Biogas Journal English Issue Autumn_2018 by Fachverband Biogas e.V.

www.biogas.org

German Biogas Association | ZKZ 50073

GAs Journal

The trade magazine of the biogas sector

Europe: Biomethane strategy is necessary P. 6

Autumn_2018

Clean air with catalytic converters P. 18

english issue

Kenya: Avocado residues to biogas P. 36

Including cou ntry reports fr om Nicaragua, In dia and Kenya

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

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Editorial

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Many countries with biogas potential, but without legal frameworks Dear Readers, For several years now, internationalization has been at or near the top of the agenda for many German biogas companies. Fundamental changes to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) have slowed development of the German biogas market after more than a decade of steady growth. The amendments to the EEG bill affect the construction of new plants and – to some extent – also threaten the survival of installed plants. To stay in business, German biogas companies, whether they are EPC enterprises or export system components, must explore new and more attractive markets. Under these circumstances, the German Biogas Association’s role is to keep an eye on future markets, especially those that are still being explored or gaining importance. Though some European countries have favorable legal frameworks that make it easier for German companies to start internationalizing, these markets are often full of competitors and the available biogas potential is limited. Yet around the globe there are many countries where biogas potential – especially from biowaste – is great and German biogas technology and expertise is wellknown and in high demand, but favorable political and legal frameworks are not yet in place. This is where the German Biogas Association can contribute to the development of a global biogas sector. In this regard, over the last five years we have implemented capacity building activities in countries such as Serbia, Chile, Jordan, and Thailand. We have advised political decision-makers in Kenya and Serbia to improve the countries’ feed-in tariff mechanisms. We have issued publications in several languages to disseminate appropriate standards and recommendations for using biogas technology safely and sustainably in new markets. In addition, the German Biogas Association continues to support the establishment of biogas associations, helping them truly represent biogas sector interests in

their respective countries, develop standards, and fight for favorable frameworks for biogas development. These are also the goals of the Chambers and Associations Partnership Programme (KVP) project in India, which the German Biogas Association and the Indian Biogas Association have been implementing cooperatively since 2015. What does this mean for our company members? When the German Biogas Association goes abroad, you can be confident that the biogas technology flag will be kept flying! We understand the many challenges these future markets pose to biogas companies, but we know that they can be overcome with innovation. In this issue are articles that demonstrate innovation in biogas projects, including a public-private partnership in the northern Indian region of Maharashtra on page 30 and the use of exotic feedstocks in an oil processing factory in Kenya on page 36. The articles about Nicaragua on page 24 and about Gaushalas in India on page 34 also show that in many countries the significance of biogas technology goes beyond the production of energy. I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue.

Sincerely yours,

Giannina Bontempo Department of International Affairs German Biogas Association

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

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IMPRint Publisher: German Biogas Association General Manager Dr. Claudius da Costa Gomez (Person responsible according to German press law) Andrea Horbelt (editorial support) Angerbrunnenstraße 12 D-85356 Freising Phone: +49 81 61 98 46 60 Fax: +49 81 61 98 46 70 e-mail: info@biogas.org Internet: www.biogas.org Editor: Martin Bensmann German Biogas Association Phone: +49 54 09 9 06 94 26 e-mail: martin.bensmann@biogas.org Advertising management & Layout: bigbenreklamebureau GmbH An der Surheide 29 D-28870 Ottersberg-Fischerhude Phone: +49 42 93 890 89-0 Fax: +49 42 93 890 89-29 e-mail: info@bb-rb.de Printing: Druckhaus Fromm, Osnabrück Circulation: 3,000 The newspaper, and all articles contained within it, are protected by copyright. Articles with named authors represent the opinion of the author, which does not necessarily coincide with the position of the German Biogas Association. Reprinting, recording in databases, online services and the Internet, reproduction on data carriers such as CD-ROMs is only permitted after written agreement. Any articles received by the editor’s office assume agreement with complete or partial publication.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Editorial

3 Many countries with biogas potential, but without legal frameworks By Giannina Bontempo German Biogas Association

4 Imprint

Germany

6 An European biomethane strategy is necessary By Dipl.-Ing. agr. (FH) Martin Bensmann

14 Better use of heat with a “cold” grid By Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph 18 Exhaust gas purification remains a hot topic By Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph

Country reports 24 Nicaragua: How energy transition looks in Nicaragua By Dipl. Pol. Oliver Ristau India: 30 Nashik becomes Waste to Energy model By M.Sc./ME Dirk Walther

34 Link gaushalas with biogas plants By Abhijeet Mukherjee

coverphoto: GIZ Photos: TU Dresden, Interkat, Oliver Ristau

36 Kenya: A premiere with avocados By Dipl. Pol. Oliver Ristau

36 5

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

An European biomethane strategy is necessary In Germany, about 200 biogas plants supply biomethane in natural gas quality to the natural gas network. That is about 950 million cubic meters per year, which represents one percent of the natural gas consumption in Germany or 12 percent of German natural gas production. Up to now, this gas has been used primarily in Germany. The intriguing question is: Can green gases such as biomethane be traded internationally as well? By Dipl.-Ing. agr. (FH) Martin Bensmann

es, it’s already possible, but there is still significant room for optimization in terms of trade”, says Sandra Rostek, Head of the Berlin Office of the German Biogas Association [Fachverband Biogas e.V.]. Currently, German biomethane is primarily converted to electricity. Only a small part is used as transport fuel – either as pure fuel or as an additive to natural gas – or burned in gas heaters as a mixing partner for natural gas in order to generate heat. “We think for some time now that there is hardly any energy source that is as suitable for international business

„The German Biogas Association calls for a promotion of the international biomethane trade“ Sandra Rostek as biomethane. Moreover, in many European countries, the trend of thinking that each country has to be selfsufficient in terms of energy supply is reversed. There are great opportunities for trading biomethane internationally because there is high demand for it in many countries”, explains Rostek.

She refers to the Netherlands, for example, which have formulated an ambitious greenhouse gas reduction rate in the transport sector. The country is now trying to meet this quota – inter alia – with biomethane imports because its own production does not meet the demand. Italy is also interested in biomethane from abroad, she continues, because natural gas has a high significance in its power supply and more than 880,000 natural gas vehicles are registered there. “With regard to biogas, we must look beyond the Renewable Energy Act (EEG). For this reason, the German Biogas Association is also supporting biomethane as a transport fuel. The German Biogas Association is calling for a promotion of international biomethane trade”, emphasizes Rostek. A number of European countries have a great waste product potential that could be developed with biogas production. However, these countries wouldn’t be able to use all of the potential biomethane, she continues. Therefore, it would be smart to export this energy in other countries. Vice versa, domestic market players could develop markets in other countries that are developing rather slowly in Germany. According to Rostek, a positive factor is that the EU Commission basically approves of the international trade of biomethane. However, Rostek laments that the German Federal Ministry for the Environment in Berlin has kept a low profile on this subject up to now.

photo: Fotolia_JonasGinter

International biomethane in Europe is still in its infancy. Initial trades are now taking place between Germany and Switzerland and between Germany and Sweden.

English Issue

s ource: St. Galler Stadtwerke

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Why shouldn’t biomethane By now, the procedures and be traded internationally, processes have been comwhen both bio-ethanol and pletely thought through bio-diesel and the raw maand are ready for practical terials required for producimplementation. On 15 Detion are sold across internacember 2017, ERGaR aptional borders? The existing plied for recognition by the The municipal utility in St. mass balancing systems European Commission as Gallen in Switzerland provides for biomethane have been an international verification natural gas that includes 5 to proven in practice and system. Another important 20 percent biogas as well as a shouldn’t prove a barrier. success achieved by the 100 percent biomethane product. The gas is used for heating What is cumbersome, howproject is that the Commisand cooking. ever, is that those who want sion for the first time adto supply biomethane – for dresses a recommendation example, from the Netherlands to Germaof market players in the draft of the new Reny or vice versa – must be enrolled in the newable Energy Directive (RED II): The EU biogas register in both countries but there Commission recommends that the entire is still no standardized international conEuropean gas network is to be understood nection between the registers. In Germany, as one connected mass balancing system. the German Energy Agency (dena) provides This should also contribute to making trade the platform for the register. The German with biomethane easier in the future. Biogas Register is a platform for the standGood market situation for ardized and simple documentation of veribiomethane in Germany fication records for biogas quantities and Recently, bmp greengas GmbH in Munich qualities within the natural gas network. also decided to join the ERGaR project. It is a system with which biomethane is According to its own records, the company, certified from production to consumption located in southern Germany, has an annuand with which it is monitored. It has been al balancing group volume of biomethane developed for producers, dealers and conof 2.4 terawatt hours, which represents sumers of biomethane that is distributed about one-fourth of the quantity produced and fed into the natural gas network. in Germany. The goal of the Bavarian gas Annoying capacity bookings at trading pros is to promote the use of green international borders gases in Germany and Europe and thereby Rostek is also annoyed about another contribute to reaching climate policy obproblem:Due to a lack of clarity in the regujectives. They do that by using both the lations, capacities for biomethane transexpertise they have gained over many years port have sometimes to be booked at interand the considerably increased stability national borders even though the gas is not due to the acquisition of shares of Erdgas physically but only virtually consumed in Südwest by Energie Baden-Württemberg the other country. “Those who want to deAG (EnBW). liver biomethane to Italy from Germany via Johannes Klaus, Head of Purchasing at Austria might have to pay a fee in Austria bmp, comments the European biomethane for transit through the country”. trade: “First, we have to simply say that In order to simplify European biomethane the market situation in Germany for biotrade, various entities, including the Germethane produced here is very good. There man Biogas Association and the European is trade within Europe, but currently it still Biogas Association, have started the ERrepresents a rather low percentage of the GaR project (for more information see entire market. This trade deals primarily www.ergar.org). ERGaR is a European platwith biomethane produced from residual form that supplements and connects the and waste materials, which tends to revarious national biogas registers. ERGaR ceive less EEG support in the current EEG will provide verification for safe marketing systems. Quantities of this gas are sold to and create its own quality standards. It is Sweden and Switzerland”. Based on his a cross-border certification system, not a understanding, these are the main markets. trading platform. The system has been in According to Stefan Schneider, Head of the works since 2014. Sales, of the approximately 930 million

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English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Supplying German biomethane to Sweden

Foreign traders are looking in Germany exclusively for biomethane produced from residual and waste materials.

standard cubic meters of biomethane produced annually in Germany, over 80 percent is governed by the EEG. This means that this amount is converted into electricity in cogeneration plants and that the heat is used concurrently. The remuneration tariff for electricity is regulated in the EEG. The remaining 20 percent is used in the transport sector and in gas heaters as a CO2-reducingalternative to natural gas. Klaus adds that there are other subsidy programs in Europe. For example, countries such as Great Britain have “feed-in tariff” systems, which treat biomethane in ways that cannot be compared with the German system. “For each kilowatt hour fed into the natural gas network, the biomethane producer receives a guaranteed price. In some countries, foreign biomethane is discriminated against compared to the domestic product, which makes trade with biomethane in these countries much more difficult”, explains the expert.

p hoto: Martin Bensmann

Currently, there are two significant markets that are interesting. “On one hand, the transport sector, where there are quotas or tickets can be redeemed. In this way, quantities of biomethane can be transferred from Germany to Sweden, for example, because EU fuel policies provide the respective incentives for greening the fuel market in the gas segment. In this area, nations are implementing the EU requirements”, adds Klaus. On the other hand, there are the “voluntary markets”, which are, according to Klaus, interesting for private customers who wish to buy “green gases” instead of normal natural gas. These customers are also prepared to pay a higher price, he continues. Especially in Sweden and Switzerland, this is an active market. “Although, of course, both countries also try to produce as much biomethane as they can themselves. However, the respective size and geographic position of the country limits its biomethane production, so certain amounts must be imported”, explains Klaus.

The Swiss import notable quantities

Schneider reports that Swiss energy providers are visiting Germany in order to get individual biomethane producers to establish long-term connections with them directly. In this way, Swiss market actors have joined German biomethane projects, exported the biomethane to the Alpine country and supplied their customers there. “The Swiss have been importing sizeable quantities for somewhat longer than five years already”, according to Schneider. It is not absolutely required that gas quantities are entered by dena in the German biogas register. It is also possible to trade with other expert reports or certificates. But even so, Schneider reports, 80 percent of the German biomethane is traded via the dena biogas register. Schneider says: “If trading is done with other expert reports or quality verifications that have the exact same criteria catalogue that’s not a problem. These quantities could also be sold bilaterally. However, the respective registers provide standardization and, in this way, a certain additional guarantee for the end customer”. Klaus gives an example: If a foreign purchaser finds a biomethane plant in Germany that produces biomethane from residual and waste materials, the foreign

AD & BIOGAS FEED TECHNOLOGY English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

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partner can suggest working together with the German producer on a contract basis. Then it depends on how and in which form the verification is transferred from country A to country B. Currently, there is no standard in this area, so trading is still associated with uncertainties and specific risks. Consultation with a specialist is recommended. Individual transactions have always depended on the requirements of the respective end customer. All individual transactions that Europeans agreed to bilaterally, are based on these requirements. “Of course we can import green gas into Germany, but as dealers, we must take into consideration what value it has for the end customer”, stresses Schneider.

“green characteristics” can only be marketed once in a particular country based on these aspects. In another country this marketing is then no longer desired, primarily if it was actually physically consumed there. Transparency and verification are necessary in order to preclude using green characteristics twice. Klaus emphasizes that each biomethane market has its own interests and prices. A huge challenge, as he sees it, is to get to the common core of all of these facts. Biomethane from producers that were already subsidized has a different market price than biomethane that was produced without any kind of support. However, it is not only the combination of biomethane as gas with its green characteristics that can be traded. In fact, the green characteristics can also be separated and traded independently. For example, a biomethane producer Johannes Klaus in Austria could theoretically sell the green characteristics to a customer in Sweden. The Swedish purchaser has enough gas, but lacks the biogenic characteristics. Then it might make sense, according to Schneider, not to deliver the green biomethane physically to Sweden from Austria, which would be expensive, but instead, just the biogenic features. However, it must then be ensured that the Austrian biomethane producer does not sell the green characteristics twice. The Austrian producer can only market the same methane in Austria as natural gas without the green features. “When we transport biomethane physically, then we always transport the gas together with its green characteristics. They are inextricably linked. The quantities must be recorded in terms of mass balancing. In Germany, we need both the physical gas and the green characteristics for EEG utilization”, notes Schneider. According to Klaus, in the transport sector both are inextricably linked, even across international borders. The separation of the green characteristics works only in the free market. “An additional economic benefit is critical for marketing gas and its biogenic characteristics separately.” Since 2016 there has been an agreement regarding the

„An additional economic benefit is critical for marketing gas and its biogenic characteristics separately“ Heterogeneous support and compensation systems In his view, a large barrier to trade in Europe is that the support and compensation systems for biomethane are designed somewhat differently in every country. “Here in Germany, biomethane compensation is delivered via the EEG with the remuneration tariff for electricity at the generator. In other countries, however, the compensation is received when the feed-in plant is built. In Austria, up to 30 percent of the investment costs are provided by the state. Due to the fact that the incentive programmes differ from country to country, biomethane cannot simply be traded between those countries”, explains Schneider. For this reason, biomethane from Denmark or Austria cannot currently receive the German EEG incentives. The reason: the EEG requires that only biomethane produced in Germany be compensated according to the EEG. This means that biomethane already subsidized in Austria could not be introduced into the EEG system in Germany because EEG conditions exclude double compensation, Schneider continues. Furthermore, it must be noted that gas with

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English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Source: VSG

firms that deliveries take place, especially from Germany to Switzerland, some of which are handled by Arcanum. In addition, there is particular interest in Great Britain, although it is mostly to do with certificates, i.e. the green characteristics of biomethane. “Purchasers from Switzerland approach us and are looking for biomethane made of residual and waste materials. Gas from renewable raw materials is rather problematic outside of Germany and is less desirable due to the negative image of energy crops. Moreover, gas from waste materials is priced more attractively than gas from renewable raw materials, which is about one euro cent more expensive per kilowatt hour. When Swiss buyers contact us as a broker, we look for the right biomethane for the right price with the required certification for them”, reports Leue. For both Arcanum’s own customers and external customers as well, Arcanum carries out mass balancing. In general, says Leue, the quantity of gas purchased is put into a balancing group and is then transported to Switzerland by a Swiss entity. There is a specific incentive system in Switzerland based on a CO2 tax that is reduced by about 1.4 euro cents per kWh (currently 84 CHF per ton of CO2) when biomethane is used. Starting in 2018, the CO2 tax is increasing to 96 CHF per ton of CO2. Unfortunately, German biogas is not yet recognized by Switzerland with regard to the CO2 tax. Each time that German biomethane crosses the border through the natural gas pipeline network, the central customs office declares it natural gas.

Swiss natural gas transport network

exchange of certificates between Germany and Austria. The agreement stipulates – inter alia – that an interface be set up between the dena biogas register and the AGCS register in Austria. This makes the bidirectional trade of biomethane possible. At a meta-level, the ERGaR is attempting to create an interface so that individual countries no longer have to reach specific agreements with each others, but rather establish a connection with ERGaR, which is trying to standardize the country-specific requirements. The bmp green gas experts cannot currently predict how certain green gases will be positioned in the future in terms of price. Today, hydrogen and synthesis gas from power-to-gas applications in which less expensive wind and solar power are used are considerably more expensive to produce than biomethane from renewable raw materials or waste materials. Says Schneider: “It seems like things will still be the same in five years. We don’t think that as many power-to-gas plants will be built in the coming five years producing as much power as all of the biomethane plants currently existing in Germany”. bmp greengas intends to expand its business with new green gas products and services. This includes bio-LNG which, from the perspective of the company, represents a true alternative for the transport sector and which can reduce nitrogen oxide emissions more quickly and efficiently than the expansion of electric mobility which requires more time.

Biomethane made from residual and waste materials is in demand ARCANUM Energy, located in Unna in North RhineWestphalia, has also gained experience in trading biomethane internationally. Marcel Leue, a consultant for biomethane’s distribution channel, says that in Europe, the biomethane business is still in its infancy. He con-

Swiss energy providers offer product mixtures containing natural gas and biomethane “The ecological, biogenic added value of biomethane is separated at the border, in effect, and reaches Switzerland separately. This means that the entire CO2 tax must be paid for German biomethane. The gas is primarily used by energy providers in the alpine country as an additive product for natural gas. Many public utilities have added 5 to 10 percent biomethane to their customers’ “classic” natural gas product. The customers use it to produce heat. The customers, however, can refuse the mixed gas product”, Leue acknowledges. Sales of biomethane in Switzerland are quite high because the energy providers were so rigorous in their implementation. The green characteristics cross the border in form of quality verification. By using mass balancing, Arcanum can ensure that the green added value reaches the energy provider. Also a price is determined for the green added value. Leue adds: “But there are also customers in Switzerland that want just the green characteristics of biomethane without having to transport the gas”.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

The CO2 tax could only be saved if there were a pipeline built that ran directly to Switzerland and that carried only biogas. The green characteristics that are delivered to Switzerland are booked out of the mass balancing system by Arcanum. In a document, Arcanum verifies that the quantities have been removed from the German system. The values of the green characteristics are transferred to the internal system of the Swiss entities. According to Leue, each market participant generally implements its own mass balancing. The biogas clearing house in Switzerland keeps an eye on the balancing system. “They monitor both the quantities of biomethane produced domestically as well as the quantities imported – the latter on a voluntary basis”, reports the consultant. What obstructs market activity, however, is that each time biomethane is exported, there is no central office at which the certificates or green characteristics can be pooled and deleted, following consumption. For the physical gas flow fees are charged which each country arranges on an individual basis. In Switzerland, for example, there is no entry-exit system as in Germany, where the length of the pipeline does not play any role in the transmission fee. In contrast, in Switzerland the transmission fees are determined according to where the gas consumer is located and how far the gas travels through the pipeline to the consumer.

those in the German EEG (only accessible for domestic producers), these restrictions remain. Leue is certain that biomethane trade could take off if barriers such as the different mass balancing systems were removed by standardizing them. Each country has different requirements for biomethane gas, which makes it difficult to establish a harmonized market. Arcanum itself is active in attempting to simplify biomethane trade. With the web site Biomethanmarkt.de, the company has started an initiative, originally to balance the portfolio – especially at the end of the year – and to be able to trade automatically in a standardized manner. Producers and consumers can register on the platform. They can post an offer or a request themselves. “If one of the trading partners sees the offer or request, he or she can confirm the trade with just two mouse clicks”, says Leue enthusiastically. The trade is concluded. Framework contracts are signed in advance with which the entities accept the conditions. The platform can be used to trade all EEG products. Transport fuel gas, balancing group flexibility as well as individual biomethane qualities defined by the producers themselves can be traded separately. The platform is also available in English. International market development is the idea behind it. Currently, however, only German and Switzerland are represented on the platform.

Important ruling from the European Court of Justice

dena analysis sees future for green gases

Leue also observes that Sweden is interested in German biomethane. With regard to Sweden, he refers to a ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in mid-2017. A specific case dealt with an entity in Germany that wanted to deliver biomethane - certified according to REDcert - to the Swedish transport sector. The Swedish energy agency refused the import because they do not recognize REDcert. The case was then brought before CJEU. According to the ruling of the Court of Justice, domestic restrictions based on this reasoning cannot be permitted. If the Swedish energy agency generally accepts the mass balancing system, then these systems must be recognized across Europe as well. If, however, the restrictions are like

The German Energy Agency (dena) attributes great significance to biomethane and other green gases. In a recently published analysis which examined the role of biomethane in and its contribution to climate protection today and in 2050, the authors conclude that there is significant potential for biomass that can be used sustainably in the expansion of biomethane production in Germany – taking the production of food and feed production into consideration. Biomethane could contribute significantly to a greenhouse gas neutral and cost-efficient power supply that is as well as to ensuring security of power supply. According to the analysis, the annual production of biogas from industrial residual and waste materials, municipal residual materials, small amounts of straw, animal excrements

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

and energy crops in Germany is about 96 to 106 TWhHs. Of this total, about 9 TWhHs, i.e. around 10 percent, are used to produce biomethane. With the rigorous use of residual and waste materials, animal excrements, and small amounts of energy crops, 71 to 88 TWhHs of additional biogas could be produced. In addition, the conversion of about 10 to 20 percent of the approximately 9,000 existing biogas plants represents an even bigger biomethane potential with which about 10 to 21 TWhHs could be produced in the coming years. In total, a biomethane potential of up to 118 TWhHs could be mobilized. Regulations such as the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and the Ordinance on Installations for the Handling of Substances Hazardous to Water (AwSV) complicate the production of biomethane from waste and residual materials. According to the dena analysis, the framework conditions for biogas processing and feed into the gas grid, such as approval law, must be improved in order to optimize the biogas production of the existing 9,000 biogas plants that are not connected to the gas network. 118 TWhHs of biomethane could be used to ffOperate more than 12 million passenger cars (average annual mileage: 14,000 km (8,700 miles); average consumption: 5 kg/100 km (47 mpg) or ffOperate more than 185,000 trucks (average annual mileage: 120,000 km (74,560 miles); average consumption: 38 kg/100 km (6.2 mpg) or ffHeat 8 million single-family houses or ffSupply about 12.5 million four person households with electricity In addition, according to the study: “In 2050, the gas network will primarily carry gas that is produced in a CO2-neutral manner from power-to-gas plants and biomethane. In this way, the gas infrastructure serves as a means of transport and as storage facility for renewable gases from decentralized production in order to supplement the supply-dependent production of solar and wind power. [...] There is a European market for renewable gases and it is supported by a gas network that extends throughout Europe. Accordingly, the gas network – complemented by the transport of LNG – enables renewable gases to be used in a system-optimal and cost-efficient manner and assists in sector coupling. A clear political commitment to renewable gases generates trust among investors, in energy management, and among the entities that rely on biomethane and other renewable gases today and will in the future. Investments already made in approximately 200 biogas upgrading plants and the decentralized natural gas infrastructure can be strengthened through such commitments and the biogas industry can thus be made fit for taking on

system relevant services. Domestic biogas potential should be developed and through upgrading and feeding-in of biomethane be made accessible in a systemoptimal manner for carrying out the energy transition. Combining biogas plants with PtG technologies can increase the potential for producing renewable gases and optimize CO2 reduction”. What’s clear is that Germany will be able to supply about 10 billion cubic meters of biomethane from its own land which is about 11 percent of consumption. The Remaining quantity of 80 to 85 billion cubic meters will have to be made green. That means that, in the future, this quantity must be produced from renewable gases such as hydrogen and synthetic methane. To do so, even more wind and solar power are needed. For this reason, both of these resources are important not only for electrical power production, but also for the future gas supply. At the same time, intensive use of solar thermal power must replace some quantities of fuel. Then the amount of renewable gases required could also be reduced. The CO2 neutralization of the transport sector is an additional factor. The current energy consumption of this sector in Germany is about 720 terawatt hours. If this sector were to use only gas, another 72 billion cubic meters of green gas would be required. In addition, the heating oil sector must become green as well. How much renewable gas Germany will need in future and how much it will produce itself from biomass and electricity depends on the acceptance of the population, the political framework conditions and the scope of solar thermal power use. It is highly probable that a significant amount of green gases will be imported.

Author Dipl.-Ing. agr. (FH) Martin Bensmann Editor, Biogas Journal German Biogas Association [Fachverband Biogas e.V.] 0049 54 09/90 69 426 martin.bensmann@biogas.org

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

p hotos: TU Dresden

Better use of heat with a “cold” grid

In the course of renovating the sports field for the Willibald-GluckGymasium (Upper School) in Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate District, the laying blade was used to plough in pipes for the geothermal energy collector.

The photo montage shows how the vibrating laying blade developed at TU Dresden works. The laying blade is used to install pipes for agro-thermal energy systems and cold heating networks at a depth of two metres without excavation.

Cold heating grids are an option for the complete utilisation of the thermal energy of a biogas CHP. Funding released in the summer of 2017 now makes these systems even more interesting. By Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph

atry mood in the heating plant of the Upper Bavarian community of Dollnstein on the 21st of September 2017. The reason is the anniversary of an extraordinary energy transition project: Three years ago, the community commissioned one of the country’s first cold heating grids. Since then, it has reliably provided 42 public and private buildings with thermal energy, primarily from renewable sources. “Cold” means that in these distribution systems, also called heating grids 4.0, the maximum flow temperature is 40 °C. Often the temperature ranges between just 8 and 20 °C. Because this is not sufficient for supplying

buildings, the temperature is raised by the individual customers using heat pumps to the level required for heating rooms and water. Optimally, the electricity for the heat pump comes from a PV system or a CHP. The decentralised increase of a consistently available low-temperature heat has an advantage compared to conventional local heating grids with flow temperatures of up to 95 °C: even at greater distances, there are hardly any distribution transmission losses. The pipelines only require insulations to a lesser extent or do not even need to be insulated at all. Inexpensive materials can be used and the grid can be expanded step by step without changing the hydraulic system.

Cold heating grids: Highly suitable for new housing estates For this reason, a cold heating grid is especially appropriate for newly built housing estates with low building density as it is often the case in rural areas. Depending on the heat insulation of the connected buildings, the cold heating grid supplies two-thirds to three-quarters of the required annual heating energy. In the summer, the brine fluid can also cool the living spaces. Integrated low-temperature accumulators increase the efficiency of the system. However, the chief attraction of a cold heating grid is its great

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

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Principle perspective of the system of an earth collector with the laying plough. Trenches must be dug on just two sides in order to connect the pipe ends with each other using collecting pipe and to connect them with the cold heating network.

scalability. This means that not only can the low-temperature heat bre taken from the network, but also be fed into the grid without great effort, e.g. the heat from solar collectors, from cooling units or even the residual heat from thermal energy applications with a higher temperature level. This opens up another interesting option for the complete utilisation of the heat of a biogas CHP, particularly because the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is supporting projects like this since July of 2017. Based on the notice in the Federal Gazette, support is provided with regard “to model projects for heating grid systems 4.0” (BAnz AT 30/06/2017 B4) for previously prepared feasibility studies with up to 60 percent funding as well as the subsequent implementation of a heating grid system 4.0 with up to 50 percent of the project costs.

Dollnstein provided impetus for further projects The cold local heating grid in Dollnstein operates from May to mid-October with a flow temperature of 25 to 30 °C. About 100 square metres of solar thermal collectors heat the cold groundwater (10 °C) from the shore area of the Altmühl River before it flows into two large stratified storage tanks. One of these, with a capacity of 15,000 litres, is a low-temperature accumulator at 30 °C. In this temperature range, even in the winter good yields can be achieved with solar thermal systems. In addition, a heat pump with a capacity of 440 kilowatts (kW) increases the tem-

perature of the groundwater to a heating standard level. A gas peak-load boiler with a capacity of 300 kW and a gas CHP complete the heating plant. The gas CHP has a thermal output of 250 kW and an electrical output of 150 kW for the electrical operation of the groundwater heat pump. In addition, in every connected household is another smaller heat pump to heat water as needed and a storage tank with a volume of at least 300 litres. The community’s own PV systems supply the electricity for the decentralised heat pumps. Due to the fact that some of the connected buildings are older and have poor insulation and some are protected as historic monuments, the system operates as a conventional heating grid in the winter, with a flow temperature of 80 °C. The cold local heating grid designed by the Ratiotherm company, located in Dollnstein, encouraged other communities in Bavaria to take on similar projects. In this way, the houses in the new residential area Am Osterfeld II in Haßfurt with around 80 building sites is supplied by a cold heating grid. The system operates year-round at a sliding temperature with a maximum of 55 °C. In Haßfurt, the heating plant consists of a combined heat and power plant operated with biogas. A solar thermal system with 125 square metres of surface collectors produces additional heat. Depending on weather conditions, the CHP heats the heating grid to 20 °C, up to a maximum of 55 °C. Thus, solar thermal energy can contribute a high percentage of the energy produced. The heat pump transfer stations

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photos: Ratiotherm

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

In the Dollnstein cold heating network, if the energy produced by the solar thermal system isn’t sufficient during the months with little sunlight, a gas-fired combined heat and power plant with a thermal output of 250 kW and an electrical output of 150 kW is used together with a groundwater heat pump.

in the houses of the connected participants take care of the rest. The combined heat and power plant supplies the necessary electrical operating power.

Earth collectors beneath farmland Another idea based on the same principle is the agro-thermal energy system developed by the Dresden Technical University in cooperation with the Doppelacker company. Agro-thermal energy is based on the use of large spaces beneath cultivated fields as a supplier of latent geothermal heat or, alternately, as a storage medium. “At our latitude, at a depth of two metres, the temperature remains between 5 and 15 °C for the entire year. We tap this heat with earth collectors”, explains André Grosa of TU Dresden.

A heat pump with an output of 440 kW is used to increase the temperature of the groundwater to the heating level in the heating plant in Dollnstein.

Two metres is deep enough so that agricultural production is not impeded, but from the perspective of geothermal energy, it is still relatively close to the earth’s surface. For this reason, this energy source is based not on the heat radiating from the earth’s hot core, like that tapped by a geothermal probe inserted into a borehole, but instead it is primarily due to the buffered solar heat stored there. Earth collectors at a depth of two metres can supply a thermal output of 20 watts per square metre, equivalent to 200 kWth per hectare. This means that quite a large area is required to supply, for example, a community of single-family homes with heat. However, generally there is enough space surrounding communities, mostly used for pasture or cultivation. The problem is get-

ting the collectors into the earth without seriously damaging the soil structure.

Vibrating laying blade Scientists at the Chair of Agricultural Systems Technology at TU Dresden came up with an innovative solution. It is a vibrating laying blade pulled through the field at up to two metres deep with a caterpillar tractor. At the lower end of the blade, a displacer pushes the earth apart to the extent that the blade can lay a plastic water pipe rolled onto a drum into the underground space that is created in this way. Due to the vibration, less cutting force is required. The pipes are inserted in parallel rows one metre apart. A collecting pipe is used to connect the ends on both sides. “You can sort of imagine an enormous bathroom radi-

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

agro-thermal energy grid as well. This could even lead to interesting side-effects for the agricultural use of the areas above the earth collectors. For example, the growth of certain crops, such as asparagus, or pest infestations can be affected by controlling the temperature of the earth collector. It is also possible to work current-regulated with electricity. In this case, excess green electricity from wind and PV systems is transformed in the existing heat pumps into heat via a virtual power plant. The heat is stored in the respective house’s own buffer tank.

posed to be integrated into the cold heating grid. In the future, the waste heat from the refrigerated counter and the excess process heat will be fed into the cold heating grid. The project is part of the Wüstenrot community plan to become energy self-sufficient by 2020. The second pilot project was carried out for the Willibald-Gluck-Gymnasium (Upper School) in Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate District of Bavaria. The geothermal energy connection is here below the sports field where a renovation was planned anyway. A significant motive for the school authorities to choose this solution was the possibility for energy-efficient cooling for the computer servers and classrooms on hot summer days.

Implementation of two agro-thermal energy pilot plants The Doppelacker company has implemented two agro-thermal energy pilot plants so far. One has been supplying heat to row At the heart of the heating plant of the cold local heat grid in houses and single-family housDollnstein are a central stratified storage tank with a capacity es in the new housing develof 27,000 litres and a low-temperature accumulator with a capacopment “Vordere Viehweide” ity of 15,000 litres. at the edge of the community of Wüstenrot since 2012. The ator buried in the earth”, says Grosa to deearth collector was “ploughed in” beneath scribe it. CHP heat or thermal energy from an area of 1.5 hectares used as a hay field. the return flow from other heat applications In addition to the residential units, a comcan be integrated into a low-temperature mercial area with a supermarket is sup-

Author Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph Freelance Journalist Rudolph Reportagen - Agriculture, the Environment, Renewable Energies Kirchweg 10 · 04651 Bad Lausick, Germany 0049 3 43 45/26 90 40 info@rudolph-reportagen.de www.rudolph-reportagen.de

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The main of a catalytic Biogas Journal | body Autumn_2018

Exhaust gas purification remains a hot topic The long-announced tightening of the limit values for biogas CHP emissions has still not yet been resolved. But packagers, OEMs, and producers of catalytic converters are adjusting to significantly higher requirements for exhaust gas treatment. Plant operators should also keep an eye on these developments. By Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph

time for retrofitting this way. The topic is nevertheless controversial because the limit values for exhaust gas purification under discussion, which have been expanded with regard to the key indicator total organic carbon (TOC), remain demanding despite technical advances. Regardless of the ongoing amendment of the Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control, the German federal/ state working group for emissions protection (LAI) has already reacted to the reclassification of formaldehyde, publishing two new recommendations for enforcement. According to these, starting on 1 July 2018, CHP operators will receive the “Air quality bonus” of one euro cent/kWh if engines comply with an emissions value of 20 milligrams/m³ for formaldehyde. The industry must also adjust to official inspections without advance notification, which some German states are already implementing, or even to continual measurements and recording of emission values with a data recorder that is sealed, but freely accessible to inspectors. photo: Interkat

By coating the matrix with the washcoat, the surface of the catalytic container is enlarged many times over.

any complain about how long it takes to form a government. But sometimes it’s actually good when things don’t move too quickly in politics. The legal regulations for exhaust emission control systems for combined heat and power plants that run on biogas or biomethane is just such a case, at least from the perspective of plant operators, who gain a bit more

Engines operating in lean mode make exhaust gas purification more difficult The special challenges for exhaust emission control for cogeneration engines in biogas plants are created by

p hoto: Carmen Rudolph

converter, with its numerous channels – also called the substrate or matrix – was produced in this case by rolling corrugated and smooth stainless steel sheets together in alternating layers.

English Issue

Catalytic converter by the Emission Partner company for treating raw formaldehyde emissions of 75 mg/Nm³. The insert with sulfur tolerant coating can be changed with two tension rings.

photo: DCL

With the “Quick Lid” replacement system by DCL, operators and service companies can adapt the catalytic converter with regard to changes in emissions requirements, e.g. by adding another element or with an element that has a different cell density.

p hotos: Factory photos

the fuel used as well as the combustion technology. Biogas is an unspecified fuel with varying quality and, accordingly, unsteady combustion. It contains accompanying substances such as sulfur and silicon, which ‒ as explained later ‒ act as a catalyst poison. Moreover, systems for exhaust gas treatment are strained by motor oil ash. Some of the particles stick and prevent contact between the exhaust gas flow and the catalyst layer. The majority of the units in the area of biogas, sewer gas, and landfill gas are lean-burn engines. They function with excess air to achieve greater electrical efficiency in the cogeneration unit. On the other hand, in Lambda 1 engines, which can function as gas engines in a micro-natural gas CHP for a single-family home or, in some cases, in higher CHP size categories, the air to fuel ratio (Lambda) is set such that exactly the amount of oxygen needed for the fuel to combust completely is injected in the combustion chamber. As a result, the emissions contain no oxygen, so at the same time carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, i.e. formaldehyde as well, can be converted in the three-way catalytic converter into harmless components. The oxygen for oxidation is suppled by NOx, which is then converted into nitrogen. In contrast, emissions from the lean-burn engines which are used most often still contain about 8 percent oxygen. Although it can be used in the two-way catalytic converter (oxi-cat) for converting carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into CO2 and water, removing the nitrogen oxides requires a downstream selective catalytic reduction (SCR). However, until now SCR has not been necessary because, for many types of engines, the settings in the engine can be adjusted to meet the NOx limit values of the applicable Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control. This represents a compromise because the more NOx emissions an engine produces, the more efficient its function, i.e. less gas is needed for the same power production. The respective setting means accepting a lower degree of efficiency in order to avoid having to install an SCR catalyzer. This is relatively easy to implement on large units. Smaller engines run less steadily when the NOx emissions are regulated at a lower level. Misfires are more common as well as increased spark plug wear. In such cases, it can make good economic sense to prefer greater NOx emissions and, therefore, greater efficiency in combination with SCR exhaust gas purification in order to comply with the limit values. Pilot injection engines are a special consideration for German biogas plants for which the Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control allow higher CO and NOx limit values. “This special status will no longer exist in a regulation harmonized across the EU. The new emissions specifications cannot be met with pilot injection technology because the NOx values generated during the combustion of the injected biodiesel are too high”, says engine developer Hans-Jürgen Schnell. For this

p hoto: Carmen Rudolph

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

This catalytic converter matrix by Air-Sonic can be removed from the housing for cleaning and then inserted again like a drawer.

Catalytic converter insert by Air-Sonic with customer-specific clamps that press the substrate into a sealing surface.

reason, together with a catalytic converter specialist, he is designing a conversion kit for the pilot injection units in operation, about 3,000. If required, the kit also includes a customized oxi-cat. A standard catalytic converter is nearly useless anyway. Matching the material to the specific exhaust gas temperature for the engine type and the catalytic converter volume to the exhaust gas mass flow rate determine, to a great degree, how well the exhaust emission control system works as well as its service life. Methane slip in the exhaust gas, which cannot be prevented in any

English Issue

The “Emission Blue” exhaust gas treatment, designed for new plants, requires more installation space, but it is resistant to sulfur because no precious metals are used in the catalytic converter.

gas engine, can only be eliminated with an afterburning system if the likely limit value of 1 g/Nm³ to be introduced in the future amendment to the Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control is exceeded.

Washcoat determines the aging behavior Cogeneration exhaust emission control systems consist primarily of a stainless steel housing which contains a metal or ceramic matrix designed in a lattice or honeycomb form. Specialists refer to a substrate. Such a construction is produced, for example, when smooth and corrugated stainless steel sheets are wound in alternation into a single roll. The objective is to provide the largest possible reaction surface for the exhaust gases as they flow through the channels. If the corrugated and the smooth layers are

photo: IGS

p hoto: Emission Partner

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Renewable thermal afterburning enables continuous compliance with emission limit values for carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and methane slip.

soldered together, they cannot be pushed out by deflagration, impacts, or continuous vibration (telescoping). Coating the matrix with a washcoat that has an extremely porous structure increases the surface. One gram of the titanium or aluminum oxide based washcoat has a surface of up to 250 square meters (m²). In a matrix, 500 to 2,000 m² surface are available per liter of exhaust gas. The quality of the washcoat with manufacturer-specific quality has a critical influence on the aging behavior, adhesion strength, and resistance to peak temperatures. Here is where most of the catalytic converter manufacturers guard their secrets. For the oxi-cat, the washcoat serves as a carrier substance for evenly distributed, microscopic clusters of precious metal, most often platinum. These are the actual

photo: Aprovis

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for removing nitrogen oxides on the container of a biogas CHP.

chemical catalytic converters. At exhaust gas temperatures of about 400 degrees Celsius (°C), the platinum molecules break down the double bonds of the oxygen in the residual air of the lean-burn engine exhaust. The oxygen radicals are then available for oxidizing carbon monoxide and formaldehyde into CO2 and water. Sulfur molecules contained in the exhaust gas adhere to the catalytic converter and block the catalyst surface. The catalytic converter becomes increasingly ineffective. Depending on the process, SCR catalyzers for removing nitrogen oxides are considerably larger, but also less expensive per liter of exhaust gas volume. With this technology, vanadium oxide is used as the active component in the washcoat instead of precious metal. On the way to the lattice-shaped catalytic converter substrate, an urea solution is injected into the exhaust gas (called AdBlue for vehicle diesel engines). At temperatures above 250°C, urea hydrolyzes into CO2 and ammonia and, ideally, is homogenized into the exhaust gas mass flow. When the mixture meets the reduction catalytic converter, the ammonia reacts with the nitrogen oxides in the hot environment to become elementary nitrogen (N2) and water. The technical challenges with the SCR system include mixing the urea solution as uniformly as possible with the gas flow and controlling the injection volume depending on the NOx proportion, which fluctuates subject to environmental influences, engine wear, and other factors. Too little urea solution reduces the cleaning effect. Overdosing leads to ammonia slip at the catalytic converter.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

A comparison with a vehicle makes clear what a cogeneration exhaust emission control system must be able to do. Catalytic converters for vehicles have a service life of 3,000 to 4,000 hours and do their job over several years even if even the usage rate is above average. For a catalytic converter on a CHP with 8,000 operating hours, the service life would be six months at best.

Manufacturer concepts differ Manufacturers of catalytic converters react to increasing environmental requirements with various concepts: Interkat Catalyst GmbH in Königswinter in North Rhine-Westphalia coats carrier materials with active catalyzing materials such as precious metals. Packagers, engine manufacturers, and service companies use catalytic converter substrates to produce catalytic conversion systems for a wide variety of applications. “Other than in the automotive sector, where throughput and quantities are crucial, the biogas market is significantly less homogeneous with respect to this application and therefore needs products that correspond precisely with customers”, says Kevin Zir-

pel, a sales director responsible for this area. The company developed various washcoat types for this reason, which are characterized by a particularly high resistance to sulfur, in some cases at relatively low exhaust gas temperatures. “When the catalyzer volume is the right size with respect to the engine, and with regular maintenance and purified gas, we guarantee continuous compliance with the limit values for over 16,000 hours in the biogas sector”, says Zirpel. A company located in Lower Saxony, Emission Partner GmbH & Co. KG is specialized in the development, production, and sales of catalytic converters for gas engines. Here the production extends from winding the metal carriers to coating and on to assembling the systems at company headquarters in Saterland-Ramsloh. To comply with the tougher limit values, upgrade kits are offered for existing plants, which can be adapted with respect to the actual emissions of the plant and to the engine type with optimized catalytic converter volume and computer-supported flow design. Emission Partner is particularly proud of developing the “Emission Blue” exhaust gas

treatment for new plants, e.g. CHP in flexible operation. “The modular system does need considerably more installation space, but functions without precious metals, so it is resistant to sulfur. This makes it possible to comply with the new formaldehyde limit value of 20 mg/Nm3 over a running time of 16,000 hours or three emissions measurements”, explains Managing Director Dirk Goeman. The catalytic converter functions at ambient temperatures and flow speeds like a oxi-cat to remove formaldehyde from engine exhaust. It is possible to inject additional urea for greater reduction of nitrogen oxides. Located in Sinntal in the state of Hesse, Air Sonic GmbH uses corrugated and smooth stainless steel foils ranging in thickness from 50 to 80 µm to produce catalytic converters in a wide spectrum of designs. When the foils are wound and soldered, the cells created can be sized differently depending on the requirements. To improve aging stability, particularly in the biogas sector, a washcoat based on manufacturer specifications is used to cover this matrix. It contains up to twice as much platinum as usual prod-

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

„We particularly value the quality of the soldered substrates made of a special steel“ p hoto: Factory photo

Thorsten Hohnemann

photo: Air-Sonic

bach in the region of Central Franconia, believes that oxidation catalytic converters have to be larger to be able to comply with the tightened Interkat is specialized in coating carrier materials with active limit values for formaldecatalyzing materials. The company developed sulfur resistant hyde. According to Kalb, washcoats for the biogas sector. skillful collaboration with both the operators and the catalytic converter manufacturers is a prerequisite for finding the best solution for the necessary plant adaptations with regard to technology and cost-effectiveness. “This includes an expert overview of the entire plant so that the performance of the CHP does not decrease, e.g. due pressure loss”, says Kalb. This also applies for the SCR catalytic converters, which will certainly be When a catalytic converter no longer works, it still contains precious metals. Recycling returns them to the material life cycle. indispensable in the future in many cases for complying with the NOx limit values. ucts on the market. “With catalytic convertHere the time and effort needed for supers designed for longevity, cleaning ash deport and maintenance must be considered posits is particularly advisable with respect when choosing a system as well as making to cost-effectiveness”, emphasizes Stefan sure that when the urea solution is injected, Fröhlich, Technical Manager. Together with other components of the exhaust system a partner, Air Sonic carried out long-term are not damaged. trials in this area. The catalytic converters On an automated production line, DCL on the biogas engines were cleaned regularEurope GmbH, located in Sulzbach in the ly and they performed at a consistent level Taunus region in Hesse, produces a wide over 48,000 hours. Fröhlich recommends spectrum of catalytic converters in addition combining catalytic converter maintenance to other components for emissions control. with cleaning the heat exchanger. Some “We particularly value the quality of the solcompanies offer this service, he contindered substrates made of a special steel. ues. “If the catalytic converter system has They are not only extremely resistant to an insulated slide-in housing with which high temperatures, but also to mechanical the converter can be pulled out through a impacts, and at the same time, they offer maintenance opening, cleaning can be perour customers an inexpensive alternative formed even with short engine downtimes”, to other substrates on the market, whether says Fröhlich. they are ceramic or other metal substrates Michael Kalb, Head of Project Management that are not soldered”, says Thorsten Hohat Aprovis Energy Systems GmbH, a plant nemann, Sales Manager. In light of the engineering company located in Weidensupport offered by the formaldehyde bonus

of one euro cent per kilowatt hour, which would mean up to 40,000 euros for a medium sized plant, a catalytic converter is worthwhile in any case. It ensures continuous compliance with the limit values and the operator need not fear unannounced measurements. The composition and sulfur content of the biogas is not a relevant factor for plants used for renewable thermal afterburning, like the technology developed and produced by IGS Anlagentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, located in Gelnhausen in Hesse. This technology permanently reduces carbon monoxide and all hydrocarbons, i.e. methane and formaldehyde as well, down to the limit of detectability. “In most cases, just the methane slip and the carbon monoxide contained in the engine exhaust are enough for the autothermal operation of the thermal reactor after start-up, i.e. to maintain the temperature in the reaction chamber in a range between 825 and 850°C without additional electrical heat or biogas injection”, contends Gerd Schneider, Managing Director. The conversion of the methane slip of 800 to 1,000 mg per Nm³ to energy even heats the gas by another 20 to 30 degrees before it leaves the thermal reactor, he continues. This additional thermal energy can be used in the downstream heat exchanger. “That definitely means a few kW”, says the Director.

Author Dipl.-Journ. Wolfgang Rudolph Freelance Journalist Rudolph Reportagen – Agriculture, Environment, Renewable Energies Kirchweg 10 · 04651 Bad Lausick, Germany 0049 3 43 45/26 90 40 info@rudolph-reportagen.de www.rudolph-reportagen.de

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Top quality manure: Nature sprouts with the help of fermentation residues from the biogas plants of farmers in Nicaragua.

How energy transition looks in Nicaragua Livestock farming is one of the pillars of Nicaragua’s economy. Now, thanks to inexpensive technology, many farmers have been recently improving their income and quality of life with biogas generated by waste. A visit to the heart of Central America. By Dipl. Pol. Oliver Ristau Managua

t is 5:45 a.m. when Guillermo Largaespada turns off of the main street. The thick tyres of the sport utility vehicle dig into the earth of the path that leads up the hill. Red dust whirls up behind. The red sky of dawn has disappeared, but the sun has not yet risen above the horizon. In the distance is a chain of mountain ranges, the cordillera. Cool air streams into the vehicle through the open window on the driver’s side. At a bend in the road, Largaespada points his arm through the open window toward a silver silo. “That is refrigerated storage for the milk. Dealers meet here to buy and sell milk”, he says, and steers the car further up the hill. “We have to keep going. At 6:00 a.m. milking starts on the farm.”

Largaespada is Nicaraguan and he works for the Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO) SNV. In this central American country, SNV is directing a programme that informs farmers about the advantages of generating their own biogas from cattle manure. The programme has been running since 2012, and up to now, it has helped to implement more than 1,000 plants of various sizes. The programme is financed by SNV in addition to the Inter-American Development Bank, the Nordic Development Funds (NDF) ‒ backed by financial institutions from five Nordic countries, and the Dutch NGO Hivos. Largaespada is responsible for the programme’s commercial customers, i.e. for farmers that produce consid-

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Biogas for the milking machine

p hotos: Andreas Betten

erably more than needed for self-sufficiency. Today, the first stop on his route is a mid-sized dairy farm. The undulating landscape to the left and right is lush and green. We pass by meadows with waist-high grass and large deciduous trees. The Chontales Department in the heart of Nicaragua is the centre of livestock farming. Milk and meat are important export products and provide about 20 percent of the country’s economic output. “Nicaragua has about 6 million cattle heads. That means there’s one cow per resident”, he says, laughing. Shortly afterward, a gate blocks the path. Largaespada climbs out to open the gate and we pass through. Just a bit further and we arrive at the farm. The biogas expert parks the car in front of an unplastered barn with grey stone walls – about 20 cows are waiting behind a wooden gate. Two young employees wearing baseball caps approach him. They shake hands in greeting. They are the farm’s managers. The head manager is 22 year old Norlan Avan. He has been living up here since he was five years old, as he explains later. But now the cows are waiting. It’s 6:00 a.m. The sun rises, sending down its first gleaming rays.

An undulating landscape: Nicaragua’s interior is distinguished by meadows and mountains.

The floor of the barn is covered with dry earth, pressed down by the animals’ hooves: Spread over the earth are cowpats and straw. One by one, the cows are driven into a guideway built from wooden slats. Next to it stand two milking stools and an apparatus made of hoses and pumps – the milking machine. Largaespada reports that they have just recently started working with it up here. There is no electrical connection. But since the owner has been producing biogas from cow manure and burning it in a gas motor to operate the machine, things are different. Norlan Avan starts up the motor. The noise is incredible. He needs petrol to start it up. After the motor has run for half a minute, Avan pushes a lever to allow the biogas to flow in. But then the motor starts to shake. “The gas pressure isn’t high enough”, he calls to his colleague, who gets up and quickly leaves the barn. Along the long side of the barn, a container lies on the earth. It is about 6 metres long, made of black plastic film. It looks like an oversized black rubbish bag. That is the digester. It contains the biogas.

Milking with biogas: A gas motor improves conditions in the barn.

Gas can be removed from the valve mounted in the centre. But the surface of the bag is loose. Avan’s colleague takes a large stone and places it onto the bag. The noise of the milking machine in the barn doesn’t change. The motor is still jolting around. Then he grabs the 10 kilo sack of table salt lying there and pitches it onto the bag of gas. And another. A moment later, the sound coming from the machine changes. Now it seems that there is enough pressure. The motor is now running well.

16 buckets of manure – 48 buckets of water Forty minutes later, the cows have been milked. While his colleague swings into the saddle of a mule, attaches the milk cans to the left and right and brings them down to the cooling station in the valley, Avan talks about his experiences with the biogas: “The system has been working for half a year. Before, we milked by hand. This is much easier, quicker and also better for the milk quality now because it’s more hygienic”. Enough gas is produced every day to supply the milking machine with four connections for all 20 cows.

English Issue

Digester made of plastic: Here at Nolan Avan’s operation, manure and water produce biogas for the gas motor and for cooking. The supply end is in the foreground.

“Every day we need 16 buckets of cow manure and 48 buckets of water”, he explains and demonstrates this on the short side of the digester. It is connected with a square collection container made of black plastic. He fills it with the input material, which flows down the slope into the bag, which is at a lower position. And in this tropical region, water is never scarce during the year. According to official climate data, this area receives about 1,200 millimetres of precipitation annually. That is 70 percent more than in Germany. “Before, we dumped the cow manure down the hill”, says Avan, pointing out the steep hill behind the barn. Now spades are used to collect the manure in buckets. It’s important that as little earth as possible makes it into the digester because it does not ferment and settles to the floor of the system, resulting in less capacity. For this reason, the sack has to be rinsed out every couple weeks or so, says Largaespada. The consultant adds: “The farmer is planning to install a stone floor in the barn. This means that the cow manure can be collected with fewer contaminants in the future”.

p hotos: Oliver Ristau

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Fixed dome: This digester, built into the ground at the large Wilmer dairy operation, comprises an area of 27 cubic metres and is supplied with 300 litres of manure daily.

Valuable fertiliser In addition to the gas, it is primarily the liquid, fermented digestate that the farmers are happy about. The organic fertiliser boosts plant growth. “The grass grows better than it did before”, says Avan, praising its quality, and points to a meadow where robust fodder is sprouting for the cows. The digester, which encompasses 40 cubic metres, produces 365 cubic metres of fertiliser per year. According to the SNV calculation, the gas yield is equivalent to 3,320 cubic metres. The developer and manufacturer is the Mexican company Biobolsa. Because biogas has to be filtered before it is used in the motor, from the digester it is first directed into a small side room in the barn where there are two filter apparatuses. One, according to Largaespada, contains coconut fibres that can absorb the water in the gas. Sulphur is removed with an activated carbon filter. In addition to the motor, the farm has another use for the biogas. A branch of the gas line leads past the barn to an eating area where the farm workers prepare their

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

meals of beans, rice and meat, or make coffee. Before, they did this with firewood only. Now there are two mobile hotplates that operate with the biogas. “We grill far less often now”, says Manager Avan.

A conversation between Mr. Fernandez, head of the dairy chamber of commerce, and Mr. Largaespada (right), a biogas expert.

Amortisation: a year and a half

p hoto: Andreas Betten

For the owner, the investment was worthwhile. According to the SNV representative, he paid a good 5,500 euros for the biogas plant. Now, each year he saves 1,600 euros on firewood, 320 euros on petrol for the milking machine and gets fertiliser for an equivalent value of 1,700 euros. For him, the plant will be amortised in a year and a half. When Avan’s colleague returns on the mule with empty milk cans, it’s time for Largaespada to leave. His job as a consultant is important because for commercial operators of biogas plants, planning and technical guidance is the only support they receive. Financial support is received by only those households that use biogas in the interest of self-sufficiency. Now he’s heading to his largest customer, the farmer Wilmer Fernandez, President of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce for the milk sector (Canislac). The asphalt road running along the foot of the hill is utterly straight and runs from Managua to the provincial capital city of Juigalpa. Some of the colourful trucks on the road are loaded with livestock in the cargo area. Centrally located, Juigalpa is a transshipment centre for coffee and cattle. At the edge of the oldest part of the city, with its cobblestone streets and colonial style buildings, a rural road leads down into the valley. From above we can see the large meadows that belong to the farm. Fernandez is a sturdy man, and with the plaid shirt, silk scarf, jeans with a belt and metal fittings, and black cowboy boots he is wearing, he could be the prototype of a Latin American cattle baron. Sitting on his veranda

GAS PROCESSING

in one of the wooden rocking chairs typical for the area, he talks about the many advantages that technology brings to his farm. “We use the gas for cooking, in place of the firewood we once used. We also use it to heat water to sterilise the milk cans”. Fernandez is one of the largest cattle breeders in the region, with four different farms and 300 animals. At the main farm are 25 cows.

Simple fixed dome system The agricultural economist is particularly interested in the system’s cost-effectiveness. “It’s not just that such a system is very cost-effective. The purchase is amortised within two years. It also opens up many application possibilities”. Fernandez wants to clarify that with a tour of the farm. The barns are a few metres way, then the terrain slopes a few metres down toward a small river. Below is a grassy area where some of the vegetation is vibrant and some dry. In between are trees. At the foot of the hill, a large, circular concrete plate is embedded in the earth. On the green plate are the words “Biogas Nicaragua”.

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English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Biogas irrigation eliminates livestock transport

p hotos: Oliver Ristau

Water on its way: Thanks to the biogas motor, the Fernandez farm in the valley can be irrigated during dry periods as well and livestock no longer need to be transported to the mountain pastures.

What happens if the motor falters: To increase the gas pressure, a farm employee places a sack of salt onto the digester.

Good for the lungs

Fernandez leads the way down the hill to his fixed dome system. The SNV and the local experts developed the design. The heart of the system is the walled in digester, shaped like a round ball embedded in the earth with a dome covered by the large, round concrete plate. What we can’t see is that, below the ground, the digester is connected with a second container that is deeper. The mixture of cow manure and water can be fed into the digester through an external access point that is somewhat higher and looks like a well shaft. This is how the fixed dome system works: The gas produced by the bacteria in the cow manure, for the most part without the presence of oxygen, rises into the dome where it can be removed via a pipeline, pushing the liquid into the expansion tank. If gas is removed, the liquid sloshes back. Liquid fermentation residues collect in the expansion container and can be removed for use as fertiliser.

Fernandez’s workers supply the system, which has a fermentation volume of 27 cubic metres, with 300 kilogrammes of manure each day. “There’s more than enough of it on the farm”, he says, walking across the meadow to where the gas motor is kept in a small, brick building with corrugated panel for a roof. The electrical power output from the biogas is 2.5 kW. The gas motor is not optimised for use with biogas. With a higher methane concentration, an output of 3 kW would be possible. Nevertheless, Fernandez is satisfied because the motor gives him more flexibility in providing feed for his cows. The farmer explains: “In the dry period from January to April, not enough rain falls on this property. Then there’s not enough grass for the livestock. In the past, we had to use transporters to take the animals to higher meadows where enough fodder was available. That meant more work and greater fuel consumption. Now we have another solution”. He asks his supervisor to start up the motor. It catches immediately and before too long several sprinkler systems arranged in rows seem to erupt as they start to distribute water across the meadow. The water is pumped electrically from the river flowing just a few metres away. If he used electricity from the grid to run the water pump, it would be significantly more expensive, says Fernandez and explains his calculation: “Usually the electricity costs about 8 U.S. cents per kilowatt hour. But for special applications like this I would have to pay 40 cents. That’s far too expensive”, he says, his eyebrows knitting together as he waves his hand in the air.

Guillermo Largaespada is still conversing with the landowner. Finally, they say goodbye. Before the day comes to close, the SNV consultant still wants to visit a third farm. He leaves the small hacienda and the city of Juigalpa behind. We take the main street toward the Atlantic coast and in fifteen minutes we’re high in the hills. From the path in the fields, we see expansive meadows where just a few animals are grazing. We pass a poor settlement where children and young people watch the car pass from the edge of the street, then we reach the two houses of Reynalda Arguello and her son Geovani. He built a fixed dome system for the two families. With a capacity of 9 cubic metres, it is considerably smaller than that of Fernandez, a largescale farmer. The gas is used only for cooking and is a substitute for firewood, as Reynalda, Geovani’s mother, emphasizes: “Before there was so much smoke in the kitchen and that was really not good for the lungs. In addition, cooking meals is much faster now”. She shares the gas with her son’s family. Mathematically, both could cook for about five hours each with the gas.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

p hoto: Oliver Ristau

p hoto: Andreas Betten

Biogas instead of firewood: With the fixed dome system comprising nine cubic metres, both of the Arguello households can each cook for five hours, respectively.

Satisfied with biogas: Reynalda Arguello and her son Geovani are glad that their kitchens are free of smoke.

Above all, the fertiliser is what is attractive to her son. “It has top quality”, he says, indicating the squareshaped access point where it can be removed. “Look how vigorously the bananas are growing”, he says, referring to the plants right next to it. The Arguellos don’t have it easy, without electricity, but the landscape is idyllic, with green hills extending to the horizon. Numerous butterflies are fluttering through the warm air under a blue sky. A few other family members have come together; there is lots of laughter, two little girls frolic through the garden and a flock of free-range chickens picks through the grass. “I think things are great with biogas. But not everyone can afford it”, says one of Geovani’s sisters. The system, including work time, does cost 2,500 euros. Even if the subsidy of 20 percent provided by the Nicaragua biogas programme is deducted, the investment required is equivalent to an average Nicaraguan income. But in addition to the savings on firewood and fertiliser, for Geovani, there’s still another concrete advantage.

He is one of 120 masons trained by the SNV in order to build such fixed dome systems all over the country. He has already built over a dozen. As the day gradually comes to an end and the sky is illuminated in magnificent colours from red to purple, it’s time for Guillermo Largaespada to leave. As the motor starts up, he says that this job brings him satisfaction. “We try to improve farmers’ lives, to provide them with new information. They can see the change”, he says as we roll down the hill. One change is that there is no more smoke coming out of the Arguellos’ open kitchen windows when they sit down to dinner.

Author Dipl.-Pol. Oliver Ristau Freelance Journalist Sternstraße 106 · 20357 Hamburg, Germany 0049 040/38 61 58 22 ristau@publiconsult.de

p hoto: Andreas Betten

Great distances: Up to now, the SNV biogas programme for Nicaragua has reached about 1,000 farmers.

English Issue

Waste fermentation plant in Nashik in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

INDIA

New Delhi

Nashik becomes Waste to Energy model At the end of November 2017, a waste-to-energy plant was commissioned in Nashik, located in the northern part of Maharashtra state in India. The plant treats sewage and organic waste to produce biogas. The plant demonstrates a technical solution that is replicable and financially feasible in densely populated urban areas. By M.Sc./ME Dirk Walther

onsistent with the Indian government’s climate change targets, it reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in this Indian city by managing organic waste to prevent uncontrolled emissions of methane and by generating renewable energy. The recovered nutrients in the resulting byproducts, such as compost, can replace chemical fertilizer, reflecting additional benefits in terms of closing nutrient cycles. Due to current economic development and the sharp growth in urban population, solid waste, wastewater generation, and per capita energy consumption are increasing in densely populated areas in India. Like many Indian cities, the city of Nashik is also struggling with

waste management. The country formulated new Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM) in 2016, addressing, among other issues, segregation at the source, composting, and biomethanation. Clearly, there is an urgent need for an integrated approach to manage solid waste and wastewater in order to improve quality of life, promote public health and prevent both water and soil contamination. In addition, conserving natural resources and producing renewable energy contribute to mitigation of GHG emissions. The waste sector has a strong impact on climate change, emitting significant amounts of carbon and other GHG with an even greater global warming potential than CO2, e.g. methane and nitrous oxides.

photo: GIZ

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

The plant treats biodegradable waste from restaurants and sewage from public toilets generated in the mayor city. In the first step, organic waste and sewage will be treated separately. Then any inorganic matter will be removed from the organic waste, which will be fed into a crusher and then mixed with sewage to form a slurry. The slurry is continuously agitated and forwarded to the digester. Sewage could also be pasteurized using excess heat, in order to use the digestate as organic fertilizer.

Plant technology developed by German companies Combining solid and liquid waste streams, a highly efficient biodigester produces a greater output of gas than traditional biomethanation processes used in the country until now. The system used in Nashik follows the principle of the ‘HAMBURG WATER Cycle®’, which was first developed by Hamburg Wasser, the water and wastewater utility for the Hanseatic City of Hamburg in Germany. In cooperation with Paradigm, a national consultancy in Bangalore, and the BIRLA Institute of Technology and Science in Goa, the system was adapted to local requirements. With a total capacity up to 35 tons of organic input per day, it will consume between 10 to 15 tons of organic

waste and 10 to 20 tons of blackwater each day. The anaerobic system can yield about 2,500 cubic meters of biogas per day under full load, which can generate at least 3,300 kWh of power on a daily basis. The connected combined heat and power (CHP) unit not only produces electricity to feed into the Maharashtra power grid, but the excess heat is also used to pre-heat and condition the incoming sewage and to maintain an optimal temperature in the digester. This accelerates the highly sensitive biological process of digesting the waste mixture. After passing through the H2S purifier, the biogas currently produced contains about 60% methane. This result can be improved further by meticulously monitoring the biological process and optimizing the operation. Operational improvement is a dynamic process when working with microorganisms and biological activity. The effluent that results from the process, which is hygienically safe and high in nutrients, will be recycled in part in the digestion process. The rest will be used as a moisturizing agent in the composting process in the existing compost plant, thus closing the recycling and reusing waste cycle. Further treatment options for the digestate of the reactor include producing biological residues like Terra Preta or organic fertilizer such as PROM for agricultural applications.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Even though biomethanation is a well-established process in India, many such plants have failed, due to either a lack of proper input materials or unviable business models. The construction of the plant was supported by the “Waste to Energy” Project funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) in collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

the German government. The additional required capital investment costs of INR 1.2 crore (140,000 Euro) were carried by the selected contractor. Furthermore, and very important for plant realization, was that NMC offered the best conditions for implementation, i.e. the availability and utilization of input material flows (organic waste and sewage) as well as the existing infrastructure. NMC is ready to make provisions for using the energy produced by feeding it into the state power grid.

Recommended for imitation

Private project partner has to operate the plant

The joint project of the Nashik Municipal Corporation and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH showcases a viable business model for implementing waste-to-energy projects through public-private partnerships (PPP). This model is suitable for developing and replicating sustainable waste-to-energy technology with the potential of reducing investment costs for the public sector and achieving operational safety. The process leading up to plant construction and operation was long. At the beginning of the project, potential locations for constructing the plant were assessed in a prefeasibility study. Nashik was selected as the most suitable city due to numerous aspects, including the quantity of waste generation and the provision of a feed-in tariff, among others. Feasibility and supportive studies, baseline assessments, and a detailed project report followed. Finally, a public-private partnership (PPP) concept was developed for constructing the plant, according to which the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is responsible for the construction. NMC provided a capital investment of INR 6.8 crore (about 800,000 Euro) received through a grant from

of Quality out ility ib s n o sp re

The project is implemented in the Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) mode. The private partner selected in a competitive bidding process is responsible for the design, operation and maintenance of the plant for a period of 10 years, assuring the collection and transportation of sufficient waste material to the plant. The monthly investment required from NMC for operation and maintenance, collection and transportation of waste is of INR 5 lakh (6,000 Euro). In return, the plant operator will guarantee the supply of generated electricity to the Maharashtra Power Grid, which will be accessible to NMC free of cost. The project closes the cycle by creating benefits between urban waste management and the production of renewable energy and by reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing resource efficiency, which are of utmost importance for India as a rising economy by mitigating environmental impacts. This successful pilot project encourages the government and the respective stakeholders. Decision-makers from various states and cities have expressed interest in the project concept and are already in the planning stages to replicate the plant in Goa, for example. The sustainable waste-to-energy technology is now ready for implementation in order to support holistic and integrated waste management concepts throughout India.

COMPONENTS FOR BIOGAS PLANTS Author Dirk Walther (MSc./ME) Project Director Support to the National Urban Sanitation Policy (SNUSP) Phase II Soil Protection and Rehabilitation Project (ProSoil), SEWOH and Waste to Energy (WtE) Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale

PAULMICHL GmbH Kisslegger Straße 13 · 88299 Leutkirch · Germany Tel. +49 (0 )75 63/84 71 www.paulmichl-gmbh.de

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Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

India

Link gaushalas with biogas plants Currently, India is doing intensive work on a concept for poultry and dairy operations, including gaushalas – from the perspective of technical, financial and social sustainability. A gaushala is a type of feeding and care station for cows in India. Because of the religious significance of cows in Hinduism and the associated cultural sensibility in terms of their well-being, they concentrate on handling cattle well. By Abhijeet Mukherjee

lthough there is a wide spectrum of flourishing poultry and dairy operations as well as gaushalas across the whole country, but their sustainability remains a subject that must be kept in focus. Primarily those gaushalas in which dairy cows and other cattle can be kept need large amounts of cattle feed and feed supplements, sometimes antibiotic medications and other resources. The gaushalas as well as the dairy economy have grown significantly in India in recent decades, and as a result, there is a large amount of livestock in the country. After continually increasing success in milk production and cattle breeding over the years, the industry is now facing several challenges. A chronic lack of cattle feed combined with the poor quality of the feed has become a major impediment. In the current system of intensive cattle breeding, concentrated feed is valued highly, which increases costs for milk production and considerably reduces profit for the owner/farmer.

Sustainable dairy business in India is a new concept that takes the appropriate and efficient use of resources into account without exploiting them. Although using these modern methods might seem to be advancing the dairy business, most of their important elements have their origins in traditional agricultural approaches. Three main elements make up the most significant aspects of sustainable business:

1. Paying special attention to animal husbandry Selecting the appropriate breed is the first aspect that must be taken into consideration in the dairy operation and in the gaushalas. Most farmers choose the breed of the animals based only in milk yield without thinking about their suitability for the local climate, the availability of feed, their resistance to diseases and pests, or environmental conditions. The Indian Biogas Association is of the opinion that indigenous breeds such as the Murrah buffalo or Sindhi or Desi cattle are more suited to the climate in India.

2. A look at the ecosystem Today’s cattle breeds with high milk yields must have a stable supply of high quality feed. While most of the cattle feed for conventional dairy operations is purchased on the market, sustainable dairy cattle feed must be cultivated internally or bought locally in the village. While dry feed can be purchased locally, green fodder must be cultivated internally on the farm. Bajra-Napier hybrids can be grown on fertile, well-irrigated land, while Guinea grass grows on meager soils that depend on rain. In addition to cultivating organic feed, it is important to ensure that manure, urine, and other waste materials are disposed of in a compost pit. Untreated sewage sludge should not be applied to cropland; only composted, organic substances are permitted to be used as fertilizer. Those who have biogas plants solve not only the problem of waste disposal, but they also produce fertilizer that is ready to be used on crops.

English Issue

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Although the dairy business is not an energy-intensive activity (if you don’t consider milk processing), electricity and heat are required. Instead of depending on the municipal electricity grid, which is extremely unreliable, farmers use diesel generators, which are expensive to operate. It would be more reasonable to use biogas because the fuel supply is available all the time. The biogas produced from a single cow can actually meet the daily need for cooking for one person. In addition, biogas can also be used to heat and cool milk. Today, solar power cells are fairly inexpensive, so farmers can afford lighting for their entire household.

Program for biogas in gaushalas This not only brings operating a sustainable dairy business within reach for small farmers, it is also environmentally conscious because it reduces carbon emissions and increases organic fertility. Based on estimates of the Animal Welfare Board of India, there are more than 4,000 gaushalas, and about 1,000 of them house more than 200 cows. Recently, the government has lent support to programs for producing biogas in gaushalas and it wants to provide developers of biogas projects in gaushalas with all of the necessary help. The National Biogas and Manure Management Program (NBMMP) and the Biomass Power Producer (BPP) electricity program (off grid) are the ongoing flagship programs of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in this regard, which are continuously developed in accordance with the current requirements. In fact, these programs have existed for several years already, but biogas projects in gaushalas are still not living up to their true potential. In addition to government policy, a series of success stories are needed to generate the necessary momentum for project developers to initiate more such projects. A biogas plant was recently constructed in the Shree Lalji Maharaj gaushala in Gujarat. The plant produces biogas from cow manure and indigenous technology is used to convert it into bio-CNG. The gaushala houses about 250 cows. Another gaushala in the neighborhood with a similar amount of cattle also provides feed supplies.

p hotos: Abhijeet Mukherjee

3. Paying special attention to energy

Typical gaushala in India were cattle are kept. It would make sense to build biogas plants for fermenting manure at these livestock management facilities. About 200 to 250 cubic meters of biogas are generated which, in turn, produced about 100 kg of bio-CNG, also known as CBG (compressed biogas). CBG is an inexpensive, competitive renewable energy and in the case described above, it is used for daily cooking in the nearby Shree Lalji Maharaj temple for an average of 1,000 temple visitors every day. The compression system used for cascade filling was developed with the option for using the CBG for vehicle fuel as well. The organic fertilizer produced is brought by tanker trunk to the nearby fields of the operation where cotton, wheat, rice, oil-bearing seeds, and vegetables are cultivated. Main features of the plant: ffA single continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) based on a modular digester with fiber reinforced plastic walls (FRP) ffOperates at mesophilic temperatures

Cost-effectiveness The economic efficiency associated with such plants depends a great deal on local requirements. Based on information from Atmos Power Pvt. Ltd., the specific capital costs for the plant described above were about 14,000 Indian rupees per cubic meter(INR/m3), which is equivalent to about 200 euros/m3 – without the gas treatment system. With gas treatment, it would cost 25,000 INR/m3 (about 360 euros/m3). Conclusion: This biogas plant serves as an example of how the waste products from the livestock sector have become resources that meet cooking needs. The CBG produced could also be used for vehicle transport. Such biogas plants could become the key to using the enormous potential lying dormant in the rural areas of India in the abundant amounts of biomass wastes (mainly in the form of animal manure)!

ffIts own, proper stirring mechanism ffThe digester has a gas outlet system based on a double membrane. ffHealth, safety and environmental concerns (HSE) are taken into consideration. ffGas purification system for removing H2S, moisture and CO2 ffThe plant is automated, so only a minimal amount of manual intervention is required. ffOnline analyses measure the composition of the biogas.

Author Abhijeet Mukherjee Project Coordinator Indian Biogas Association 233, Tower-B2, Spaze-i-Tech Park, Sector-49, Sohna Road, Gurgaon, Harayana-122018, India 0091 124 4988 622 abhijeet@biogas-india.com www.biogas-india.com

Good prospects: Hannes Muntingh, English Issue left, and John Chege discuss the influence of Africa’s sun on the biogas production in the digester.

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

Kenya

Nairobi

It looks like hard coal (black coal): Avocado pits in boxes at Olivado in Kenya.

A premiere with avocados Because they contain valuable nutrients, avocados are popular among supporters of healthy nutrition. An avocado oil producer from Kenya wants to demonstrate that the production residues are also an energy-rich energy source. With German support, those residues will become biogas for cooking and filling tanks. By Dipl. Pol. Oliver Ristau

p hotos: Oliver Ristau

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hey look like the typical coal eggs that you used to find in many coal cellars in old houses – partly coated with a white layer, like ash, as though they had already been lit. But they are actually avocado pits, their skin blackened by the air and heat. They are stored in boxes made of thick wooden slats, standing as though lost in the middle of a field of freshly plowed, red earth. Behind an earthen wall of the same color is a fermenter tank, its typical semi-circular shape contrasting with the blue sky. Here in Muranga, Kenya, about an hour by car north of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city, the Olivado company of New Zealand operates one of the largest production plants in Africa for organic avocado oil. The inconspicuous facility rises in the middle of small fields where mangos, pineapple, and yes, avocados grow in the dry soil. At the entrance to the plant, behind a simple, wood

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door, Hannes Muntingh awaits the visitors. A lightskinned South African, he has been working here for just about three years and is responsible for developing a sustainable solution for waste materials left over after pressing the nutritious fruits – such as the pits in the wooden boxes. Since the New Zealand company opened a branch operation ten years ago, more and more waste materials are generated. The number of small farmers who deliver the fruit with the dark green skin to this site has increased from a few hundred to 1,500 at present. Altogether, more than 4,000 tons of fruit are collected per year. Olivado presses the avocados for oil, which is exported primarily to industrialized countries, where a growing number of nutrition-conscious consumers value the characteristics of this plant-based oil, which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. In the future, a new storage building for fresh fruits will be located where the boxes full of pits are sitting in the sun. As attractive as the export product is, a lot of residual material is generated in production – peels, pulp, and pits. Because the oil makes up only about 11 percent of the fruit’s weight, the rest totals over 3,500 tons, Muntingh calculates. “It was about creating an alternative for disposing the production wastes”, he explains. Earlier, the residual material, primarily liquids, had to be brought to the landfill in Nairobi by truck. And that’s expensive: “Transport and disposal make up about 5 percent of the company’s total costs”. At the same time, the waste materials still contain a great deal of energy. A certain amount of oil remains in the fruit pulp, and the pits are real powerhouses. Olivado wants to use this potential in the future – specifically, to produce biogas. Muntingh has lived in Kenya since 2008. Before he worked for Olivado, he was a self-employed consultant for biogas plants and, together with public financiers,

he implemented mostly small projects for farmers. Now Muntingh, 42, has a larger responsibility. Starting in the 2018 harvest season (March to September), the fruit residue is supposed to be fermented, generating an annual yield of about 3,500 cubic meters of raw bio-

„It was about creating an alternative for disposing the production wastes“ Hannes Muntingh

gas. The expected methane volume, 64 percent of the yield, is 2,300 cubic meters. This is roughly equivalent to 286,000 liters of diesel, according to Muntingh. He implemented his own concept for the undertaking and relied on the expertise of German specialists. “Up to now I don’t know of any plants in the world that produce any significant amount of biogas from avocado waste”, he says. One of the two digesters that are supposed to enable this world premiere can already be seen on a hill behind the factory.

Biogas instead of diesel and electricity from the grid The sun is nearly directly overhead in the sky. From time to time, a few clouds provide protection from the intensive radiation. A few trees shade the sandy front yard. On the site, not much is going on. A few employees pass by, carrying boxes. “It’s not currently harvest season”, says Muntingh. But the factory still provides 60 employees with jobs. Now they are doing a lot of maintenance work.

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Black foil covers: The second digester is supposed to be finished by harvest time in March.

Biogas Journal | Autumn_2018

The energy manager leads the visitors out of the sun and into the empty production halls. It is calm, dark, and comfortably cool. All of the machines are at standstill. Operations can be heard only from the adjacent room where boxes full of fruit from the previous season are stored. The employees show us the boxes and smile. In the background of the machine shop, at the wall, is a 120 kilowatt electric boiler, which previously supplied the heat for the process. It is needed to press the avocados at temperatures between 40 and 45 degrees Celsius. In the future, the boiler will only be used as a back-up, just like the diesel unit behind the factory, which is there in case of a power failure to ensure the electrical supply. Its days are numbered. In the future, heat and electricity will be produced solely with biogas.

Muntingh leaves the hall through the rear exit. The grounds slope sharply upward here. There is only enough space for a 24,000 liter plastic tank into which the waste materials flow. “The materials flow automatically into the tank where they are mixed and then pumped into the digester”, he explains. “It is equipped with a sensor to determine the pH value, the temperature, and other important parameters. This way, we can always monitor the status of the substrate before any input”. In the future, in addition to the processing water, the liquid fermentation residues will also be fed in. The avocado pits are crushed in advance in a mill with a capacity of two tons per hour. Manure is not supposed to be mixed in – except at the beginning of the fermentation process or if the respective bacteria for initiating the fermentation process are needed. One reason for this is logistics. High standards of hygiene are required for food processing operations, so a small, concrete manure tank, just for use with the digester, is located right next to it. In addition, the idea that manure is a potential raw material for the biogas plant spread quickly among the local farmers. “It is truly remarkable how quickly the prices suddenly increased”, says the biogas pro.

More fruit – greater use of capacity Instead, Muntingh wants to use other fruit waste to increase the amount of plant capacity used. “As things currently are, with the next expansion of the factory we will generate more residual materials in the high season than we can use for daily biogas production.” That’s about 70 to 80 tons a day, including the process-

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ing water. “For this reason, we will store up to 50 percent of the pits and feed them in during the low season. During this period, we are also considering using fruit waste from neighboring operations that process mangos and pineapple”. Eventually, by processing other crops, Olivado wants to make the factory less dependent on the avocado season. Muntingh says that they are planning to press macadamia nut oil in the future and process mangos themselves. “In this way, we will have more waste materials available in various seasons”, says Muntingh. Now it’s time to have a closer look at the plant. Muntingh climbs a metal staircase up the rise behind the factory, trudges across dry grass past a few scattered bushes and dry softwood trees, and then past a shed on the right made of corrugated sheet metal. Then he comes to a hand-painted, wooden sign that advises unauthorized persons not to proceed. To the left is another sign that warns passersby about the “temporary waste ponds” secured by red and white barrier tape. Visitors would do well to take this warning seriously because the black earth is swampy. Until recently, Olivado deposited part of its waste materials in this area, reports Muntingh, pushing strands of blond hair stirred up by the wind away from his forehead. The soil smells like earth and ripe fruit. “We have a permit from the Kenyan waste management authorities for the transitional period until the biogas plant is in operation”, he explains. In the meantime, this open storage facility is no longer used. Even though electrical production has not yet started, the waste materials generated are already being processed.

A digester lined with non-permeable foil Specifically, the foil lines one of the two ochre yellow digesters excavated into the ground just a stone’s throw away. Only the upper sections of the fermenters are exposed. The other digester does not yet have a roof, so visitors can see down into the depths. The concrete digester, which can hold 1,400 cubic meters of both substrate and gas each, is lined with two thick, black, non-permeable foil coverings. The first digester has been in operation for a few weeks already. In the machine shop of this behemoth, John Chege is inspecting the gas production. He was among Muntingh’s first employees. “John was a farmer, and we met a few years ago in the context of a project for two Kenyan schools”, explains Muntingh as they greet each other. He recognized Chege’s great technical un-

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Avocado swamp: Up to now, the production residue was stored outdoors.

derstanding, so he offered him a job in his company. “I am happy that he came with me to Olivado along with a second colleague”, Muntingh admits. Not only because they have completed the construction up to now on their own, but primarily for operational reasons. When the plant is operating around the clock, there’s a lot to do in order to monitor the continual gas production. In case of problems, Muntingh’s team will have to rely on themselves. There aren’t any external service providers who can help. Chege is pleased with the gas production. “We are still allowing the biogas to escape into the outside air, but that will change as soon as all of the equipment and generators are here”, explains the Kenyan man, whose green work overalls give him an unpretentious appearance. “I hope more and more people in our country will use this energy source”, he says, then turns to start looking through the inspection windows with Muntingh to check the status of the process inside the digester.

Important partners: biogas players in Germany

Expansion: A new factory hall will take the place of the red earth.

Just in case: Olivado has back-up solutions for maintenance or other interruptions.

A majority of the technical equipment comes from Germany. For example, Verbio supplied some of the irrigation nozzles. The CHP was designed by the Jürgen Schwarz electrical engineering firm in Krefeld. Electrical generators, an 130 kW model by MTU and a 125 kW model by Liebherr, are in use. Manfred Stumpf Energiesysteme in Obserschwarzach takes care of delivery. But Biogaskontor in Obermarchtal, managed by company founder and director Erwin Köberle, has had the greatest impact on Muntingh’s work. The company supplied four inspection windows, irrigation nozzles, air dosing units for desulfurization, and pumps and display technology at a “discounted price”, as Köberle told the Biogas Journal. The background for this good relationship is that, before he came to Kenya, Muntingh spent several months at Köberle’s company completing an internship. “He also lived with us during that period and became part of the family”, says Köberle. “Hannes was involved in everything”, he goes on, remembering the dedicated intern, and he hopes that his excitement about this project will also be justified in the end.

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But in fact, the final success is still pending. Only when it is clear that the bacteria from the colorful cocktail of fruits can actually produce the necessary gas, day in and day out, will the work pay off. Only then will the production of renewable electricity and heat actually function. But Muntingh is optimistic, having read in advance everything he could find about the subject online. And he is thankful for the input from Germany. “Biogaskontor was a very important partner for developing this project here in Kenya”, he says. “Without support from Germany, it would have been difficult”.

Expanding across Africa Muntingh is already planning the next steps because the company expects that the plant could, at some times, produce considerably more electricity and heat than the factory needs. Although there is a type of feedin tariff of about nine euro cents per kilowatt hour for selling excess electricity to the grid, it’s not very attractive, says Muntingh. Instead, this energy manager is planning to refine the biogas into biomethane, then fill cylinders and sell it as cooking gas. Olivado is currently waiting for the necessary machines to arrive from India. In addition, he’s also thinking about using gas as a fuel. “In the future, we plan to fill up our vehicles with our own biomethane”. As Muntingh starts down the path to return to the factory building, he talks about the difficulties in developing the project. “In Kenya there is hardly any technical equipment available”, he says. For this reason, help

from Germany was so important. Germany also provided financial assistance, another obstacle that we needed to navigate. “The local banks did not understand at first what we are planning here”, he says. But the German Development and Investment mbH (DEG), a subsidiary of the KfW Banking Group in Germany, did understand. It contributed 20 percent of the financing for the project, for which the financing totaled one million euros. And this concept should become a good example. “The potential for generating biogas in Africa is tremendous”, says Muntingh as we bid farewell after our visit to Olivado. For this reason, the company established its own subsidiary in order to spread this idea outside of Kenya as well. Then the black avocado pits could also become an important energy source material elsewhere in the tropics. Anyway, they sure look like they could.

Author Dipl.-Pol. Oliver Ristau Freelance Journalist Sternstraße 106 · 20357 Hamburg, Germany 0049 040/38 61 58 22 ristau@publiconsult.de

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