whilst the benefits of co-locating pellet production with a wood processing plant seem pretty obvious, setting up a 15 000 tonne-per annum capacity plant on a dairy farm are less self- evident. Yet that is exactly what an entrepreneurial dairy farming family in Italy has done. located in marmorta di molinella in the pro- vince of Bologna, the Agricola Antonio Farm is a dairy cattle farm owned and run by passionate dairy farmers, the Pasini family. The 500 ha farm has around 400 head of cattle of which 200 are milk cows. Apart from milk production the – The Pasini’s are pioneers and great ambassadors for us at BTS. Their farm is in one sense a showcase of our farm grows its own feed and fodder. Furthermo- technical developments over the last decade, said Björn Blankespoor, International Sales Manager for BTS. re, it owns and operates two manure and silage- based BTS Biogas biogas power plants, each at 1 – The CSTR concept has several advantages around 80 days and the biogas has around 55 MWe capacity supplying into the power grid un- such as uncomplicated construction and low percent methane content. der the feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme. operating costs in terms of labour. However, the The second plant commenced operations in – The Pasini’s are pioneers and great ambas- most important advantage in this context is that 2012 and is quite different. Like the first plant it sadors for us at BTS. Their farm is in one sense a it runs at a steady state with continuous opera- too has mechanical pre-treatment unit, a “BIO- showcase of our technical developments over the tion as opposed to a batch process, commented acceleratorr” though this is a different type of last decade, said Björn Blankespoor, Internatio- Blankespoor. pre-treatment unit – a mechanical size-reduction nal Sales Manager for BTS Biogas Srl/GmbH. It is a fair point. The substrate composition for macerating unit. Furthermore, the plant differs Both biogas plants are of conventional Conti- both of the plants is well defined and relatively in that it has a hydrolysis step with a 470 m3 nuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR) types that homogenous in its composition throughout the tank and a single 3 000 m3 digester. The substra- operate under mesophyll process conditions, year as is the output, biogas for power production. te for the second plant consists of cattle manure, around 40 °C and both produce biogas from ma- maize silage, straw and stalks. The hydraulic re- nure and silage feedstock that is used directly for Same but different tention time (HRT) is shorter, around 70 days onsite power-to-grid production in two Jen- The first plant commenced operations in 2009 and the biogas has around 55 percent methane bacher JGS 320 biogas gensets, one for each and consists of two 1 900 m3 digesters, a 4 700 content. (Top) View of the first biogas power plant with two digesters seen from the feed-in side. (Above left) A close-up of the Bioaccelatorr” installed at the second biogas plant respectively. Though located next-door to m3 post-digester. In 2012 the plant was retrofit- power plant. (Above right) The Pasini family are passionate about dairy farming with cow no. 7652 enjoying a well deserved “scratch’n’scrub” moment. each other on the farm, each biogas power plant ted with a “BIOaccelerators” pre-treatment unit Heat utilisation including feedstock storage, substrate feed-in to accommodate a higher share of ligno-cellulo- Apart from heating the digesters, the excess heat The heat from the second plant was originally phate solution that can be used to increase the tonne per annum Greenergy Società Agricola and genset is its own separate administrative sic material. A screw-type extruder, it assists from the gensets of both plants is used onsite. used to in a manure management and valorisa- nitrogen content in the organic fertilizer or can S.r.l. pellet plant. unit, in compliance with Italian feed-in tariff with input substrate breakdown with a thermo- From the first plant excess heat is used to dry tion project to dry and pelletise digestate using be marketed as liquid nitrogenous fertilizer. What is next for the pioneering Pasini’s re- (FIT) regulations. mechanical treatment process by means of two around 5 000 tonnes per annum of forage and another technology from BTS, its BIOdry. With mains to be seen, however, the FIT is for a 20- Most of the feedstock is produced on the farm juxtaposed, interlocked screws. As a result the hay for the cattle as well as provide space heating a grant from the Rural Development Program- From digestate to wood to… year period which means 2019 is the expiry for with silage as a part of crop rotation whereas an substrate for this plant currently consists of catt- for the 250 m2 farm house. In energy terms me of the Emilia-Romagna region, a digestate Although successfully demonstrated, the mar- the first biogas power plant. Perhaps biogas up- amount of chicken manure and vegetable waste le slurry, maize- and ryegrass silage and chicken around 1 200 MWh per annum of heat is used drying and pelleting line was setup in 2013 to ket for organic fertilizer was lacking and the grading to biomethane though the farm is not is sourced locally from neighbouring farms. manure. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) is in this way. produce digestate fertilizer pellets as well as li- farm has sufficient acreage to utilize all the di- located within a reasonable distance of a gas pi- quid fertilizer. gestate from both of the biogas plants without peline for grid injection. – The concept is to use the residual heat from having to upgrade it. Instead it was decided to – There is no shortage of ideas though I am the genset to produce two fertiliser products repurpose the digestate pellet plant to produce not at liberty to disclose anything at this mo- from the digestate, a solid that can then be pel- wood pellets for the local market and so now ment in time, ended Björn Blankespoor. letised and a liquid ammonium sulphate fertili- the heat from the second biogas plant is used to Text & photos Alan Sherrard zer. The advantage is a reduction of the volume dry sawdust and woodshavings for the 15 000 BI94/5794/AS of digestate and a pastorised final product, said Blankespoor. ABOUT BIOGAS 1 ABOUT BIOGAS 2 The system uses the residual heat of cogenera- tion and is able to also exploit the residual heat Process temperature: c. 40 °C Process temperature: c. 40 °C potential of the drying air to thicken a part of Reactor type: CSTR Reactor type: CSTR the liquid fraction of the digestate resulting from Digesters volume: 2 x 1 900 m3 Pre-tank, hydrolysis step: 470 m3 Covered storage tank volume : 4 700 m3 Digester volume: 1 x 3 000 m3 The residual heat from the second biogas power The residual heat from the first biogas power plant All the digestate from the two biogas power plants the solid-liquid separation. The air, rich in water Hydraulic retention time (HRT): 80 days Hydraulic retention time (HRT): 70 days plant is used to dry sawdust and wood shavings for is used to dry around 5 000 tonnes per annum of is press-screwed to remove excess water, which is vapour, ammonia, and malodorous compounds, Engine: Jenbacher mod. JGS 320; Engine: Jenbacher mod. JGS 320; a 15 000 tonne per annum pellet plant, the most fodder and hay for the 400 head of cattle as well as recirculated and the solid digestate used as fertiliser resulting from drying of the digestate, is treated Installed power capacity: 1 MWe Installed power capacity: 1 MWe recent project venture for the Pasini family. space heating for the farm-house. on the 500 ha farm. in a sulphuric acid scrubber that gives rise to an Annual power output: 8 000 MWh (net) Annual power ouput: 8 000 MWh (net) with production of an aqueous ammonium sul-

24 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 25 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS

pings for the generation of biogas. He saw several small-scale farm holdings in the context of his round trip. Hector has even lectured and consulted on Small scale biogas boom in Cuba biogas production around the Cuba. –In that way Cuban agriculture has become a net producer of energy. Biogas and biofuels can be produced and consumed locally. A cow produc- es up to three kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy per day. The farms that have a surplus can sell it even to a local market, but biogas is still used mostly for cooking in Cuba, said Correa. ayakovlevcom / Shutterstock.comayakovlevcom / Another staff member, Cladys Marrero, has witnessed firsthand how the daily cooperative life has changed. Replacing the use of firewood, kerosene and petroleum-based products with biogas makes household work more humane. She demonstrated how the manure is led via open canal from the pig barn to a large fermenter. It is placed about 4 meter deep under the A political legacy, in veteran car cir- cles Cuba is known for having vintage cars still in operation.

The digestate is used as fertiliser on the cooperative farmland. central province of Sancti Spiritus. The facility will have some 740 m3 of biogas capacity, which will supply up to 1 MWh of electricty a day to the grid. This agro-industrial complex will run the first generator that is con- nected to the national power grid on the island. It will have an average pro- duction of 350 kW per hour of which 310 kW are destined for internal con- sumption at the complex with the excess supplied to the grid. It takes advan- tage of all available resources of the farm sector to give rise to a source of cleaner energy. In its current draft, the national plan projects the construction of some The cooperative main building 10 km 1 000 biodigesters a year by 2020. Nine projects implemented by the Agri- from city of Gardenas. culture Ministry and the non-governmental National Association of Small Farmers, will receive financing from the United Nations Small Grants Pro- gramme. Residues from sugar cane have so far been used as fuel for pro- Top of the small scale biogas fermenter, which bottom plate is placed about 4 duction of rom, but there is a huge untapped capacity for the production of meter deep under the earth. biogas. There are calculations which show that Cuba within a few years earth. After the digesting process the raw gas is pumped from the ferment- er to storage and from there to cooperative kitchen. The costs for building a complete local small scale digester for fermenta- tion of pig or cow manure in Cuba lies around US$2 000. Cuban farmers make use also of simple method to store and distribute biogas, large plastic bags. After digestion the raw biogas is then carried in bags to the neighbors who gratefully receive gas. According to officials, the biodigesters help to reduce soil and groundwater pollution, and curb the cutting of trees for On the spot reporter in Cuba, firewood. Normal street view dominated by horse carriages in Cuban city of Gardenas in Cuba. Markku Björkman. Plans for more Cuban biogas A massive societal transition is looming in Cuba as relations with its former ”arch-enemy”, the US, began a normalisation The Biogas Promotion and Development Centre at the Cuban Swine Re- process in 2015. This transition will impact, not only Cuban society but also on its energy profile. Yet Cuban farmers al- search Institute is drafting a national plan to encourage the use of biodi- ready have much greater experience in biogas than farmers in many more technologically advanced countries. gesters in state companies and agricultural cooperatives. One of biggest bi- ogas plants in the country has recently been completed at Guayos in the cuba is still a poor developing country, with a very shaky power sup- ergy and protect the environment. The country needs to build an addition- ply system, but stands out for its free education, free health care and cul- al 7 000 units, mainly using pig and cow manure. tural and sporting success. On the other hand Cuba stands out for its very – Most of all Cuba needs an additional 500 industrial biogas plants using ¡Viva! And thank the cows and pigs, that there is lots of gas to use in the serious shortcomings in terms of democracy, freedom of speech and influ- the residue from distilleries, canning factories, sugar mills, slaughterhouses kitchen for cooking. Cladys Marrero likes being self-sufficient when it comes ence for the individual citizen. As an occasional visitor one could hear and pulping factories, the Cuban Vice-Minister of Energy recently stated. to energy. The biogas can also be used for heating, but the temperature in the complaints about power outages, notice a glaring lack of housing, the run- The energy ministry is also considering cogeneration at sugar mills and region of Cladys´ cooperative drops hardly ever under 17oC. down infrastructure and of all the obstacles for those who wish to start alcohol plants. According to an official study, Cuba has the potential to could replace all its fossil oil consumption with biogas from the sugarcane 3 their own economic activities in order to improve their standard of living. produce more than 400 million Nm of biogas annually, which if adminis- industry. That would mean a further reduction in CO2 emissions and inde- However, today many Cubans observe a trend towards a more open cli- tered appropriately could support 85 MW of power generation capacity. By pendence of Venezuelan oil imports. mate not least when it comes to farming. Because pork is the most widely doing so, this would avert 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emis- However, there is still many challenges in Cuba regarding more envi- consumed meat in Cuba, many private farmers and families raise pigs. This sions and save around 190 000 tonnes of oil. ronmental friendly power supply. Nearly all the energy in the form of oil is is one of the reasons why the Ministry of Science, Technology and the En- imported cheaply from Venezuela. The huge and ecologically very dirty vironment is promoting the installation of biodigesters, to help boost bi- Cooking help by pigs and cows nickel mine can be seen even from the space. Lot of waste is still dumped ogas production. The agricultural cooperative near the Cuban city of Gardenas is typical. in sea inlets. Cuba’s economy is simply not yet an example of sustainability During the two last years the authorities in Cuba installed six larger fa- Surrounded by astonishingly beautiful and lush tropical vegetation this co- more than any other poor country in Africa or Asia. Hopefully that is all cilities, which are now providing biogas. The country has today around 2 operative grows crops like corn and fruits like bananas and mango. In ad- set to change as US-Cuban relations turn a page to begin a new chapter. 000 small scale biodigesters and, according to Cuban Ministry of Mines dition, the cooperative has a considerable number of cows and pigs. The and Energy, some 700 biogas plants operate on state farms and in the pri- director of the cooperative, Hector Correa, says that it was during his visit Taking a closer glance into the fermenter. After the digesting process the raw bio- Text & photos Markku Björkman vate farm sector, where this technology is being promoted to conserve en- to the Soviet Union in the 1980’s when he got the idea to use animal drop- gas is pumped from the fermenter to storage and the cooperative kitchen. BI85/5186/AS

26 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 27 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS Photo Wapnö material is stirred to a homogenous mass. The mixer tank is also heated as the incoming material from the feeder mixer is cold. A special feature is that it is heated by using a heat exchang- er to capture the heat from the outgoing warm digestate before this goes into storage. The pre- heated and mixed material passes a stone sepera- tor before being pumped into the 3 800 m3 di- gester where 70-85 percent of the biogas volume is produced. Here the temperature is increased to around 40 oC by heat exchanger on a hot wa- ter circuit. The digester also doubles for biogas

storage with hydrogen sulpide (H2S) reduction to 100-200 ppm. This enables scheduled stops 1. on downstream equipment such as maintenance services without biogas loss due to flaring or plant shutdown. From the digester the still biologically-active material is fed into the 3 800 m3 post-digester unit where the remaining 15-30 percent of the biogas is produced. From the post-digester the digestate is fed past the mixer-tank via a heat ex- At Wapnö it is all about the cow and energy efficiency. The slurry from changer to extract the heat before going into the the cow sheds is pumped to the insulated buffer tank. digestate storage tank. Solids are separated from the digestate and

“Wapnö is a very innovative project, VERY COOL WITH COW HEAT AND POWER o o using 37 C manure to supply -11 C 2. 3. Wapnö is an integrated dairy farm with own on-site dairy products processing. would be made available to achieve this output cooling as well as heat and power” Located just outside the city of Halmstad on the west coast of Sweden, Wapnö were going to be residues from the farm, 36 000 recently installed an innovative biogas-based energy system. Using only manu- tonnes of slurry, 3 000 tonnes of solid manure KARSTEN HJORTH, Project Manager re as feedstock, the biogas is used to supply the entire Wapnö agri-complex and 700 tonnes of feed residues. The plant was Lundsby Bioenergi A/S with heat, power and -11 oC cooling. Along with odourless fertiliser and 2 MW commissioned in April 2012. – This is more of a challenge than it sounds. water is added when it is applied as an odourless energy to spare, it is perhaps the most energy-efficient and environmentally Cattle manure on its own has a relatively low organic fertiliser on Wapnö’s fields. The fiberous optimal biogas system ever built. methane yield and long retention time. And we solids are dried, packed in fertilser bags and sold the global demand for meat and dairy prod- associated dairy products that are sold to super- had to ensure a minimum daily biogas yield that as a soil improvement product. ucts continues to grow at profound rates, espe- markets in the region, a 21-bed hotel and confer- would be enough for the downstream energy cially in the developing world. According to the ence venue, a restaurant that sources its ingedi- system, said Karsten Hjorth, project manager Power and cooling U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), ents, including beef, from the farm, and a “Farm- Lundsby Bioenergi A/S. Water is removed from the biogas and the con- the per-capita milk consumption in developing er’s Market” shop for products from the farm. From a plant perspective this is usually com- densate returned to the mixer tank. The biogas is countries almost doubled and meat consumption The company has a strong local production pensated by blending a percentage of a crop- piped to the combined heat and power genset more than tripled between 1980 and 2005. Dur- and sourcing ethos. According to Wapnö CEO based feedstock such as maize silage. However at located next door to the dairy some 400 m away 4. ing the period 1980 to 2010 the global cattle pop- Lennart E. Bengtsson the primary task for ar- Wapnö this is not an option as company policy from the biogas plant. To keep emissions of ni- ulation grew 17 percent to reach 1.4 billion ani- able production on the farm is to provide feed, forbids the use of any purpose-grown feedstock, trogen oxides (NOx) down, a urea-based NOx mals. The Consultative Group on International fodder and bedding for the cows, thereafter food the arable land has too high a “food value” and is reducing agent is used. Agricultural Research estimates that by 2050, the production. The animals are kept open range used for food and feed production. The heat from the water-cooled 300 kW ca- global cattle population will have almost doubled year-round having free access to large sheds with pacity rated MAN gas engine genset is used as to 2.6 billion animals to provide for an estimated bedding, feed and water. On an annual basis Unconventional the heat source for the Absorbption Refrigera- human population of 9.7 billion. about 10 000 tonnes of grass and whole crop si- The biogas plant itself is a conventional meso- tion Plant (ARP) as it provides a high and stable lage, 3 700 tonnes of grain and 1 110 tonnes of phyllic two-stage anaerobic digestion plant with flow and water temperature, which is important Local production straw of which 400 tonnes is chopped for bed- a number of special adaptations and features all for the overall efficiency for both the engine and It follows that as animal and human populations ding, is produced. designed to make it as energy efficient as possi- the ARP. The heat in the flue gas is also used. increase, so too does the need to increase the ble, in particular with the use of heat. What The outgoing engine exhaust has a temperature production of food, fodder and feed in an energy Energy optimisation makes the Wapnö setup unique for a farm-based of 500-600 oC and has two heat exchanger cir- efficient and environmentally sustainable way. Wapnö’s energy “hoof print” however is very dif- biogas plant is that apart from supplying elec- cuits in succession. Wapnö’s current contribution to the global cat- ferent to any other livestock farm or dairy. In tricity and space heating to the entire complex, The first one is connected to the engine cool- tle population is around 3 300 animals of which June 2011 a decision was made to invest in an the heat is used to supply cooling. ing and the ARP circuit to ensure the stable op- 5. 6. 1 300 are milk cows and the rest calves and heif- innovative biogas-based energy system to cater Slurry from the cow sheds is collected and erating temperature. This brings the flue-gas pumped to an insulated buffer tank that is buried temperature down to around 180 oC. The second ers. The 2 200 hectare (ha) holding is made up of for the entire energy needs of its operations, that (1) Karsten Hjorth (left), Project Manager, Lundsby Bioenergi A/S and Lennart E. Bengtsson, CEO, Wapnö 1 650 ha arable land, 100 ha pastures and 450 ha is cooling, heat and electricty. The Danish com- at ground-level. Manure, bedding material and flue-gas heat exchanger is connected to the exist- signed the c. 14 million DKK project deal in June 2011. The plant was comissioned in April 2012. (2) Jan forest and it is run as a limited company with pany Lundsby Bioenergi A/S was given the c. 12 feed residues are fed into a Trioliet double-auger ing hot water network for space heating includ- Thorbjörnsson, Halmstad Kylservice AB explaining the complex heat and cooling flows at Wapnö. (3) Some some 50 employees. million DKK contract to provide the biogas sys- stationary feeder mixer using a front-loader. The ing the digester. Other heat pumps that are con- of the dairy products from Wapnö, Sweden’s largest dairy farm and smallest dairy. (4) Wapnö is an open In fact Wapnö is an agri-business complex that tem on the pre-condition that it could commit luke-warm, 10-20 oC, slurry from the buffer tank nected to this network include the engine room to farm that receives visitors year round. Here a group of international attendees to World Bioenergy. (5) – A has evolved around its focus on the cow. Today to a minimum daily biogas output. Furthermore and the macerated material from the feeder mixer utilise radiant heat from the engine and in the PLC steer and regulation system is used to monitor and control the biogas plant operation, said Karsten the on-site business operations include milk and the only feedstock for the biogas plant that are fed into an insulated mixer tank where the dairy. cont. on page 30 Hjorth. (6) Heavy insulation and heat pumps capture radiant heat from the genset.

28 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 29 NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS NOVEL BIOGAS PLANTS cont. from page 29 By using the heat from the milk the heat “Renewing Sweden” together by pumps installed in the dairy can raise the water officiating at the ribbon-cutting temperature from 38 oC to 60 oC to supply the ceremony held on August 30, for digester with heat if there is no heat in the rest of E.ON Sverige’s biogas plant at its the system, for instance a very cold winter’s day. Högbytorp closed-loop waste re- cycling and energy recovery facility – This is a unique set-up because normally we were Camilla Jansson (left), Council would use the heat from the gas engine for the Chairman of Upplands-Bro Municipal- digester. It is really exciting as we have enquiries ity, Upplands-Bro Municipality; Marc for biogas projects where heat is not needed but Hoffmann, CEO, E.ON Sverige and cooling is, commented Karsten Hjorth. Per Ängquist,Per Ängquist, Secretary of State for the Environment and En- Heat to cool ergy Department. The ARP uses ammonia as the refrigerant medi- um, can cool down to -11 oC and supplies all the cooling and refrigeration needed at Wapnö; the dairy production process, cold storage as well as the shop and space cooling on the entire premises. Supplied by Dutch chiller specialists Collibri BV it was developed together with the local heat and process such as plastics or wood is cooling installation company Halmstad Kylser- separated in the composting stage vice for Wapnö. and used on-site in the CHP. – The task was to extract as much cooling as E.ON inaugurates Sweden's Residual heat from the CHP is possible from the supplied heat. Once the calcula- used in the digesters and the biogas tions and flows were worked out we had to find a upgrading process. The residual supplier who would build such a chiller that could heat from the latter process is then use 90 oC water and cool to -9 oC, said Jan Thorb- largest dry fermentation plant used in the final composting stage. jörnsson from Halmstad Kylservice. The biogas plant employs a An ARP consists of a high-pressure and a Kompogas dry fermentation tech- E.ON Sverige AB, the Swedish subsidiary of Germany- 2017, the entire Högbytorp inte- low-pressure part and, just as in a conventional nology supplied by the engineer- headed energy major E.ON AG held a ribbon-cutting cere- grated recycling and energy recov- compression refrigeration plant (CRP), the refri- ing, procurement, and construc- mony on August 30, 2018, for Sweden's largest dry fer- ery facility is expected to be com- gerant is liquefied under high pressure in the tion (EPC) contractor Hitachi missioned during 2019. Once ful- condenser and evaporated under low pressure in mentation biogas plant. Designed to treat organic waste Zosen Inova AG (HZI), a Switzer- ly operational, it will produce 425 the evaporator. and residues to produce biogas, liquid biofertilizer, and land-headed energy from waste GWh of district heating, 165 GWh compost, the plant is part of an integrated closed-loop technology provider. of electricity, 60 GWh of biogas The ARP absorption cycle waste recycling and energy recovery plant being built at The Högbytorp biogas plant and 60 000 tonnes of biofertilizer The main components of the solution cycle are Högbytorp in Upplands-Bro, northwest Stockholm. also marks the first installation for annually of which 52 000 tonnes is the absorber, the desorber and a liquid pump. HZI of its Kompogas dry fermen- the new biogas plant, that has bon cutting ceremony was offici- in a concentrated liquid form and The solution cycle uses the ability of water to dis- tation technology in Scandinavia just begun the first substrate load- ated by equally upbeat Camilla 8 000 tonnes as compost. solve ammonia vapour to form a solution. This The CHP genset and ARP are located next to the dairy, a urea based agent is used to reduce NOx emissions. but not the only one – in April this ing, uses food residues and other Jansson, Council Chairman of Up- Of the total SEK 2.5 billion process takes place in the absorber, which works year HZI announced it is going to organic waste including green waste plands-Bro Municipality and Per (≈ EUR 265 million) investment, on the same low pressure level as the evaporator. build Scandinavia’s second Kom- ammonia vapour is purified in the rectification heat exchanger and the condensate cooler. and horse manure from households Ängquist, Secretary of State for the the Swedish Environment Protec- The solution entering the absorber is weak pogas facility – a smaller unit in column, so that nearly pure ammonia vapour – The key difference between the two refrig- and companies in the greater Stock- Environment and Energy Depart- tion Agency (Naturvårdverket) with a low concentration of ammonia and is able Jönköping. enters the condenser, where it is liquefied. eration plant types is that to transport the refrig- holm area to produce biogas, liquid ment, who deputised on behalf of provided a SEK 74.7 million to absorb the ammonia vapour coming from the A CRP only needs cooling from the environ- erant vapour from low pressure to high pressure, biofertilizer, and compost. the Minister for the Environment, (≈ EUR 7 million) grant towards evaporator and dissolve it. The now ammonia- Text & photos: Alan Sherrard ment for the condenser, in an ARP the amount a CRP uses electricity to power the compressor, The biogas is then upgraded to Karolina Skog. the biogas plant under its Clima- rich solution has a high ammonia concentration BI101/6138 /AS of environmental cooling is more than the dou- whereas an ARP uses a thermal driven solution vehicle-grade biomethane, com- – Biogas is undoubtedly the te Step programme. and is pumped to the desorber, which works on ble because in addition to the condenser, the ab- cycle, a “thermal compressor“ if you will. The pressed and distributed to natural most environmental fuel we have. – We are delighted that E.ON the same high pressure level as the condenser. sorber needs cooling as well. To improve the co- CRP is 100 percent driven by electrical energy gas vehicle (NGV) refuelling sta- Instead of letting methane into the chose Upplands-Bro Municipality By heating up the desorber, this concentrated efficient of performance (COP), a term to de- for the compressor. The ARP on the other hand tions – stations that E.ON too is atmosphere, we get a fuel that can for its unique closed-loop facility. ammonia solution re-separates into ammonia scribe the ratio of useful heat movement per only needs 5 percent of its energy as electricity rolling out. be used in transport and industry, In addition to creating new jobs, vapour and a weak ammonia solution. The weak work input, two heat exchangers are installed in for the pump and 95 percent as thermal energy – By using recovered energy, we for example. Therefore, for every our cooperation means that the solution flows back into the absorber and the an ARP for internal heat exchange: the solution to heat the desorber, said Jan Thorbjörnsson. can sustainably manage global re- biogas plant that is inaugurated, municipality becomes an example It is this difference that has enabled Wapnö sources while providing a fast- we are one step closer to our cli- and inspiration for climate work, Wapnö OUTPUT (per annum): to go from an oil and power purchaser to a com- growing Stockholm region with mate goals, said Per Ängquist re- nationally as well as internation- c. 2 100 000 Nm3 biogas bined heat, power and cooling producer. Not sustainable electricity, heat and bi- citing a statement on behalf of ally, said Camilla Jansson, Coun- TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIERS c. 37 000 digestate only has the manure-based biogas system ful- ogas. We have promised our cus- Minister Skog. cil Chairman of Upplands-Bro Biogas plant (incl. CHP genset): Lundsby Bioen- filled current cooling, heating and electricty, tomers that all the energy we pro- On a personal note, Ängquist Municipality. ergi A/S ENERGY OUTPUT (per annum): needs there is room for future expansion. duce and deliver will be one hun- added that Sweden will be “one of 3 MWh electricty Absorbent Refrigeration Plant (ARP): Collibri BV Roughly 2 MWh per annum of heat is still un- dred percent recovered or renew- the world’s first fossil-free welfare A Kompogas first in 3 MWh heat to provide 1.7 MWh cooling & Halmstad Kylteknik AB used and the biogas plant has additional capac- able by 2025. The closed-loop facil- Scandinavia for HZI 1.5 MWh heat for tap water, space heating etc countries. It takes a lot of steps to INPUT (per annum): c. 2 MWh heat potential unused ity, up to 4 000 head of cattle. There are plenty ity at Högbytorp is, therefore, an get there and today’s opening is a According to E.ON Sverige, by in- c. 36 000 tonnes cow slurry of ideas and plans, time will tell what is next for important piece of the puzzle to step on that road.” tegrating the biogas plant and c. 3 000 tonnes cow manure ESTIMATED ENERGY SAVING (per annum): this very cool cow heat and power plant. achieve that goal, said a notably the combined heat and power Johan Eskengren, Business Develop- c. 700 tonnes bedding & feed residues 1.7 MWh electricty from the grid pleased Marc Hoffmann, CEO of Major Climate Step (CHP) that is under construction, ment Manager, HZI in front of one of 25 m3 fuel for the grain dryer Text & photos: Alan Sherrard E.ON Sverige. investment a number of synergies can be the three Kompogas dry fermentation 13 m3 fuel oil for space heating BI74/4076/AS Along with Hoffmann, the rib- Announced by E.ON in January achieved. Reject from the biogas digesters.

30 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 31 FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT FEEDSTOCK AND PRE-TREATMENT

Crete has many breathtaking mountains like these to the west of Chania. It is this kind of scenery that is loved by hundreds of thousands of tourists who, unfortunately, also leave lots of waste on the island. However, it is efficiently tak- en care of by three recycling and biogas facilities.

The new biogas fermentor/digester at Sychem's plant in Heraklion. The digester will be operational soon and which will further increase the plant's total capacity (photo courtesy Sychem Group). Biogas expansion on Crete

On Crete, the largest Greek island, biogas was produced by two existing land- "cutting-edge technology" at the most critical Only a few characteristic waste odours were fills, as well as from the sewage treatment plants in Chania and the capital Her- points of the production process such as the col- noticable but these came from the trucks leaving aklion. As of May 2017, biogas is also produced in a new anaerobic digestion lection and management of the incoming organ- the facility. Those should not though bother an- (AD) and cogeneration plant. Bioenergy International paid a visit. ic waste, the deodorisation system, heat recovery ybody because the plant is middle of a vast area and the innovative wastewater system for the di- of compactly built factory halls. gested effluent treatment. The automated process in the facility and – this biogas project Techniki Bioenergeiaki Petrakakis explained that the first plant start- The EUR 6 million green investment by the management secures the separation of the or- Kritis 2, was designed by the SYCHEM S.A. It ed at the end of 2016 with an installed power European Financing Tool «JESSICA» was used ganic fraction from the packaging material is an expansion of the existing cogeneration capacity of 500 kW. to protect the environment and create new jobs – Our new anaerobic digester with a capac- plant located in the Industrial Area of Herak- – Already during 2018, we could increase the at the plant. ity of 4 500 m3 is almost ready för production. lion. The primary purpose of this biogas applica- power capacity to 1 MW. Our plant receives – This biogas power plant manages all types The investment regarding the mechanical tion is the production of electrical energy, which more than 14 000 tonnes per year of slaughter- of organic waste ranging from slaughterhouse equipment is just over EUR 4 million, while The Heraklion Biogas Plant features here in this part of the facility a special deodorization system that en- is sold to the public power corporation, ex- house waste, food waste, expired food products residuals to manure, and its great advantage of the total including land purchase and civil ables plant’s integration into the urban environment and a highly specialized wastewater treatment system plained Giannis Pe- from supermarkets, food processing industry being odourless recognises it, Petrakakis said. works is estimated at EUR 6 million, said Gi- for the effluents avoiding any contamination of the environment. trakakis, Plant waste including cheese whey, pig manure, chick- annis Petrakakis. Manager for en manure, oils and fats from the entire island of Deodorization system the biogas Crete, giving a viable solution to the manage- – Our innovative digestive treatment system, Greek energy and water major facility ment of such organic waste, Petrakakis added. ZERO land application, our odour control sys- Apart from energy, Sychem Group is the biggest plant. In the beginning, the plant was using GE:s tem and our waste reception and processing line, Greek manufacturer regarding water desalina- Jenbacher JMS 312 GS-B. L v. D25 cogenera- all of which were also engineered and construct- tion plants with significant share in private sec- tion unit fueled with biogas which is produced ed by SYCHEM group, Petrakakis underlines. tor engineering and industrial construction pro- by the AD plant. The Biogas Plant features a unique deodori- jects such as oil refineries, power plants, hotels,. – The second GE:s Jenbacher unit, model sation system that enables plant’s integration The Group is also the biggest manufacturer of JMS 312 GS-B. L v. D225, was installed to ex- into the urban environment and a highly spe- open loop geoexchange energy projects in tend the electrical power capacity. The thermal cialised wastewater treatment system for the Greece with a focus on the sea water energy ex- energy produced from the CHP unit is used for effluents avoiding any contamination of the -en ploitation and the most prominent private pro- heating the digester, said Petrakakis. vironment. – We have built a fully sealed un- ducer of water in Greece. derpressurised plant building to prevent odour The company, with headquarter in Athens, is SYCHEM Group plant escape into the environment. Also, we installed also an international provider of cathodic protec- Chania, the tourist hot spot of Crete. The DEDISA waste-processing centre of this seasonally crowded city The biogas plant was constructed by SYCHEM innovative biofilters for odour neutralisation, tion equipment and anodes and industrial facili- serves a population of 155 000 inhabitants, which represents around 25 percent of the island’s total popu- lation. Furthermore, the Chania prefecture also provides another 88 000 beds for tourists, and most of the Group, that according Petrakakis, applied Petrakakis stated. ties and keeps offices in Crete, Cyprus and China. region’s municipalities fall within the DEDISA plant’s catchment area. A few years ago the Sychem Group relocated Giannis Petrakakis, Plant Manager of Sychem Biogas says that his company is and expanded its Hydrominoan subsidiary to currently the only desalination plant in Crete. plant will contribute significantly to the final able to provide integrated solutions for the management of organic waste the new modern desalination facility within the The installed capacity is 5,000 cubics per day resolution of the drought issue in Heraklion and and the production of biogas by designing plants incorporating novel industrial area of Heraklion. and owns a modern production and quality con- to the assurance of high-quality potable water. technologies such as odour control biofilters, fully automated feeding Hydrominoan S.A is the largest private water trol equipment. system and advanced biological treatment of the liquid digestate. producer in Greece, owning the largest desalina- Along with the future desalination units de- Text and photos: Markku Björkman tion unit for potable water production and is velopment in the Almiros river of Malevizi, the BI105/6308/AS

32 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 33 UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT

quently integrated as part of of Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Systems. In March 2012 Wärtsilä was giv- en the contract for the biogas liquefaction plant by Cambi AS. The agreement included feed gas compression, biogas cleaning and liquefaction and LBG storage and export. –We are proud and delighted to be involved 5 in this groundbreaking project to produce a new, renewable, and environmentally sustain- 4 able transportation fuel. There is huge potential for the use of LBG from renewable energy sources as fuel for trucks and buses, and we see 3 this project as an important step forward in de- 2 veloping this market, said Tore Lunde, Manag- ing Director, Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Systems, dur- ing a tour of the LBG facility. 1

Thermal Hydrolysis Most of the material for the biogas plant comes from households who deposit their food waste in green bags which is collected together with residual refuse via conventional refuse collec- tion trucks. Using an Optibag sorting system at the waste to energy plants, this material is re- trieved from the refuse stream and trucked over to the biogas plant. Solid and liquid food waste from supermarkets, food processing plants and restaurants arrives directly to the biogas plant. On arrival the material is mixed and size re- duced, contaminants and metals are removed before entering a buffer storage tank. The heart of biogas plant is double line-up of an advanced digestion system based on Cam- bi’s patented thermal hydrolysis processes (THP) technology. Unlike other biogas pre- treatment and hygienisation technologies that Novel biogas liquefaction enables operate at around 70°C, the THP process oper- ates at 165 to 170°C using steam. By doing so, organic matter is dissolved into an easily di- gestible substrate before being cooled via a heat exchanger to 40°C for the following anaerobic digestion step. cost effective biofuel distribution According to Cambi this enables a higher biogas yield per unit substrate while any poten- tial pathogens are destroyed. This also allows the plant to be able to treat a wide variety of bi- The Finnish energy and marine technology major Wärtsilä Corporation recently ered. The air will be cleaner and noise levels will ological wastes, including categories II and III inaugurated in Norway its first commercial biogas liquefaction installation. By be reduced, and these are benefits that everyone animal by-products. Furthermore the process is in the region will enjoy, commented Christoffer (Top) View of the Wärtsilä biogas liquefaction plant at EGE Biogass during the official opening. Key compo- converting household food waste into liquid biomethane, this novel facility at energy efficient, requires a smaller footprint Back Vestli, communications adviser with EGE, nents are (1) the LBG control system, (2) the glycol pre-chiller, (3) the raw biogas pre-treatment unit, (4) the EGE Biogass is able to produce enough liquid fuel to run 135 buses in Oslo. The and eliminates odour, an issue commonly as- liguefaction unit and (5) the onsite LBG storage and export station. The bus used ran on biogas too. during the official inauguration of the LBG plant. plant marks a breakthrough for Wärtsilä in developing liquefied biomethane sociated with bio-waste treatment plants. The (Above) – This same mixed refrigeration technology can also be used in small liquefaction projects with (LBG) markets. remaining end-product from the entire process other sources of gas as well, and we are very excited about the future possibilities, said Tore Lunde (left), Biogas to bio-CNG is a ready to use pasteurised and pathogen-free Managing Director, Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Systems seen with Christoffer Back Vestli, Communications Adviser, both the biogas plant and biogas liquefaction of Energigjenvinningsetaten (EGE), the city’s The original deal was for a biogas plant, capable digestate that, according to Cambi, fulfils all Oslo Waste-to-Energy Agency and Reidar Strande, LNG Business Unit Director, Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Systems. plant are co-located in Nes, Romerike, which is Waste-to-Energy Agency. Serving some 600 000 of treating up to 50 000 tonnes per annum of cont. on page 36 an agricultural region just northeast of Oslo. citizens EGE operates under the supervision of household bio-waste, with an upgrading and Built adjacent to a former landfill site the plant Oslo’s Department of Environmental Affairs and compression facility for compressed biometh- EGE Biogass - biogas & LBG Bio-solids: Approx. 10 000 - 12 000 tonnes/year produces biogas from household food waste. The Transport and is responsible for the city’s waste ane (bio-CNG). The contract was awarded to Energy supply: Landfill gas, 100% of biogas production goes to LBG biogas is then upgraded, liquefied and transpor- management. EGE operates two waste-to-energy Cambi in 2011 to design, supply and install the Start-up: Biogas plant completed early 2013 (commissioning ongoing), Environmental impact: Approx. 12 000 tonnes/year CO2 reduction (LBG ted to a dispensing depot where it is used as bio- plants treating around 410 000 tonnes per annum plant. In early 2012 it was decided to comple- LBG unit October 2013 used as fuel, enough for 135 buses/year), significant reductions in SOx, fuel for buses. Liquefied natural gas/biogas supplying 840 GWh district heat and 160 GWh ment the plant with a biogas liquefaction unit Treatment capacity: 50,000 tonnes/year household bio-waste NOx, particulate matter, noise compared to fossil diesel & landfill avoidance (LNG/LBG) is gas that is condensed to liquid electricity. as a more cost effective means of transporting Total cost: NOK 520 million (approx. US$ 86 million) including form by cooling it to a temperature of about – Under full operating conditions this plant and distributing the biomethane. NOK 35 million (approx. US$ 5.8 million) an investment grant from ENOVA INSTALLED TECHNOLOGY -160°C for storage under pressure. will mean that 135 Oslo region buses will be able In February 2012 the UK based Hamwor- Biogas output: Approx. 4.5 million Nm3/year Biogas plant: x 2 reactor of Thermal Hydrolysis Processes (THP) thy Oil & Gas Systems, a leading developer and In operation since late 2013 the EGE Biogass to run on biogas. As a result, carbon emissions LBG output: Approx. 4 000 - 4 200 tonnes/year (10 - 11 tonnes/hour) LBG unit: x 1 Mixed Refrigerant (MR) liquefaction process plant it is run by Cambi AS, a Norwegian special- will be reduced by some 10 000 tonnes a year and supplier of gas handling and liquefaction tech- Liquid bio-fertilizer: Approx 90 000 m³/year ist in bio-waste treatment technology, on behalf particle emissions will also be significantly low- nology, was acquired by Wärtsilä and subse-

34 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 35 UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT

cont. from page 35 existing and proposed standards for agricul- before being stored in a 180 m3 pressurized tank. – 100 percent raw biogas inlet loads. Combined tural uses. Landfill gas is used as fuel in a gen set The tank has a 600 litre per minute pump capac- with modular containerized plug’n’play engineer- UNIQUE CANADIAN LANDFILL GAS-TO- unit providing the heat and power for the plant. ity. The LBG plant has a capacity of 10 - 11 tonnes ing this results in low investment costs and low per day or about 4 200 tonnes per annum. OPEX due to low power consumption and simple Mixed refrigerant unmanned operation. Energy consumption, for ENERGY FACILITY The incoming raw biogas is supplied under pres- Modular and scalable the liquefaction unit exclusive pre-treatment, is giv- The EBI Énergie Saint-Thomas facility recovers after- sure, 5.5 bar (gauge), to the LBG plant at a rate of The core mixed refrigerant liquefaction technol- en as 0.68 kWh per kg LBG. Furthermore Wärtsilä cooler and jacket water heat from the landfill-gas anywhere between 0 – 140 Nm3 per hour. Before ogy developed by Wärtsilä is based on over 50 say that the technology is scalable upwards to a ca- engines to heat leachate treatment ponds in colder the raw biogas can be liquefied it needs to under- years of experience in the marine and oil and gas pacity of at least 60 tonnes per day and already to- months. go a pre-treatment or upgrading process to reduce markets in particular the more recent experiences day the company offers a standardization of capaci- Hewitt Energy also provides EBI Énergie opera- the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO ) to 50 with small-scale, 20 000 – 84 000 tonnes per an- ties at 10, 17 and 25 tonnes per day. 2 tions personnel with service training, equipment ppm and hydrogen sulfide or “rotten egg” gas num, land based LNG projects in Norway and – Liquefying natural gas or biomethane re- support and parts maintenance. (H S) to 4 ppm. Furthermore water needs to be Finland. A 2.6 tonne per day fully automated duces its volume to about one six-hundredth of its 2 – The main thing that we considered was the removed to 1 ppm to avoid freeze-out in the liq- mixed refrigerant demo plant was developed in volume in gaseous state concentrating large quan- service aspect. We plan to be in business for at least uefaction process. At EGE the pre-treatment con- 2012 to conduct various operational testing. The tities of energy into easily transportable volumes 25 years, and we want to have a reliable partner. It sists of two steps, a water scrubber and a CO2 installation at EGE is the first commercial instal- by specially designed ships, containers or trailers. was clear in evaluating the quotations that the af- polishing unit. lation of this new mixed refrigerant technology. A This makes LNG or LBG the best option in loca- ter-sales service and the parts support » » set –The pre-treatment is the challenge as con- single standard oil-type compressor and one alu- tions where pipelines are not available or viable, Hewitt apart. If we have a problem on Christmas centrations of unwanted gases vary and the pre- minium plate-fin heat exchanger (PFX) are the for instance when only limited volumes are need- Day or January 1st, we know that Hewitt techni- treatment technology used is dependent on the main components in the system. A standard gly- ed. As demonstrated here at EGE, our mixed re- cians will be available to assist us, said Turcotte. raw gas source, commented Tore Lunde explain- col pre-cooling unit is incorporated to improve frigerant technology enables the cost effective sat- ing that different feed gas sources, such as bi- energy efficiency and to ensure stable operation of ellite production of a transportable energy rich Through anaerobic digestion, biogas can replace natural gas as a renewable Utilise more heat ogas, landfill gas and coal-bed methane, have the process. biofuel, concluded Tore Lunde. fuel source, providing numerous benefits to the environment, economy and The Saint-Thomas co-gen plant began producing different compositions. According to Wärtsilä the plant is fully auto- energy market. Not only does biogas help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emis- electricity in July 2012 and the generator sets From the pre-treatment the biomethane is ini- matic designed with unmanned operations in Text: Alan Sherrard sions, it also generates reliable power at a fraction of the cost of traditional have exceeded uptime targets having operated at tially cooled by a glycol pre-chiller before entering mind requiring only electricity as energy supply. Photos courtesy: Stig Jarnes/Wärtsilä power sources. 99.9 percent availability, producing enough en- the cold box where it is liquefied at around -160°C The technology is robust and designed to handle 0 BI71/4305/AS ergy to power more than 7 000 homes. as the biogas-to-energy formula became Énergie’s Saint-Thomas cogeneration facility – These engines perform very well – it’s per- more efficient, the Canadian government passed provides Québec-Hydro with electricity derived fect for us. When we started the project, we all a mandate to promote the generation of green from landfill biogas. Using a sophisticated pro- knew that generator performance was a key to electricity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. cess, landfill gas is gradually transformed into success, said Turcotte. As a result, electric power generation suppliers pipeline quality gas through a combination of The Saint-Thomas facility is pending approval began working with government utility officials dehydration, compression, filtration and mem- as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental to create more sustainable options for electricity. brane separation. Design (LEED) Platinum facility an environmen- In 2010, Hydro-Québec – a state-owned util- tal engineering – the highest rating in environ- ity in Québec, Canada – took the movement one Unique in Canada mental engineering by the US Green Building step further by issuing an invitation for bid The Saint-Thomas cogeneration power plant Council. The plant recovers aftercooler and jacket (IFB) for 125 MW of electricity derived com- takes excess fuel from the gas treatment facil- water heat from the engines to heat leachate treat- pletely from biomass. At the time, Québec did ity before it is stripped of carbon dioxide and ment ponds in colder months. The microorgan- not have many renewable energy projects that injects it into the pipeline. isms require a specific temperature for breaking could support such a large greenenergy mission. The facility is unique to Canada, represent- down leachate that is collected and treated before In 1999, EBI Énergie, a Québec-based waste ing the only location in the country where bi- being released to a recipient. The heat recovery management and processing company, installed ogas is used for power generation as well as aspect is crucial as the facility would not be eligi- its Dépôt Rive-Nord landfill facility. It was built upgraded and injected into the gas grid. At the ble for platinum certification otherwise. to capture and flare off landfill gas as a means to cogeneration plant located less than a mile – We are using the energy from the engine to limit the amount of methane gas released into from the biogas processing facility, EBI Éner- heat the building, and also to heat the leachate. the atmosphere. In 2003, EBI Énergie installed a gie pumps 4 500 standard cubic feet of meth- At this point, we are recovering only 13 percent gas treatment and upgrading plant to turn the ane per minute to six Cat® G3520C gas gen- of the waste heat, so when it makes sense to ex- landfill gas into biomethane for injection into erator sets that convert the gas to electricity. A pand, we’ll be looking to Hewitt for a combined the local gas pipeline. seventh unit serves as a swing generator. The heat and power solution to improve efficiency, G3520C generator sets are specifically de- ended Luc Turcotte. 25-year supply deal signed to operate on biogas fuel. In 2010, after seven years of successful operation Editor’s note: This article along with photos is based of the gas treatment plant, EBI Énergie won the Service key on a client case study originally commissioned by IFB and signed a 25-year agreement with Hy- EBI Énergie also required a fully automated fa- Caterpillar. It is used with permission. dro-Québec to produce 9.4 MW of renewable cility that could be operated remotely. Local Cat BI75/4562/AS electricity through 2036 using excess biogas not dealer Hewitt Energy developed the SCADA already being sold into the gas grid. control interface, which includes mobile capa- ebi énergie – Québec-Hydro asked us to guarantee ca- bilities, for the automated system. Operators can pacity, and their requirements were strict, said restart the plant using an iPhone app that con- EBI Énergie is a company within the EBI Group of companies. EBI is Quebéc based Luc Turcotte, General Manager for EBI Énergie. nects to the SCADA system for engine monitor- family business active in the waste ma- – We were able to demonstrate that we will ing in real time. nagement, environmental consulting and have enough landfill gas to produce the required - It gives us a lot of flexibility to operate the renewable energy sectors. EBI also produce amount of electricity for 25 years. It was a good plant, and it gives some comfort to the operator. and distribute biomethane CNG for the opportunity for us. They are not tied to the plant, and yet are able to transport sector. Located 40 miles north of Montreal, EBI interact when required, Turcotte explained.

36 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 37 UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT CRYOGENIC UPGRADING WITH CRYO PUR

French cryogenic technology developer Cryo Pur has gone from strength to strength having raised EUR 6 million in a second round of financing through the Xerys funds. Two years after its creation and a first fundraising of EUR 3 mil- lion, the additional funds will be used to finance its deve- lopment, strengthens its equity and its industrial organi- zation to ready itself for a growing order intake.

– this new fundraising will ena- and re-liquefaction loop allows to ble us to achieve our main objecti- produce bio-LNG at 2 bar and ves, namely taking orders on the -160°C. Both of the separated and one hand and industrial growth, on liquefied gases are in excess of 99 percent purity and compliant with Promoting the benefits of cryogenic biogas upgrading and biomethane lique- the other hand, said Denis Clodic, faction in a single energy efficient process Benjamin Berg and Simon Clodic. CEO and Founder of Cryo Pur. relevant industrial gas norms and standards such as the European In- tonnes per day of bio-LNG or 10 tissements for the Future” program- Three step cryogenic dustrial Gases Association (EIGA), GWh per annum of storable and me, the Valenton (Val-de-Marne re- upgrading and Vehicle Gas standards, LNG logis- transportable renewable energy. gion) wastewater treatment plant liquefaction tics and natural gas grid injection. – Signing the first commercial (WWTP) was selected as the site for In short Cryo Pur’s technology uses contract with Greenville Energy is the BioGNVAL project. Treating cryogenics to purify the biogas, sepa- Maximum recovery and the validation of our strategy to 800 000 m3 of water per day rate out and liquefy the carbon di- energy efficient cost-effectively build integrated SIAAP’s (Syndicat Interdépartemen- According to Cryo Pur, unlike oth- bio-LNG production units, with a tal pour l’Assainissement de FUTURE BIOGAS INAUGURATE oxide (CO2) and the biomethane in a single energy efficient process. With er biogas upgrading technologies great potential in the UK and Ire- l’Agglomération Parisienne – Paris a portfolio of seven global patents, there is no biomethane loss or land markets, commented Clodic. regional wastewater authority) Va- FIRST TRIOGEN ORC IN THE UK Photo: Raymond Taylor the proprietary three-step process is slippage in the process. In the case The company has also been se- lerton is one of the largest WWTP’s the culmination of 15 years of R&D of landfill gas (LFG) with high ni- lected as a turnkey supplier for two in Europe. Officially inaugurated in trogen and oxygen content, biome- agricultural biogas projects in May 2016, the BioGNVAL indu- Future Biogas and Triogen in the field of cryogenic CO2 capture range of biomass feedstock sourced at Mines ParisTech led by Denis thane loss is 1 percent. Working France based on the remote injec- strial demonstrator can treat almost have opened the first UK in partnership with local farmers. Clodic and his team. with gases at pressure and low tem- tion model: liquid biomethane pro- 120 Nm3 per hour of biogas, to pro- installation of a Triogen – We see that more can be done The process consists of pretreat- peratures suggest high energy con- duced on an agricultural site is duce one tonne per day of bio-LNG, ORC power unit at the Oak to optimize performance of the bi- sumption but according to Clodic, transported by truck to a site con- or two full tanks for a heavy goods ment, CO2 separation and lique- Grove Renewables biogas ogas plants, commented Philipp faction and biomethane liquefac- electrical consumption is kept to a nected to the natural gas grid, with vehicle (HGV). site in Norfolk. The event Lukas, CEO of Future Biogas and tion. The incoming raw biogas is minimum by combining cryogenic a sufficient capacity for year-round Under the coordination of was officiated by the depu- Board Member of the Anaerobic upgrading and liquefaction as it biomethane intake. SUEZ along with several partners first treated with activated carbon ty Dutch ambassador to the Digestion & Bioresources Associa- leverages on the synergies in the Clodic also reveals that the including SIAAP, Cryo Pur, Iveco tion (ADBA). filters to remove hydrogen sulfide UK, Margriet Leemhuis. production of low temperatures. company is “in advanced discus- and Thermo King together with (H2S). The biogas is then cooled to Lukas was referring to utilizing -40°C for a first dehumidification – In addition the process ena- sions” to launch a project in Italy GNVert and LNGeneration, the originally commissioned in 2013  the residual heat from the gas-fired step by alternately frosting and de- bles the recovery of a significant using biogas from municipal orga- latter two wholly owned subsidia- by Future Biogas Ltd, the Oak engine, a challenge considering the frosting water on two heat exchan- amount of heat from the refrigera- nic waste, as well as several projects ries of ENGIE that supply and Grove Renewables site is a 2 MWe rural location of the plant with no gers with volatile organic com- tion systems, which could cover the with landfill management compa- distributes liquefied natural gas biogas power plant in Scottow, obvious heat sink such as space pounds (VOC’s) and siloxanes re- entire digester heating needs of the nies, where the gas requires a speci- (LNG) to industrial and commer- Norfolk. Future Biogas was set up heating in the vicinity. Applying moved together with the water. The upstream biogas plant, said Clodic. fic treatment, including the lique- cial end-users, the project aimed to in 2009 up to develop, construct the high-temperature organic rank- biogas is then further cooled to faction of biomethane. demonstrate the technical and eco- and operate biogas plants across ine cycle (ORC) technology from A showcase of successful Anglo-Dutch business cooperation as symbolically -75°C for a second round of dehu- Commercial rollout nomic feasibility of producing li- the UK. Supplied by German Dutch providers Triogen, the re- demonstrated by Margriet Leemhuis (centre) deputy Dutch Ambassador to midification and pollutant removal. The company has been quickly BioNGVAL a successful quid biomethane from biogas, turnkey biogas technology provi- sidual heat from the engine is con- the UK together Philipp Lukas, CEO, Future Biogas (left) and Henning von Barsewisch, CEO, Triogen during the ribbon cutting ceremony. With the market After this step the cold dry, pre- spotted by industrial players in the demonstrator with a view to developing the pro- ders, Agraferm Technologies AG, verted into electricity. The plant is entry in the UK, Triogen is now active in eleven countries across Europe. treated and cleaned biogas is ready waste and biogas sectors and has According to Clodic, the industrial cess on an international scale. the Oak Grove plant utilises expected to increase its electrical for the removal and liquefaction of focused its commercial develop- demonstrator in operation at the Cryo Pur’s growth prospects have around 35 000 tonnes per annum output by up to 10 percent without ment in Western Europe: France, SIAAP wasterwater treatment led the management team to com- to achieving the UK’s emissions tion to making decentralized gen- CO2. The biogas is further cooled of maize and grass silage. This is any additional input material. the United Kingdom, Italy, the plant (WWTP) in Valenton, out- mit dedicated resources to the design targets. Government and industry eration more affordable which will to -120 °C, so that CO2 is captu- sourced from Aylsham Growers – We are pleased to work with red through alternate frosting and Netherlands, and Scandinavia. side Paris, France has acted as a and manufacture of industrial units Renewables Ltd (AGRL), a group Triogen as they offer a mature solu- need to work together to reduce the be an important factor for reaching defrosting on two heat exchan- In July 2016, it signed its first showcase and business catalyst for as well as the supervision of subcont- of local farmers all within a 12 km tion with long track record and cost of bioenergy based energy gen- the politically agreed emission tar- gers, which ensures that biome- commercial contract for a bio-LNG the technology. The BioNGVAL ractors. The company is currently radius of the plant. The digestate is very high efficiency levels. This- al eration. I believe that significant gets. Converting the excess heat thane reaches the required purity with Greenville Energy in Northern project has, as it was anticipated, developing a range of units able to put through a press screw from lows us to build an attractive busi- cost reductions are possible and available from a biogas plant into for liquefaction. During this step, Ireland. Commissioned in 2012, enabled Cryo Pur to convince its treat 100 to 2 000 Nm3 per hour of German FAN Seperator GmbH ness case while reducing the overall turning heat into electricity, as electricity reduces the cost of pro- Greenville Energy operates a 500 first customers to invest in its indu- biogas, which represents production demonstrated by Oak Grove and ducing power from the plant by 5 pure biogenic CO2 is recovered in before used as a bio-fertiliser. cost of generating power from this liquid form making it directly kWe biogas plant in Co. Tyrone that strial bio-LNG units, which cost rates between approximately 1 and site, said a notably pleased Lukas. Triogen, is an important piece to percent. Thus, we offer a key tech- usable as a product. processes around 25 000 tonnes per from EUR 2 million to EUR 6 mil- 20 tonnes of liquefied biomethane Residual heat to power The celebratory event also fea- this puzzle. We encourage the gov- nology to making biogas more cost The remaining biomethane is annum of regionally sourced food lion per contract. per day, and allows it to cover practi- Future Biogas has currently eight tured a discussion by industry ex- ernment to continue the dialogue effective, said Henning von then compressed to 15 bar and li- waste and cow slurry from its dairy Launched in February 2013 with cally all the opportunities the com- biogas plants including a biome- perts on “the future of efficiency with this industry to realize its po- Barsewisch, CEO, Triogen. quefied at -120°C. The bio-LNG farm. The plant has a capacity of the support of the French Environ- pany has under consideration today. thane-to-grid facility in operation and cost reduction in AD”. tential, said Charlotte Morton, product is finally stored in a cryo- 300 Nm3/hour raw biogas thus it ment and Energy Management Text & photo: Alan Sherrard and has another two projects under – Bioenergy based energy gen- CEO of ADBA in her address. Text & photo: Alan Sherrard genic vessel. If needed, a boil-off will be capable of producing three Agency (ADEME) under its “Inves- BI93/5735/AS construction. The plants use a eration is an important contributor – Our technology is a contribu- BI83/5081/AS

38 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 39 UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT

» the amount of biogas. Scandina- – We undertook to buy the raw vian Biogas bought the plant in biogas and to manage the operation Sweden’s largest biomethane producer competition with other players. of the plant, explained Olausson. – One of the reasons that we won the bid to buy was that we 1 TWh by 2020 could present a development plan, – With the facilities in Gladö and a plan to build the part that we Kvarn, Åkershov and Henriksdal have built. We were able to show we have a biomethane capacity in that we are focused on increasing Sweden today of approximately production. Already in 2010 we be- 300 GWh. We are building a facil- gan to sketch out an expansion, re- ity in Norway with liquid biometh- marked Olausson. ane (LBG) that will provide ap- Later the city of Stockholm proximately 125 GWh. It will be bought back the property and the completed by the summer of 2017. facility after coming to the conclu- In South Korea, we produce ap- sion that it would be easier to im- proximately 70 GWh. The plan is plement the entire project, Åker- that we have start another two to shov WWTP relocation and Hen- three plants and reach a capacity of riksdal WWTP refurbishment, if 1 TWh by 2020, ended Michael Stockholm Vatten owned the entire Olausson. property and plant. Therefore Stockholm Vatten bought back the Text & photos: Anders Haaker existing biogas upgrading plant at BI88/5390/AS The investment in the new uppgrading plant from Carbotech was SEK 93 million (≈ EUR 10 million) and the annual capacity is 125 GWh. Henriksdal and signed a 25-year According to Michael Olausson Business Development Manager for Scandina- lease agreement with Scandinavian vian Biogas, the company has the capacity to produce 300 GWh biogas from Scandinavian Biogas has recently commissioned a new tanker truck and then dose them Production, distribution Biogas. food waste and wastewater treatment in the Stockholm area. biogas upgrading system at the Henriksdal wastewater into the biogas digesters. We expect and marketing treatment plant (WWTP) in Stockholm, Sweden. Michael to reach an output of between 110- An estimated 240 GWh of biom- Olausson, Director of Business Development at Scandina- 120 GWh in 2016 and 140-150 ethane will be produced from food vian Biogas spoke to Anders Haaker about the new facility GWh in 2017, said Olausson. waste and WWTPs in Stockholm during 2016. Scandinavian Biogas and future plans for biomethane production. High availability expects to produce 200-210 GWh the henriksdal wastewater  the end of April this year. - The new upgrading plant is of at Henriksdals, Åkeshov and KUMAC FOR PROCESSING SLURRY AND DIGESTATE treatment plant (WWTP) in – We have also increased the bi- extremely high quality. We have Gladö Kvarn whereas the Käppa- Apart from turn-key biogas plants Germany-headed biogas plant manufacturer Weltec Biopower GmbH has also a pro- Stockholm, Sweden has undergone ogas production capacity at Hen- had over 99 percent availability on laverket Lidingö WWTP makes ven system for post-treatment of digestate that also can be used on cattle slurry or industrial wastewater treatment. major refurbishment as part of a riksdal. The raw gas from the di- Carbotechs equipment, said Mi- about 30 GWh. The demand for larger project for Stockholm Vat- gester has a methane content of 62- chael Olausson and described the biomethane exceeds production n a multi-stage process, the Ku- litates the separation of certain sub- ten, a municipality owned com- 63 percent and we want as pure process. A row of six white tubes and several operators are trans- I mac processing system separates stances from the water and the mi- pany charged with supplying pota- methane as possible. There is al- each of which contains activated porting compressed biomethane solid matter from water to yield nimisation of odour. ble water and wastewater treatment ready an upgrading plant at Hen- carbon is used to separate carbon (CBG) to Stockholm from biogas about 50 percent clear water, ap- In the first step, additives are services to the city of Stockholm. riksdal with a capacity of 75 GWh dioxide (CO2) from the raw bio- plants outside Stockholm. proximately 25 percent solid matter mixed with the source material The plan for Stockholm Vatten per annum. The new upgrading gas. However it is not a continu- Scandinavian Biogas sells its bi- and about 25 percent liquid nu- with a custom-developed mixer en- is to close its Åkeshov WWTP in plant has an annual capacity of 125 ous process but a sequential one. A omethane either directly to some trient concentrate. abling a short reaction time and Bromma, west Stockholm and in- GWh, which means Henriksdal- tube is filled with the raw biogas customers such as Stockholm Public According to Weltec, this tech- economical use of individually stead pipe the wastewater to the now has an annual upgrading ca- and put under pressure. The CO2 Transport (SL) and fuel distributors. nology has already been in conti- composed flocculants. At the same Henriksdal facility. The new sewer pacity of approximately 200 GWh. is absorbed into the activated car- In Stockholm, the proportion of nuous use for several years and is time, the addition of polymers faci- system from Bromma to Henriks- This will be sufficient even after the bon. Once a certain pressure is biomethane in vehicle fuel is successfully applied at numerous litates the separation of certain sub- dal is scheduled for completion by wastewater from Bromma has been reached, the biogas is released and around 75 percent, which is higher locations in the Netherlands and stances from the water and the mi- 2024 and the entire project has a led on to Henriksdal. The capacity moved over to the next tube while than the average in Sweden. The Belgium with intensive livestock nimisation of odour. budget of about SEK 5 billion (≈ should also be sufficient for a pro- the absorbed CO2 remains in the remaining 25 percent is fossil gas breeding or large biogas plants. In the next step, the substances EUR 540 million). To be able to jected increase in population in activated carbon. A vacuum is that is brought into Stockholm as are dewatered in a special belt filter Experts in Weltec Biopower’s slurry and digestate processing system Kumac, handle the increased volume of Stockholm for at least 20 years, then induced in the tube so the liquefied natural gas (LNG) and A four-stage process process. In this process, they are Jens Flerlage (left) and Thomas Sextro had a busy four days at the Weltec booth in Hanover during Energy Decentral / EuroTier 2018 explaining how wastewater a new treatment process Michael Olausson, Business Devel- activated carbon releases the CO2 fed into the vehicle gas grid. The One of the key benefits of the solu- transported on a belt filter over vari- has been installed at Henriksdal. opment Manager for Scandinavian and it is removed from the tube. fossil gas is either Russian that has tion is the high technical plant av- ous rolls and cylinders and pressed it works and where it can been seen in operation. A new installation in Re- Biogas, explained. This process is repeated along the been liquefied in Finland or Nor- ailability. The scalable modular sys- against a second water-permeable ichenbach, Saxony in Germany commissioned in 2019. New upgrading plant In the meantime, to make use of row of tubes. wegian liquefied at source. tem can be used from an amount of belt with increasing pressure. De- This also means that larger volumes the available biogas production ca- 50 000 tonnes per annum. If pro- pending on the material, the dewa- foam and sludge are then recircula- ree-stage reverse osmosis procedure of biogas can be produced and, as pacity while waiting for the new Easy installation Cooperation with cessing needs are higher, a combi- tered solid matter has a dry matter ted back to the treatment process. can separate 95 to 99 percent of the part of the overall project, Stock- sewer system from Åkershov – We completed all the ground- Stockholm Vatten nation of several Kumac lines can content of about 30 percent and can The other solid components of the dissolved salts and nutrients. The holm Vatten has invested around WWTP to be connected, the com- work, the equipment arrived in Stockholm Vatten built the first bi- easily be implemented. subsequently be used as fertiliser, liquid phase are separated by a filter. separated nutrient concentrate can SEK 93 million (≈ EUR 10 million) pany has installed three reception complete modules on a truck and a ogas upgrading plant in Henriksdal In the first stage, additives are compost, litter or biogas substrate. be used as liquid fertiliser that is in a new biogas upgrading facility. tanks for external substrates. This is crane lifted everything in place. It around 2000. In 2010 Stockholm mixed with the source material The final process step comprises easy to transport. The clean water The biogas to biomethane unit was for feedstock such as residual fats, was a very smooth process. Every- Vatten decided to divest the up- with a custom-developed mixer. The remaining liquid phase is the application of a three-stage re- that is left over from the treatment built and is operated by Stock- oils and grease (FOG) from the thing had been set up at the factory grading facility to a private contrac- This enables a short reaction time first treated in a stainless flotation verse osmosis procedure. The re- in the ion exchanger can be used at holm-based biogas plant designers food industry and glycerol, a by- in Germany and test run before it tor in an effort to focus on its core and economical use of individually tank where suspended particles are maining liquid phase has already the local facilities or be returned to and operators Scandinavian Biogas product of biodiesel production. was shipped to Stockholm, said business while increasing availabil- composed flocculants. At the same separated into sludge and a floating reached a very clean state. The se- the water cycle. and was officially inaugurated at – We receive the substrates by Michael Olausson. ity and biogas production » time, the addition of polymers faci- layer by using fine air bubbles. The mipermeable membranes in the th- DBS1/6493/AS

40 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 41 UPGRADING AND POST-TREATMENT BIOGAS MARKETS More value from biowaste with unique A 100 PERCENT FRENCH RENEWABLE GAS MIX BY 2050? biogas measurement solution FEASIBLE NEW STUDY SUGGESTS Could France achieve a 100 percent transition to domestically produced re- newable gas? It could by 2050 accor- ding to a joint study on the technical and economic feasibility of 100 per- cent renewable gas published by the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), Gaz Réseau Distribution France (GRDF), a wholly owned subsidiary of France- headed energy major Engie and Europe's largest developer, owner and operator of gas grids and GRTgaz, a gas grid owner and operator.

officially launched january 30, 2018, at the Assises européennes de la transition énergétique, • obstacles to agricultural methanisation need to works to enable reverse-flow facilities. Bruno Lechevin, President of ADEME, together A 100 percent renewable gas mix would avoid Jutta Hakkarinen from Vaisala Oyi at the launch of the Vaisala MGP261 multi-gas probe at the UK AD & Biogas 2019 tradeshow in Birmingham. be removed with Édouard Sauvage, CEO of GRDF and Thi- direct emissions of about 63 million tonnes of • the growing of cover crops – intermediary crops Most countries want to treat their biowaste in an environ- erry Trouvé, CEO of GRTgaz, presented the key carbon dioxide (CO ) per annum, which at a the gas pipes was challenging for a straightforward, but the starting which protectbiodéchets the soil et lesbetween résidus two d’algues saleable pour crops pro - • 30% pourraient être2 fournis par le power- mentally friendly way and return the nutrients to agricul- findings of the exploratory study entitled’La (5)(6) carbon tax level of EUR 200 per tonne, would long time. When measurement is point for the development project – needs duireto become jusqu’à a widespread140 TWhPCS depractice gaz ; to-gas dans le contexte d’un mix électrique ture by anaerobic digestion (AD) and composting the France indépendante en gaz en 2050: Un mix incur EUR 12.6 billion annually in carbon tax performed in a flammable gas was the requirements of the Ex • 40 % pourraient être fournis par la filière py- 100 % renouvelable visant à maximiser de gaz 100 % renouvelable en 2050?’ • more unused agricultural and forestry resour- alone. Furthermore, with a 100 percent renewa- waste. A challenging environment for a biogas measure- mixture and in the presence of standards, which meant that rigor- rogazéification sur le bois et ses dérivés, les la production de gaz de synthèse, soit ces need to be harnessed (8) Using different assumptions about how each ble 140gas mix,TWhPCS the de country’s gaz . trade balance would ment instrument. corrosive chemicals, the range of ous testing in real operating condi- combustibles solides de récupération (CSR) of the production sectors may develop as its star- • technologieset une withfaible strong fraction potential de résidus but which agricoles, are be improved and its energy independence one of the most common solu- ing expenses can usually be kept suitable technologies becomes tions was essential. (7) ting point and as part of an ongoing process to not yet commerciallypour produire jusqu’àmature 180such TWh as pyrogasificaPCS de gaz ;- strengthened. tions is to produce combined heat much lower by being able to con- more limited. As Vaisala’s customers can in- improve energy efficiency and gain greater con- tion and gasification of algae need development. and electricity at the anaerobic di- trol and react to the changes in the Optical humidity measurement stall the instrument directly into trol over energy consumption, the study presents Interaction of gas and gestion site using combined heat process. Knowing the water con- in the infrared (IR) wavelength the biogas pipeline, the instrument four scenarios, three of which envisage a 100 Reasonable3.2. Une costs demande de gaz de 276 àpower 361 TWh grids en 2050 peut être and power (CHP) engines. tent of the biogas during the treat- range, however, has many attrac- must tolerate high temperatures percent renewable gas mix. The study alsosatisfaite suggests that par a gas du demand gaz renouvelable of The study dans emphasises les quatre the complementary scénarios nature Finland-headed Vaisala, a global ment stage allows the operator to tive properties. The measurement is and corrosive substances like hy- According to the study, the theoretical po- between 276étudiés… and 361 TWh in 2050 can be satis- of the electricity and gas grids and stresses that leader in weather, environmental maximize the lifetime of activated inherently non-contact as the infra- drogen sulfide (H S) at concentra- 2 tential for “injectable renewable gas” in Fran- fied by renewable gas for an overall cost of bet- with a high level of renewable energy produc- and industrial measurement, took carbon filters, which have optimal red light source and detector are tions of up to 10 000 ppm. The ro- En tenant compte des autres usages de la source disponible pour les filières de valori- ce is estimated to be 460 TWh per annum. ween EUR 116 and EUR 153 per MWh. This tion, natural gas and electricity grid systems will on a measurement challenge to de- performance in a given relative hu- protected from process gases, elim- bustness of the instrument was biomasse, le potentiel de 460 TWhPCS de gaz sation en injection dépend du niveau de mo- This would be sufficient to cover the country’s includes the cost of production, storage, use and interact strongly and jointly evolve. velop a biogas measurement instru- midity range and are relatively ex- inating issues with sensor corro- tested in audited in-house and renouvelable injectable est suffisant pour bilisation des autres usages (usage direct ou entire projected gas demand 2050 in all four adaptationsatisfaire of the la gasdemande networks. de gaz The à l’horizon investment 2050 cogénération).Power-to-gas (PtG)Le mix will de productionbe used to ensureretenu ment that could not only withstand pensive to replace. Further increas- sion. Recent advances in microglow third-party testing stations to en- scenarios studied. cost neededpour un to scénario adapt the proche networks du scénario is described énergie- as thata été surplus défini production après ajustement of renewable de la demandeelectricity the extreme conditions of biogas es in efficiency can be gained by IR sources and tunable Fabry-Pérot sure that it could tolerate corrosive “reasonable”.climat de l’ADEME (« 100 % EnR&R » avec une is notpour wasted chacun by des providing scénarios inter-seasonal et les ressources storage production in a mixture of meth- monitoring the composition of the interferometer filters allow the de- environments and high humidity, demande de 293 TWh) mais également d’un disponibles (cf. figure 4) ; les ressources sont Three technology pathways The mass production of renewable gas will capacity in the gas network. Renewable gas will ane (CH ), carbon dioxide (CO ), fuel gas entering the CHP engine. vices to be Ex approved for atmos- heat, and process gas flows. Choos- scénario ayant une demande de gaz plus éle- mobilisées par ordre croissant des coûts 4 2 Three main production pathways for renewable involve more decentralised management of the also contribute to balancing the electricity sys- and different trace gases, but also Knowing the methane content pheres where flammable gases are ing the right materials was critical vée (« 100 % EnR&R avec pyrogazéification (cf. figure 11) : les filières méthanisation et gas are highlighted in the study: methanisation gas grid network and the use of still significant tem with thermal power plants by using renewa- add value to the process. of the gas allows the operator to continuously present. as well, as is ensuring gas tightness. haute » avec une demande de 361 TWh). pyrogazéification sont ainsi mobilisées à leur could account for up to 30 percent of the rene- underground storage of gas. The study also bleniveau gas to maximum,provide energy le power-to-gas, during peak periods.le plus make more precise adjustments to Many people associate optical The development project result- La demande ajustée (cf. figure 4) pour cha- wable gas production whereas emerging techno- shows cunthat des it is scénarios possible prendto collect en compte most of différents the re- coûteux, est la variable d’ajustement pour le Knowing moisture and the engine, while being able to de- humidity measurement in an Ex ed in Vaisala MGP261 multi-gas logies pyrogasification and power-to-gas (PtG) sourceseffets by planning comme adaptations les arbitrages to the des gas usages net- de bouclage offre-demandeText &(décrit photo: dans Alan la Sherrard par- methane contents tect elevated levels of water vapour zone with expensive TDL lasers probe, which is a completely new tie Résultats paragraphe 6.4). could account for up to 40 percent and 30 per- la méthanisation et du bois. En effet, la res- DBS1/6496/AS One of the keys was to focus on hu- in the gas inlet allows them to re- measuring in a cross-duct configu- kind of humidity, methane, and cent respectively. midity measurement in addition to spond quickly to gas-quality issues ration. A recent development carbon dioxide probe based on the The technical potentials in the study are ba- methane and carbon dioxide. Hu- that would otherwise cause prema- based on two decades of Fabry- extremely reliable NDIR measure- sed on available feedstock resources which do midity measurement is a critical ture engine wear. Pérot interferometry allows the ment principle. FIGURE 3 : MIX DE GAZ RENOUVELABLE DANS LES 4 SCÉNARIOS not compete with food use and raw materials. To process control tool in many indus- One consequence of accidental measurement of water vapour with In near-condensing conditions ensure that these technical potentials are fully tries, with several technical solu- condensation is increased flow re- a simple, compact probe-type many capacitive humidity and dew 100 % EnR&R 128 65 9 90 293 TWh accessible to 2050, the study identifies several tions to choose from. Excess hu- sistance in the pipelines. Also, the NDIR device. point sensors do not perform opti- legislative, logistical and technical issues that midity or moisture can cause major action of valves controlling the sup- Furthermore, it is now possible mally and suffer from corrosion of 100 % EnR&R avec need to be addressed: 128 138 9 85 361 TWh problems in industrial production ply of fuel gas and air to the engine to combine humidity measurement the measurement element, but the pyrogazéification haute processes. Corrosion, engine break- is impaired if moisture begins to with other gases such as methane optical measurement technology Greening the French gas grid by 2050 is both tech- Méthanisation 100 % EnR&R avec biomasse downs, increased exchange rate of collect in the valve. and carbon dioxide in a true multi- used in the MGP261 is immune to nically and economically feasible, a newly released 100 31 135 276 TWh limitée pour usage gaz 9 Pyrogazéification-bois active carbon filters and low quality gas in-situ gas analyzer with a very such problems and therefore exploratory joint study suggests. A gas demand biogas can be challenges in biogas Measuring moisture and compact form factor. uniquely suited to these demand- of between 276 and 361 TWh in 2050 can be Pyrogazéification-CSR production and gensets. methane ing conditions. satisfied by renewable gas for an overall cost of 75 % EnR&R 128 67 34 79 317 TWh Power-to-gas 9 With continuous humidity Measuring humidity in the biogas Robust and Ex-rated between EUR 116 and EUR 153 per MWh (graphic Gaz naturel TWhPCS measurement, however, the operat- process and especially directly in Selecting the technology was BI105/6307/AS courtesy ADEME). 0 100 200 300 400

42 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 43

(5) Pour les résidus de culture et en particulier les pailles, la méthanisation a été privilégiée à la pyrogazéification car elle permet un retour au sol du carbone stable et des nutriments (dont l’azote). (6) Rendement de 94 % déterminé par méthane injectable (PCS) / biogaz produit (PCS). (7) Rendement de 70 % déterminé par méthane injectable (PCS) / intrant (PCI). (8) Rendement de 66 % déterminé par méthane injectable (PCS) / électricité consommée.

PAGE 6 Un mix de gaz 100 % renouvelable en 2050 ? – Étude de faisabilité technico-économique Biogas Technology Suppliers Directory 2020 BIOGAS DIRECTORY 2020

COMPANY COUNTRY WEB COMPANY COUNTRY WEB Interest in anaerobic digestion (AD) is gaining traction in many countries and industry sectors. According to the C40 Cit- GM Green Methane Srl Italy www.gm-greenmethane.it Parker Hannifin Manufacturing Germany Germany www.parker.com/hzd ies Climate Leadership Group, a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change, 80 percent Green Gas International B.V Netherlands www.greengas.net Pentair process Technologies Netherlands www.pentair.com of all global wastewater discharged has not been treated with AD and C40 has described biogas as "key" to tackling PlanET Biogastechnik GmbH Germany www.planet-biogas.com global methane emissions. Greenlane Biogas Canada www.greenlanebiogas.com The purpose of the directory is to provide an overview and the table gives a general presentation of internationally ac- Hennlich s.r.o. Czech Republic www.hennlich.cz Pumpenfabrik Wangen GmbH Germany www.wangen.com tive companies and activities. It includes turnkey providers of biogas plants as well those that supply ancillary compo- Hexagon Purus GmbH Germany www.hexagonxperion.com Pyreg GmbH Germany www.pyreg de nents and equipment needed for biogas and/or biomethane production. To qualify companies have to be engaged in ex- Hitachi Zosen INOVA AG Switzerland www.hz-inova.com Pöttinger Entsorgungstechnik GmbH Austria www.poettinger-oneworld.at port and/or have subsidiaries in other regions, the country shown is where it is headquartered. Although comprehensive Honeywell International Inc. Finland www.honeywell.com Ramboll Group A/S Denmark www.ramboll.dk the listing is not exhaustive neither is it an endorsement. Not on the list? Do not hesitate to get in touch. Host Bio-Energy Installations Netherlands www.host.nl Renecon Energy Nigeria www.reneconenergy.com Offers a total bioenergy plant solution. The expertise Renergon International AG Switzerland www.renergon.com COMPANY COUNTRY WEB COMPANY COUNTRY WEB of HoSt focuses on the technological development and innovation of the processing of organic waste Revis Bioenergy GmbH Germany www.revis-bioenergy.de 2G Energy AG Germany www.2-g.com Camlin UK www.camlingroup.com streams, and the turnkey supply of advanced bioen- Rotaria Energie -und Umwelttechnik Germany www.rotaria.com 4R Group UK www.4r-group.co.uk CCI Bioenergy Canada www.ccibioenergy.com ergy plants. RWL Water Italia Italy www.rwlwater.com A-Consult UK www.aconsult.co.uk Cellwood Machinery AB Sweden www.cellwood.se HRS Heat Exchangers Ltd UK www.hrs-heatexchangers.com Sandifirden Technics B.V. Netherlands www.sandfirden.nl Aardvark EM UK www.aardvarkem.co.uk Chinese Academy of Agricultural China www.caams.org.cn IES Biogas s.r.l Italy www.iesbiogas.it Mechanization Sciences Scandinavian Biogas Fuels AB Sweden www.scandinavianbiogas.se AAT Biogas Technology Austria www.aat-biogas.at Innio Power previously GE Energy Jenbacher Austria www.gejenbacher.com Clearfleau Limited UK www.clearfleau.com gas engines Schaumann BioEnergy GmbH Austria www.schaumann-bioenergy.eu AB Energy SpA Italy www.gruppoab.it Colsen Netherlands www.colsen.nl Jones Celtic Bioenergy Ireland www.joneseng.com Schmack Biogas AG Germany www.schmack-biogas.com AcrEnergy UK www.acrenergy.com Conveco S.r.l. Italy www.conveco.com Keppel Seghers Pte Ltd Singapore www.keppelseghers.com Schnell Motoren GmbH Germany www.schnellmotor.com ADI Systems Canada www.evoqua.com Cryo Pur France www.cryopur.com Kinetic Biofuels A/S Denmark www.kineticbiofuel.com Serge Ferrari France www.sergeferrari.com Aero Thermal Group UK www.aerothermalgroup.com CTU- Concepte Technik Umwelt AG Clean Switzerland www.ctu.ch Kirk UK UK www.kirk-environmental.com Steverding Agitator Technology Germany www.rt-st.com Againity Sweden www.againity.com Technology Universe KIS Group India www.kisgroup.net Strabag Umwelttechnik GmbH Germany www.strabag-umwelttechnik.com Agraferm GmbH Germany www.agraferm.com Ductor Oy Finland www.ductor.com Landia A/S Denmark www.landia.dk Stream BioEnergy Ireland www.streambioenergy.ie Global provider for biogas plants – in agro and food Demeca Finland www.demeca.fi industry, for power suppliers. Builds plant at about Supplies pumping and mixing solutions to many different industries, with the most important ones Streisal Gmbh Germany www.streisal.de 35 MW for both, power and biomethane, really DH Industries Netherlands www.dh-industries.com being agriculture, wastewater, biogas plants and the fish industry. Develops, manufactures and globally markets strong in dry and solid materials. DMT Environmental Technology Netherlands www.dmt-et.nl LJM Lind Jensens Maskinfabrik A/S Danmark www.ljm.dk innovative agitators and mixing systems for biogas Agrar Plus Beteiligungs-GmbH Austria www.agrarplus.at plants, wastewater technology and industrial app- Doppstadt Calbe GmbH Germany www.doppstadt.com Lukeneder GmbH Germany www.lukeneder.de lications. Agrico Engineering Sales Ltd UK www.eisele.de Doranova Finland www.doranova.fi Lundsby Biogas A/S Denmark www.lundsby.dk Sulzer Management Ltd Switzerland www.sluzer.com Agriest Distribution France www.agriest.com Dorset Group BV Netherlands www.dorset.nu Malmberg Gruppen AB Sweden www.malmberg.se Sychem S.A Greece www.sychem.gr/el/ Agrikomp UK UK www.agrikomp.co.uk DP CleanTech China www.dpcleantech.com MannTek AB Sweden www.manntek.se Offers Biogas Plant turn-key solution, including plant Agrotel GmbH Germany www.agrotel.eu Dr.-Ing. K. Bush GmbH Germany www.buschvacuum.com Martin Gmbh für Umwelt-und Energietechnik Gemany www.martingmbh.de design, process technology, equipment for proces- Aikan A/S Denmark www.aikantechnology.com Dreyer and Bosse Kraftwerke GmbH Germany www.dreyer-bosse.com Mavitec Green Energy Netherlands www.mavitec.com sing of organic waste and advanced treatment of the Air Liquide Advanced Business France www.airliquideadvancedbusiness.com DSM Bio-based Products Netherlands www.dsmbiogas.com Megtec Systems Inc. USA www.megtec.com biogas digestate. Alvan Blanch UK www.alvanblanchgroup.com EConvert Water & Energy Netherlands www.econvert.nl Membrane System Europe Netherlands www.biogasmembrane.eu Tecon Textile Constructions GmbH Austria www.tecon.biz Ambient Energy LLC USA www.ambientnrg.com Ecoprotech Finland www.envorprotech.fi MRU Messgeräte fur Rauchgase und Umweltschutz Germany www.mru.de Three Es S.r.l. Italy www.three-es.it

Amitec Oy Finland www.amitec.fi Eggersmann Gruppe GmbH&Co.KG Germany www.f-e.de MT-Energie Biogas Technologie Germany www.mt-energie.com Thöni Industriebetriebe GmbH Austria www.thoeni.com Andritz MeWa GmbH Germany www.bio-qz.de Supplies anaerobic digester systems, digestate treatment and handling, instrumentation, monitoring MTL Eaton (Crouse Hinds Group) UK www.eaton.com Tianjin HI-Tech Enterprise co., ltd China www.tj-hitech.com/ and control. Aprovis Energy Systems Gmbh Germany www.aprovis-gmbh.de MWM GmbH/Caterpillar Energy Solutions Germany www.mwm.net ElectraTherm Inc USA www.electratherm.com TNO Energy Netherlands www.tno.nl Aritor UK www.turboseparator.co.uk Netzsch Pumpen & Systeme GmbH Germany www.netzsch-pumpen.de Eliopig S.r.l. Italy www.eliopig.it Triogen NL Netherlands www.triogen.nl Asia Biogas Co. Ltd. Thailand www.asiabiogas.com New Eco-tec Verfahrenstechnik Germany www.new-eco-tec.com Ellmann Engineering GmbH Gemany www.ellmann-gmbh.de University of Rostock Institute Germany www.biogasundenergie.de Awila Anlagenbau GmbH Germany www.awila.de Nexterra Systems Corporation Canada www.nexterra.ca for Biogas Eneco Netherlands www.eneco.nl Awite Bioenergie GmbH Germany www.awite.com OMEX UK www.omex.co.uk Vaisala Finland www.vaisala.com Ennox Biogas Technology Austria www.ennox.at Balmoral Tanks UK www.balmoral-group.com Paques BV Netherlands www.paques.nl Manufacturer of innovative measurement solutions BDI - BioEnergy International AG Austria www.bdi-bioenergy.com Enspar Biogas GmbH Germany www.enspar.de for multiple industries, has developed first multigas BioConstruct Gmbh Germany www.bioconstruct.com Entec Biogas Gmbh Austria www.entec-biopower.at instrument for smart control of biogas quality. Biogest Biogas Austria www.biogest-biogas.com EnviTec Biogas AG Germany www.envitec-biogas.de Valmet Finland www.valmet.com Erich Stallkamp ESTA GmbH Germany www.stallkamp.de Biotec Sistemi S.r.l Italy www.biotecsistemi.it Anaerobic Digestion and Biomethane Plants Vogelsang GmbH& Co. KG Germany www.vogelsang.info Biothane Systems International Netherlands www.biothane.com ETW Energietechnik GmbH Germany www.etw-energie.de Vomm Impianti e Processi S.p.A Italy www.vomm.it Biotrix Asia Company, Ltd Thailand www.biotrix.asia Evonik Fibres GmbH Austria www.evonik.com Wackerbauer Maschinenbau Germany www.wackerbauer.net Bright Biomethane Netherlands www.brightbiomethane.com Excellent Biogas Netherlands www.excellent-biogas.com Weltec Biopower GmbH Germany www.weltec-biopower.de Offers well-proven systems with membrane separa- Exergyn Ltd Ireland www.exergyn.com tion technology to upgrade biogas to biomethane / Extech GmbH Germany www.extech-de.com Provider of turnkey biogas plants made from stainless steel (waste to energy, sewage water treatment renewable natural gas. the system can be extended Farmatic Anlagenbau GmbH Germany www.farmatic.com and agricultural plants). with a CO2 recovery unit to recover and liquefy CO2 to a food-grade quality. Feniks Pro d.o.o Slovenia www.feniks-pro.com Wuhan Cubic Optoelectronics Co.,Ltd China www.gassensor.com.cn BTA International GmbH Germany www.bta-international.de Fluence Italy Srl Italy www.fluencecorp.com Wärtsilä Corporation Finland www.wartsila.com

Leading specialist for the wet mechanical pre-treat- Franz Eisele u .Söhne GmbH u.Co.KG Germany www.eisele.de Xebec Adsorption Inc Canada www.xebecinc.com ment of different organic waste streams and the sub- Fraunhofer UMSICHT Germany www.umsicht-suro.fraunhofer.de sequent anaerobic digestion according to the BTA® Xergi A/S Danmark www.xergi.com Process for the production of biogas and compost Gazpack Netherlands www.gazpack.nl WELTEC is your partner for flexible design, Xylem Water solutions AB Sweden www.xylemwatersolutions.com Cambi AS Norway www.cambi.no Geneset Finland www.geneset.fi high quality and fast construction with more www.weltec-biopower.de than 300 references in 25 countries. Zorg Biogas AG Switzerland www.zorg-biogas.com

44 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 45 BIO360 NANTES – THE NORDICS ARE COMING • Reliable automations to enhance the biogas process, Anna Sydänmaa, Valmet Auomation • Biogas Upgrading with Amine, Alexander Ryhl, Ammongas “We are delighted to welcome the INAUGURATION AND THE INNOVATION COMPETITION AWARDS CEREMONY - BIOGAZ EUROPE “Nordics, Country of the Year” to 29/01 11:30 - 13:00 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais) Nantes this year hosted on two Nordic Pavilions representing Denmark, COOPMÉTHA 44: AN OPERATIONAL PARTNERSHIP TO ASSIST PROJECT DEVELOPMENT (Language french) Finland, Norway, and Sweden” 29/01 13:15 - 13:45 Room : Biogaz room (Gd Palais) Presentation by M. Freddy HERVOCHON, Vice-Pdt «Natural resources and environments, land action, sea and coast and inland waterways», and Sofia Tendron, Engineer in

PAUL STUART, Director of the organizer Climate Energy, Department of Loire-Atlantique. Created in 2016, the CoOpMétha 44 partnership (Operational Coordination for Methanisation in Loire-Atlantique) brings BEES Bioenergy Events together ten structures, with the common interest of developing methanisation projects. Without a priori on the type of projects, the partners mobilize collectively to support project leaders. Information meetings for farmers, raising awareness among communities and elected officials about the development potential of anaerobic digestion, support for land research via the CartoMétha tool, but also putting them in touch with other key partners: several tools and levers are mobilized to facilitate the emergence tory for the production of liquefied biogas (LBG), Paul Stuart pointed out. and development of projects. Renewable gas technologies are another hot THE KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR MY AD PROJECT topic. In France, GRTgaz is committed, in ac- 29/01 13:45 - 15:45 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais) cordance with the mandate given by the energy regulatory commission (CRE), to identify the • Benefit from AD operator experiences, AAMF testimonial economic conditions allowing the development • What is new in training ? Jérome Bécot, Cluster Methatlantique of new renewable gas sectors including methana- • The first Qualimétha accreditations, Marion Melix, Club Biogaz + témoignagede S3D At Bio360, a trio of parallel bioenergy conferences and expos in Nantes, France, tion, pyrogasification, hydrothermal gasifica- tion, and Power-to-gas (PtG) technologies. • Health and Safety on biogas sites, Maxime Brissaud, CH4 process Nordic technology and know-how providers are taking a prominent position. GRTgaz initiates and supports numerous • Mistakes to be avoided, Anthony Kerihuel, Cluster Methatlantique partnership approaches aimed at testing the hirty-three leading Nordic bioenergy names, According to Stuart, the Nordics are not only • Open to the floor. Moderator : AILE Trepresenting the world-renowned and exem- respected for their research and technical exper- technology while at the same time, GRTgaz is a plary bioenergy know-how of the Nordic region tise but also for their political, societal and busi- stakeholder in the creation and management of LOW CARBON BIONGV MOBILITY FOR INDUSTRY (Language french) will be in Nantes, both “ready and willing” to ness commitment to replacing fossil fuels from this new sector to define its future regulatory 29/01 14:00 - 15:00 Room : Salle bioGNV (hall 1) framework on the technological and financial share their deep knowledge of bioenergy and to their energy mix with renewables – the latest Eu- • The advantages of bioNGV, AFGNV, Gilles Durand reach out to foster new partnerships for a brigh- rostat figures from 2018 show that Sweden, Fin- level (support mechanism). ter bioenergy future. land and Denmark have already reached their With the aim of achieving the first industrial • Development of bioNGV in the West of France, Méthatlantique - bioNGV club, Bertrand Hibert – One pavilion dedicated to wood energy, is respective 2020 renewable energy targets. Bioen- projects in France by 2024/2025, GRTgaz wis- • Testimonial: Anjou Bois Energie, Lucien Gerbier hes to initiate by 2022 the setting up of a first located in the Bois Energie hall and the other ergy including biogas and biomethane makes up • Testimonial: Transport Jouve, Mikaël Jouve dedicated to biogas, is located within Biogaz Eu- a significant portion of renewables and is set to pre-industrial demonstration project on a site rope, said Paul Stuart, Director, of the organiser continue to grow in all the Nordics. with around 10 000 tonnes per year of liquid • Testimonial: the involvement of local authorities in bioNGV mobility, SémA-E, Aurélie Kaminski BEES Bioenergy Events. – Norway is home to the world’s largest fac- biomass waste or residue. • Open to the floor Moderator : GIlles Durand, AFGNV PROGRAMME 29-30 JANUARY / BIOGAZ EUROPE NORDIC PERSPECTIVES FOR BIOGAS 29/01 14:00 - 15:30 Room : Pavillon Nordique Biogaz (Gd Palais) WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY • Les nouveaux modèles de méthanisation Scandinave agricole collective pour le maintien de l’élevage, EVOLUTION OF SUPPORT MECHANISMS FOR THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION SECTOR par Nature Energy / Xergi avec témoignage d’une Coopérative Française 29/01 10:00 - 11:30 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais) • La valeur de la mesure du méthane sur base humide dans le biogaz, Lilian Robert,Vaisala français • Changes in legislative and pricing contexts for injected biomethane, DGEC • Simplifying bioLNG energy transfer management, Jani Hautaluoma, Valmet Automation • Biomethane news, Christophe Bellet, GRDF • Biométhane / biogaz durable par électrification de l’unité de méthanisation, René Rasmussen, Lundsby Biogas • Rights to direct injection, Nathalie Cloatre, GRTgaz DIGITALISATION AND OPTIMISATION OF THE AD PROCESS • How to take into account the externalities of anaerobic digestion in support mechanisms? Jean Lemaistre, France Gaz Renouvelables 29/01 15:45 - 17:45 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais) • Progress Update Greenhouse Gases Working Party, Jihane Loudiyi, GRDF • MAPPED : digital tools to boost biogas production at the unit and regional level, Charlotte Richard, Engie et Julien Budin, BioEnTech • Progress Update Water Quality Working Party, Armelle Damiano, AILE • Improving biogas performance with the use of trace elements, Mme Birgit Pfeiffer et Mme Emna Dahmen, Schaumann France • Launch of the Info Metha (AD Info) website, Alice l’Hostis, CTBM • Bringing the advantages of integrated operations to biogas plants, Anna Sydänmaa, Valmet Automation • Open to the floor • An innovative 3-in-1 insitu biogas measurement instrument, Antti Heikkilä, Product Manager, Vaisala Moderator : AAMF, Hélène Berault • Reducing methane slip to <1% : an important environmental benefit and a direct revenue gain, René Rasmussen, Lundsby Biogas NORDIC PERSPECTIVES FOR BIOGAS • Use of biochar for AD process optimisation, Jan Mumme, Carbogenics 29/01 10:50 - 12:00 Room : Pavillon Nordique Biogaz (Gd Palais) • Efficient conversion of biogas into methanol by electrically heated steam reforming, Peter Mortensen, Haldor Topsoe • Biométhane / biogaz durable par la biomasse de deuxième génération, René Rasmussen, Lundsby Biogas • Enhancing biogas production by integration of pyrolysis, Dr. Oda Kjoerlaug Svennevik, Scanship

46 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 47 THURSDAY 30 JANUARY LOW CARBON BIONGV MOBILITY FOR INDUSTRY (Language french) THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF MICRO-SCALE AD : MODULAR, SCALABLE, LOCAL, READY TO GO 30/01 14:00 - 15:00 Room : Salle bioGNV (hall 1) 30/01 09:45 - 11:30 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais) • The advantages of bioNGV, AFGNV, Gilles Durand • Ready for the resource revolution thanks to decentralised units, Pascal Peu, Irstea et Pablo Kroff, Suez • Development of bioNGV in the West of France, Méthatlantique - bioNGV club, Bertrand Hibert • How to accelerate the deployment of territorial micro-ad units, Jimmy Colomies, Sébastien Gacougnolle, Tryon Environnement • Testimonial: Anjou Bois Energie, Lucien Gerbier • Méthania International, Selim Kanzari • Testimonial: Transport Jouve, Mikaël Jouve • Micro AD = I act and I decide for my operation, it’s easy !, Norbert Irissou, MicroMétha • Testimonial: the involvement of local authorities in bioNGV mobility, SémA-E, Aurélie Kaminski • Micro AD: Exploring opportunities for the urban organic circular economy including nutrient recovery, Rokiah Yaman, • Open to the floor Leap Micro AD et Angie Bywater, Methanogen Moderator : GIlles Durand, AFGNV THE BIONGV FILLING STATION : A VECTOR FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Language french) NORDIC PERSPECTIVES FOR BIOGAS 30/01 10:00 - 11:30 Room : Salle bioGNV (hall 1) 30/01 14:00 - 15:30 Room : Pavillon Nordique Biogaz (Gd Palais) • Presentation of the regional dynamics of the bioNGV station of Saumur, Aurélie Kaminski, Director General SémA-E • Biogas Upgrading with Amine, Alexander Ryhl, Ammongas • Support for project developers and prospects for the development of bioGNV filling stations in the West of France, Benjamin Simon, • La valeur de la mesure du méthane sur base humide dans le biogaz, Lilian Robert, Vaisala Mobility Manager GRDF Ouest • Simplifying bioLNG energy transfer management, Jani Hautaluoma, Valmet Automation • Creation of the bioNGV Club for the Pays de Loire Region, Mickael Thomas, Délégué général de l’Association Méthatlantique • Biométhane / biogaz durable par électrification de l’unité de méthanisation, René Rasmussen, Lundsby Biogas Moderator : Gilles Durand, AFGNV DIGESTATE : UTILISATION APPROACHES (Language french) NORDIC PERSPECTIVES FOR BIOGAS 30/01 15:00 - 17:00 Room : Salle bioGNV (hall 1) 30/01 10:30 - 12:00 Room : Pavillon Nordique Biogaz (Gd Palais) • Introduction AILE • The value of wet basis methane measurement in biogas, Antti Heikkilä, Vaisala • Waste is only a resource in the wrong place : digestate + CO2 = fertiliser + chp + carbon storage, Peter Hammond, CCm Technologies • Biométhane / biogaz durable par la biomasse de deuxième génération, René Rasmussen, Lundsby Biogas • Utilising the digestate via micro-algae, Luc Chauchat, AC3A • Reliable automations to enhance the biogas process, Anna Sydänmaa, Valmet Auomation • Sustainable biowaste management and biogas production, Paal Nilsen, SCANSHIP • Biogas Upgrading with Amine, Alexander Ryhl, Ammongas • Digestate: Experience feedback from the Brittany methanisation, Pièrre Quideau, Britanny Chamber of Agriculture, AAMB LOCAL DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION Moderator : AILE 30/01 11:30 - 13:00 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais), Moderator: Grégory Lannou, Biogaz Vallée® FUNDING OVERVIEW FOR AD PROJECTS • Introduction, Grégory Lannou, Directeur de Biogaz Vallée® 30/01 15:45 - 17:00 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais), Moderator: Mickael Thomas, Méthatlantique • Restitutoin of the Methasocio programme, Caroline Depoudent, Chambre régionale d’agriculture de Bretagne • Opportunities for crowdfunding (direct funding, investment structure) • Testimonial of a regoinal agricultural project, Sébastien Benoist, Responsable énergie - environnement à Roche aux Fées Communauté - tbc • Purchasing groups to optimize your project (multi-project clustering, grouped consultation of manufacturers) • Testimony of an agency that supports project leaders in the integration of sensitive regional projects, Fanny Bousquet, Consultante chez TACT - tbc • Round Table : Financing an anaerobic digestion project in 2020 (Bank financing in 2020 - new features and developments, • Testimony of an industrial operator, Pierre Landel, Président de Bionerval Special features of different financing models, Supply chain aspects) • Testimony of an association for the protection of nature and the environment, France Nature Environnement Pays de la Loire - tbc • Open to the floor Pictures from previous events WHICH SOLUTIONS FOR INTEGRATING RENEWABLE GASES INTO GAS INFRASTRUCTURES? (Language french) 30/01 11:30 - 13:00 Room : Salle bioGNV (hall 1), Moderator : Laurent Blaisonneau, ENEA Consulting • Introduction, Laurent Blaisonneau, Associate, ENEA Consulting • Update on the development of the right to injection and focus on trailer biomethane injection, Hubert Nicolas, GRDF, Biométhane Management • Presentation of the West Grid Synergy Project GRTGAZ - Romain Verles - Directeur du Projet West Grid SYNERGY • Presentation of an innovative offer to optimise and maximise the injection of biomethane into the network, Claudio Bucella, Director, AZOLA • Towards the structuring of a BioLNG sector - Synergies with LNG infrastructures - speaker tbc, ELENGY INTEGRATING INTERMEDIARY ENERGY CROPS INTO CROP ROTATION : TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ROUTES 30/01 14:00 - 15:45 Room : Salle Biogaz (Gd Palais), Moderator: Cecile Hubert, CRA PdL • Integrating intermediary energy crops into crop rotation : technical and economic routes • Choice of cultures and technical routes: feedback • Retour d’essais et expérimentations, Thierry Seguin, Chambre d’agriculture de l’Oise • Feedback from trials and experiments, Seguin (Chambre d’agriculture de l’Oise)» • Let’s be innovative in CIVE culture and the livestock system, Grégory Vrignaud, ACE Méthanisation • Testimonials of CIVE producers for AD, AAMF member • Economic approach of CIVE from harvest to methanizer hopper, Grégory Vrignaud, ACE Méthanisation

48 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 Bioenergy International Digital Biogas Special 1- 2020 49