Record Biomap: New opportunities for biomethane production in small scale biogas plants

In the framework of the EU-project "Record Biomap" scientists and industrial stakeholders are working together on innovative technology solutions to make biomethane production cost and energy efficient at small and medium scale biogas plants. The online platform, the "Biomethane Map", has been developed to foster knowledge transfer in this sector and presents a variety of innovative concepts for small scale biomethane plants. The project consortium seeks further key players for future cooperations to make small scale biomethane production cost efficient in the future.

Until today, only at large scale biogas plants it is economically efficient to upgrade biogas to biomethane. Therefore, the project SE.Biomethane (duration 01.02.2013 – 30.04.2016) developed new technologies along the entire biomethane process chain in order to make biomethane production cost efficient also in small to medium scale plants in the future. The process chain covers the substrate pre-treatment, the digestion and the upgrading of biogas to biomethane. According to scientists of DBFZ, the biomethane production at small biogas plants (production of raw biogas < 200 Nm³/h) has to be expanded to facilitate the more flexible use of biomethane in comparison to on-site power generation of biogas. The upgrading of biogas to biomethane allows biogas plant operators to establish new business sectors as e.g. the biomethane could be used as vehicle fuel in the agricultural sector as well as for external power generation with the concurrent usage of the produced heat. Last but not least the biomethane production may achieve a positive climate effect if it can be used to substitute fossil fuels such as natural gas. 

"With the research project Record Biomap we are striving to bridge the gap between science and industry by actively supporting the continuous developments of the most promising technologies up to their market implementation. In collaboration with our Swedish and Polish partner we aim to build up an European network to advance the developments and implementation of small and medium scale biomethane plants. For this, we are seeking innovative concepts and process solutions", explained Kathrin Bienert, researcher at DBFZ and project leader of "Record Biomap".

The online platform, the "Biomethane Map", presents small and medium sized enterprises, industry players and research institutions in Europe who investigate in above mentioned technologies. The map includes their profiles and technology descriptions to give an insight into their innovative developments. This online network does not only connect the relevant stakeholders, but also supports and reinforces new national and international project concepts, informs about current legal, administrative and political framework conditions, helps to find new consortium partners and invites all interested stakeholders to regular workshops where the latest technology developments are presented. All SMEs and institutions working in this sector are invited to join the platform and profit from the network. The project consortium, as a point of contact, is always available for inquiries about this topic. The first technical workshop on small to medium scale biomethane production will take place on 28 March 2017 in Leipzig, Germany. Further information about the workshop is available on the project website.

The EU-Project Record Biomap started on 1st of April 2016 and will run until March 2018. DBFZ is the project coordinator and the partners are the Polish University of Warmińsko-Mazurski (UWM) from Olzstyn and the JTI Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering from Uppsala, Sweden.

For more information visit: www.biomethane-map.eu