AGENDA - European Biogas

AGENDA

10:00 Welcome and introduction10:05 EU Methane Strategy and follow-up legislation

Malcom McDowell, DG ENERGY, European Commission10:20 Measurements results and mitigation strategy to reduce emissions

Viktoria Wechselberger, BOKU University10:35 Q&A10:50 Voluntary monitoring systems and benefits

Mieke Decorte, European Biogas Association11:05 Best practices: the Swedish system and its achievements

Johan Yngvesson, RISE11:20 State of the art of training concepts developed

Johan Yngvesson, RISE11:30 Q&A and closing remarks

Malcolm McDowell has been working at theEuropean Commission in DG Energy for 10 years. Heis Team Leader responsible for the methane strategy.He was previously responsible for renewable gases inthe renewables unit and before that, he wasresponsible for the oil refining sector and worked asoil and gas analyst.

EU Methane Strategy and follow-up legislationMalcom McDowell, DG ENERGY, European Commission

• Overview on EU Methane legislation

• Role of biogas and biomethane sectors in reducing methane emissions

EU Methane Strategy and follow-up legislationMalcom McDowell, DG ENERGY, European Commission

Dipl.-Ing. Viktoria Wechselberger is a researchassociate at the Institute of Waste Management(University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences,Vienna) focusing on the quantification of methaneemissions from biogas plants. Previously, she hasworked in R&D in the field of steam explosionpretreatment of ligneous agricultural residues forthe production of biogas.

Methane emissions at biogas plants: measurement results & emission reductionsViktoria Wechselberger, BOKU University

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna

Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment

Institute of Waste Management

Methane emissions at biogas plants:

measurement results &

emission reduction

Viktoria Wechselberger, Torsten Reinelt, Tina Clauß, Angela Vesenmaier, Johan Yngvesson,

Katharina Meixner, Marcel Bühler, Deborah Scharfy, Lukas Knoll, Marion Huber-Humer,

Marlies Hrad

EVEMBI Workshop, January 26th, 2021

The project EvEmBi

19.02.2021 7

Evaluation of different technologies

based on harmonized methods 1

Evaluation of measures

for emission reductionVoluntary systems &

Operator workshops

EvEmBi

Evaluation and reduction of methane

emissions from different European biogas

plant concepts

(2018-2021)

36 biogas plants

investigated

1. Identification of emission sources (leak detection)

2. Quantification of single sources 1-6

• CHP/BUU (methane slip)

• Not-gastight digestate storage

• Leakages

• Double membrane

• Ventilation air (processing halls, etc.)

• Pressure relief valves

→ Component emissions

→ Deduction of measures for emission reduction

Source: DBFZ

Methods on-site approach

19.02.2021 8

Source: DBFZ

Source: DBFZSource: DBFZ

Source: DBFZ

Source: DBFZ

Results on-site approach

Component emissions

19.02.2021 10

Sources: 7-13, EvEmBi

BUU... Biogas upgrading unit

CHP… Combined heat and power plant

Results on-site approach

Component emissions

19.02.2021 11

Methane slip CHP units: 1.6 % (median)

repair/maintenance

after revision

thermal post-combustion

Sources: 10-13, EvEmBi

Methods remote sensing approach

Investigation of overall plant emissions

Inverse dispersion modelling method (IDMM) 1, 14-16

19.02.2021 12

Measurement of methane concentration Meteorological

measurementsDispersion model

Biogas plant

Methods: remote sensing approach

Investigation of overall plant emissions

Tracer gas dispersion method (TDM) 1, 17-18

19.02.2021 13

Source: 1 Source: 1

Gas concentrations measurements (methane, tracer gas)

Controlled release of tracer gas

Results remote sensing approach

Overall plant emissions

19.02.2021 14

Methane loss: 0.4 % (±0.3) - 8.6 % (±0.5) of methane production

Sources: 18, Klimoneff, MetHarmo, EvEmBi

Conclusions

Recommendations for the mitigation of methane emissions

o implementation of best technology options when

constructing new plants, i.e.:

• gas-tight cover for digestate storage and hydrolysis-

mixing tanks

• chemical scrubber or exhaust gas treatment for biogas

upgrading

o prevention/elimination of OTNOC (other than normal

operating conditions) events, i.e. by:

• regular leak detection (self- and external inspection)

• gas storage - pressure relief valves:

− accurate measurement of filling level

− adjustment of operational parameters (i.e. target value

for filling level = 50%) if necessary

19.02.2021 15

References (1)

1. Clauß, T. et al. Recommendations for reliable methane emission rate quantification at biogas plants. Report No. 33, 102 (DBFZ, Leipzig, 2019).

2. Reinelt, T. et al. Comparative use of different emission measurement approaches to determine methane emissions from a biogas plant. Waste Manage 68,

173-185, doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2017.05.053 (2017).

3. Reinelt, T., Liebetrau, J. & Nelles, M. Analysis of operational methane emissions from pressure relief valves from biogas storages of biogas plants. Bioresource

Technol 217, 257-264, doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2016.02.073 (2016).

4. Daniel-Gromke, J., Liebetrau, J., Denysenko, V. & Krebs, C. Digestion of bio-waste - GHG emissions and mitigation potential. Energy, Sustainability and Society

5, 1-12, doi:10.1186/s13705-014-0032-6 (2015).

5. Liebetrau, J. et al. Methane emissions from biogas-producing facilities within the agricultural sector. Eng Life Sci 10, 595-599, doi:10.1002/elsc.201000070

(2010).

6. Westerkamp, T., Reinelt, T., Oehmichen, K., Ponitka, J. & Naumann, K. KlimaCH4 - Klimaeffekte von Biomethan. Report No. 20, 167 (DBFZ, Leipzig, 2014).

7. Schories, G.; Cordes, C.; Winterberg, R. (2018): Schlussbericht zum Vorhaben Thema: AcEta (effiziente Hydrolyse und Acidogenese): Bioprozesstechnische

Optimierung zweistufiger landwirtschaftlicher Biogasanlagen.

8. Kvist, T.; Aryal, N. (2019): Methane loss from commercially operating biogas upgrading plants. Waste Management 87: 295-300.

9. Lozanovski, A.; Brandstetter, C. P. (2015): Monitoring des Biomethanproduktionsprozesses MONA. Für das Bundesministerium für Ernährung und

Landwirtschaft BMEL. AP7 Ökologische Bewertung – Abschlussbericht.

10. Liebetrau, J. et al. Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from 10 biogas plants within the agricultural sector. Water Sci Technol 67, 1370-1379,

doi:10.2166/wst.2013.005 (2013).

11. Aschmann, V. (2014), Einflussfaktoren auf die Kohlenwasserstoffkonzentration im Abgas biogasbetriebener Blockheizkraftwerke (BHKW) (Influences on the

concentration of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas of biogas-driven combined heat and power units (CHPU)), in: VDI Berichte 2214 - Emiss. 2014 Stand -

Konzepte - Fortschritte, VDI Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf, pp. 193 – 201.

19.02.2021 16

References (2)

12. Kretschmann, R., Rothe, F., Poppitz, W., Moczigemba, T. (2012), Ermittlung der Standzeiten von Abgasreinigungseinrichtungen an BHKW-Motoren hinsichtlich

der Minderung von Formaldehyd, Methan, Kohlenmonoxid, Stickoxiden und Geruch. URL: http://www.umwelt.sachsen.de/umwelt/luft/28554.htm (abgerufen

am 30.11.2020).

13. Van Dijk, G.H.J. (2012) Hydrocarbon emissions from gas engine CHP-units 2011 measurement program, KEMA Nederland B.V., Utrecht.

14. Hrad, M., Piringer, M. & Huber-Humer, M. Determining methane emissions from biogas plants – Operational and meteorological aspects. Bioresource Technol

191, 234-243, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.05.016 (2015).

15. Flesch, T. K., Desjardins, R. L. & Worth, D. Fugitive methane emissions from an agricultural biodigester. Biomass Bioenerg 35, 3927-3935,

doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.06.009 (2011).

16. Flesch, T. K., Wilson, J. D., Harper, L. A. & Crenna, B. P. Estimating gas emissions from a farm with an inverse-dispersion technique. Atmospheric Environment

39, 4863-4874, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.04.032 (2005).

17. Yoshida, H.; Mønster, J.; Scheutz, C. (2014): Plant-integrated measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Water

Research 61: 108-118.

18. Scheutz, C.; Fredenslund, A. M. (2019): Total methane emission rates and losses from 23 biogas plants. Waste Management 97: 38-46.

19. Sax, M., Schick,M., Bolli, S., Soltermann-Pasca, A., Van Caenegem, L. (2013) Methanverluste bei landwirtschaftlichen Biogasanlagen. Bundesamt für Energie BFE,

Bern. URL: https://www.aramis.admin.ch/Default.aspx?DocumentID=62225&Load=true (abgerufen am 30.11.2020).

20. Clemens, Joachim (2014): Erfahrungen bei der Untersuchung von Biogasanlagen auf Gasdichtheit. In: gwf-Gas|Erdgas(03/2014), 128–130. URL:

http://www.bonalytic.de/cps/bonalytic/ds_doc/GE_03_2014_Clemens.pdf (abgerufen am 30.11.2020).

21. Schreier, Wolfgang (2011): Untersuchung von Gasleckagen bei Biogasanlagen. Hg. v. Landesamt für Umwelt, Landwirtschaft und Geologie. URL.

https://publikationen.sachsen.de/bdb/artikel/15246 (abgerufen am 30.11.2020).

19.02.2021 17

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna

Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment

Institute of Waste Management

E-Mail: [email protected] \ Webpage: www.wau.boku.ac.at/abf.html

Tel.: +43 (0)1 318 99 00 \ Fax: +43 (0)1 318 99 00 350

Muthgasse 107/3, A-1190 Vienna

Viktoria [email protected]

+43 (0)1 476 54 - 81317

mailto:[email protected]

tel:+43014765481317

Time for questions!

Mieke Decorte is a technical expert on the analysis of biogas and biomethane markets.

She also works on the study and valorization of the positive externalities of biogas and biomethane, including the reduction of GHG emissions.

She coordinates EBA’s involvement in EU projects.

Voluntary monitoring systems and benefitsMieke Decorte, EBA Technical and Project Officer

European Biogas Association

Voluntary monitoring systems and benefits

Mieke DecorteEvEmBi workshop

26/01/2021

AD plays a major role in preventing methane emissions

... nevetheless, occoring emissions must be avoided

Benefits of avoiding methane emissions at biogas plants

• Abatement of climatechange

• Increased income

• Safety aspects

• Avoidance of odourproblems

Voluntary monitoring systems – 2 mainparts

1. Leak detection and remedying of found leaksplant‘s own personnel

2. Quantification of emissions and loses

external and independed consultant

Voluntary monitoring systems – step bystep

Step 1: Checklist for regular rounds

• Plant description with critical control points

• Requires no equipment

• E.g. plant operator checks if all safety valves areclosed

• High frequency

• Low cost


Step 2: Performing leak detections

• The focus is self-control

• Third-party revision for credibility

• High frequency

• Medium cost


Step 3: Remedying of found leaks

• Leakages must me remedied with reasonableresources within a reasonable amount of time

• Inclusion in the plant maintenance program

• High frequency

• Medium cost


Step 4: Quantifying and reporting of methane emissions

• Third-party measurement consultant

• Measurment data gathered by a central party toenable reporting

• Frequency depended on the plant size

• Medium frequency

• High cost


Step 5: Short-term (2025) and long-term (2040) reductiontargets

• Aiming at driving down the emission to a certain level

• Can be set at national and/or European level

• Low frequency

Preparatory work

• Follow-up of the EvEmBi project

• Investigate BAT especially on quantitative measurements

• Further synchronise the already existing (national) voluntary schemes

• Expected 2-3 years

Conclusion

Voluntary monitoring systems will:

• Further improve the environmental performance of biogassystems by indentifying and reducing methane emissions

• Support plant owners in performing structured inventory of theirplant to detect possible methane emmissions

• Help build-up knowledge and awareness of operators

• Provide better knowledge about methane emissions for the biogasand industry and thereby create greater credibility.

• Assure the societal value of biogas production with regard to GHG mitigation

EvEmBi deliverables

• Methane emission mitigation strategies – information sheet for biogas industry

• Minimum requirements for European voluntary systems

https://www.europeanbiogas.eu/methane-emission-mitigation-strategies-information-sheet-for-biogas-industry/

https://www.europeanbiogas.eu/methane-emission-mitigation-strategies-information-sheet-for-biogas-industry/

Thank you!

Renewable Energy House

Rue d'Arlon 63-65

B - 1040 Brussels

Mieke [email protected]

European Biogas Association

Project manager and expert on methaneemissions. Measuring emissions on biogasplants since 2013. Benchmarking studies,methodology development and researchwithin biogas and waste management.Background from working with quality,inspection, and maintenance.

Best practices: the Swedish system and its achievementsJohan Yngvesson, RISE

Self inspection ofmethane emissions

A Swedish voluntary system since 2007

EBA Webinar 2021-01-26

Johan Yngvesson

RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden

Photo by Johan Yngvesson

Biogas production in Sweden

• Co-digestion plants 36 (963 GWh)

• WWT plants 138 (727 GWh)

• Farm plants 44 (56 GWh)

• Industrial plants 6 (143 GWh)

• Land fil 55 (141 GWh)

• Producing in total ≈2 TWh biogas

• Upgrading plants 70 plants in total

RISE — Swedish Voluntary Agreement39

Co-digestion plants

Wastewater treatment

plants

Upgrading plant

Source: Energigas Sverige

How the biogas is being used:


Source: ER 2019:23 Production and use of biogas and biofertiliser 2018

Substrates for biogas production, 2018(kilo tonnes wet weight)


Wastewater

treatment

Co-digestion plants

Farm plants

Industry

Gasification

Source: ER 2019:23 Production and use of biogas and biofertiliser 2018

Food Sewage Industry Manure Waste from Slaughter Crops Otherwaste sludge sludge food industry houses

The Swedish voluntary system


Background to “EgMet”

Foto: Johan Yngvesson


• It started in 2007 by the Swedish

Waste Management Association

and their members

• Since 2019 co-owned by

Swedish Water

• >200 measurements performed

• about 25 production plants and

30 upgrading plants participated


Organisation

Biogas industry

Project execution team

Reference team

Steering comittee

Joint administrative office

System description published

The Swedish Waste Management Association

The Swedish Water and Wastewater Association


https://www.avfallsverige.se/fileadmin/user_upload/3_avfallsh

antering/Egenkontroll_metanemissioner_2019_eng.pdf

https://www.avfallsverige.se/fileadmin/user_upload/3_avfallshantering/Egenkontroll_metanemissioner_2019_eng.pdf

https://www.avfallsverige.se/fileadmin/user_upload/3_avfallshantering/Egenkontroll_metanemissioner_2019_eng.pdf

Four good reasons


Environment

Safety

Health

Economy


System set-up


❑ Participation form

❑ Annual fee (app. €500)

❑ Training, skill development

❑ (System development)

❑ The system consists of two main parts:

✓ “detection” (of leaks)

✓ “quantification”

1. Emission detection

❑ Self-control, involving leak

detection & documentation

❑ Consider detection equipment,

intervals and competence

❑ Should involve operators

❑ Increases knowledge &

engagement


Photo by Daniel Bäckström

Emission quantification


❑ Measurements every three

years by a third party

❑ Provides data for

prioritization, benchmarking

and credibility

❑ Incentive for setting

reduction targets

❑ Methodology described in a

measurement guide


What is the purpose?


❑ Provide a structure for

inventorying possible methane

emissions

❑ Give better knowledge about the

size of the emissions

❑ Further improve the environmental

performance of the biogas system


Main targets

• further improve the environmental performance of the biogas system

• give plant owners help in performing a structured inventorying of their plant to detect emissions

• give plant owners better knowledge about the size of the emissions from theirplant

• identify and reduce any emissions

• give the biogas industry better information and thereby greater credibility in relation to emissions.


Biogas plant

Liquid waste

Digestate

Recieving tank

Hygienisation

Mixing tank

Digester

Torch

Bolier/Gas motor/ Upgrading plant

Pretreatment

unit

Digestate

tank

Dewatering

Digestate

storage

Solid waste

System bounderies in the Swedish system

Receiving building


Achivements

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Participating plants

production upgrading



Production & emissions, between 2007 - 2018

0

10

20

30

40

50

0,00

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

(1st) 2nd 3rd 4th(M

ton

nes)

% o

f p

rod

uct

ion

ef annual production



Emissions in upgrading


0

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

% o

f p

rod

uct

ion

Chemical scrubber Water Scrubber

PSA BUU + "RTO"

Correlation between methane emissions and plant size


Default values for sustainability criteria in Sweden

configuration

EF

(%)Waste water sludge, excl. digestate 0,95

Waste water sludge incl. digestate 2,9

Municipal / industrial food waste, excl. digestate 0,22

Municipal / Industrial food waste, incl. digestate 1,4

Upgrading BAT (amin scrubber or upgrading with RTO) 0,19

Upgrading other 2,0


Volontary

System

Detection

QuantificationReduction

Bench-marking

EgMet benefits


CH4

Some of the success factors!

✓ Relevance for the industry

✓ Low threshold to take part

✓ Simple to understand

✓ Useful for operators

Foto: Johan Yngvesson


Research Institutes of Sweden AB · 010-516 50 00 · [email protected] · ri.se

Besöksadress: Lindholmspiren 7 A, 417 56 Göteborg · Postadress: Box 857, 501 15 Borås

Johan Yngvesson

[email protected]

+46 703 82 55 26

Project manager and expert on

methane emissions. Measuring

emissions on biogas plants since

2013. Benchmarking studies,

methodology development and research

within biogas and waste management.

Background from working with quality,

inspection, and maintenance.

Best practices: the Swedish system and its achievements

Johan Yngvesson, RISE

Training concepts for minimizing methane emissions from biogas plants

RISE — Methane emissions from biogas production61

Germany• Course: 23.09.2020 in Stadtroda Germany

– Basic training "Biogas production for plant

operators”

• Course: 05.11.2020 in Dresden Germany

– Refresher training operator qualification, ”Plant

safety on biogas plants, incl. TRGS 529 and TRAS

120”

• Course: 23.11.2020, Pilot-online-course

– Refresher training operator qualification, “Plant

safety on biogas plants, incl. TRGS 529 and TRAS

120”


• Organized by Schulungsverbund Biogas -with the aim to uniform national education and training of biogas plant operators

• But also for biogas companies (planning, construction and maintenance/service)

• It was included in existing operator trainings

• About 16-18 participants / course

• Feedback: Not concluded yet. But methane avoidance is an important issue for operators.

• Operators already do a lot, however, since the mandatory requirements in Germany.

• Therefore little interest in a voluntary system

Swedish training day

• the 12th March 2020

• Co-organised by the “Swedish Waste Management Association” and “Swedish Water”

• Invitations was sent mainly to their members (biogas plant operators).

• Lectures by experts in methane emissions, representative for “EgMet”, and a

representative from the industry.

• 57 participants registered for the event, well above expectations.

• Feedback: much appreciated, some ideas for future trainings.

• A follow up webinar is planned to the 27 january 2021, that will focus on examples on

mitigation activities from the Evembi project. (+100 registered)


Agenda of training day

• European outlook

• Self inspection of methane emissions –

EgMet (the Swedish voluntary system)

• Emission objects

• Methods measuring methane slip

• Calculation methods for methane

emissions

• Experiences from an biogas operator

point of view


Austrian operator workshop• Organized by Kompost & Biogas Verband Österreich

• Three workshops in the scope of existing operator meetings/workshops

• 37 participants

• Feedback: very positive!


On the agenda

• Overview of relevant Austrian

regulations

• Presentation of the Evembi

project

• Measurement results

• Emissions mitigation measures

• Presentation of Volontary

system

• Biogas plant visit

• Discussion


SchweizNo specific training day organized yet. Plan to do this in summer 2021.

• Ökostrom Schweiz

• Individual talks and site visits and emission measurements with our biogas operators

• 2019: 3 biogas plant operators

• 2020: 18 biogas plant operators

• Content: We checked together with the operators for leakages with the on-site

equipment and talked about emissions and how to avoid or reduce them.

• Feedback: Positive! The leakage detection was especially valued.

• (Some operators prefer the use of m3 biogas, or methane, in explanations. Other units

are difficult to relate to. )RISE — Methane emissions from biogas production67

Research Institutes of Sweden AB · 010-516 50 00 · [email protected] · ri.se

Besöksadress: Lindholmspiren 7 A, 417 56 Göteborg · Postadress: Box 857, 501 15 Borås

Thank you!

Johan Yngvesson

[email protected]

070-382 55 26

Time for

questions!

Thank you!

More info

• Technical questions:

Mieke Decorte [email protected]

• Communication and dissemination:

Angela Sainz Arnau [email protected]



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