Nordic countries' largest biogas plant to provide fuel for buses

A paper mill in Norway is to become home to a biogas plant that will produce fuel for public transport vehicles.

The Wärtsilä plant to be installed at a paper mill in Skogn will convert cleaned biogas from fishery waste and residual paper mill slurry into liquid fuel. The liquid will be cooled to -160°C for storage in insulated tanks. A biogas supply contract for the plant was signed last year with Swedish biogas production company Purac Puregas.

The system has been designed to liquefy small methane-based gas streams – a novel technology which is based on readily available components but features an advanced process design and control system.

The process of delivering renewable liquid biogas fuel means that sulphur oxide and particle emissions are virtually eliminated, while any released carbon dioxide has zero environmental impact since it is part of the existing circulatory carbon dioxide, says Wärtsilä.

‘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,’ said Øystein Ihler, Development Director of Climate and Energy Programme for the City of Oslo. ‘It is a game-changer in the biogas fuel market,’ he added.

The on-site installation is scheduled to be completed within a 15-month time frame.