The energy company EemsGas has been awarded a €30 million investment subsidy for the construction of a biomass gasification plant in the Eemsmond region. The total investment for the project amounts to approximately €100 million. The subsidy will be used to build a plant that produces green gas from B-grade wood (demolition wood). The project is a joint initiative of EemsGas and co-owner Perpetual Next.
The subsidy was awarded within the national framework for promoting sustainable energy production. This funding will allow the partners to move the development of the Delfzijl plant into the next phase. The location, on the Groningen Seaports site, was chosen for its existing infrastructure and proximity to industrial customers.
Technology and production capacity
The planned facility uses indirect gasification to convert woody biomass, such as demolition wood that is unsuitable for higher-value applications, into synthetic natural gas (SNG). This specific gasification technology was developed in close collaboration with the research organization TNO. The methodology developed by TNO enables efficient gas production from such residual flows.
According to the project specifications, the plant will produce between 350 and 500 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green gas annually. This volume corresponds to the average annual consumption of approximately 30.000 to 40.000 households.
The project is designed as a blueprint that can be replicated at other locations, both in the Netherlands and internationally. This should support a broader rollout of advanced biomass-based energy solutions. For co-owner Perpetual Next, the modular nature of the technology is essential for applying the knowledge gained in Delfzijl to similar facilities elsewhere.
In addition to gas production, the facility is designed to capture biogenic CO2. This residual flow can be used in greenhouse horticulture or as a raw material for the chemical industry. This aims to minimize the process's CO2 footprint and contribute to a circular economy.
Integration into the energy mix
The initiative by EemsGas and Perpetual Next is one of the projects intended to contribute to reducing the share of fossil natural gas in the grid. Green gas has the same properties as natural gas, allowing it to be transported to end users via existing infrastructure without requiring network adjustments. Perpetual Next states that this development aligns with the national target of producing 2 billion cubic meters of green gas annually by 2030.
The €30 million award secures a substantial portion of the funding. In the coming period, the owners will work on further technical details and the final investment decision. The installation's arrival is expected to create jobs in the North Groningen region, both during construction and the plant's operational phase.
Source: perpetualnext
Photo: Ben_Kerckx, Pixabay
