Biogas
The all-rounder among renewables
Whether it is used as a source of electricity, to generate heat directly on site, to supply heat via long-distance pipelines or to feed it into the gas distribution system after processing – biogas is an all-rounder and can be used in numeroous ways. Its production, which is independent of weather conditions, is an interesting source of income for plant operators, as energy from biogas can be an additional economic mainstay. At the same time, a biogas plant actively contributes to environmental protection and the energy mix of the future.
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Why biogas?
Biogas can be used in many ways and can be an alternative to fossil energies in many areas and can be stored!
Biogas can be used as a source of electricity, fed into the gas distribution system after being upgraded to RNG, or used to generate heat. This way, energy-intensive companies with a high heat demand can save on heating costs and other expenses.
Biogas can be upgraded to RNG with our proven gas upgrading technology EnviThan, giving it the same properties as natural gas. The RNG can be fed into the gas distribution system and replace fossil natural gas and be used in industry as an energy source or in combined heat and power plants and other cogeneration plants.
The upgraded RNG can be processed to either CNG (compressed natural gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas) and then used in the automotive sector (CNG), in the commercial vehicle and heavy duty sector (CNG and LNG) and in the shipping sector (LNG). This way, biogas/ biomethane can help to decarbonize the transport and traffic sector.
When biogas is upgraded to RNG, an enriched CO2 stream is produced. This CO2 can be upgraded in a further processing step to liquid CO2, which is suitable for food production. This CO2 can then in turn replace fossil CO2 in many areas, such as in the beverage industry, as a protective atmosphere for foodstuffs, or even as dry ice.
Companies can reduce their CO2 emissions by using biogas/RNG as a substitute for fossil fuels. On the one hand, this enables you to comply with legal requirements regarding CO2 reduction, and on the other hand, it creates an important image advantage: After all, more and more consumers and companies are taking sustainable production into account when purchasing products.
Biogas can be stored on the biogas plant in the roofs of the tanks for a certain amount of time and then used when wind and photovoltaics are not supplying energy. RNG can be stored in the gas distribution system, an almost infinite repository, and can then be used as needed, such as in the winter time when much more gas is needed for heat generation.
How does a biogas plant work?
The basic principle behind a biogas plant is relatively simple. Renewable raw materials from agriculture, animal excrements, and residual materials from the food and agro-industry serve as input materials.
The fermentation process takes place in airtight fermenters with the help of bacteria. A wide variety of anaerobic microorganisms are involved, the proportions of which are influenced by the feedstock, pH value, temperature and fermentation process. The bacteria are similar to those found in the digestive tract of a cow or other agricultural animals. The main products of anaerobic digestion are energy-rich, comprised of methane carbon dioxide and other impurities, which is used to produce energy, and green carbon dioxide, which can replace fossil CO2. Since both are gaseous, they separate from the fermentation substrate and form the main components of biogas. Biogas is composed of 50-75% methane, 50-25% carbon dioxide, and trace gases such as hydrogen sulfide. The digestate that remains after fermentation can be used in agriculture as fertilizer for the growth of new crops, creating a closed cycle.
Our animated film shows in detail the entire process of biogas production and the many components of our proven plant technology.
What can biogas be produced from?
Many different organic residues from different sectors such as agriculture, food production, and industry are suitable raw materials for biogas production. Possible raw material / input suppliers for biogas plants include:
- Agriculture with the cultivation of energy crops as well as animal excrements from livestock farming
- The animal feed industry with residual materials from their production
- Slaughterhouses with their slaughterhouse waste
- The food processing and producing industry
- Supermarkets (e.g. expired food)
- Breweries with spent grains and stillage
- Restaurants with food waste
- The ethanol industry (stillage)
- The biofuel industry (e.g. glycerine)
- Sewage treatment plants (sewage sludge)
These are just a few examples of the many possible input materials for biogas plants.
If you want biogas, make it EnviTec!
Each input material / residual material has its own characteristics and often requires special treatment. Hardly any biogas plant today has the exact same requirements in terms of feeding, fermentation, digestate storage and gas utilization.
Every country and region has unique raw materials and legal requirements, so maximum flexibility has always been essential in our business. Looking for a tailor-made solution for a farm or a large industrial project? We offer you a solution with references from 250 kw el. up to 20 MW el. or RNG production from 15 scfm up to 3,000 scfm.
Our aim is to always get the most out of your project, to offer the most advanced technology on the market, and to deliver the most intelligent marketing concepts for your energy. This is how we have always been able to achieve a leading position in the biogas industry internationally.
As one of the few suppliers on the market, we offer you all the steps from a single source – for a successful project without frictional losses:
Smart investments and innovative concepts – you can find successful industrial projects on the international market in our references section.
