Overview of biomethane markets and regulations ... - Green Gas Grids

National reports on biomethane markets
Austria
Status quo - biogas plants and biomethane plants
Austria has had a long tradition in biogas production from landfill, sewage sludge
and industrial waste. More than 20 years ago the first agricultural biogas plants
using liquid and solid animal manure emerged. Before the millennium, attempts to
use energy crops and grass were made. Some provinces subsidised such
agricultural and co-digestion plants by feed-in tariffs for a period of 10 to 12 years.
In 2001, the Green Electricity Act introduced nation-wide feed-in tariffs for a
eligibility period of 13 years. Until 2007, more than 200 biogas plants with a total
capacity of 60 MW mainly fed by energy crops have been erected. Subsequent
amendments of the Green Electricity Act did not lead to a comparable market
activity, the biogas market slowed down and today we can count approximately 300
agricultural biogas plants, 25 industrial AD plants, 134 sewage gas plants, 30 MSW
AD plants and 14 landfill gas plants in operation.
In 2005 the first biomethane project at pilot plant scale was implemented. Today
there are a total of 10 plants that upgrade biogas to biomethane, out of which
seven plants are injecting into the gas grid (Table 2). The main feed stock for
biogas plants are energy crops, sewage sludge or biowaste. Another three
biomethane plants are not connected to the grid and deliver directly to filling
stations. The feed in tariffs for electricity from biomethane are considered to be less
attractive, hence, the gas is most commonly used in space heating and in the
transport sector. Initiatives which go for these two pathways face tough market
conditions and the lack of political backing.
Location Year of commissioning Upgrading technology
Capacity of biomethane
production [Nm3 / h]
Pucking* 2005 PSA 6
Bruck an der Leitha 2007 Membrane technology 100
Schwaighofen bei
Eugendorf
2008 PSA 40
Leoben* 2010 Amine scrubber 125
Engerwitzdorf 2010 Amine scrubber 125
Asten Linz 2010 Water scrubber 380
Wiener Neustadt 2011 Membrane technology 120
Steindorf 2011 PSA 150
* out of operation
Table 2: Austrian biomethane projects connected to the public grid
Beside from biomethane, efforts are made to establish production and utilisation
technology for wood gas. There are a few facilities in operation, e.g. in Güssing,
Villach and Oberwart, and a plant is planned to be constructed in Klagenfurt. Wood
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