2. 2
Some Context ….
• Energy demand in Ireland has increased by 72% from 1991 to 2008 characterised by;
• The Renewable Energy targets are quite challenging;
– 40% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020
– 12% of heat to be derived from renewable sources by 2020
– Renewable resources to account for 10% of all transport fuel by 2020
• Ireland is making progress addressing RES (E);
– 11.8% of 2009 electricity consumption from renewable sources
• RES (H) and RES (T) progress towards targets have been slow to date;
– 3.6% of thermal energy and 1.2% of transport energy from renewable sources in 2008
• Landfill Directive
• Renewable gas produced from biomass using Anaerobic Digestion represents a significant and
under represented source of renewable energy in Ireland.
3. 3
Biogas is produced when feedstocks, such as organic
wastes, and energy crops, are converted into biogas
using anaerobic digestion technology
4. 4
Injection into the gas network may look like…
Substrat(s) Methanisation
Treatment
(CO2,H2S,
water, traces)
Raw biogas
• Bio waste
• Sewage
• Food -
processing waste
• …
Composition:
• 50 - 65%CH 4
• 30 - 40%CO 2
• water
• H2S
• NH3
• traces
Upgraded gas
Composition
similar to
natural gas
Control (CH 4,
CO2, water, H 2S)
Di
ge
sta
t
Odorisation
Regulator for flow /
pressure (2nd
compressor?)
Compression
(few bars)
Metering
Control of gas
quality
Injection point
Valve
Natural gasNatural gas + Biogas
Vent or
storage
If quality is not good enough!
Out of the limits
Safety equipments
(shut -off valve, safety
valve…)
Substrat(s) Methanisation
Treatment
(CO2,H2S,
water, traces)
Raw biogas
• Bio waste
•
• Food -
processing waste
• Energy crops…
Composition:
• 50 - 65%CH 4
• 30 - 40%CO 2
• water
• H2S
• NH3
• traces
Upgraded gas
Composition
similar to
natural gas
Process Control (CH4,
CO2, O2, H2S, H2O)
Digestat
Odorisation/ LPG*
Regulator for flow /
pressure (2nd
compressor?)
Compression
Metering
Control of gas
quality
Injection point
Valve
Natural gasNatural gas + Biogas
Vent or
storage
If quality is not good enough!
Out of the limits
Safety equipments
(shut -off valve, safety
valve…)
10. 10
Biogas from grass as transport fuel in Salzburg
harvest
silage storage
macerator
Source: energiewerkstatt, IEA and persona photos
anaerobic digester
weigh bridge
Biogas service station
11. 11
Renewable Gas has a key role to play in a low carbon
future for Ireland
• Simple efficiency
measures across all
sectors
• Decarbonised
electricity fuels zero
emission cars
• Decarbonise gas using
renewable gas
12. 12
Opportunity– Renewable Heating
Biomethane for Heating
• Utilise the Bord Gáis gas network as a route to market for
renewable heating with biomethane (BioNG):
– Over 700,000 domestic and 30,000 I/C customers served
by the network.
– Uses existing meters (incl. Smart Meters when available).
– Minimal changes to supplier billing systems.
– No disruption to premises required – will allow customers
switch to renewable heating with a phone call!
– Used in existing appliances….. At very high efficiencies
– e.g. 80% for a gas boiler,
– as a renewable fuel source for domestic and I/C CHP
units).
– Increases national fuel diversity and security of supply.
– Significant contribution towards the RES-H target
possible.
13. 13
Opportunity- Renewable Transport
Biomethane for Transport
• Utilise the Bord Gáis gas network as a route to
market for renewable transport with biomethane
(BioCNG):
– Over 11 million cars worldwide running on
CNG incl. Germany, Italy.
– Bi-fuel cars and vans available – can switch
from petrol to CNG seamlessly at the push of
a button!
– Significant contribution towards the RES-T
target possible and reductions in national
CO2 levels.
– Proven vehicle and re-fuelling options
available today.
15. 15
Potential for Renewable Gas in Ireland
Figures converted from PJ to mscm natural
Gas equivalent (@ 36.8 MJ/m³)
Practical
(mscm pa)
Agricultural Slurry 51
OFMSW 15.6
Slaughter Waste 18.6
Surplus Grass 325.7
Total 410
As % of total Irish gas demand 7.5%
• Notes:
• 1. 3,873,525 tonnes agricultural slurry x 12.8m3 methane (CH4) per tonne x 1/0.97= 51.3Mm3 biomethane per annum (with 97% CH4 content).
• 2. 870,000 tonnes OFMSW x 25% recoverable x 69 m3 CH4 per tonne x 1/0.97= 15.6 Mm3 biomethane per annum.
• 3. 208,877 tonnes slaughter waste x 86 m3 CH4 per tonne x 1/0.97= 18.6 Mm3 biomethane per annum.
• 4. 97,500 hectares x 3,240 m3 CH4 per hectare x 1/0.97 = 325.7 Mm3 biomethane per annum.
• 5. Conversion assumes biomethane has an energy content of 36.8 MJ/Mm3.
16. 16
Irish Renewable Targets
National Targets
• RES-E: 40% electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
• RES-H: 12% heating from renewable sources by 2020:
– Renewable energy accounted for 3.6% of thermal energy in 2008
– Bio methane could deliver 6.5% to this target
• RES-T: 10% renewable fuels for transport by 2020:
– Renewable energy accounted for 1.2% of transport energy in 2008
– Bio methane could exceed this target (12%)
• Source: SEI EPSSU Energy in Ireland Key Statistics 2009.
17. 17
The Cost of Producing Biomethane
Feedstock/scenario €/mn3
OFMSW (50,000 t/a) 0.14
Slaughter Waste (50,000 t/a) 0.73
Grass (137 ha, farm model) 0.97
Grass (137 ha, developer
model)
1.10
Co-digest (slurry & grass) 1.23
Slurry (29,700 t/a) 1.83
The Cost of producing Biomethane, Green Gas Technologies Ltd., March 2010
18. 18
Regional potential for grass
biomethane
• Assessment criteria
– Pasture area
– Grass yields
– Current farming practice
– Gas grid coverage
– Availability of belly grass
Source:
Determing the regional potential for a grass biomethane industry, Submitted
to Applied Energy, October 2010.
21. 21
Ballyhoura
Ballyhoura:
• Within an area of high
potential
• High pasture coverage
• Good gas grid coverage
• Good availability of belly
grass
Resource calculation:
• 20 km transport distance to
gas grid
22. 22
Ballyhoura: enough biomethane to heat
32,000 homes
Annual
feedstock
Biomethane
(Mmn3 yr-1)
Energy
(PJ yr-1)
Cars
(nr yr-1)
Houses
(nr yr-1)
Grass silage 261,727 ha 910.6 33.37 855,696 644,250
5% grass
silage
13,086 ha 45.5 1.67 42,785 32,213
Belly grass 5094 t
(20%DS)
0.3 0.01 316 238
Total (5%
grass + belly
grass)
45.9 1.68 43,101 32,450
Number of private cars in Limerick (city + county): 84,170
Number of meter points in Limerick (city + county): 25,366
Hinweis der Redaktion
By 1st January 2013 Ireland can only landfill a maximum 50% of the (Biodegradable Municipal Waste) BMW generated in 1995, i.e. a national maximum of 644,956t BMW can be landfilled.
By 1st January 2016 Ireland can only landfill a maximum 35% of the BMW generated in 1995, i.e. a national maximum of 451,469t BMW can be landfilled.
Latest EPA statistics show that:
Approximately 3.4 million tonnes of municipal waste is generated annually;
Of this, 2 million tonnes is landfilled;
Approximately 1.5 million tonnes of the landfilled municipal waste is biodegradable.
AD is an ideal process to treat BMW.
Significant biogas production in Germany and the UK (3700 Agricultural Anaerobic Digesters which employ 10,000 people in Germany).
