The company “Gals Agro” has launched the first biomethane plant in Ukraine
Today is the birthday of Ukrainian biomethane! Ukraine has taken a confident step into the future — “Gals Agro” company has commissioned the first biomethane plant in the country.
This took place at one of the company’s six biogas facilities with a capacity of 6.9 MW. 600 m³/hour of raw biogas is supplied for enrichment, from which 330 m³/hour of biomethane is produced (equivalent to 1.3 MW electrical).
About the installation
This first biogas plant of “Gals Agro” was put into operation in 2018. The first phase of the plant had an electrical capacity of 2.4 MW. In 2020, construction of the plant’s second phase began, which allowed to increase the capacity by 4.5 MW to a total of 6.9 MW.
Additionally, a reserve capacity for biogas production of 1.5 MW (electrical) was provided, equivalent to up to 3 million m³ of biomethane per year.
Fermentation technology — mesophilic anaerobic fermentation of organic feedstock with the production of biogas, which is then supplied to a cogeneration system for the production of thermal and electrical energy. Jenbacher cogeneration units (Austria) are used.
During the construction of the plant’s second phase, the latest European biogas production technologies were employed, which allowed for an increase in the overall biogas output per cubic meter of fermentation capacity, raising the dry matter content in the reactors from 6% to 15%. More advanced technologies of fermentation (thermophilic instead of mesophilic), gas preparation and gas purification were applied. At the same time, the first phase was renovated to enhance the efficiency of the technological processes. Additional cogenerators, a biogas drying system, sulfur removal, and new mixers were installed.
Basic feedstock: sugar beet pulp after sugar production, beet molasses, plant residues, energy crop silage, food and feed production waste, and cattle manure.
Biomethane
In 2021, a decision was made to equip the plant with a biomethane production module.
It was due to:
- The increase in natural gas prices and the prospect of further price rises.
- General European trends towards reducing the use of fossil energy sources and dependence on Russian gas.
- Difficulties in timely payments for renewable energy production.
- The European Union’s encouragement for a general reduction in CO2 emissions.
- The decarbonization of all stages of production.
The enrichment of biogas to biomethane occurs in a membrane-type unit from the Dutch company Bright (represented in Ukraine by Pro-Energy). The reconstruction of the biogas plant was carried out by the Ukrainian company AC GROUP. The main feedstock is corn silage. iomethane is supplied to the distribution network of JSC “Chernihivgas” (RGC).
We are proud that all the companies involved in the implementation of the project are members of the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine.
Congratulations to “Gals Agro,” Vadym Vaispapir, Serhii Kravchuk, Oleg Riabov, and everyone involved on this historic occasion!
Wishing you continued success and the development of new biomethane plants!
