BIOMETHANE represents the natural evolution of biogas. It is a renewable gaseous fuel obtained through an advanced purification process (upgrading) of raw biogas. Agribioenergia’s original goal has grown: we no longer limit ourselves to producing electricity and thermal energy on-site, but we also inject biomethane directly into the national energy grid.
THE TECHNOLOGICAL UPGRADE: WHAT CHANGES?
In simple words, biogas is a mixture mainly composed of methane (about 50-60%) and carbon dioxide (about 40-50%). To turn it into biomethane, CO2 and impurities must be removed to reach a purity level higher than 97%.
We have increased the size of the plant, moving from a biogas production of 450 mc/h to a production of 1400 mc/h, introducing new sections and systems necessary for the transformation of the process.
WHY DID WE CHOOSE BIOMETHANE?
Typically, biogas plants that produce electricity have an efficiency of 40%. Agribioenergia’s plant, thanks to heat recovery, reached 80% instead. European and national directives have promoted the conversion to biomethane precisely to overcome the limitations of traditional plants, and so we too have aimed for greater overall energy efficiency.
HOW DO WE POWER THE PLANT TODAY?
We keep our pact with the local territory and the sustainability of our supply chains firmly in place:
70% with agro-industrial plant and animal by-products and crop residues
(potato and onion peelings, tomato skins, livestock manure, and straw)
30% from dedicated autumn-winter crops, corn, sorghum
THE DIGESTATE: CLOSING THE LOOP
The cycle still generates digestate: a completely organic fertilizer. During the 120-180 days of fermentation, nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) are mineralized, becoming immediately assimilable by plants.
The use of these digestates as fertilizers ALLOWED AN IMPORTANT REDUCTION IN THE USE OF
SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS ON OUR FIELDS.
In fact, therefore, the plant has made it possible to activate a supply chain that transforms agricultural production both in the form of raw materials and in the form of secondary raw materials into electrical and thermal energy WITHOUT EMISSIONS INTO THE AIR AND WITHOUT WASTE PRODUCTION.
Production of renewable
electricity and thermal energy.
Production of BIOMETHANE a renewable source
Maximum energy efficiency
Short-supply-chain energy and injection into the grid
Enhancement of the circular economy and cost reduction: The virtuous use of by-products and livestock effluents eliminates the environmental impact linked to the disposal of agro-industrial matrices.
Agricultural sustainability and quality digestate
