A farm in the Czech Republic is showing how valuable food crops can be grown using heat and electricity that are generated using biogas which is produced from agricultural waste.

PHOTO: The farm, biogas plant and greenhouse at Suchohrdly, which is 40km south-west of Brno in the Czech Republic (Photo: TEDOM)

The farm at Suchohrdly (approximately 40km south west of Brno) meets its own energy needs by producing biogas from a liquid slurry containing pig manure, combined with waste from a sugar mill and other plants (biomass) grown on the farm. One tonne of this slurry is enough to produce 30 m³ of biogas. The waste (digestate) from the biogas plant can also be used as a natural fertilizer to grow crops, thereby avoiding the need to purchase costly fertilizers from external suppliers.

The biogas produced on the farm is used to fuel an array of 5 Cento CHP units, manufactured by TEDOM, with a combined electrical output of 1.2 MW. In order to ensure continuous operation, there are 2 additional Cento CHP units which are optimised to run on natural gas with a combined electrical output of 600 kW. The heat and electricity from these CHP units is used on the farm, to supply the biogas plant and also a large greenhouse (owned by Bylinky s.r.o.) where fresh herbs are being grown across an area of over 10,000 m².

“Thanks to a well-thought-out approach to electricity and heat supply, the agricultural operation in Suchohrdly has become almost self-sufficient,” explains Leoš Vejtasa from TEDOM. “For the past 17 years, we at TEDOM have been following with interest how cogeneration technology contributes to the development of sustainable food production. This approach can be an inspiration for similar facilities in Europe and around the world!”

For more information about this project, see the video on YouTube (in English): TEDOM CHP Units in the Biogas Plant in Suchohrdly. You can also download the case study fact sheet (2 pages) from the TEDOM website.

For more information about TEDOM Cento CHP units – see the TEDOM website.

Published on 1 December 2023

The Italian province of Vicenza has become an important centre for liquid biomethane production with two state-of-the-art plants that use electricity and heat provided by cogeneration units supplied by AB Energy (Gruppo AB). The ECOMAX® cogeneration modules can run on biogas, thereby avoiding the need to use fossil fuels or electricity imported from the grid.

PHOTO: The Motta Energia biomethane production facility is approximately 20km north east of Vicenza, which is 70km west of Venezia (Venice) (Photo: Iniziative Biometano)

The two biomethane production plants are both owned and operated by the same company (Iniziative Biometano). They use agricultural waste including bovine/poultry manure and sewage, obtained from 120 farms in the surrounding area, to produce a total of 7,000 tons of liquid biomethane (or Bio-LNG) per year (i.e. around 10 tons per plant per day). This Bio-LNG is used to fuel more than 200 heavy trucks for a total distance of 100,000 kilometers per year.

By applying the ‘circular economy’ approach in the agricultural context, the project makes it possible to fully utilize all the waste collected from local farms. As well as producing green fuel to power hundreds of heavy trucks (thereby reducing the consumption of fossil fuels in the transport sector), the process also generates excellent fertilizer that can be used on fields to replace chemical fertilizers, and also contributes to the capture and storage of carbon in the soil.

For this project, AB Energy (Gruppo AB) has supplied the technologies to cover the entire transformation chain from biogas into liquid biomethane. Two BIOCH4NGE® membrane purification systems are used to upgrade biogas into biomethane, which is then transformed from gas into liquid by two CH4LNG® liquefactors. Meanwhile, two ECOMAX® cogeneration units, which can be fed with either biogas or natural gas, produce enough heat and electricity to support all the processes whilst ensuring optimal performance in terms of both cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

“Cogeneration fits perfectly into the process, especially because of the thermal power requirements of the anaerobic digestion,” explains Enrico Calzavacca, Chief Technology Innovation Officer of AB Energy. “Moreover, the possibility to run the cogeneration units with biogas reduces the use of fossil fuels, thereby decreasing the carbon intensity of the whole process.”

“Without cogeneration the site would be lacking thermal power for the digestion process, and the energy needs of the plant would have to be covered by electricity bought from the grid. So this project is really an excellent example that shows how effective and efficient cogeneration can be across a wide spectrum of applications.”

For more information about this project, see the video on the NetZeroTube website (in Italian with English or German subtitles): The virtuous cycle of Motta Energia and EBS for the production of 7,000 tons of liquefied biomethane per year

For more information about ECOMAX® cogeneration plants – see the Gruppo AB website.

Published on 25 October 2023

COGEN Europe member 2G Energy has installed a cogeneration system at Kirkwall Airport, which provides essential transport services for people living in the Orkney Islands in the north of Scotland. The CHP system runs on 100% green hydrogen, produced using wind and solar energy, emitting no greenhouse gases and thereby contributing to the decarbonisation of the airport.

2G’s hydrogen-ready CHP system has been connected with the airport’s existing heating system to meet the heating and power requirements of the main airport buildings whilst running on 100% green hydrogen. The project is a positive example that shows the key role of CHP technology in ensuring a resilient, affordable and sustainable energy system.

At the COGEN Europe Awards Ceremony in Leuven (Belgium) on 11 October 2022, 2G was announced as the winner of the Technology & Innovation Award for the installation of a 100% hydrogen CHP system at Kirkwall Airport, using green hydrogen.

Kirkwall Airport is one of 11 Airports managed by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which aims to make all of its airports carbon-neutral, thereby helping Scotland to create the world’s first net-zero emission aviation region by 2040.

“When wind or sun are available, the need for electricity and heat is not always there,” explains Christian Grotholt, CEO of 2G Energy AG. “Conversely, the sun does not always shine or the wind does not blow when the need is actually there. Hence, an energy storage system and an efficient usage of this storage is of utmost importance to bridge the time lag between production of energy and use of energy – and this is where hydrogen CHP comes into play.  With our hydrogen-powered cogeneration plants we are part of the seasonal and high-efficiency storage technology to align the production and utilization of energy from renewable sources.”

For more information about 2G cogeneration systems using 100% hydrogen – see the 2G Energy website.

Published on 17 January 2023

The popular Aquana Sauna and Recreation Pool in Würselen, Germany, offers a blend of extreme adventure and vast tranquility. The family-focused spa and “play and wave” waterpark with a black hole water ride and peaceful wellness is powered and heated by a very energy efficient cogeneration unit.

The complex array of equipment that operates the centre’s abundant rides and amenities, and the high electrical load necessary to maintain comfortable water temperatures, requires considerable round-the-clock energy consumption. The aqua-park component of the facility has a total water area of nearly 1,800-square-meters (2,153-square-yards). Aquana needs nearly continuous heat consumption of around 280- to 290-kilowatts, as there is a lot of water surface where you lose a lot of energy.

Aquana decided to partner with COGEN Europe member Capstone to install a Capstone C200 MicroTurbine. It was the first C200 in Germany in a combined heat and power (CHP) plant application. The energy regulation system is operating a reciprocating engine and turbine. The reciprocating engine runs continuously, and when the demand for heat exceeds the engine’s capacity, the microturbine is activated. If the consumption is too low for the engine to run in full load, the turbine will run as master so that the turbine is optimizing the total heat supply for the CHP system.

Aquana’s CHP application is recognized as a high-efficiency system. More than a mere drop in the bucket, the microturbines are anticipated to have a significant environmental impact – reducing around 2,500 tonnes of CO2 annually. It is quite obvious green technologies with low emissions and high efficiencies take centre stage, and microturbines fulfil all the requirements.

Benefits of cogeneration

2,500 tonnes of CO2 saved per year

Since 2020, Ralph N. from Singen (Germany) is the proud owner of a SenerTec Dachs 0.8 fuel cell unit. He and his family can now generate their own heat and electricity in a very efficient way for their 280 square meters single-family house.

Furthermore, the family successfully refurbished their house to become more energy efficient by replacing the single-glazed windows with triple-glazed windows. Within this renovation process, they replaced their old condensing boiler with the state-of-the-art fuel cell heating system Dachs 0.8.

Ralph N. is particularly pleased about the savings due to the refurbishment: “The entire renovation work has reduced my gas consumption by 75%. The fuel cell‘s own electricity production has so far resulted in electricity cost savings of almost 50%.” The basic electricity requirement for electric endurance runners such as refrigerators, freezers and standby devices can be covered very well. And on top of that, there is still something left for partly covering the rest of the remaining demand.

Also in the future, Ralph N. wants to rely on highly efficient technologies: “Due to the positive experience with fuel cells, we will install an additional Dachs – a little bit larger in size – in our new building with 11 rental units to keep the ancillary costs of the tenants as low as possible.” This is how we can combine environmental awareness with added value for the tenants.

Credits and big thanks to Ralph N for providing this story.

Benefits of cogeneration

	1,821 kilos of CO2 saved per year
	Electricity cost savings of 50% due to self-generation
	Gas consumption reduced by 75% in combination with additional renovation measures

The Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Integrated Health Campus located in Istanbul (Turkey) collaborated with Yanmar to become more energy efficient, reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions. Supported by the Turkish Health Ministry, Yanmar installed a large trigeneration facility to provide the hospital with low-carbon electricity, heating and cooling. As the hospital has a bed capacity of 2.682 and about 1.000.000 m² of closed construction area in a seismic area, the project was called “The World’s Largest Building with Seismic Isolation” thanks to the 2040 seismic isolators.

The power plant contains 5 gas generator packages with a total capacity of 12.180 kW electrical output from the Spanish brand Himoinsa, a group company of Yanmar. The plant was commissioned in May 2020 by Yanmar Turkey, a member of the Turkish Cogeneration Association and its regional representative, under the challenging conditions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the facility, 11,496 kW of heat will be obtained and converted into hot water of 90°C using jacket water exchangers and exhaust-effect chillers. If the facility requests, 6°C cold water with a total capacity of 6,928 kW will be obtained via the exhaust-effect absorption chiller. The trigeneration plant helps the hospital meeting its 40MW electricity and 32MW cooling loads in summer as well as the continuous 12MW electricity and 7MW cooling needs at every moment of the year.

The overall efficiency of the system reaches 90% via the heat recovery when electricity is generated. This results in annual energy cost savings of 1,8 million EUR and a 60% reduction of CO2 emissions.

Benefits of cogeneration

	60% of CO2  emissions avoided per year
	1,8 million EUR saved per year

The Ochain Energie biogas plant project could serve as a model example of how cogeneration can be optimally used in agriculture. It is proof that low-emission production of power and heat from locally sourced waste is worth exploring.

The main motivation of the owners was the construction of a renewable energy source without a negative impact on the environment and nature.

“It all started very simply, we wanted to find another source of income for the family farm. However, we did not want to embark on the path of industrial automation in livestock farming. Agriculture must be approached with respect, with an open mind and one must also be prepared for new trends in this field. Biogas in combination with cogeneration is beautiful proof of that.”

Mr. Grégory Racelle, owner of the family farm

In a biogas plant, biomass is mixed in the fermenters, heated in a controlled manner, and subsequently decomposed. This decomposition produces biogas with a high proportion of methane. A notable factor of this project is the commitment of the operator that the input raw material – biomass – is supplied only from local sources, which contributes even more to the low-emission concept. The resulting biogas, which is cleaned of unwanted impurities such as water or sulfur dioxide, is used as fuel for the CHP unit. Moreover, the whole cycle is a closed loop. After the fermentation process has ended, the entire content is further used as fertilizer. This is done because the substrate does not lose its quality during the fermentation process. Each farmer eventually receives the same amount of digestate that they originally put into the biogas plant.

Each of the TEDOM cogeneration units has an output of 600 kWe at a consumption of 430 Nm3 of gas per hour. The electrical efficiency of the system is 42.8% and the total efficiency reaches 89%. The biogas plant consumes approximately 36,000 tonnes of biomass per year. Thanks to this technology, about 6,000 tonnes of CO2 are saved per year. The power produced from one cogeneration unit per year would be enough to cover the consumption of about 3,000 households. Thanks to the capacity of the large storage, it is possible to operate the cogeneration unit for 24 hours a day, with only small service breaks during the year. The result is a truly green, local and highly efficient stable energy output.

The power from the two cogeneration units is primarily supplied to the grid, covering part of local power consumption, and providing additional income for the farm. A small part of the heat is used to regulate the temperature in the fermenters to guarantee the correct decomposition of organic matter. Most of the remainder of the heat is then distributed by a heat pipeline to a local nursing home situated approximately a kilometer away.  It covers all the heating and hot water requirements for approximately 120 people in the nursing home.

Benefits of cogeneration

	About 6,000 tonnes of CO2 saved per year
	3,000 households supplied with green electricity Local nursing home supplied with green heat
	1200 kWe Electrical output 89 % Overall efficiency

In the MAN Truck & Bus Group, the MAN Nuremberg plant is the International Competence Centre for the development, production, and sale for future efficient engine technology. For the group, the plant is the consolidated body of expertise where about 3,500 employees are concentrated and up to 100,000 engines are produced every year. Understandably, the plant has a high electricity and heat demand. To complement this demand, they opted for a MAN cogeneration solution that satisfies all the plants base-load needs.

The goal of the installment was to supply the assembly hall with electricity and heat to reduce the output of the company`s own hard coal power plant. The solution they opted for also provides for their facilities energy demands without a negative impact on the environment or future.

In 2016, the GG260 CHP system from Sokratherm was installed in the Nuremberg plant. At the heart of the system is a MAN E3263 E302 natural gas engine with 275 kWmech at 1.5000 rpm (50Hz). The focus was deliberately chosen on a naturally aspirated engine with a combustion air ratio lambda = 1, as this type of combustion produces increased heat. Additionally, the optimised combustion and the cylinder head with 4-valve technology gives a higher overall efficiency of 93.6% with 54.0% thermal and an outstanding 39.6% mechanical efficiency. Into the bargain the unit also has a data logger with standardized sensors and sensor positions, and a flow-optimised crankcase.

Through its intensive research, MAN engine development finds responses to the environmentally relevant issues of reductions in consumption and emissions. The result is a truly optimised, local, highly efficient, and stable energy and heat output that reduces energy consumption, bills, and the carbon footprint. The engine has now been running for over 25,000 hours and has produced more than 6,000 MWh of electricity and 10,000 MWh of heat in that time. In addition, by doing without the hard coal power station for this energy produced, more than 1,000 tons of CO2 have been saved.

Benefits of cogeneration

	More than 1,000 tons of CO2 avoided
	More than 6,000 MWh of electricity and more than 10,000 MWh of heat

In the course of modernizing their apartment building, the Beyer family was looking for a replacement for their approximately 25-year-old oil heating system. Together with the Rudolf Ziegengeist company, the family decided on a liquid Propane gas-based (LPG) fuel cell Sunfire-Home 750. Since then, they have seen their energy bills and carbon footprint going down.

“It was time for a new supply system, because we had not been satisfied with the efficiency of our old oil heating for some time.“ says Dirk Beyer the father of the family from Kraftsdorf near Gera. A solar-energy system was not an option because of insufficient solar radiation. The best option for heating and powering their home was then a Sunfire-Home 750 cogeneration fuel cell.

The high overall efficiency of the liquid gas-based fuel cell results in fewer CO2 emissions than the old oil heating. As a result, the Beyer family saves a total of up to 8.5 tons of CO2 and EUR 1,000 in electricity costs per year. The fuel cell is fully automated meaning the Beyers have a weather-independent, continuous electricity production of up to 6,570 kWh per year. Since less electricity needs to be drawn from the grid the electricity cost is lower. At the same time, the Sunfire Home 750 fuel cell unit provides up to 10,950 kWh of heat in a highly efficient and clean manner. “We have found the best solution for us” says Dirk.

Benefits of cogeneration

	Up to 8.5 tons of CO2 saved per year
	Up to 1,000 EUR on electricity cost saved per year
	Smartphone app to easily follow performance values

HanseWerk Natur’s combined heat and power plant is Hamburg’s largest and most efficient CHP plant, producing 8.4 megawatts of electrical output powering up to 20,000 households within the Hamburg region.

HanseWerk Natur replaced their previous landfill heat generator plant by partnering with COGEN Europe member, INNIO Jenbacher to install six new CHP gas engines to generate both heat and power. Through Jenbacher’s combined heat and power plant, HanseWerk Natur consumes more than 30% less resources and emits almost 60% less carbon dioxide. As a result, 50 climate-friendly Jenbacher gas engines have been put into operation in other HanseWerk Natur power plants throughout Germany.

“By generating both heat and power, the plant achieves a total efficiency of over 95 percent,” says Thomas Baade, CEO of HanseWerk Natur GmbH. “With this extremely high efficiency and impressive operational flexibility, the CHP plant helps to achieve greater security in energy supply and is therefore another valuable part of the decentralized energy supply in the Hanseatic city of Hamburg.”

Benefits of cogeneration

	Reducing CO2 by almost 60%
	20,000 households receiving efficient and low-carbon power