Following the successful first virtual Operator Roundtable held last year, this year’s information event from EnviTec Biogas AG was also organised as a digital get-together. The meet-up for prospective and existing customers of the biogas all-rounder from Lower Saxony, as well as interested parties, offered the roughly 100 participants a broad overview of the very latest topics of note from the biogas industry. For this, the 21st roundtable, the main focus of the virtual event was the business opportunities available to plant operators after the expiry of EEG subsidies. “This is where the fuel market offers huge potential in the shape of bio LNG and our contract liquefaction service, which even smaller plant operators can utilise,” explained EnviTec Biogas CEO Olaf von Lehmden in his opening speech.
Von Lehmden also noted how the acquisition of the BioEnergie Park Güstrow and the formation of the BALANCE EnviTec Bio-LNG GmbH joint venture in 2021 were milestones for bio LNG production in Germany. “By 2022, we will be the first supplier of carbon-neutral fuel to light and heavy goods vehicles with no ties to any filling station network, and who is working to achieve progress in the Herculean task of the transition to sustainable transport,” said the CEO. Wrapping up his speech, von Lehmden commented on the highly positive trends observed by the EnviTec team: “The acquisition and conversion of the BioEnergie Park Güstrow marks the start of a EUR 100 million investment programme – the biggest in our 20-year history as a company.”
Demand for bio LNG is growing
Picking up on this, Jan Meistermann, Head of Sales at EnviTec Service GmbH, then gave a talk explaining the process of moving from a power to a biomethane producer. “The great thing about biomethane production is that it allows you to decide how far you want to go up the value chain,” he said, noting that companies could opt for anything from the simple sale of gas to marketing fuels, electricity and heat.
He also highlighted the financial and climate benefits of the bio LNG market: compared with diesel-powered trucks, using bio LNG cut sulphur oxide and fine particulate emissions by almost 100 percent, while reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent and noise by up to 50 percent. With the entry into force of the RED II Directive, distributors of fuels are now required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their products by 25 percent by 2030. With this Directive now singlehandedly driving the demand for green fuels, there are big opportunities to be had by plant operators.
The closing speech was given by EnviTec’s guest speaker, the solicitor Philipp Wernsmann. His legal practice in Ibbenbüren specialises in the legislative field of agriculture and renewables. Wernsmann not only talked his audience through the plans made by Germany’s new coalition and the consequences of skyrocketing energy prices but also took a closer look at all of the new regulations now applicable to feed-in management since October 2021 – known as ‘Redispatch 2.0’. Another key issue he touched on was the mandatory sustainability certification of biomass in force since January, introduced by the German Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance (Biomassestrom-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung, BioSt-NachV). “Starting in 2022, the use of non-certified biomass in plants with an installed thermal capacity of more than 2 MW will disqualify operators from receiving their renewables (and therefore wet manure) bonus,” Wernsmann warned his viewers.
EnviTec offers a wide range of online training courses
As in every year, another important part of the information event for the biogas industry was the closing Q&A session, which gave plant operators the chance to request input from the speakers on specific issues. And many questions were asked – both submitted beforehand and also in the event’s chat feed. Jan Meistermann: “To date, all of the feedback about our online format has been consistently positive.” Which is another reason why TRGS safety training in Germany will continue to be offered in a remote learning format until further notice. For full details and dates, please visit: https://www.envitec-biogas.de/service/schulungen/
In addition, EnviTec is also one of the first companies in Germany to offer biogas plant operators a professional support package for the biomass sustainability certification process. From 1 January 2022, the auditing system becomes mandatory for biogas plants in the power and heating sector whose installed thermal capacity exceeds 2 MW. Interested customers are invited to contact Gabriele Schumacher, who manages the sustainability certification programme for german plant operators at EnviTec. https://www.envitec-biogas.de/service/nachhaltigkeitszertifizierung
About EnviTec Biogas AG
EnviTec Biogas AG covers the entire value chain for the production of biogas, including the planning and turnkey construction of biogas plants and biogas upgrading plants as well as their commissioning. The company takes charge of biological and technical services on demand, and also offers operational management services. EnviTec operates 75 of its own plants, making it one of the largest biogas producers in Germany. EnviTec’s business interests also include the direct marketing of upgraded biomethane as well as the marketing of electricity and balancing energy. The company is represented in 16 countries worldwide by its own companies, sales offices, strategic partners and joint ventures. In 2020, the EnviTec Group generated revenue of EUR 192.3 million and EBIT of EUR 17.2 million. The Group employs over 500 people worldwide. EnviTec Biogas AG has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since July 2007.