Silage, food waste and wet manure will be the future input materials for the biogas plant in Agios Athanasios in the Thessaloniki regional unit recently ordered from EnviTec Biogas. The 1 MW plant is the second project in Greece for the German biogas all-rounder based in Lohne and Saerbeck. “Even after nearly 20 years in the industry, this new construction project will expand our market position in Europe and is therefore an important milestone — especially considering the current Covid-19 crisis and the resulting economic uncertainty,” says Lars von Lehmden, Managing Director of EnviTec Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG.
EnviTec Biogas alongside with the future plant owner, a logistics company in the food industry, designed a thermophilic anaerobic post-digester, which will function as alternative to pasteurisation for the expired food waste that the customer is collecting for his existing clients. “The fact that our plants are made-to-measure for our customers was a key selling point for our client,” says Dimitrios Pagidis, Customer Representative for EnviTec Biogas in Greece. Alongside a total of two digesters, a vertical mixer, two mixing tanks and a Kreis-Dissolver are also planned. The plant will be completed over the next eight months and will feed its energy into the existing electrical grid.
As part of the 20-20-20 targets announced by the European Union, Greece has committed to ensuring that around 20 percent of its gross final energy consumption is generated from renewable sources by the end of this year. Feed-in tariffs have also been guaranteed for 20 years from the date when the biogas plant starts operations. According to Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Germany’s business development agency, the share of biomass plants in overall electricity production is currently only 0.1 percent and Greece is aiming to raise this to 0.3 percent.
Greece’s revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for 2021 to 2030 envisages shuttering a total of 14 coal-fired power stations by 2025—amounting to around 75 per cent of installed capacity. Natural gas and renewables will be used to close the ensuing gap in power generation.[1]
About EnviTec Biogas AG
EnviTec Biogas AG is a full-service biogas provider who covers the entire value chain for the production and processing 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 offers full plant and operational management. EnviTec operates 76 own plants, making it one of the largest biogas producers in Germany. The company’s business activities also include the direct marketing of processed biomethane as well as the marketing of electricity and balancing energy. With a presence in 16 countries worldwide, EnviTec Biogas AG is represented by its own companies, sales offices, strategic partners and joint ventures. In 2019, the EnviTec Group generated revenue of EUR 213.6 million and EBIT of EUR 10.3 million. The Group currently employs 433 people. EnviTec Biogas AG has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since July 2007.