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Companies Such as Air Liquid, HoST and Valmet Invest in Green Energy/Technologies
Here’s an overview of key biogas news.
GOVERNMENT POLICIES & LAW
SoCalGas applauds CPUC’s biomethane incentive reservation system
Southern California Gas Co. on Feb. 13 announced its support for the California Public Utilities Commission’s new incentive reservation system for its biomethane monetary incentive program, which opened Feb. 3. According to the CPUC, the biomethane monetary incentive program provides up to $3 million for non-dairy clusters and $5 million for dairy clusters that successfully interconnect with the natural gas pipeline system and operate by Dec. 31, 2026. The program was designed to encourage biomethane producers to design, construct, and safely operate projects that interconnect and inject biomethane into California’s natural gas utilities’ pipeline systems.
ADBA to reiterate the environmental and economic value of biogas to new ministers
The British Government’s recent reshuffle has triggered renewed efforts by the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) to demonstrate the benefits of biogas for decarbonising the UK and global economies to the new COP26 President and Environment Secretary Alok Sharma. Anaerobic digestion and biogas can deliver a 6 percent reduction in UK annual greenhouse gas emissions within the next decade, 30 percent of the UK’s legally binding carbon budget for 2030. The industry can also help reduce the carbon footprint of hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as heat, transport, waste management and agriculture.
Read more on Renewable Energy Magazine
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
How Massachusetts Farms Turn Food Waste Into Renewable Energy
Americans waste a lot of food. As much as 40 percent of the country’s food supply gets thrown out, according to federal data. That rotting food fills up landfills, and also releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Keeping it out of the trash has become a priority in Massachusetts. And for some local farmers, all that discarded food has also become a valuable commodity. At locations around the state, farmers are transforming food waste into renewable energy using a process that captures methane gas and converts it into electricity.
COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
Air Liquide’s Turbo-Brayton solution acclaimed by the maritime transport industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Air Liquide is continuing to develop sales of its Turbo-Brayton cryogenic equipment, with around 50 units sold over the last two years for a total value of almost 180 million euros. This innovative solution, which was developed for the maritime transport industry and avoids greenhouse gas emissions, is acclaimed by customers and sales are growing strongly. The technology, developed by Air Liquide and based on the Turbo-Brayton principle, reliquefies LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) boil-off on vessels transporting that product, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions during transportation.
Read more on Air Liquide
HoSt’s Biogas Marrum plant awarded Better Biomass sustainability certificate
In the Netherlands, ‘Biogas Marrum’, a biogas plant in the province of Friesland owned by biomass and biogas technology providers HoSt, has received the internationally recognized Better Biomass sustainability certificate (NTA 8080). This certification confirms the sustainable origin of the renewable natural gas (RNG) produced, with a carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction of 94.4 percent. Managed by NEN, the Netherlands Standardization Institute, the Better Biomass certificate is issued to organizations that produce, trade or process sustainable biomass in accordance with the set requirements.
Read more on Bioenergy International
Valmet to supply flue gas plant to Helsinki bioenergy facility
Finnish firm Valmet Oyj will supply a flue gas condensing plant to Helen Ltd’s Vuosaari C bioenergy heating plant in Helsinki. The new bioenergy heating plant will be very energy efficient, according to Valmet, as the heat from the flue gases will be recovered to increase district heat production by 69MW, using its advanced technology. “Our company’s target is to be carbon neutral by 2035,” said Antti Saikkonen, project director at Helen. “As the flue gases after combustion are led to the condensing plant, it is possible to utilise the fuel to its fullest.”
Read more on Bioenergy Insight
Dutch green energy firm granted licence to build biogas plant
A major green energy firm in the Netherlands has been granted a licence for a biogas plant. Stercore, based in the province of Drenthe, has been granted the licence by the Province of Drenthe to build a manure gasification plant in Emmen in the northeast of the Netherlands. The project will see Stercore partner with livestock farmers to collect and process manure, which will then be processed into biogas. According to the company, the Province of Drenthe was hesitant to supply the licence, despite the clear benefits of the biogas plant. Stercore CEO Hans Jansen said: “Our innovative approach is so new that our initiative can’t be tested.
Read more on Bioenergy Insight
RESEARCHES & STUDIES
FUNDING FOR BIOECONOMY PROJECTS
A project using waste from pea processing to clean water is among those to have secured funding from the THYME project, which aims to boost the region’s bioeconomy. The University of York, in collaboration with the University of Hull and farming business R Meadley & Sons, is using crop waste from pea production for the production of small particle materials that can then be used in the treatment of waste water. Dr Avtar Matharu, deputy director at the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, from the University of York’s Department of Chemistry, said: “Often discarded and considered as waste, unavoidable food supply chain waste such as pea waste is a treasure trove of useful chemicals that can be utilised in many applications that impact global grand challenges.”
Read more on Insider Media Limited
How Biogas and RNG Can Power the Transport Industry
Biogas products such as renewable natural gas (RNG) offer both governments and industry the opportunity to finally forego fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The global biogas market is projected to surpass US$110 billion by 2025, according to Global Market Insights. Biogas upgrading technologies are allowing for the increased production of pipeline-quality RNG that can be easily converted into compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG) for use by utilities as well as transport fleets. Biogas is generated as bacteria break down organic waste at landfills, food waste facilities, dairy farms and wastewater treatment plants.