Wärtsilä to deliver Nordic countries’ largest biogas plant to produce fuel for buses
Finnish energy solutions provider Wärtsilä has been awarded an order to supply the largest biogas liquefaction plant in the Nordic Countries to produce fuel for public transport vehicles.
The supply contract was signed in December 2015, and is with Purac Puregas, based in Kalmar, Sweden.
The Wärtsilä plant will be installed at the paper mill in Skogn, Norway, and will convert the cleaned biogas from fishery waste and residual paper mill slurry into liquid fuel.
Øystein Ihler, development director of climate and energy programme for the City of Oslo, called the plant a “game-changer” for the biogas fuel market.
“The plant at Skogn will be privately operated and, with a capacity of 25 tonnes of liquid biogas per day, will be the biggest in the Nordic countries,” Ihler said.
The system has been specially designed to liquefy small methane-based gas streams.
This novel technology is based on readily available, well proven components, but features an advanced process design and control system.
The environmental benefits of delivering renewable liquid biogas fuel are enhanced by the fact that sulphur oxide (SOx) and particle emissions are virtually eliminated, while any released CO2 has zero environmental impact since it is part of the existing circulatory CO2.
“The system offers low operating costs and is energy efficient. Furthermore, the environmental footprint will be minimal,” said Timo Koponen, VP at Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.
“By enabling profitable projects for smaller gas streams, we are aiding the EU’s target of having 10% renewable fuel by the year 2020,” he continued.
Having the biogas as cryogenic liquid rather than as compressed gas makes it a viable fuel for heavy vehicles, since sufficient energy can be stored on-board.
Wärtsilä is delivering the system on a fast-track basis and the on-site installation is scheduled to be completed within a 15-month timeframe.
