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What is a biogas plant? How does it work?
The green transition encourages more and more players to reach for renewable energy sources. One of them is biogas, which can be produced through plants, waste or sewage. Here’s what the process of producing this fuel involves.
More and more Polish companies have high hopes for biogas. This fuel – classified as a renewable source – can not only help meet the requirements of climate policies but also bring significant savings and implement circular economy mechanisms. Its production is done using locally available raw materials – which is why biogas is being promoted as a way to increase energy independence.
How is green gas formed?
Biogas is a mixture of gas derived from the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. It is produced by special microorganisms in the process of methane fermentation. Its main component is methane. Biogas production takes place in biogas plants.
The main component of a biogas plant is the digester, where organic matter is decomposed and biogas is produced. There are special mixing systems in this tank that optimise conditions for methane bacteria responsible for fermentation. Details of the design vary depending on the raw material the unit is powered by. A biogas plant that uses loose substances (e.g. crop silage) is fuel-fed differently than a plant that uses liquid materials (e.g. slurry).
The digester is connected to a warehouse where the produced biogas is stored. It has a dual function. On the one hand, it accepts the fermentation product, and on the other: it serves as a tank for the generation unit that operates in a given biogas plant. However, before the biogas goes to the power generator, it must be dried and cleaned of hydrogen sulphide. After this process, the biogas is burned in energy production. This is most often done in cogeneration units, which simultaneously generate electricity and heat.
At the dawn of the biorevolution
Biogas is a fuel commonly used in Europe. As of 2018, there were a total of 18,202 biogas installations in operation in 18 EU member states. The number of biomethane plants is rapidly increasing – their number doubled between 2018 and 2020 to 729 units. Germany is the largest producer of biogas in the European Union, with the resource accounting for 14% of Germany’s electricity production. The Italians ranked second (about 1,700 biogas plants) and the French third (about 800 biogas plants). The main fuel for European biogas plants is agricultural products (energy crop silage, waste, manure). One in five such installations operates within a wastewater treatment plant or at a municipal landfill. Other biogas plants operate using industrial waste.
Although Poland has a modest fleet of biogas plants (about 300 units) compared to Western European Union countries, it is worth noting that the Polish biogas sector may soon be a very dynamically developing market. It is all due to PGNiG’s plans to invest in a network of modern biomethane plants. The company predicted that up to 2,000 such installations could be built in Poland by 2030. PGNiG also plans to use municipal waste fractions for energy purposes. For this purpose, the company has already prepared a prototype plant to produce so-called bioCNG based on anaerobic digestion.
Poland has several conditions conducive to the development of the biogas segment. These include, for example, the high share of agricultural land and forests in the country’s area, which translates into significant potential for biomass extraction. Looking cross-sectionally, the largest domestic resource is solid biomass, which mainly includes waste wood from forests, post-consumer wood and straw.
A biogas cogeneration system based on a 499 kWe high-performance CAT CG132-12 unit.
For a 3D virtual tour of the container plant, please click the link.
In Poland, one of the companies equipping the biogas plants is Eneria, a market leader in autonomous energy sources for businesses. The most recent biogas project carried out by this company was the installation of a Caterpillar high-efficiency cogeneration (CHP) unit CG132B-12 with a capacity of 499 kWe. It was ordered by Gorzelnie Sp. z o.o., which is completing the construction of a biogas plant in the Lublin province. The unit will be powered by agricultural biogas. Eneria provides not only the installation of the generator but also its servicing throughout its operation.
Written by: Paweł Kwasowiec
CHP Sales Manager
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