Own Investment

Why do we operate our own biogas plants?

Well, because we can! Alongside the construction and maintenance of biogas and biogas upgrading plants for our customers, our deep expertise and solid financial basis also allows us to operate our own plants and with success: in our home market of Germany, we now operate no less than 81 plants with a total output of 70.6 MW in our Own Investment division (EBB). Outside Germany but still within Europe, we operate another eight plants with an output of 8.7 MW. However, it’s not just about the rated output – the financial figures also speak for themselves: EBB has reliably generated the highest share of revenue for our company for many years now. 

So how do we operate our own biogas plants?

Simple: with partnerships, and long-running ones at that. In our domestic German market, we started focusing in 2014 on purchasing biogas plants built to conform to the German EEG 2004 and 2009 legislation, and biomethane plants built to conform to EEG, 2004, 2009 and 2012. We are particularly interested in feed-in volumes for power generation plants of at least 500 kW and biomethane plants of 300 Nm³ and upwards. Agricultural operations and arable land can of course be integrated as well. These plants are then typically operated in cooperation with partners from the agricultural, energy or manufacturing sectors, or the fuel market. These ventures are always operated as a partnership of equals. At the same time, they are characterised by a clear allocation of responsibilities, with each partner concentrating on their own strengths. For example, the on-site partner provides the location, handles input material procurement and takes charge of ongoing operations. We then perform all necessary maintenance work required during operations, provide the biological and technical services, and handle the commercial management activities. 

And where do we operate our own biogas plants?

Preferentially in Europe, although the USA is another important location – or anywhere else where the conditions work for us and our partners. At the moment, we are concentrating on markets in France, Poland and Spain, and on plants that use our own technical systems. Beyond this, we are also careful to make sure that the plant situation as regards legal aspects and permits is watertight – such as with plants planned to be built in industrial parks. 

What goals do we achieve with Own Investment? 

Plenty – as this segment bundles together the generation of power, heat and gas in our own plants, both domestically and internationally. With a total of 89 plants, we generate an impressive 79.3 MW. Our motivation here is the German Building Energy Act (GEG), which entered into force in 2020, and naturally the climate targets set by the Federal Government, especially for the transport sector. This is why we are currently focusing in particular on the production of biomethane. This is where, for example, we are driving the energy transition onwards with our Own Investment division, EnviTec Bioenergie Güstrow GmbH and the liquefaction of biomethane to bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas). Since bringing Germany’s largest bio-LNG liquefaction plant into service, EnviTec is now for the first time acting as an independent supplier of zero-carbon fuel for the utility and heavy goods vehicle sector.