Energy

Question:

What are the drivers for Bio-gas industry development in Finland

Created January 30, 2012 by George Rybakov 简体中文 Русский

Answers and comments:

At least one of the drivers is a national feed-in-tariff for biogas-based electricity production. Tariff is 83,5 €/MWh with extra bonus of 50 €/MWh if also heat is utilised (CHP, combined heat and power production). Tariff will be paid for 12 years per facility. However, this tariff system is not technology neutral enough, so e.g. biogas use in vehicles cannot get any feed-in-tariff.

February 13, 2012 by Mikael Ohlstrom 简体中文 Русский

1. Significant Feed-in-tariff for biogas-based electricity production. Bonus of 50 Euro/MWh for 12 years - very powerful incentive and driver. However, I believe that, the end-user prices would not be affected at all, because this is the milking cow. Regarding vehicles fuel prices, why do you think this issue is excluded out of the consideration at this stage? As we discussed earlier competitive transport system (based on cheap, energy efficient fuel) is the challenge and significant for further development of Finland with hazy future of the EU. What about other drivers? What is the role and attitude of the municipalities? What about global fuel prices? What if they decline or leap (would that be an independant market)?

February 13, 2012 by George Rybakov 简体中文 Русский

Volumes and demand of transportation fuels are (globally) so huge that there are not enough cost-efficient biogas potential to satisfy it. However, biogas would be a good supplementary fuel in transportation sector increasing also security of supply of fuels (of course gas and multifuel vehicles and refill infrastructure also needed). Also electric as well as fuel cell vehicles must be remembered. It means that transportation "fuels" are diversifying from the present oil dominance. And of course the price changes are one main driver also. If oil prices would leap there would be more and more demand for replacing ways to create the needed kinetic energy.

February 15, 2012 by Mikael Ohlstrom 简体中文 Русский

Even bigger driver will be when biogas can be efficiently liquified into LBG which is a substitute to LNG. That opens the possibility to sell the product to a much bigger market area not depending on the biogas facility's location. Biogas could be efficiently sold for example to the Swedish vehicle fuel market where the value of the gas is greater than any feed-in tariff can provide. ... Such efficient LBG technologies are just about to be commercially ready.

February 16, 2012 by Mikko.kantero 简体中文 Русский

Considering LBG, how big will the energy penalties be due to liquefication process? I think some one quarter of energy content of natural gas will be lost when liquefied to LNG and back to NG again. Temperature of LNG is below -100 C.

February 16, 2012 by Mikael Ohlstrom 简体中文 Русский

My understanding is - based on some talks with a few technology developers/suppliers - that in the next generation technologies the efficiency is over 90% --> this makes it commercially feasible. The currently available LBG technologies can not reach such efficiency levels. There is at least one pilot plant of such a second generation technology in Sweden.

February 16, 2012 by Mikko.kantero 简体中文 Русский

I would suggest we continue the discission because I see that many new issues arrive. However, let me resume that for now we have among the drivers: - significant feed-in-tariff - Global market fuel price - technological issues and feasibility of LBG (liquefied biogas) For the moment it is more or less clear that probably the best way to use BG is electricity production. In terms of more wide usage of BG: What about other technological and economical issues? What about different infrastructure from the point of view of the potential end-users. I would be grateful if other experts could kindly join our discussion though. It would be absolutely great.

February 17, 2012 by George Rybakov 简体中文 Русский

George, you asked about other technological and economical issues related to biogas and effecting the wider use of it. One key issue with every biogas plant is the fact that the volume reduction of the feed-in material during the process is small which results in a big amount of digestate. It is always a critical question regarding the project's feasibility what happens with the digestate. An easy answer is that you can use it as a fertilizer but in reality in most of the cases that is not possible; the in-feed material may contain unwanted particles (like heavy metals), there might not be enough proper land available within a reasonable distance or there is no market for the product. From the economical point of view it is critical that the digestate does not become a cost - otherwise it really dangers the profitability of the whole project.

February 17, 2012 by Mikko.kantero 简体中文 Русский

BG production happen to be sensitive to the chain of a raw matterial treatment and disposal. In that regard, when planning a BG production the vertical integration might really matter. What about existing sites? What kind of products except BG do they produce in the end of the main technology? What is the efficiency in terms of raw material input/ different kinds of output?

February 17, 2012 by George Rybakov 简体中文 Русский

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Question:

What are the drivers for Bio-gas industry development in Finland

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Question:

What are the drivers for Bio-gas industry development in Finland

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