The next step in biomass fermentation is purifying the released CO2 and selling it to the food industry, as became apparent recently during the EnergieDecentral trade fair, which was part of Eurotier.
A growing number of livestock farmers with a digester equipped with a CHP unit want to start producing biomethane. The company Pentair sells installations to purify biogas and upgrade it to biomethane. Pentair's BioComplete is also designed to purify and liquefy the CO₂ released during the upgrading of biogas to biomethane.
War in Ukraine
That last step, in particular, is popular among digester owners. The reason is that since the war in Ukraine, the price of liquid CO₂ for the food industry has risen sharply. Before the war, €45 per ton was paid. Now it is at least €150 per ton, and much more during periods of scarcity. The fertilizer industry was a major supplier of liquid CO₂ . However, due to the high gas price, this industry is producing much less. CO₂ gas becomes liquid at a pressure of 18 bar and a temperature of minus 18 degrees.
Biogas
Biogas as a basis for fuels is also in demand. This can be Bio-LNG, for powering trucks, but also synthetic biomethanol. Biomethanol also has diverse applications: as fuel for ships, but also to power heaters to warm greenhouses or stables. Biomethanol is CO₂ - neutral and an alternative for buildings disconnected from the energy grid. The price of biomethanol is around one euro per liter, depending on the volume ordered. This amounts to approximately 20 cents per kWh. The advantage of methanol over CO₂ is that it does not need to be pressurized and is therefore easier to transport.
CHP role not completed
Despite new technologies and high gas prices, CHP continues to play an important role in the energy transition. The decarbonization of the energy market is continuing. Consequently, CHP engines are constantly being improved and, above all, made more efficient. The engines no longer always run on biogas, but methanol is sometimes also an option. In Germany, 117 terawatts of electricity are generated annually using CHP. That is one-fifth of total electricity production. However, the demand for electricity continues to grow. Consequently, the importance of CHP is not diminishing, especially since a mix of alternative energy sources is needed to achieve full CO₂ neutrality in Europe by 2050.
Source: gfactual.nl
