Biogas

The all-rounder among renewables

Biogas is a flexible all-rounder with many applications – whether as a source of electricity, for generating heat locally or powering district heating, or for feeding into the gas grid after upgrading. Generation is independent of weather conditions, making this an interesting source of income for plant operators, as energy from biogas can become an additional business segment. 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 has many uses, can be easily stored and is an alternative to fossil energy sources in many areas.

Biogas can be used as a source of electricity, can be fed into the gas grid after being upgraded to biomethane or can be used to generate heat. This allows energy-intensive companies requiring high heat input to save on heating costs. 


Our proven EnviThan gas upgrading method can be used to upgrade biogas to biomethane, which then has the same properties as natural gas. This biomethane can be fed into the gas grid to replace fossil natural gas, used in manufacturing as an energy source or utilised in co-generation plants and other combined heat and power plants.
 


Once upgraded, biomethane can be further processed either, into CNG (compressed natural gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas),this can then be utilised in the automotive sector (CNG), for utility vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (CNG and LNG), and, finally, for shipping (LNG). As a result, biogas/biomethane can help to decarbonise the transport and transportation sector.


During upgrading from biogas to biomethane, an enriched CO2 stream is produced. In a further processing step, the CO2 can be upgraded into liquid CO2, which is then suitable for use in the food sector.  This CO2 can then replace fossil CO2 in many applications – such as in the beverage industry, as a protective atmosphere for food, or it can also find use as dry ice.


The use of biogas/biomethane and the substitution of fossil energy sources can help companies reduce their carbon emissions. This not only helps to ensure your compliance with legal targets for CO2 mitigation but also works to improve the public image of your company. More and more consumers and companies are emphasising sustainable production when purchasing products.


Biogas can be stored at the biogas plant at the top of the biogas tanks for a certain amount of time. This can, for example, be used to supply energy at times when wind and PV systems are unable to. Biomethane can be stored in the gas grid – which could offer an almost unlimited amount of storage. The biomethane can then be used as required, such as during the winter season when a lot more gas is required for heat generation.


How does a biogas plant work?

The basic principle of a biogas plant is relatively simple. Renewable raw materials from the farming sector, animal excrement and wastes from the food/agroindustry are used as input materials.

The anaerobic digestion process takes place in air-tight fermentation tanks – called ‘digesters’ – with the help of bacteria. A wide range of species of anaerobic microorganisms are involved in this process, whose ratio of populations varies according to the source materials, pH, temperature curve and digestion over time. The bacteria are similar to those found in the digestive systems of cattle or other animals used in agriculture. The primary products produced by this anaerobic digestion are energy-rich methane, which we can use to produce energy, and carbon dioxide, which as ‘green CO2’ can replace fossil CO2. These gaseous compounds separate out from the digester substrate to form the primary components of biogas. Biogas consists of 50 to 75 percent methane and 25 to 50 percent carbon dioxide, plus trace gases such as hydrogen sulphide. The digestate – i.e. the end product that remains after digestion – can be used as a fertiliser in the farming sector to promote the growth of new crops and this therefore results in a closed-loop system.

We have prepared an animated film that provides a detailed guide to the whole biogas production process and the many components in our tried-and-tested plant systems.

What can be used to produce biogas?

Many organic waste materials, from various sectors such as agriculture, the food industry and manufacturing, are well-suited for use as raw materials in biogas production. Potential suppliers of raw materials/input for biogas plants include:

  • Agriculture, with the cultivation of energy crops as well as animal excrement produced by livestock
  •  The animal feed industry, with residues from their production
  •  Slaughterhouses, with their slaughterhouse waste 
  •  Food production and processing industries 
  •  Supermarkets (e.g. food products past their expiry date)
  •  Breweries, with spent grain and slop
  •  Restaurants, with food waste 
  •  The ethanol industry (mash)
  •  The biofuel industry (e.g. glycerine)
  •  Treatment plants (sewage sludge)
  • Agriculture, with the cultivation of energy crops as well as animal excrement produced by livestock
  •  The animal feed industry, with residues from their production
  •  Slaughterhouses, with their slaughterhouse waste 
  •  The food production and processing industries 
  •  Supermarkets (e.g. food products past their expiry date)
  •  Breweries, with spent grain and slop
  •  Restaurants, with food waste 
  •  The ethanol industry (mash)
  •  The biofuel industry (e.g. glycerine)
  •  Treatment plants (sewage sludge)

These are just a few examples of the many potential input materials for biogas plants.

If biogas – then EnviTec!

Each input material/residue has its own characteristics and often needs special treatment as a result. In today’s industry, virtually no two biogas plants are alike in terms of requirements for input materials, digestion, digestate storage and gas upgrading. 

Each country has its own raw materials and legal requirements – which means our industry has always been about being as flexible as possible. Looking for a made-to-measure solution for your agricultural business – or a major industrial project? We can offer you a solution with reference projects from 250 kWel to 20 MWel or biomethane production from 30 Nm³/h to 5,000 Nm³/h.

Our goal is to make sure you get as much as you can out of the collaboration, offer the most advanced technical systems on the market and deliver the smartest marketing strategies for your energy. All of this has helped us achieve and maintain our leading position in the global biogas sector.

We are one of the few providers in the market who can serve as a one-stop shop for all the respective stages, and can thus facilitate a successful and smooth project:

Smart investments and innovative concepts – successful industrial projects in a global marketplace can all be found in our References section.

Lars von Lehmden

Managing Director

EnviTec Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG

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