http://www.biogasregions.org/

Have you a promising potential biogas plant?

Quick check tool for potential biogas plant site based on questions and benchmarking system for farmers and consultants. Without specific technical knowledge it is possible (i.e. for municipal or chamber technicians or elected people) to fill in this quick check which will show the chances for building a successful biogas plant. With the result of this Quick Check the decision to continue with an opportunity study will be made easier and will be based on a structured evaluation. The Quick check tool was prepared by WFG Schwäbisch Hall mbH  with the support of all partners.

Check now 

Remuneration for biogas production across EU

Biogas is mainly converted to electricity and heat. The electricity is sold to the electricity grid whereas the heat is used or sold locally. New developments are made in order to use biogas as a fuel for transport or to inject it directly into the gas grid.

Regarding the feeding-in of biogas electricity to the electric grid,  2 main schemes are used across the EU: feed-in tariffs and certificates.

The partners of the Biogas Regions project looked into the revenues of biogas in 9 EU Member States  (Austria, Belgium, England & Wales, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Spain) in 2008. Due to the existence of various regulations and schemes (feed-in tariffs, certificates, …), the selling price of electricity from biogas varies significantly, ranging from 6.1 up to 30 €ct/ kWh. Other possible revenues from the use of heat or the gas itself are also described.  Favourable conditions stimulate the markets significantly resulting in the development of advanced technologies and regional economic growth.

Download the brochure

LandesEnergieVerein Steiermark, Christian Sakulin, c.sakulin@lev.at

The presented Catalogue of European biogas plants shows a small excerpt about the variety of the success story biogas in Europe (Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and United kingdom). The catalogue is intended to encourage you to think about biogas and then go ahead with practical implementation.

Part 1 (project 1 to 20) (9Mb) - Part 2 projects 21 to 40) (9Mb) - Download project by project

Regional Newsletters

The regions partners of the Biogas Region project are publishing a regular e-newsletter in their own languages presenting the last biogas development in their own region. These  newsletters are targeted to stakeholders from the agriculture, municipalities and agro-food industry. Have a nice reading!

Priorities and actions in Rhône-Alpes (FR)

The gross potential of methane in Rhône-Alpes is estimated at 750 millions m3 per year. The two main resources are the food-processing industries and the agriculture.

In order to develop the use of biogas, a strategy has been submitted to the members of the advisory committee. This strategy is defined in five main priorities that will be turned into objectives.

- Priority 1: Towards maximum energy efficiency (best use of local resources, at

  acceptable environmental, economic and social costs),

- Priority 2: Towards enhanced territorial coherence: players and projects,

- Priority 3: Towards a present, active, profitable and recognised agriculture,

- Priority 4: Development or maintain in the territories: economical life, players on

  territories, know-how and richness,

- Priority 5: Towards efficient, understood and respected regulations

Out of this strategy, the ten first priority actions could be identified. They will be conducted at a regional level by different players working together: professionals, Regional authorities, public administrations, agriculture chambers, food-processing industries, the regional energy agency (Rhônalpénergie-Environnement), ADEME, IERA(network of renewable energy associations), ALE (local agencies), ERAI (economic development actors):

- Increasing the security of future projects : profitability and financing,

- Training the owners of the plants,

- Training experts and associations,

- Developing a know-how, centralised information about digestate and its agronomic value,

- Monitoring the production or the sources of vegetal raw material for anaerobic digestion,

- Fostering the involvement of food-processing industries of Rhône-Alpes in anaerobic digestion : as project owners or

  suppliers of raw material for biogas plants,

- Monitoring of legislative and regulatory development in the biogas sector,

- Preparing for the development of bio-methane in Rhône-Alpes,

- Gas network or biogas - Monitoring, preparing the feeding-in into the natural gas

  grid or developing of dedicated network,

- Developing the “small-scale methanisation” and dry-processed methanisation in

  farms.

Among the tasks of the biogas regions project in Rhône-Alpes, the organisation of a conference during the renewable energy fair in Lyon, on February 27th, will give Rhônalpénergie-Environnement the opportunity to meet twenty biogas companies from France and Europe. The proceedings of that conference are available here

  Rhônalpénergie-Environnement, Valérie Borroni, valerie.borroni@raee.org

Biogas: a future resource for Regione Abruzzo (IT)

The Abruzzo's biogas strategy sets out objectives on the medium and long term and proposes measures to improve the feasibility of biogas projects.

The Regional Strategies and Action Plan in the Abruzzo Region is conceived for having a pragmatic and comprehensive approach of the main characteristics of biogas technology and  to make all potential stakeholders aware of the economic and technical aspects. Activities will start with a range of dissemination activities. At the  came time, campaign aiming at facilitating, from an administrative and financial point of view, the building of biogas plants will be implemented, targeting local authorities. Finally, in order to help the decision on issues such as size of the plant, raw materials, etc.., the Region will foster linkages between stakeholders, experienced consultants and companies providing the technologies.

The plan focuses on the following fields: waste from agriculture and its effluents, energy crops (eg. maize and grass), organic waste from the municipal waste stream (green waste and food waste) and the waste from food-processing industries.

The Region has identified the main barriers and obstacles to the biogas development as follows:

- No standardized procedure for system design and prediction of the quantity of gas produced;

- Low awareness in the agricultural and agro-food sector;

- Difficult economical context;

- Difficulty of collecting local raw material;

- Lack of awareness among farmers, breeders and citizens about biogas as a product ;

- Potential producers require exhaustive but simple, clear and understandable information

To tackle these obstacles and to ensure a strong biogas development, the Region will:

- set up a regular transversal forum between Energy and Environment, Agriculture, Waste Transport and Economic

  Development Departments of the Regional Government in order to design measures, funds and other activities to foster

  the construction of biogas plant;

- launch information campaigns: each year, at least one event will be organised that will inform people about biogas

  technology and its most recent progresses;

- establish a strong link between all potential stakeholders in order to strengthen the capacity to act;

- evaluate regularly the amount of potential substrate suited for biogas plant in order to have available and updated

  data on the potential of the region or the provinces;

- organise the communication between the stakeholders, the companies and other associations active in the field of

  biogas and renewables;

- organise site visits of existing plants to foster exchanges between farmers and owners;

- train the potential operators;

- work with representatives of banks for designing possible financial plans;

- promote biogas plants towards agro-food industries, as an option for the waste that they produce: especially if the 

  industries are located nearby farm or other food factory;

- Foster the development of cooperation projects between different companies who provide raw materials. This will also

  optimize the substrate to increase the yield of biogas production.

  Regione Abruzzo, Energy and Environment Department, Iris Flacco, Iris.flacco@regione.abruzzo.it
 

The Belgian Advisory Committee identified nine actions lines for a biogas promotion strategy in Belgium. They address the various stages of biogas production, from the feasibility studies to the recovering of digestate, with a focus on the use of biogas.

The meeting of the Advisory Committee identified 5 main guidelines for the promotion of biogas production in Belgium, which were included in the regional strategy.

- The first addresses the economic model of the plants. the current model is not

  appropriate. Another model will be discussed and promoted. A working group

  will be set-up to define an economic model adapted to the Belgian situation in

  order to encourage the investors to invest in the building of new plants;

- The second addresses the modification of the status of nitrogen. Up to now, in

  Europe, the nitrogen in the digestate is considered as organic. If nitrogen's status

  can be turned into "mineral", the valorisation of the digestate would probably be improved;

- The third addresses biogas use. In Belgium, the biogas is converted into power and heat. The two others possibilities

  that have to be developed and promoted are the feeding-in of biogas into the grid (which has already started) and the

  use of biogas as a biofuel (to be further investigated);

- The fourth relates to improvement in the use of heat.

- The fifth is the creation of a biomethanisation experts/professionals technology group.  It would follow-up all

  communication aspects of new plants, project by project. These experts could also be in charge of the identification of

  new sites for feasibility studies and for the development of training activities for bio-methanisation professionals.

The report containing the actions and some recommendations for the Authorities has been sent to Local Authorities early 2009.

The meeting of the Advisory Committee has been very successful thanks to the ideas that were proposed and the rich discussions.

  ValBiom asbl, Centre Wallon de Recherches Agronomiques, Departement Genie rural, Sandrine Dufourny,

     s.dufourny@cra.wallonie.be

The Biogas regional strategy of Castilla y León, based on the Regional Bioenergy Plan guidelines for the region, is a regional tool for planning measures in order to favour biogas sector in the Autonomous Community. By doing this, the regional Government of Castilla y León aims at giving a better priority ranking to a group of measures which will contribute to develop the best exploitation of biogas in the region and favouring a sustainable development mainly in rural economy of the region.

This biogas strategy focuses on five basic principles that are rural development and social interest, environmental sustainable development, energy diversification, economical and business development and the use of regional resources.

The implementation of this strategy will require a sound analysis of different technologies, resources and the observation of other successful initiatives.

Furthermore, successful implementation of this strategy will require the involvement of various stakeholders. Therefore, the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Regional Minister of Environment and Regional Minister of Economic and Employment will all be involved.

Measures

The measures have been organised in different sections and their implementation will be supported by regulation, staff, investment or/and subvention.

Some of the measures in the Generation – Supply section are to make an inventory of the biogas resources, approve a regional programme for energy crops, raise farmers interests in energy crops, including through grant schemes.

In the Logistics and Supply section, measures such as the promotion of an updated national regulation for biogas surface transport, providing the possibility of gas evacuation, favouring and pushing the creation of national regulation in this way will be included.

In the Transformation section, measures such as region's participation as shareholders in biogas plants, development of RTD programmes for small plants, communication campaigns as well as ending the landfill biogas exploitation programme will be carried out.

In the Final use section, the electronic inventory of the electric and gas infrastructure and advocating for long term tax exemption will be included.

Furthermore other initiatives complete ambitious biogas strategy of Castilla y Leon, such as setting-up an helpdesk for biogas community, providing training and handbooks, promoting the associations and favouring RTD for biogas equipment manufacture. A sound action plan for a region that decide to take up the big challenge of biogas!

EREN, Ente Regional de la Energia de Castilla y León, María del Puy Dominguez, dompermi@jcyl.es

SWEA Regional Strategy (England & Wales)

The potential for biogas production in the region (Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire and Powys) is significant with the key annual statistics estimated as:

- 126,000 tonnes of potentially collectable food waste,

- approximately 350 dairy units with at least 100 cattle,

- around 70 units with 200 or more pigs,

- 9 units with 100,000 poultry or more in Wiltshire alone,

- very specific opportunities arising from the food processing industry.

It is seen as being vitally important that the biogas industry in the region is established on the basis of some really good installations that work well for their operators, solve environmental problems rather than create them and are excellent case studies for others to follow.

The key objectives of this Strategy are:

- The establishment of best practice utilisation of liquid and solid digestate,

- The efficient utilisation of the biogas fuel with the minimum of waste,

- The diversion of food or food-processing waste (including the acceptable fraction of abattoir waste) away from

  incineration or landfill,

- The diversion of appropriate non-lignacious biodegradable waste away from centralised aerobic composting schemes,

  incineration or landfill,

- The diversion of manures, particularly from intensive livestock operations into biogas plants,

- The development of cooperative ventures,

- The development of a skilled and well-trained workforce,

- Increased competitiveness of the food processing sector.

The key objectives will be met by:

- Increasing the profile of biogas technology and its potential contribution to waste management problems in particular,

- Providing information to decision-makers, particularly planning officers and councillors,

- Seeking out opportunities for AD developments,

- Influencing the development of projects in order to increase viability, enhancement of sustainable development

  principles, maximisation of opportunities for cooperative action and the implementation of high quality installations,

- Dissemination of best-practice solutions from within the UK and the EU in general.

SWEA, Severn Wye Energy Agency, Andy Bull, andy@swea.co.uk

Slovenian Strategy and Action Plan

The objective of the strategy in Slovenia is to determine the technical potential for the production of biogas, to identify the barriers and obstacles in a specific region and country and to elaborate a plan for a successful development of biogas production.

Estimation of potential

One of the main potentials for the generation of biogas lies in agriculture. Agricultural substrates are animal manure and energy crops. The potential of agricultural raw material (substrates, plant biomass and animal manure) to be used for biogas production was evaluated based on the analysis of 1707 animal farms and 24 companies and of 375 farms and 18 field crop production companies, cultivating together 15.701 ha.

Biogas potentials are also from the following sources:

- Organic wastes at municipal waste dumps,

- Bio-degradable wastes at central waste water treatment plants (sewage),

- Bio-degradable industrial wastes,

- Wastes from households, restaurants and grocery shops,

The estimated potential or quantity of substrates and expected yields of biogas and electricity production from agricultural sector are shown in Table below: Potential of biogas production from stockbreeding and agricultural small farms

Strategy development of biogas production

The main objective of the development strategy for biogas production in Slovenia is to increase production and energy utilization of biogas from the agricultural sector. Big agricultural biogas plants are in operation or under construction on almost all big farms in the country. The main unutilized potential for biogas production in Slovenia lies in the small stockbreeding and agricultural farms and companies.

The main types of non-technical barriers and recommendation measures to overcome them are the following:

- legal (authorisation procedures),

- education and information,

- economic and financial,

- technical and organisation and,

- public acceptability.

Action plan

The actions proposed in the Action plan take into consideration the set of proposed measures to achieve the objectives in terms of biogas production in Slovenia.

The proposed actions are:

- influencing policy makers,

- establishment of professional association(s) for biogas operators and/or owners,

- increasing information in agricultural sector,

- programme promotion of biogas technologies,

- dissemination of information,

- identification of location of biogas plants in agriculture for more farmers,

- training programme for the operators of biogas plants, energy and agricultural advisors,

- creation of special training programmes.

   Agricultural Instituted of Slovenia, Viktor Jejčič, viktor.jejcic@kis.si

Malopolska Strategy for the development of biogas production (PL)

Malopolska Agency for Energy and Environmental Development (MAES) after the consultation of its Advisory Committee established the Strategy for the development of biogas production. According to this strategy, the main use for the biogas will be production of the electricity; indeed in one hand the producer could obtain green certificates and on the second hand, the electric company has an obligation to buy the energy produced from renewable sources.

Nevertheless, the following main obstacles and barriers were identified during the elaboration of the strategy:

- the conventional energy sources are cheaper than the renewable energy,

- lack of practical support from the decision makers in communes,

- the environment protection is not a main issue. Lack of the basic infrastructure like roads, sewage systems puts the

  environment protection on the second place.

To implement this strategy, the Action Plan proposed 8 main points:

- Development of Waste management in communities – biodegradable waste,

- Development of the anaerobic digestion in the sewage treatment plants,

- Development of the anaerobic digestion in the food processing industry ,

- Recognition of the possibilities for district heating networks with the heat produced from biogas,

- Information campaign about the ways of financing the investment in the biogas plants ,

- Information campaign about the European Programs supporting the energy efficient and low ecological footprint

  investments,

- Training campaign for farmers, owners of biodegradable waste, etc.,

- Private – public financing of the biogas plants.

The most important issues are

1. Development of the anaerobic digestion in the sewage treatment plants.  In Malopolska region many of the Sewage treatment plants are not equipped with the digesters. The sludge goes directly to the dumps without treatment. The development of the sewage plants is unavoidable because the number of households connected to the sewage system is growing. The main purpose of thin point is to take actions to supply a great number of sewage treatment plants with digesters.

2. Development of the anaerobic digestion in the food processing industry Although in the Malopolska region the land conditions for farming are not favorable, there are many food processing companies connected with fruit – farming.  The development of the biogas plant near the food processing companies will have an effect on many areas: electricity and heat for the factory, possible heat for the nearest area and reduction of waste.

MAES has already started to implement the Regional Strategy.

MAES - Malopolska Agencja Energii i Srodowiska, Tomek Lis, t.lis@maes.pl

Promotion activities on biogas by Agricultural Institute of Slovenia

In frame of the biogas promotion, the researchers of the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia participated in two international conferences (New Challenges in Field Crop Production and SLOTRIB 2008) where we presented 2 papers on the situation in the field of agricultural biogas plants in Slovenia.

On 13 November 2008, on the national Radio Slovenia 1 we took part in a special broadcast entitled Agricultural Advice for Farmers on the subject of biogas and its importance for agriculture.

We held several lectures about biogas at different seminars. In August 2008, we held the lecture on Substrates for Biogas at the seminar Energetic Supply on Farms organised under the framework of the biggest Slovenian Agricultural Fair, Gornja Radgona.

For local authorities in the eastern part of Slovenia we held three lectures about Biogas and Substrates for its Production. These conferences were organised by Slovenian Biomass Association for the European Biomass Days of the Regions.

In November 2008, we organised the training seminar entitled "Possibility of Usage of Different Organic Substrates for Producing Electricity and Heat from Biogas for the members of Machinery Ring Ljubljana EAST.

In November 2008, we also held the lecture Biogas, Components of Biogas Plant,  Calculation of Economy for the Official training of the EUREM project Manager (Training and Network of European Energy Managers (EUREM.net).

For the conference Biogas – Sustainable Energetic Challenge, we held a lecture entitled "Legislation Conditions for Building Agricultural Biogas Plant in Slovenia". The conference was organised by the Local Energy Agency KSSENA.

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia organised in December 2008 the conference entitled "Energy from Biomass". There were two presentations about biogas. The first one about the situation in the field of agricultural plants in Slovenia and the second one about the regional strategy and action plan for biogas in Slovenia.

  Agricultural Instituted of Slovenia, Viktor Jejčič, viktor.jejcic@kis.si

     Photo: Biogas plant „Bioplin Kolar Marjan s.p.“ from Logarovci (SL)l, 1 MW electric power cogeneration unit,

     © AIS

Biogas 08 – Austrian Conference on Biogas (AT)

The Austrian Conference on Biogas – Biogas 08 – was held successfully in Graz in November 2008. The Biogas Regions partners LEV and LEA invited the Styrian biogas community for exchange and presented the project to a wider audience. First contacts to technology suppliers for the proposed matchmaking meetings of the project were made.

More information on the event can be found here

  LandesEnergieVerein Steiermark, Christian Sakulin; c.sakulin@lev.at

     Photo: © LandesEnergieVerein Steiermark

Over 100 delegates attended a conference in Cardiff jointly sponsored by SWEA (Biogas Regions), the Welsh Centre of Excellence for AD and the Welsh Local Government Association. Seven technology providers gave presentations on their products and services, whilst other contributors talked about the support that they could offer to potential developers.

Andy Bull (SWEA) gave a presentation on the Biogas Regions project. The presentations can be found on the SWEA's Biogas Regions web page.

    SWEA, Severn Wye Energy Agency, Andy Bull, andy@swea.co.uk

Waste Management and Climate Protection in Malopolska (PL)

In Malopolska region, almost all of the household waste goes to the landfill sites with other waste or is treated directly in the households. Due to EU and Polish regulations the quantity of the organic matter that goes to the landfill must be reduced. The local governments have to act quickly to demonstrate actions and their results.

In September a series of trainings, for the representatives of local governments, took place in cities in the Malopolska Region; these trainings were organized by Marshall Office of Malopolska Region in cooperation with Malopolska Agency for Energy and Environmental Development (MAES) and co-financed by Regional Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. Trainings took place in: Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Oświęcim and Krakow. 160 participants were trained about all aspects connected with Waste Management in Communities. The training program covered especially the basics of waste management in communities and the regulations for Waste Management. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to introduce Biogas Regions project to the communities' representatives.

On 21st November 2008 the representatives of communities from Malopolska Region participated in second seminar about “Identification of possible actions and investments for climate protection in Malopolska” published by the Marshall Office of Malopolska Region in cooperation with MAES. The report, made on basis of questionnaires distributed earlier, identified a possible project, which implementation would have positive influence on increasing the energy production from the renewable sources. The development of Biogas Plants was also taken for consideration during the identification of possible investments.

  MAES - Malopolska Agencja Energii i Srodowiska, Tomasz Lis, e-mail: t.lis@maes.pl

The workshop Facilitating biogas projects in most promising sectors held during EUSEW 2009 was interesting, especially the exchange with the Head of unit of the EACI, Mr Gillett. He insisted on the opportunity for the biogas technology in the new RES directive. He invited all the players involved in biogas projects to pay special attention on the transcription of the directive into national policy and regulation. Within the directive the biogas technology is clearly identified and plays a major role in the achievement of the targets set. So every player is strongly encouraged to follow closely this process and give input from the work and experiences acquired.

Slides of the conference available here

European Biogas Association launched

Eleven national biogas associations formed the European Biogas Association (EBA) at the 18th Annual Conference of the German Biogas Association on February 3, 2009. The target of the new Association is to promote sustainable biogas production in Europe. The founding members represent Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Poland, Rumania, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic and Hungary. The headquarters of the new Association are in Brussels.

Arthur Wellinger, managing director of Biogas Forum Switzerland, was elected president; vice presidents are Harm Grobrügge (Fachverband Biogas) and Franz Kirchmeyr (ARGE Kompost & Biogas, Austria). Other members of the Executive Committee are Jan Štambaský of the Czech Biogas Association and Pietro Gattoni of the Italian Biogas Association.

One of the aims of the new Association is to press for the interests of the national biogas associations and represent them on the European level. The Association intends to be involved in the forthcoming legislative processes in Brussels to further the Association’s aims.

 EBA Secretary General, Sebastian Stolpp, stolpp@biogas.org, Tel+49(0)8161- 984677

"Intelligent Energy - Europe" - IEE II programme as part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme. €730 million will be available to fund projects for the promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The objective of the IEE II programme is to contribute to secure, sustainable and competitively priced energy for Europe by providing for action:

- to foster energy efficiency and the rational use of energy resources,

- to promote renewable energy sources and to support energy diversification,

- to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources in transport.

The new call for proposals will be available within a couple of days. You will have to check the following website here

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html

Edited by FEDARENE with the support of the Biogas-Regions Project partners

- Rhônalpénergie-Environnement, Coordinator (F) - WFG Schwäbisch Hall (D) - Landesenergieverein Steiermark  (AT) - Ente regional de la energia de Castilla y Leon (E) - Malopolska regional energy agency (PL) - Centre wallon de recherche agronomique (B) - Regione Abruzzo (IT) - Agricultural Institute of Slovenia (SL) - Severn Wye Energy Agency Limited (UK) - Local Energy Agency of Eastern Styria (AT) - Internationales Biogas & Bioenergie Kompetenzzentrum (D) - FEDARENE

  

fedarene@fedarene.org

Biogas-Region is supported by

 

Legal disclaimer: The sole responsibility for the content of this newsletter lies with the authors. It does not represent the opinion of the Community. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.