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iogaspartner – a joint initiative. 

Biogas Grid Injection in Germany and Europe – 

Market, Technology and Players.

Content. 

Content. 

Introduction...........................................................................................4 

Project: biogaspartner. .......................................................................6 

1.1 Project description. ............................................................6 

1.2 The partners of the Biogas Partnership. ............................ 7 

Market Development in..Germany. ........................................... 8 

2.1 Market development. .............................................................8 

2.2 Project examples. ................................................................ 14 

2.3 Political framework for biogas injection in Germany. ....22 

Market Development in Europe. .................................................... 26 

3.1 Market development.......................................................... 26 

3.2 Project examples................................................................. 31 

Value Chain of Biomethane...........................................................34 

4.1 Biomass production. ...........................................................34 

4.2 Logistics. ......................................................................... 34 

4.3 Biogas production................................................................35 

4.4 Biogas upgrade.....................................................................35 

4.5 Grid feed-in...........................................................................37 

4.6 Sales and trade.................................................................... 38 

4.7 Application fields. ............................................................... 39 

Companies and Market Players. ..................................................... 40. 

. 

Abbreviations. ..........................................................................74. 

. 

Glossary. ............................................................................................... 75. 

. 

Publications. .........................................................................................76. 

. 

Imprint. ..................................................................................................78 

3

Introduction. 

There are many good reasons for biomethane. 

One of the most efficient ways of using biomass for energy production 

is the generation of biogas. Innovative technologies are 

available on the market, allowing biogas to be upgraded to natural 

gas quality – also called “biomethane” or “bio-natural gas” 

– and to be fed into the natural gas grid. This process enables the 

replacement of conventional natural gas in many areas, thus 

representing an important contribution to climate protection. 

Currently, about 60 plants feed biomethane into the natural 

gas grid in Germany. Several other projects are currently being 

planned or constructed, with a clear growth trend. 

This brochure provides an overview on the various stages 

along the value chain of biomethane, from its production to its 

applications as well as on political parameters and the market 

development of biogas injection in Germany and Europe. The 

key virtues and versatility of biomethane are presented in brief 

in the following. 

Active climate protection. 

Biomethane extracted from biomass can replace fossil-based 

natural gas. It can in this way abate the emissions from greenhouse 

gases, and thus achieve an important contribution to 

a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy economy. 

Natural energy sources like biomethane release only as much 

CO 2 

as is absorbed from the atmosphere by plants as they 

mature. Thereby, the ideal circumstances for climate-neutral 

energy consumption become conceivable. 

Reduced import dependency. 

Some 97 per cent of Germany’s oil and over 85 per cent of the 

country’s natural gas is imported. Biomethane, on the other 

hand, is created from indigenous, renewable resources and organic 

waste products. Legitimate prognoses project a sufficient 

amount of resources for biomethane to supply 10 per cent of 

Germany’s demand for natural gas by 2030. These calculations 

take into consideration Germany’s overall energy goals for 

the future. This approach would allow the country to import 

less natural gas, and to significantly increase energy security 

simultaneously. 

4 B i o g a s P a r t n e r – a j o i n t i n i t i a t i v e

Introduction. 

Regional development. 

Stabilisation of the energy system. 

The production of biogas from regional resources creates jobs, 

especially in agriculture, supply logistics, engineering, and 

plant construction and maintenance. In particular, this allows 

local farmers to profit from resulting developments in related 

“non-food” sectors of local economic development. These sectors 

provide increased planning security and create an opportunity 

for alternative sources of revenue. 

Eco-friendliness. 

The supply of biogas and biomethane can be maintained all 

year round. Slurry, manure and organic waste resulting from 

food processing continue to accumulate. Similarly, harvested 

biomass is stored in silos designed to be large enough to maintain 

the necessary supply of energy from biogas throughout the 

year. Thus, the production of biogas and biomethane makes an 

important contribution to a stable and reliable energy supply. 

The regularity of supply has the ability to balance the fluctuating 

electricity production originating from alternative renewable 

energy sources such as wind and photovoltaic. 

A variety of organic materials can be used in biogas plants 

exclusively, or in combination with others, without substantial 

technical alternation to the facility. Typically, crops commonly 

used for the generation of energy are processed together with 

biogenic waste, thus providing site-specific adaptability of the 

energy mixture used. 

Material flow at local level. 

Versatility of application. 

Biomethane is more flexible in its application than any other 

renewable source of energy. Its ability to be injected directly 

into the existing natural gas grid allows for energy-efficient and 

cost-effective transport. This allows gas grid operators to provide 

consumers with an easy transition to a renewable source 

of gas. 

Biogas plants are always located in close proximity to areas 

where biomass is cultivated. This circumvents the need for 

energy-intensive transportation of energy crops to the plant 

location, and minimises the cost of redistributing the byproduct 

throughout surrounding cropland. The byproduct can be used 

as a commercial fertiliser, thus reducing the costs associated 

with the regular purchase of manufactured fertiliser. The use of 

all biogas byproducts ensures the optimisation of the valueadded 

chain of this resource. 

The diverse, flexible spectrum of applications in the areas of 

electricity generation, heat provision, and mobility creates a 

broad base of potential customers. Biomethane can be used to 

generate electricity and heating in smaller decentralised, or 

large centrally-located combined heat and power plants. It can 

be used by heating systems with a highly efficient fuel value, 

and employed as a regenerative power source in gas-powered 

vehicles. The utilisation of biomethane as a source of energy 

thus is a crucial step toward a sustainable energy supply. 

5

Project: biogaspartner. 


1.1 Project description. 

In collaboration with industry partners spanning the entire 

value chain of biomethane, the Deutsche Energie-Agentur 

GmbH (dena) – the German Energy Agency – has developed the 

“biogaspartner” project. The aim of this project is to develop the 

leading platform for the injection of biogas into the natural gas 

network and the utilisation of injected biomethane. Stakeholders 

along the whole supply chain are joining the project to support 

the development of the young market. dena’s role in the 

project is to act as a neutral facilitator and to provide a platform 

both for the acquisition and preparation of information and 

for its distribution both in Germany and abroad. The project’s 

market-oriented approach will supplement the efforts of the 

German government to establish the injection of biogas into the 

natural gas network as a fixed component of the future energy 

mix. 

The project started as a national initiative but by now also 

includes the international scope. 

Industry expertise is required to exploit this potential. Dynamic 

cooperation between the players will allow not only the state 

subsidy mechanisms to function better, but also boost investment 

and innovation. dena is therefore offering membership in 

the Biogas Partnership as a means of supporting this process. 

Next to cooperation, acceptance and transparency are the main 

fields of acitivity of the Biogas Partnership. The project provides 

objectively prepared, valid information on economic, legal, 

technical and ecological questions related to the injection of 

biogas, making a significant contribution to objective discussion. 

The aim of the acceptance field is to communicate the 

desirability of the feed-in of biomethane to external stakeholders, 

especially in the light of the omnipresent discussions 

on the competition for use of crops and the impact of energy 

crop cultivation on nature and the environment. 

Political parameters. 

The parameters for the injection of biogas in Germany will be 

defined as a result of the implementation of the government’s 

integrated energy and climate programme, whereby the target 

is to exploit a potential of 6 per cent (60 bn kWh) of today’s natural 

gas consumption by the year 2020 and 10 per cent (100bn 

kWh) by 2030. This objective is defined in an amendment to 

the Gas Network Access Ordinance, which came into full effect 

on September 3rd, 2010, and regulates the grid access for both 

suppliers and grid operators. The target had first been defined 

in 2008. 

Figure: Fields of activity of the Biogas Partnership. 

Cooperation creates added value. 

The injection of biogas into the gas grid offers added value at 

many levels: biomass provision, generation, processing, marketing, 

transportation, distribution and application in the electricity, 

heat and transport sectors. Both technical and economic 

optimisation exists at each of these stages in the value chain. 

Biomethane can be used not only for standard heating applications, 

but also for cogeneration, where the resulting energy is 

subsequently fed into the grid to profit from the feed-in tariffs 

under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), and in natural 

gas powered vehicles. A number of interesting business models 

can be developed to exploit the wide-ranging possibilities for its 

use. The market players involved have recognised this trend and 

are positioning themselves strategically in this new business 

segment. 



Targets for 2020 – a prognosis. 

The goal of 6 billion cubic metres of biogas by 2020 requires 

the construction of roughly 1,000 medium-sized (700 m 3 /h) or 

2,000 smaller (350 m 3 /h) biomethane plants, equalling about 

100-200 plants per year. So, conservative estimates call for an 

investment of € 10 –12 billion in plant technology. Resource 

allocation requires that roughly 1.2 million hectares of cultivable 

land be made available for the development of biomass for 

biogas by 2020. 

1.2 The partners of the Biogas Partnership. 

The development of the market for the upgrade and feed-in of 

biomethane calls for a cooperative collaboration of the market 

players along the value chain of biogas injection. The following 

companies and associations are cooperating in the project to 

jointly face the challenges: 

Abicon GmbH 

agri.capital GmbH 

ALENSYS Engineering GmbH 

Arcanum Energy 

BALANCE VNG Bioenergie GmbH 

Biogasrat e.V. 

BIS E.M.S. GmbH 

bmp greengas GmbH 

Böck Silosysteme GmbH 

Bundesindustrieverband Deutschland Haus-, Energie- und 

Umwelttechnik e.V. 

Bundesverband der Maschinenringe e.V. 

Bundesverband Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung e.V. 

Cirmac International bv 

cng services ltd 

Dalkia GmbH 

Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e.V. 

Deutscher Bauernverband e.V. 

Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V. – Technisch-wissenschaftlicher 

Verein 

Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum gGmbH 

DZ Bank AG 

E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH 

EnBW Vertrieb GmbH 

Enovos Luxembourg S.A. 

EnviTec Biogas AG 

erdgas schwaben gmbh 

Fachverband Biogas e.V. 

figawa e.V. 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik 

UMSICHT 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Windenergie und Energiesystemtechnik 

IWES 

GASAG Berliner Gaswerke Aktiengesellschaft 

GREENFIELD Europe 

Haase Energietechnik AG & Co. KG 

juwi Bio GmbH 

keep it green gmbh 

KWS Saat AG 

Landwärme GmbH 

Mabagas GmbH & CoKG 

MT-BioMethan GmbH 

NAWARO BioEnergie AG 

N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie 

ÖKOBiT GmbH 

PlanET Biogastechnik GmbH 

PRIMAGAS GmbH 

Propan-Gesellschaft mbH 

ProTech Energiesysteme GmbH 

r. e Bioenergie GmbH 

Rechtsanwälte Schnutenhaus & Kollegen 

RES Projects GmbH 

RWE Vertrieb AG 

Städtische Werke AG Kassel 

STEAG GmbH 

Thüga Energie GmbH 

TÜV Nord Cert GmbH 

TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH 

Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG 

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft 

WELtec BioPower GmbH 

Windwärts Energie GmbH 

7

Market Development in Germany. 


2.1 Market development. 

The German market for the feed-in of biomethane into the grid 

is still young. The first two biomethane plants were put into 

operation at the end of 2006. In 2007, five more plants were installed. 

Around 45 plants were connected to the network by the 

end of 2010. By the end of 2011, about 100 plants are expected to 

be feeding into the German gas grids with a total hourly feed-in 

capacity of 64,000 cubic meters of biomethane. 

With the plants which will presumably be installed by the end 

of 2011, almost 5 billion kilowatt hours of biomethane can be 

generated and fed-in. This amount suffices to cover the final 

energy demand for heating and hot water of 250,000 four- 

people-households with a yearly consumption of 20,000 kilowatt 

hours of natural gas each. Applied as biofuel, 287,000 natural 

gas-dedicated vehicles with a mileage of 20,000 kilometers 

per year might be supplied with biomethane. 

The plants which have already been erected or are currently in 

the development or construction stage cover the entire Federal 

Republic of Germany. While Brandenburg is leading in terms 

of feed-in capacity the state of Lower Saxony currently exhibits 

the most stable growth in terms of the number of projects and 

is likely to keep this leading role also in the near future. A strong 

growth is furthermore expected for the states of Bavaria and 

Saxony until the end of 2012. 

Location Upgrade Process Status Start of Operation Biomethane 

Feed-in. 

Capacity [m 3 /h] 

Aicha (Osterhofen) No information Construction 2011 750 

Aiterhofen / Niederbayern Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2009 1,000 

Altena Amine Scrubbing Planned 2011 380 

Alteno Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 350 

Altenstadt/Hessen BiogasUpgrader Construction 2011 600 

Altenstadt Schongau Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2009 690 

Angermünde/Schmargendorf Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 650 

Apensen Amine Scrubbing Planned 2011 350 

Arneburg Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 700 

Arnschwang Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 690 

Barsikow Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 350 

Bergheim/Paffendorf No information Planned 2012 600 

Bergheim/Steinheim No information Planned 2012 300 

Berlin-Ruhleben Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 490 

Blankenhain Pressure Swing Adsorption Construction 2011 650 

Blaufelden - Emmertsbühl Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2010 210 

Bliestal No information Planned 2012 350 

Borken / Münsterland No information Planned 2011 750 

Bruchhausen-Vilsen Amine Scrubbing Operating 2011 370 

Brunne Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2011 300 

Burgrieden (bei Laupheim) Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 300 






Dannenberg Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 200 

Dargun No information Construction 2011 1,140 

Darmstadt-Wixhausen Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2008 150 

Dorsten Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2011 1,300 

Drögennindorf Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 250 

Ebsdorfergrund Amine Scrubbing Construction 2012 500 

Eggertshofen bei Freising Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 220 

Eggolsheim No information Planned 2011 400 

Eich in Kallmünz No information Operating 2011 600 

Eimbeckhausen No information Planned 2011 350 

Einbeck Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 500 

Erdeborn No information Planned 2013 350 

Ettlingen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 330 

Feldberg Pressure Swing Adsorption Planned 2012 350 

Forchheim im Breisgau BiogasUpgrader Operating 2010 530 

Forst (Lausitz) No information Planned 2011 1,350 

Fürth/Seckendorf Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2011 800 

Gangkofen Pressure Swing Adsorption Planned 2011 350 

Güterglück Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2009 650 

Godenstedt Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 300 

Gollhofen-Ippesheim No information Construction 2011 620 

Graben/Lechfeld Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 500 

Grabsleben Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 350 

Gröden Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 250 

Groß Kelle Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 270 

Guben No information Planned 2011 750 

Güstrow Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2009 5,000 

Hahnennest BiogasUpgrader Planned 2011 350 

Haldensleben Amine Scrubbing Planned 2013 700 

Hamburg Amine Scrubbing Operating 2011 300 

Hankensbüttel No information Planned 2011 350 

Hardegsen Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 500 

Heidenau Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 380 

Heitersheim/Breisgau No information Planned 2012 500 

Hellerwald / Boppard No information Planned 2011 680 

Holleben II Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2011 700 

Homburg/Efze No information Operating 2010 350 

9





Horn - Bad Meinberg Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 1,000 

Industriepark Höchst No information Construction 2011 1,000 

Jürgenshagen Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 380 

Karft Amine Scrubbing Planned 2011 550 

Kerpen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2009 550 

Ketzin Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 200 

Kißlegg-Rahmhaus Membrane Technology Operating 2010 300 

Kleinlüder bei Fulda No information Construction 2012 280 

Klein Schulzendorf Pressure Swing Adsorption Planned 2011 350 

Klein Wanzleben No information Construction 2012 700 

Könnern 1 Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2007 650 

Könnern 2 Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 1,500 

Lüchow Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2009 650 

Malstedt Amine Scrubbing Operating 2011 370 

Maihingen Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2008 560 

Marienthal Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 380 

Marktoffingen Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2012 350 

Merzig BiogasUpgrader Operating 2011 550 

Müden/Aller Amine Scrubbing Planned 2011 350 

Mühlacker Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2007 500 

Neukammer 2 No information Operating 2010 1,050 

Neuss am Niederrhein Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 160 

Neu-Ulrichstein No information on hold 460 

Niederndodeleben Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2009 650 

Oberriexingen Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 380 

Oschatz Pressure Swing Adsorption Construction 2011 700 

Ottersberg Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2012 650 

Palmersheim-Euskirchen BiogasUpgrader Operating 2011 350 

Pliening Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2006 480 

Pohlsche Heide Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2010 350 

Rathenow BiogasUpgrader Operating 2009 520 

Rätzlingen No information Planned 2012 380 

Rhede Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 500 

Röblingen am See Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2012 650 

Ronnenberg BiogasUpgrader Operating 2008 300 

Rosche Amine Scrubbing Planned 2012 380 

Roßwein/Haßlau No information Construction 2011 700 






Sachsendorf Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2011 350 

Sagard (Rügen) No information Planned 2011 660 

Schöpstal BiogasUpgrader Construction 2011 700 

Schuby Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2011 1,000 

Schwandorf II Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 1,000 

Schwarme Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2012 350 

Schwedt Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 3,500 

Schwedt (2. Ausbaustufe) Amine Scrubbing Construction 2012 3,500 

Schwedt (Neuer Hafen) Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 700 

Seehausen Amine Scrubbing Planned 2013 700 

Semd (Groß Umstadt) Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 210 

Sittensen Amine Scrubbing Planned 2011 770 

Staßfurt (vorher Glöthe) Amine Scrubbing Planned 2013 350 

Straelen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2006 550 

Stresow Pressurised Water Scrubbing Construction 2011 650 

Südlohn No information Planned 2012 750 

Tangstedt/Bützberg No information Planned 2011 350 

Tuningen Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 250 

Unsleben Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 350 

Werlte Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2007 340 

Wetschen Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 700 

Willingshausen/Ransbach Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 350 

Wittenburg No information Planned 2011 350 

Wolnzach (Hallertau) No information Construction 2011 1,000 

Wriezen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2011 650 

Wunstorf No information Planned 2013 350 

Wüsting No information Operating 2009 700 

Zeven Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 120 

Zittau No information Construction 2012 550 

Zörbig Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 2,500 

Zörbig II Amine Scrubbing Construction 2012 2,500 

Zschornewitz No information Planned 2011 700 

Zülpich Pressurised Water Scrubbing Planned 2011 350 

Table: Projects for the upgrade and feed-in of biogas into the natural gas grid (Status: July 2011). A regularly updated overview can be found on 

www.biogaspartner.com. 

11


Due to the diverse amendments to the legal framework in 

Germany (see page 22), a significant plant growth expansion is 

expected in the medium term. 

Three demand markets are relevant for the application of 

biomethane in Germany: 

Biomethane for power generation (in cogeneration mode) 

Biomethane for admixing products (in blends with natural 

gas) 

Biomethane for transport application as biofuel 

Biomethane for power generation in cogeneration. 

In order to achieve the best-possible positive impact on the conservation 

of our climate, the legislation of the German Federal 

Government is aimed at the application of biogas fed-in for 

combined heat and power generation. The main instrument for 

this is the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which explicitly 

includes power generation from fed-in biomethane and supports 

it by means of the technology bonus. 

thus can fulfill the requirements of the Renewable Heat Law 

Baden-Württemberg. In contrast to the nationally effective 

EEWärmeG, which only calls for the utilisation of biomethane 

in exceptional cases, and only if used in a cogeneration process, 

the Heat Law of the State of Baden-Württemberg also allows the 

application in exclusive heat generation. 

Other federal states are contemplating the implementation of 

similar regulations. Due to the existing infrastructure of the 

gas grid and the existing gas heating system, a sginificant CO 2 

reduction could thus be achieved in the short term. 

There is also a trend toward a growing demand in national biomethane 

product sales. Similar to “green power” offers in the 

power sector, German private end customers increasingly show 

a readiness to pay an eco premium for biomethane admixing 

products. Various municipal utilities and nationwide gas supply 

companies have developed and implemented such green 

gas products. 

In the medium term, the EEG market is viewed as the leading 

market for biomethane, since based on state-guaranteed tariffs, 

security and stability can be offered to private investors for 20 

years. A remaining risk factor is the development of substrate 

prices, which could not be compensated due to the fixed tariff 

system and might directly affect business revenues. 

Biomethane as admixing product. 

Biomethane as an admixing product in combination with fossil 

natural gas is already offered by some gas suppliers in admixing 

quotas ranging from 5 to 30 per cent. The latter quota is 

especially common in Baden-Württemberg, where customers 

Biomethane application as biofuel. 

As a substitute to natural gas, biomethane can be used to fuel 

natural gas-dedicated vehicles. By means of gas grid feed-in, 

it can be distributed to the German gas station network and 

substitute fossil fuels. 

Compared to other biofuels, even those of the second generation 

like biomass-to-liquid (BtL), biomethane is a highly effective 

biofuel with a high specific cropland yield. Therefore, from 

an economic and technological point of view, it is one of the 

most promising alternatives to sustainably apply biomass in the 

vehicle sector. However, the demand in this sector is very much 

dependent on the development of the natural gas-dedicated 

vehicle market. Currently, there are about 90,000 natural gas 

vehicles in Germany. So for the application of biomethane, the 

biofuel market is merely a niche market under the current conditions. 

Due to the changes in the biofuel quota regulation from 

June 2009, however, a new impetus for this sales market is to be 

expected: biomethane can now be counted in context with the 

biofuel quota goals of the German Federal Government. 



Kiel 

20 

43 

48 

37 

Düsseldorf 

25 

51 

55 

Bremen 

6 

52 

41 

24 

21 30 

32 Hamburg 

17 

56 

10 8 

53 

Hannover 

44 

23 

28 

29 

13 

22 

57 

Erfurt 

19 

Schwerin 

31 

42 

Magdeburg 

38 

16 

46 

36 

3 

Berlin 54 

26 Potsdam 

Dresden 

39 

Wiesbaden 

50 

Mainz 

9 

47 

34 

Saarbrücken 

5 

33 

45 

4 

14 

35 

Stuttgart 

12 

1 

15 

49 

7 

27 

München 

19 11 40 

2 

Figure: Geographical distribution of biomethane plants in Germany and (expected) start of operation. 

1 Aiterhofen / Niederbayern 

2 Altenstadt Schongau 

3 Angermünde/Schmargendorf 

4 Arnschwang 

5 Blaufelden - Emmertsbühl 

6 Bruchhausen-Vilsen 

7 Burgrieden (bei Laupheim) 

8 Dannenberg 

9 Darmstadt-Wixhausen 

10 Drögennindorf 

11 Eggertshofen bei Freising 

12 Eich in Kallmünz 

13 Einbeck 

14 Ettlingen 

15 Forchheim im Breisgau 

16 Güterglück 

17 Godenstedt 

18 Graben/Lechfeld 

19 Grabsleben 

20 Güstrow 

21 Hamburg 

22 Hardegsen 

23 Homburg/Efze 

24 Horn – Bad Meinberg 

25 Kerpen 

26 Ketzin 

27 Kißlegg-Rahmhaus 

28 Könnern 1 

29 Könnern 2 

30 Lanken/ Wotersen 

31 Lüchow 

32 Malstedt 

33 Maihingen 

34 Merzig 

35 Mühlacker 

36 Neukammer 2 

37 Neuss am Niederrhein 

38 Niederndodeleben 

39 Palmersheim-Euskirchen 

40 Pliening 

41 Pohlsche Heide 

42 Rathenow 

43 Rhede 

44 Ronnenberg 

45 Schwandorf II 

46 Schwedt 

47 Semd (Groß Umstadt) 

48 Straelen 

49 Tuningen 

50 Unsleben 

51 Werlte 

52 Wetschen 

53 Willingshausen/Ransbach 

54 Wriezen 

55 Wüsting 

56 Zeven 

57 Zörbig 

13


2.2 Project examples. 

Altenstadt/Schongau 

Bergheim-Paffendorf 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Bavaria 

State 

North Rhine-Westphalia 

Location 

Altenstadt/Schongau 

Location 

Bergheim/Paffendorf 

Start of Operation 2009 


Biomethane Feed-in 

Capacity 

690 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

600 Nm 3 /h 

Feed-in Capacity 66 million kWh p. a. 


Upgrade Process 

Pressurised Water Scrubbing 


No information 

Produced Gas Quality 

Natural Gas H 


Natural Gas L 

Pressure Level 

4 bar 


No information 

Raw Material 

33.000 t/a organic waste 

Raw Material 

45,000 t maize and silage (rye, barley) 

Investment 

approx. € 10 million 

The Altenstadt biogas plant started operation in 2001. 

In 2009, the CHP plant on site was put out of service; ever since 

the biogas is upgraded and fed into the gas grid. 33,000 t of organic 

waste are turned into biogas in the plant each year, such 

as expired food,cheese and dairy residues, slaughterhouse and 

organic waste. The raw material is processed in 8 fermenters 

with an overall capacity of 7,700 m 3 biogas. 

All of the biogas produced is fed into the distribution grid of 

schwaben netz gmbh. A calorific value boiler operated with 

biomethane generates heat necessary for the fermenter heating. 

The RWE Innogy plant in Bergheim/Passendorf, near Cologne, 

will feed biomethane into the natural gas grid at a rate of 600 

normal cubic meters per hour. Within a year of its opening, it 

will feed 46 million kWh of biogas energy into the grid. The 

plant’s feedstocks will be corn silage and cereal plants. RWE 

Innogy also plans to use other substrates, e.g. liquid manure or 

sugar beet. 

Local farms will provide the 45,000 tons of feedstock plants 

required by the facility each year. The total investment volume 

in the plant is 10 million Euros. 

A natural gas station was erected on the biogas plant site to 

supply company vehicles with biomethane. Since biogas based 

on organic waste can be offered at comparatively low prices, 

it is applicable not only for cogeneration of heat and power 

utilisation, but also for heating purposes. erdgas schwaben 

offers two products: Bio 100 and Bio 20. Heat customers thus 

can be provided with 100 per cent or 20 per cent climate-friendly 

biomethane. erdgas schwaben uses biomethane for her own 

heat demand coverage. All CHP plants run by erdgas schwaben 

are also supplied with biomethane. 

The project is currently under development. Construction 

started in 2009, and operation should begin by the course of 

2012. A similar facility is in operation since 2009 in Güterglück 

in Eastern Germany. 

The Altenstadt / Schongau project won the „Biogas partnership of 

the Year“ award presented by the German Energy Agency in 2009. 



Biogas Pool 1 for Utilities 

Darmstadt-Wixhausen 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Lower Saxony 

State 

Hesse 

Location 

Bruchhausen-Vilsen and Malstedt 

Location 

Darmstadt-Wixhausen 


Start of Operation April 2008 


Capacity 

in total: 1.400 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

148 Nm 3 /h 

Feed-in Capacity 

in total 132 Mio. kWh/a 



Pressureless Amine Scrubbing 



Gas Quality Produced 

Natural Gas H and L 




1 bar or 70 bar (depending on site) 


16 bar 

Raw Material 

Maize, manure 

Raw Material 

12,550 t renewable raw materials 

Investment 

approx. € 3.5 million 

The „Biogas Pool 1 for Utilities“ is a business model developed 

by ARCANUM Energy from Unna. It is an innovative alternative 

to other business cases in the biomethane market. The “Biogas 

Pool” provides utilities with long-standing access to biogas 

without having to produce raw gas themselves. The investment 

is carried out by farmers willing to thus diversify their income 

base by producing energy. The farmers guarantee long-standing 

substrate supply and operate the biogas plants in which the 

raw biogas is produced. A clear interface is defined between raw 

gas production and gas upgrade. 

By means of founding a “Biogas Pool” several utilities jointly 

invest in the upgrade and feed-in of the gas. The synergies thus 

generated allow for an efficient use of biogas at minimum risk. 

The pooling effect enables flexible, individual biogas quantity 

supply. The business case offers a high level of planning and 

financing security due to the clearly defined and fair raw biogas 

supply. 

In April 2008, Hesse’s first biogas facility began operating. The 

€3.5 million installation in Darmstadt-Wixhausen upgrades 

about 300 m 3 of biogas to natural gas quality per hour. It processes 

and injects about 2.5 million m 3 of biogas into the natural 

gas grid per year – enough to supply about 650 one-family 

households with biomethane. 

Biogas upgrade plant in Darmstadt-Wixhausen. 

The engineering supporting this Hessian pilot project is the 

work of biogas firm ÖKOBiT GmbH. The plant’s upgrading unit 

employs a high pressure washer. The plant’s dimensioning and 

feed-in mechanisms were tailored to the realities (dense population 

and limited arable land) of the surrounding area. As a result 

of this innovative effort, high plant outputs are possible despite 

relatively low feedstock loads. 

Each year, farmers from the region provide the biogas plant 

with 12,550 tons of renewable plant resources – in particular 

corn stover, rye pellets and liquid manure. These resources 

generate raw biogas for the installation at an output of 200 m 3 

per ton. 

15


Güstrow 

Homberg (Efze) 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania 

State 

Hessia 

Location 

Güstrow 

Location 

Homberg (Efze) 




Capacity 

5,000 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

350 Nm 3 p.a. 



30 Mio. kWh p.a. 







Gas Quality Produced 



25 bar 


7 bar 

Raw Material 

Investment 

Renewable raw material 


Raw Material 

Investment 

24.000 t/a maize, 14.000 t/a manure; 

4.500 t/a grass silage 

€ 8,5 million 

About 40 kilometers south of Rostock, developers built 

Germany’s currently largest biogas feed-in project. The Güstrow 

site produces 10,000 cubic meters of biogas per hour. Renewable 

resources serve as the plant’s primary input, and about 

8,000 hectares of arable land are required to meet its annual 

needs. The facility feeds about 5,000 normal cubic meters of upgraded 

biogas into the gas grid each hour. The main purchaser 

is the VNG AG. 

When fed into the natural gas grid, the biomethane produced 

at the cogenerating Güstrow facility can supply Germany with 

about 160 million kWh of power and 180 million kWh of heat 

each year. The biomass remaining in the byproducts of the 

fermented feedstocks is pressed and concentrated in a sophisticated 

filter unit to become liquid fertilizer, which in turn is used 

in the local agriculture. 

Waste heat generated at the facility is used in the biogas 

upgrader, the fermenter, the liquid manure sanitiser, and, 

naturally, the fermentation byproduct dryer. All remaining 

fermentation byproducts are concentrated into liquid fertilizer 

and sold on the market. 

The biogas plant runs exclusively on raw material. This consists 

mainly of maize as well as farm fertilizer (manure, dung). More 

than 30 per cent of the input is manure, ensuring that the 

majority of the regional farm fertilizer is put to additional use as 

energy production source. 

The raw material is subject to strict crop rotation and is produced 

by farmers owning shares in the Biogasgesellschaft 

Biogas Homberg GmbH & Co. KG organisation. Thereby, longstanding 

supply security as well as raw material quality are 

ensured. 

Compression lost heat of the pressurised water scrubbing and 

lost heat generated in the CHP plant is used to cover heat peaks 

in the fermenter. The power used in the operation of the pressurised 

water scrubbing is supplied by Städtische Werke AG and 

is produced from renewable sources (hydro power). 

The biomethane is used by Städtische Werke AG to feed it into 

the public gas grid. The energy supply company from Kassel 

transports the biomethane and utilizes it in CHP plants where 

the heat is used all year round, such as in public swimming 

pools, hospitals or industrial production sites. 



Kißlegg-Rahmhaus 

Country 

State 

Location 

Germany 



Capacity 





Raw Material 

Investment 

Baden-Württemberg 

Kißlegg-Rahmhaus 

330 Nm 3 /h 


Membrane Technology 


8 bar 

Biogenous residues, food residues, 

expired food 

€ 2,8 million 

Raw material production and logistics. 

Kißlegg-Rahmhaus runs on food products unfit for consumption, 

such as food residues and expired food. Only material in 

compliance with the Biomass Ordinance are used in the plant, 

supplied by the local BRV company. 

The substrate is subject to a conventional upgrading process for 

bio waste, in the course of which they are dried, split up, sanitized 

and finally digested to generate methane. The methane 

concentration of the raw biogas mixture reaches up to 60 – 70 

per cent. The substrate is either available in the direct vicinity 

or transported to the plant. The raw biogas thus produced is 

transported in a pipeline to the gas upgrade unit. 

Facility and technical data. 

The biogas plant, which exists since the mid-1990ies, utilizes 

about 17,000 t of residues each year. The fermenters and second 

step digesters are partly underground. Before the gas upgrade 

unit was installed, the raw biogas was put to use in several CHPmodules 

with an overall electrical performance of about 1 MW el 

. 

The generated heat (approximately 2 MW th 

) could only in part 

be used for heating purposes on site. 

the product gas stream. Based on a two-step membrane separation 

process, methane concentration in the waste gas stream 

and thus the potential heat capacity may be forecasted in detail. 

Biomethane use and marketing. 

With the help of a compressor, the biomethane is fed into the 

PN70-high pressure pipeline of Thüga Energienetze. Since the 

flow path is consistent at the feed-in point, a new calorific value 

area was created in accordance with calibrating authorities. No 

extra conditioning is therefore necessary. 

The biomethane is used in all application fields (heat market, 

CHP, biofuel). Currently, Thüga Energie supplies gas and heat 

clients with biomethane admixing products, 100-per cent 

biomethane clients as well as industrial customers and natural 

gas stations. Some quantities are sold via whole sale. 

The cooperation model of the project partners. 

BRV provides the site for the upgrading plant and delivers raw 

biogas to Thüga Energie, which in turn is responsible for the 

upgrade to natural gas quality, the feed-in into the gas grid and 

the marketing risk. Thüga Energienetze built and now operates 

the grid access unit, including the feed-in compressors and 

also operators the upgrade plant as a subcontractor to Thüga 

Energie. 

Involvement of external stakeholders. 

BRV has been producing biogas from residues for more than 15 

years. Thus, the site offered both long-standing operating experience 

on the upgrade of residues as well as great potential for 

optimization in terms of heat utilization. The planning phase 

included both permit authorities as well as state energy authorities. 

Whenever milestones in the planning stage were reached 

(contract signature, groundbreaking ceremony, inauguration) 

info events were held to inform press and general public. 

The Kißlegg-Rahmhaus project was awared a special award for 

innovative membrane technology in the “Biogaspartnership of the 

Year 2010” awards. 

The raw biogas passes through an upgrade process with the following 

process steps: drying, desulphurisation, gas cleaning. 

During gas cleaning, the raw biogas is separated into a highmethane 

product gas stream and high-CO 2 

-waste gas stream. 

The waste gas stream is led to a reburning unit (e-flox) to 

oxidate the remaining methane. The waste heat generated in 

the course of this process is utilized in the biogas production 

process (fermenter heating). 

For the first time in Germany, the plant uses membrane technology 

in order to separate carbon dioxide from the raw biogas. 

Used at a high pressure level, only the CO 2 

-molecules pass the 

membrane polymers, while the membrane is concentrated in 

17


Könnern I 

Könnern II 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Saxony-Anhalt 

State 

Saxony-Anhalt 

Location 

Könnern 

Location 

Könnern 




Capacity 

650 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

1,500 Nm 3 /h 






Amine Scrubbing 






16 bar 


16 bar 

Raw Material 

35,000 t corn silage + 15,000 t liquid 

manure + 1,500 t crop 

Raw Material 

135,000 t renewable primary sources, 

40,000 t manure 

Investment 


Investment 

€ 35 million 

The biogas upgrading facility is located at Könnern near Halle. 

The installation, which went into operation on December 12, 

2007, processes 51,500 tons of raw feedstock each year, of which 

35,000 tons are corn silage, 15,000 tons liquid manure, and 

1,500 tons corn. Trucks and farm vehicles deliver the plant’s 

fermentation feedstocks. In total, the plant will process and feed 

42 million kWh of biomethane into the natural gas grid. The 

plant’s fermentation residues serve as liquid fertilizer. 

agri.capital GmbH is the facility’s operator. EnviTec Biogas AG 

provided engineering services for the plant, which uses a Pressurized 

Water Scrubbing upgrading unit. 

In order to raise the biomethane’s heat value – from 10.5 kWh 

per normal cubic meter (Nm 3 ) to 11.45 kWh/Nm 3 , the value 

required for feed-in to the natural gas H (high gas) grid, plant 

operators mix liquid gas into the biomethane. 

The substratum in the Könnern II plant consists exclusively of 

renewable primary sources according to the definition provided 

by the Renewable Energy Sources Act. The actual substratum 

may vary throughout the year due to price changes. The key 

substance, however, is maize silage, secured in long-lasting supply 

contracts with local farmers. 

There is an ensilage storage on site for all of the substratum. 

The production of the entire feedstock is carried out by farmers 

in the near vicinity. Inconveniences for neighbors are thus 

reduced to the short time span of the harvest. 

The biogas production consists of 4 modules with 4 fermenters 

at 3,040 m 3 volume each. Gas upgrade is facilitated with an 

amine scrubbing with a maximum capacity of 3,333 Nm 3 raw 

gas. The upgrading degree reaches 98 per cent at minimum 

methane loss. Project development was supervised by WELtec 

BioPower GmbH. 

The upgraded biomethane is fed into the natural gas grid 

roughly 200 meters from the facility. It is sold on the market 

to cogeneration facility operators, private homeowners, and 

methane tank filling stations. 

100 per cent of the biomethane produced is fed into the natural 

gas grid of MITGAS and is marketed by E.ON Ruhrgas AG in the 

heat sector, at natural gas stations as well as in CHP plants. 



Maihingen 

Rathenow 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Bavaria 

State 

Brandenburg 

Location 

Maihingen 

Location 

Rathenow-Heidefeld 




Capacity 

560 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

520 Nm 3 /h 






BiogasUpgrader 






10 bar 


8–9 bar (PN 16 bar) 

Raw Material 

Maize silage 25,000 t/a, clover-grass 

7,000 t/a, grass 4,000 t/a, corn full 

plant silage 7,000 t/a 

Raw Material 

Investment 

40,000 t corn and crop silage 


The first development level of the biogas facility in Maihingen 

was achieved in 1999. The performance of the facility is approx. 

237 m 3 /h. In 2004, the facility was expanded by another fermenter 

with a performance of 375 m 3 /h. The final expansion of 

the biogas generation plant was in 2008 with a fermenter which 

generates approx. 500 m 3 /h of raw biogas. The biogas generation 

facility is operated by local farmers. 

Maihingen processing plant. 

erdgas schwaben gmbh installed and operates the processing 

and feeding plant. Water scrubbing was used for processing. 

The natural biogas leaves the water scrubber at a pressure of 

approx. 6 bar and a heating value of 10.7 kWh/m 3 . The heating 

value needs to be raised with liquefied gas. For feeding into the 

natural gas grid, a 4 km gas pipeline had to be laid from the 

processing plant to the feeding-in point. The natural biogas is 

fed into a gas grid (DP 10). The operating pressure in the gas grid 

is approx. 6 bar. No compressor is required at the location of the 

processing plant; only in the summer months does part of the 

natural biogas need to be fed into the upstream grid (DP 67.5) 

via a compressor station. 

The waste gas from the water scrubber contains remains of 

methane and hydrogen sulphide. They are reprocessed with 

thermal oxidation. 

The Rathenow plant is the first of up to 10 biogas plants with 

upgrade and feed-in units planned by GASAG Berliner Gaswerke 

AG and its affilitated companies united in Erdgas Mark 

Brandenburg GmbH until 2015. Currently, 2 further plants are 

in the planning stage. 

The plant’s projected annual biomethane production – 

44 mil lion kWh – will require the input of 40,000 tons of 

feed stock each year. These feedstocks will likely include rye and 

corn silage and cereal grains, as well as liquid cow and pig 

manure. An expected 1,000 hectares of cultivated land will be 

necessary for the production of these energy crops. 

The total cost of the facility amounts to about 9 million Euros. 

The upgrading plant was built by HAASE Energietechnik AG & 

Co. KG. 

Beginning in 2009, the plant is feeding biomethane into the 

regional EMB (Erdgas Mark Brandenburg) grid. According to 

current projections, it will also deliver 23 million kWh of 

biomethane to GASAG’s thirteen natural gas tank filling 

stations – the equivalent of about one-third of these stations’ 

72 million kWh in annual output. Other biomethane users will 

include city power plant operators, who plan to burn the 

biomethane in their cogeneration units, and private customers 

interested in using this new environmentally friendly gas 

product. 

19


Rhede 

Country 

State 

Location 

Germany 

North Rhine-Westphalia 

Rhede 


Biomethan Feed-in 

Capacity 





Raw Material 

Investment 

590 Nm 3 /h 


Amine Scrubbing 


900 mbar 

Mostly cow manure and glycerine 

about € 1,5 million (gas upgrade unit 

only) 

Raw material production and logistics. 

The substrate basis for the biogas production consists of three 

major components. A great part is cow manure, generated 

in the agricultural unit on-site. The biggest share stems from 

glycerine, which is generated in the close-by Süderlohn as byproduct 

of bio diesel production. The glycerine supply is carried 

out by tank vehicles. From these, they are directly pumped into 

collection containers. The substrate is there transported only for 

short distances and arrives with a high energy density level. The 

digestate is used both on fields near-by, which in turn are used 

to produce maize for cattle and maize for the agricultural distillery. 

The mash left over from distillery processes is then in turn 

used as animal feed, guaranteeing that the biogas plant is fully 

integrated into the raw material and nutrient cycle. 

Biomethane use and marketing. 

In comparison to the plant’s potential, the farm’s heat demand 

was relatively low. Efficiency increase by gas grid feed-in therefore 

was the main motivation. The CHP plants remain on site 

and will be used in case of technology breakdown, so that no gas 

is merely flared at any point in time. 

E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH buys the biomethane produced in Rhede 

and brings it to market via the E.ON group. Thus, the Wenning 

family can concentrate on plant operation and raw material 

supply, while all issues of marketing and sales are taken care of 

by an experienced partner. 

The cooperation model of the project partners. 

The Rhede utilities have taken great care to include the local 

press in the planning phase of the project, so that the inhabitants 

of Rhede were at all times well informed on the biogas 

grid feed-in activities. Also, almost all project partners come 

from the Rhede region. The upgrade plant was constructed by 

CIRMAC from the Dutch Apeldoorn. Despite the international 

touch, the project partner is only about 50 kilometres away. 

Furthermore, local mechanics and craftsmen were used for the 

plant construction. 

The Rhede biomethane plant was awarded the „Biogaspartnership 

of the Year“ award in 2010. 

Facility and technical data. 

The Rhede plant, built in 1980 on the Wenning family farm, 

was one of the first industrial biogas plants in Germany. It has 

been expanded in several steps and currently amounts to 5,500 

Nm 3 fermenting volume. The amendment of the gas grid access 

ordinance in 2008 offered the chance to upgrade the gas 

and feed it into the natural gas grid. The partners developed a 

concept which aims at feeding the gas into the local medium 

pressure gas grid operated by Rhede utilities. Amine scrubbing 

technology by CIRMAC is used to upgrade the gas. In comparison 

to other possible technologies, amine scrubbing offered less 

power consumption in the Rhede case. The waste heat generated 

during the upgrade process is used in the biogas plant, as 

well as on the farm and in the residential houses. 



Ronnenberg 

Schwandorf 

Country 

Germany 

Country 

Germany 

State 

Lower Saxony 

State 

Bavaria 

Location 



Capacity 

Ronnenberg 

350 Nm 3 /h 

Feed-in Capacity approx. 28 million kWh p. a. 




Raw Material 

Investment 

BiogasUpgrader 

Natural Gas L 

2 bar 

approx. 22,000 t/a of maize silage, 

wheat 


Five farmers from the area of Ronnenberg jointly established 

Biogas Ronnenberg GmbH & Co. KG, in short “BiRo”. The farmers 

all have made equal contribution of 20% to the investment 

costs and substrate supply. The facility runs on maize silage. As 

an addition, grain of wheat and maize are fed-in. 

The biogas facility was made by the manufacturer MT-Energie 

GmbH. It consists of two fermenters with a diameter of 26 m, a 

downstream fermenter and end storage with a diameter of 30 m 

each. All containers are 7 m high and fitted with a gas storage 

ceiling. Usually approx. 60t of maize silage and currently an 

additional 2t of wheat are fed into two solid matter entries per 

day. The biogas facility generates up to 650 m 3 of raw biogas per 

hour with a methane content of approx. 52 per cent. BiRo sells 

the raw biogas at a defined interface to Stadtwerke Hannover 

AG. The upgrade technology is provided by Haase Energietechnik 

AG & Co. KG. 

The biomethane is fed into the natural gas grid of enercity 

Netzgesellschaft (eNG) in Ronnenberg (0.8 bar) via connection 

line (2 bar) of approx. 2.5 km in length. From here it is transported 

to CHP locations in the city limits of Hanover, where it is converted 

to power and heat at heat customers. Until sufficient CHP 

purchase capacity has been developed, part of the biomethane 

will be sold in the market. 

The Ronnenberg project won the “Biogas partnership of 2008” 

award. 

Location 



Capacity 

Schwandorf – Bayernwerk Industrial 

Estate 

1,060 Nm 3 /h 

Feed-in Capacity approx. 100 million kWh p. a. 




Raw Material 

Investment 

Pressure Swing Adsorption 


16 bar 

approx. 80,000 t/a of maize, grass 

and full-plant silage (e.g. rye, barley, 

millet, rye grass) 

€ 18 million 

Only renewable raw materials are used at the Schwandorf 

biogas facility. Due to the long-standing fruit sequence concept, 

biodiversity is increased. The catch crops also have agricultural 

benefits, e.g. the humus creation is promoted, infestation with 

pests limited and nitrous oxide emissions avoided. The use of 

grass provides agriculture with a lucrative source of income. 

The use of liquids, such as water or liquid manure, is not necessary. 

This has the benefit that no additional transport is required 

to the facility, which means that less fermentation material is 

stored which ultimately needs to be removed. 

The biomass is grown all around the location in the Bayernwerk 

Industrial Estate by approx. 180 farmers who have joined 

forces in a supply association. Schmack Biogas AG advises the 

farmers and suppliers as regards agriculture, sowing and plant 

selection. The harvest is carried out by regional subcontractors, 

while the logistics is coordinated by employees of Schmack Biogas 

AG. The fermentation residue is transported as high-quality 

fertiliser both in solid and liquid form via external service providers 

to the suppliers’ land. 

100 per cent of the biomethane is fed into the natural gas grid of 

E.ON Bayern. The use is then conducted in local block heating 

stations of E.ON , which also takes care of marketing the heat in 

the relevant heat sinks. 

The Schwandorf project won a special award at the “Biogas partnership 

of 2008” awards. At that point in time, the facility was the 

largest in Germany with a feed-in capacity of 1,000 Nm 3 /h. 

21


2.3 Political framework for biogas injection in Germany. 

In context with the implementation of the Integrated Energy 

and Climate Programme of August 23, 2007 by the German 

Federal Government, the general conditions for biogas 

upgrade and feed-in were reviewed and amended. In the Gas 

Network Access Ordinance, effective from April 12, 2008, in 

article § 31) the target has been defined: By 2020, 60 billion kWh 

of biomethane are to be fed into the gas grid each year, and by 

2030 100 billion kWh of biomethane each year. 

Since upgraded and fed-in biomethane is currently not on a 

competetive basis with natural gas, the goverment employs various 

measures and support schemes to develop demand in the 

markets. Next to its application in the heat market, biomethane 

is also used for combined heat and power as well as in natural 

gas-dedicated vehicles. 

Due to the diverse stages along the value chain and different 

processes, many diverse regulations are employed to promote 

the injection of biogas in Germany. The most important ones 

are highlighted in the following chapter. 

Biomass Ordinance (BiomasseV). 

Effective since 2001, the Biomass Ordinance directs the application 

of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG )and sets 

guidelines on which materials are biomass, which technologies 

for power generation from biomass are within the scope of application 

of the EEG, and which environment requirements are 

to be obeyed when generating power from biomass. 

Biomasses, according to the biomass regulation, are energy 

sources from phyto- and zoo-mass. This also includes secondary 

and by-products, residues and waste whose energy content is 

made up of phyto- and zoo-mass. 

The definition of biomass in Paragraph 2 (3) Nr. 5 also includes 

biogas generated by anaerobic fermentation. Excluded, however, 

is biogas which has been produced from the following 

material (according to Paragraph 3 nr. 3, 7, 9): 

mixed settlement waste from private households 

mud and sediments 

Next to the application of biomass according to this regulation, 

the Renewable Energy Sources Act also allows the utilisation of 

other biomasses. For the portion of power generated from other 

biomasses, however, no state-guaranteed feed-in tariffs can be 

claimed. The portion of this other biomass used must be proven 

with the help of a charge material diary produced by the plant 

operator. 

Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). 

The Renewable Energy Sources Act first became effective on 

April 1, 2000. It has been amended in 2004 and 2009. The latest 

amended act (EEG 2012) passed the Federal Assembly on July 8, 

2011 and will become effective on January 1st, 2012. 

The following information refers to the EEG 2009 which is effective 

throughout 2011. News on the EEG 2012 can be found on 


The main purposes of the EEG are the protection of our climate, 

a sustainable energy supply, a minimisation of the economic 

costs of energy supply, the protection of fossil resources and the 

further development of renewable power generation technologies. 

In this context, the per centage of renewable energies in 

power supplies is to be raised to 30 per cent by 2020. To achieve 

this goal, the EEG gives plants generating power from renewable 

energy sources priority to the public power grids. Also, it 

regulates preferred sales and transmission as well as a guaranteed 

feed-in tariff. The feed-in tariff depends on the technology. 



Next to biomass (biogas), hydropower, wind power and solar 

power as well as disposal, sewage and mine gas are supported. 

The tariffs are guaranteed from the beginning of the year in 

which operations start and for the following 20 years according 

to a fixed rate. Plants which start operation later are subject to 

fewer tariffs each year according to a certain per centage rate 

(so-called degression). In the case of biogas, this amounts to 

1 per cent. Degression is supposed to encourage plant producers 

to pass on to the customer any cost advantages due to technological 

innovations. 

Biogas feed-in is supported by the EEG in the following way: Gas 

taken from the grid is to be referred to as biomass if the amount 

of this gas is the heat equivalent of the amount of biogas which 

has been fed into the grid in a different place. The quantities 

do not have to be balanced continuously at each given point 

of time, but rather only at the end of each calendar year. The 

power produced from this gas taken from the grid is then compensated 

for by the EEG. Thus, biomethane can efficiently be 

used in cogeneration plants, which are operated in places with 

a significant heat demand. 

Technology bonus 

– 2 ct/kWh up to a maximum gas conditioning capacity of 

350 Nm 3 conditioned raw gas per hour (at a plant capacity of 

5 MW maximum) 

– 1 ct/kWh up to a maximum gas conditioning capacity of 

700 Nm 3 conditioned raw gas per hour (at a plant capacity of 

5 MW maximum) 

– For old plants also applying cogeneration (start of operation 

between April 2, 2004 and December 31, 2008), the 

technology bonus remains at 2 ct/kWh up to 20 MW. 

CHP bonus at 3 ct/kWh at a plant capacity of max. 20 MW. 

Power generated in plants using gas fed into the gas grid (biomethane) 

is not applicable for the manure bonus. 

With regard to biogas grid feed-in, the EEG 2009 defines, 

among others, the following aspects: 

Base Tariff for power, graduated according to the capacity 

class from 150 kW el 

to 20 MW el 

from 11, 67 ct/kWh to 

7,79 ct/kWh. 

“NawaRo-bonus” for the use of renewable primary products 

of up to 7 ct/kWh. 

Bonus for the use of cultivated biomass at 2 ct/kWh in 

addition to the NawaRo-Bonus if mainly residues or plant 

particles from landscape conservation are used in the power 

generation (certificate by an environmental expert necessary). 

23


Renewable Energies Heat Act (EEWärmeG). 

The Renewable Energies Heat Act (EEWärmeG) first became 

effective on January 1, 2009 and was amended in May 2011. 

According to this law, 14 per cent of the German heat demand 

(final energy) is to be produced from renewable energy sources. 

Crucial elements of the law are: 

Obligatory utilisation for new buildings 

Obligatory utilisation for existing official buildings 

(role model) 

Financial promotion 

Specific promotion of heating networks 

Buildings erected after January 1, 2009 are obliged to employ 

renewable energies for their heat supply. This obligation applies 

to all owners (private, state, economy). Exempted are buildings 

for which a building application or building listing has been issued 

before January 1, 2009. All forms of renewable energies can 

be used, also in combinations. When using biogas, the obligation 

is generally met if 30 per cent of the heat energy demand of 

the respective house is covered by it. The biogas is to be used in a 

cogeneration plant in this context. In the case of the utilisation 

of gas taken from the gas grid, special requirements are binding 

regarding the conditioning and feeding-in. Methane emissions 

and power consumption must be abated “according to the best 

available technology”. In case of methane emissions this is usually 

accepted if the gas quality requirements of the Gas Grid Entry 

Regulation (GasNZV) according to § 36 are met. The process 

heat needed for conditioning and feed-in must furthermore be 

produced from lost heat or renewable energy sources. 

The next amendment to the EEWärmG is scheduled for the summer 

of 2012, to become effective in January 2013. 

Gas Network Access Ordinance (GasNZV). 

1. Preferred Network Access. 

According to § 33,1 of the Gas Network Access Ordinance (German: 

Gasnetzzugangsverordnung, GasNZV), grid operators 

on all pressure levels are obliged to grant preferred grid access 

to plants which have put in a request. The grid access costs are 

split between the grid operator (75 per cent) and the biomethane 

supplier (25 per cent, a maxium of 250,000 €). According 

to § 32,2 GasNZV, the grid access consists of the connecting 

pipeline (up to 10 km), the gas pressure metering plant, the 

compressor and the calibrated measurement plant. The grid 

operator is the owner of the grid access and covers the costs of 

maintenance and operation. 

2. Preferred Network Entry. 

According to § 34 GasNZV, grid operators are to grant preference 

to biomethane transport clients when it comes to concluding 

entry and exit contracts, as long as these gases are compatible 

with the grid. 

The feed-in of biogas cannot, according to § 34 GasNZV, be 

denied by the grid operator under the premise of an existing 

capacity shortage. At the same time, the grid operator is obliged 

to take all necessary and economically sensible measures to 

ensure and optimise the admittance capacity of 96 per cent, at 

least. 

3. Extended Accounting Balance. 

For biogas transport clients, the GasNZV provides special 

regulations varying from part 7 in § 35 GasNZV on the extended 

accounting balance in biogas accounting. 

While for natural gas transport clients, the grid operator is 

obliged to offer the free of charge opportunity to balance within 

hourly tolerance boundaries of +/– 10 per cent, he is, in the case 

of biomethane, obliged to offer a flexibility of up to 25 per cent. 

This flexibility applies to the specific biogas accounting time 



span of 12 months. Within this accounting time span, the flexibility 

is applied to the accumulated difference of the quantity 

fed in and the quantity discharged. The balancing of the quantities 

is as exact as the algebraic sign to achieve the intended 

support of the feed-in of biogas. For the use of the flexibility 

actually applied, a fixed sum of 0.1 cent /kWh is to be paid to the 

grid operator. 

“DVGW”-Worksheets. 

The worksheets published by the German Technical and 

Scientific Association for Gas and Water (German: DVGW) 

provide the overall requirements for gases in the public supply 

grids. The basic guideline for the quality of gas from renewable 

sources is DVGW worksheet G 262. If the gas is to be fed into 

the public gas grid, it needs to meet the regulations of DVGW 

worksheet G 260. The biomethane supplier is responsible for the 

warranty of the gas compositions stated in the worksheets. The 

GasNZV refers to worksheets G 260 and G 262. 

DVGW guideline VP 265-1 provides detailed information on 

minimum requirements for technical safety and summarises 

all plants and components necessary for biogas utilization like 

upgrade plant, conditioning, pressure setting, measurement 

and gas grid feed-in as substitute gas. 

DVGW- Data Sheet G 415 (M) presents minimum requirements 

for planning, construction and operation gas pipelines in which 

raw biogas or partly upgraded biogas is transported. 

be added to the fulfillment of this quota. In the amendment of 

June 18, 2009, however, biomethane was explicitly added to this 

list of compatible biofuels as a substitute for bioethanol. 

Biofuel Sustainability Ordiance (Biokraft-NachV). . 

The Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance was implemented on 

September 30th, 2009. Together with its sister act regarding 

the sustainable production of liquid biofuels for electricity, the 

ordinance answers the demands of the EU directive. It ensures 

that in the course of biofuel production such as biomethane, 

binding eceological and social sustainability criteria are met. 

The ordinance also ensures that only sustainable biomass may 

be financially supported or be counted towards renewable 

energy targets. 

The German Biogas Register.. 

The purpose of the German Biogas Register is to provide a standardized 

and simplified tool for biomethane proof of origin and 

quality. dena has developed the system together with 14 leading 

market actors, among them many biogaspartner project partners. 

The IT-based system has started operation in February 2011 

and is led by dena. In the course of development, documentation 

and certification of biogas feed-in tariffs or other incentives 

have been standardized for the first time. Further information 

can be found on www.biogasregister.de. 

DVGW Sheet G 1030 defines requirements for technical safety 

management systems (TSM) for biogas plants. 

Biofuel Quota Ordinance (Biokraft QuG). 

The Biofuel Quota Ordinance was first implemented by the German 

Federal Government in October 26, 2006. Its purpose is the 

implementation and regulation of a biofuel admixing quota in 

vehicle petrol and diesel. On January 1, 2007, it introduced, for 

the first time, a minimum quota. At first, biomethane could not 

25

Market Development in Europe. 


3.1 Market development. 

The upgrade and feed-in of biomethane into the natural gas 

grid is currently not subject to a consistent European standard. 

The parameters and basic conditions were first defined by Directive 

2003/55/EC on the European natural gas single market and 

were further detailed in Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion 

of the use of energy from renewable sources by the European 

Parliament and the European Council of April 23, 2009. Article 

16 on grid access and grid operation states: 

(7) … Member States shall ensure that the charging of transmission 

and distribution tariffs does not discriminate against gas from 

renewable energy sources. 

(9) Where relevant, Member States shall assess the need to extend 

existing gas network infrastructure to facilitate the integration of 

gas from renewable energy sources. 

(10) Where relevant, Member States shall require transmission system 

operators and distribution system operators in their territory 

to publish technical rules in line with Article 6 of Directive 2003/55/ 

EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 

concerning the common rules for the internal market in natural 

gas [21], in particular regarding network connection rules that 

include gas quality, gas odoration and gas pressure requirements. 

Member States shall also require transmission and distribution 

system operators to publish the connection tariffs to connect renewable 

gas sources based on transparent and non-discriminatory 

criteria. 

As of mid 2011, not all European countries have implemented 

regulations on the upgrade and feed-in of biogas. Some European 

countries can nonetheless look back on decades of experience 

and know-how on the injection of biogas into natural gas 

grids. Political framework and sometimes also incentives are 

available not only in Germany, but also (e.g.) in France, Great 

Britain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Sweden 

and Switzerland. 



Country Location Upgrade Process Status Start of 

Operation 

Biomethane 

feed-in capacity. 

[m 3 /h] 

Great Britain Didcot Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 no information 

Great Britain Southwold, Suffolk Cryo Technology Operating 2010 60 

Luxembourg Kielen Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 350 

Luxembourg Mondercange Amine Scrubbing Construction 2011 180 

France Lille Marquette Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2009 55 

France Lille Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2007 660 

Netherlands Beverwijk Membrane Technology Operating 2006 80 

Netherlands Bunschoten-Spakenburg Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 690 

Netherlands Groningen Chemical Scrubbing Operating 2010 700 

Netherlands Collendoorn Membrane Technology Operating 1990 25 

Netherlands Mijdrecht Amine Scrubbing Operating 2009 40 

Netherlands Nuenen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 1990 750 

Netherlands Tilburg Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 1987 300 

Netherlands Witteveen Membrane Technology Operating 2010 200 

Netherlands Wjister Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 1989 500 

Netherlands Zwolle Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 420 

Norway Stavanger Chemical Scrubbing Operating 2009 270 

Austria Asten/Linz Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2010 380 

Austria Bruck an der Leitha Membrane Technology Operating 2007 100 

Austria Engerwitzdorf Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 125 

Austria Leoben Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 125 

Austria Pucking Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2005 6 

Austria Schwaighofen bei Eugendorf No information Operating 2008 18 

Austria Wiener Neustadt Membrane Technology Operating 2011 120 

Sweden Bjuv Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2007 300 

Sweden Falkenberg Chemical Scrubbing Operating 2009 400 

Sweden Göteborg Chemical Scrubbing Operating 2007 1000 

Sweden Helsingborg Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2002 260 

Sweden Helsingborg II Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 2008 50 

Sweden Laholm Pressurised Water Scrubbing Operating 1999 300 

Sweden Malmö Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 300 

Switzerland Bern Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2007 160 

Switzerland Emmen Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2005 41 

Switzerland Inwil/Luzern No information Operating 2009 130 

Switzerland Lavigny Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2009 80 

Switzerland Meilen Amine Scrubbing Operating 2008 65 

Switzerland Münchwilen Amine Scrubbing Operating 2011 280 

Switzerland Pratteln Genosorb Operating 2006 165 

Switzerland Roche Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2008 130 

Switzerland Romanshorn Chemical Scrubbing Operating 2007 55 

Switzerland Samstagern Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 1998 28 

Switzerland Volketswil Amine Scrubbing Operating 2010 150 

Switzerland Widnau Pressure Swing Adsorption Operating 2007 100 

Table: Biomethane grid injection projects (Status: July 2011). For a regularly updated overview please refer to our English website 


27


While the German market for the upgrade and feed-in of biogas 

is relatively young, the technologies for this special gas application 

have been in use already for decades in other European 

countries. According to recent research by the Fraunhofer 

Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology, more 

than 135 biomethane plants are operating all over Europe. Out 

of these, according to the information available to the German 

Energy Agency, 99 feed biogas upgraded to local natural gas 

quality into the grid by mid 2011. 

Technology for the upgrade of biogas. 

Regarding the total number of projects realized so far, chemical 

water scrubbing and pressure swing adsorption technologies 

are dominating the European market [see figure]. 

Membrane technology is currently in use only in the Netherlands, 

Austria and Germany. Lately, first plants have also been 

connected to the grid in Great Britain. One of these plants operates 

on cryo technology which is still rather rare in the biogas 

upgrade sector. 

Pressure Swing Adsorption 27 

Pressurized Water Scrubbing 22 

Chemical Water Scrubbing 37 

Membrane 6 

Cryo technology 1 

Others 6 

Figure: Application of upgrading technology in Europe. 



SE 

NO 

Stavanger, 2009 

Falkenberg, 2009 

Göteborg, 2006 

Witteveen, 2010 

Groningen, 2010 

Bunschofen-Spokenburg, 2010 

Beverwijk, 2006 

Mijdrecht, 2009 

Tilburg, 1987 

UK Nuenen, 1990 

Southwold, Suffolk, 2010 

Didcot, 2010 

NL 

Wjister, 1989 

Collendoorn, 1990 

Zwolle, 2010 

Laholm, 2001 

Bjuv, 2007 

Helsingborg, 2002 

Helsingborg II, 2008 

Malmö, 2008 

Lille, 2007 / Lille Marquette, 2009 

Pratteln, 2006 

Meilen, 2008 

Samstagern, 1998 

Inwil, 2009 

Emmen, 2005 

Lavigny, 2009 

Roche, 2008 

Bern, 2007 

Kielen, 2010 

F 

L 

CH 

Münchwilen, 2011 

Romanshorn, 2007 

Widnau, 2007 

AT 

Pucking, 2005 

Engerwitzdorf, 2010 

Wiener Neustadt, 2011 

Schwaighofen bei Eugendorf, 2008 

Bruck an der Leitha, 2007 

Leoben, 2010 

Asten/Linz, 2010 

Figure: Geographical distribution of biomethane plants in Europe with their start of operation. 

29


Market overview. 

The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland are the European 

countries with the most and longest experience in the upgrade 

and feed-in of biogas. The Netherlands, for example, feature a 

biomethane plant with a feed-in capacity of 500 Nm 3 /h which 

has been operating on a pressure swing adsorption for 20 years, 

since 1989. 

While Sweden owns the largest number of plants upgrading 

biogas to biomethane, Germany is leading in feed-in capacity in 

comparison to all other European countries. These differences 

are partly related to the state of the infrastructure of the public 

gas networks in the different countries, but also to the fields of 

application best supported by the respective political structures. 

Thus, the German market has seen a significant growth in the 

last few years, with the first plants, however, having started 

operation only in 2006. In recent years, a stable market growth 

can also be tracked in countries like Austria, for example, where 

the high state-guaranteed feed-in tariffs have, similar to the 

German situation, resulted in a significant boost. 

Application fields. . 

More than 75 per cent of the overall European biomethane 

production is applied as biofuel in natural gas dedicated vehicles. 

Sweden and Switzerland in particular are front runners 

in this application. The German biomethane trade, however, is 

focussed especially on the application of biomethane in combined 

heat and power plants. The application of biomethane as 

biofuel here only plays a minor role in comparison to the other 

European countries. 

Substrate. 

While in Germany around 75 per cent of the overall biogas 

production is based on the exclusive fermentation of agricultural 

waste, liquid manure, and cultivated renewable primary 

products (energy plants), the market in countries like France, 

Luxembourg, Sweden and Switzerland is dominated by gas produced 

in landfills managing community and household waste. 



3.2 Project examples. 

Bruck an der Leitha 

Lille 

Country 

Austria 

Country 

France 

Region 

Lower Austria 

Region 

Nord-Pas-De-Calais 

Plant Location 

Bruck an der Leitha 


Lille 




Capacity 

100 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

660 Nm 3 /h 

Upgrade Technology 

Membrane 


Pressurised Water Scrubbing (PWS) 

Substrate 

Grass, maize and manure as well as 

residues from the food industry 

Substrate 

Community waste 

The biogas plant in Bruck an der Leitha, close to Vienna, started 

operation in 2004. The gas production is based on the combined 

fermentation of grass and maize together with residues from 

the food industry. 

In 2007, the Energy Park Bruck an der Leitha, the Technical 

University of Vienna and the plant manufacturer Axiom GmbH 

jointly undertook the repowering of this plant to upgrade the 

raw gas to natural gas quality with the help of an innovative 

technology. 

For the first time in this scale, the reference project employs 

membranes in order to upgrade biogas. The methane to be later 

fed into the grid is separated from the CO 2 

by means of semipermeable 

membranes. 

The upgraded biogas is fed into the EVN grid and is transferred 

to the gas station operator OMV and Vienna Energy to be applied 

as biofuel. 

From 1995 –2004, the first French biomethane project operated 

on the waste management site of Lille. The upgrading process 

of this reference project was a pressurised water scrubbing. The 

biomethane thus generated was used as biofuel for buses. 

Due to corrosion of the wall and piping, operation was stopped 

in 2004. Meanwhile, however, a new plant was installed on site, 

this time in an industrial scale, that began operation in 2007. 

The sister project to this plant is also based in Lille, on the site 

of another, newly installed, waste management location in 

Marquette. Again, a pressurised water scrubbing process is 

employed to upgrade the gas to natural gas quality. 

Since 2009 the biomethane is to be fed into the natural gas network 

and used to fuel buses and garbage vehicles. The feed-in 

capacity amounts to 55 Nm 3 /h. 

31


Kielen 

Tilburg 

Country 

Luxembourg 

Country 

The Netherlands 

Region 

Capellen 

Region 

North Brabant 


Kielen 


Tilburg 




Capacity 

360 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

1,300 Nm 3 /h 





Substrate 

50,000 t of primary products, liquid 

manure and residues from the food 

industry 

More than 30 farmers and business associates around Kielen 

have joined forces in the initiative “Naturgas Kielen” in order 

to assemble the 50,000 t of renewable primary products, liquid 

manure as well as residues from the food industry for the biogas 

plant in Kielen. Their motivation to opt for the feed-in of biomethane 

derived from the rural structures of the region where 

the heat could not be marketed as well as when transported via 

the natural gas grid. 

The biogas is upgraded to the local natural gas quality (more 

than 98 per cent of methane) with a pressurised water scrubbing 

process and fed into the near-by gas grid. 

The project is the first biomethane plant in Luxembourg and enjoys 

the full support of public stakeholders as well as the media. 

Substrate 

52,000 t / a of organic waste from the 

food industry and private households 

On the site of an old landfill, the Tilburg utilities erected a gas 

upgrading plant in 1986. In this plant, gas from a landfill is 

upgraded together with gas from a close-by sewage plant and 

a biogas plant, which operates on organic waste from the food 

industries and private households. About 70 per cent of the raw 

biogas stem from this biogas plant. The raw biogas thus generated 

possesses a methane concentration of 55 per cent and is 

then upgraded to the local natural gas quality of 88 per cent. 

Both the biogas and the landfill gas are upgraded with a pressurised 

water scrubbing technology, which represents an 

investment of 3.6 million €. The maximum biomethane feed-in 

capacity amounts to 1,300 Nm 3 / h. The yearly overall energy production 

of the plant amounts to 18 GWh, of which 3.3 GWh are 

used for internal processes, while the rest is sold to the regional 

gas supply company. 



Kristianstad 

Jona 

Country 

Sweden 

Country 

Switzerland 

Region 

Skåne län 

Region 

St. Gallen 


Kristianstad 


Engelhölzli / Jona 




Capacity 

600 Nm 3 /h 


Capacity 

ca. 55 Nm 3 /h 




Amine wash 

Substrate 

50 % liquid manure, 45 % waste 

products from food industry , 5 % 

household waste 

In the Southern Swedish town of Kristianstad, biogas is produced 

based on manure, household waste and waste products 

from the food industry in a co-digestion plant. 72,000 tons of 

waste thus have annually been fermentated in the Kristianstad 

biogas plants since the original start of operation in 1996. 

Substrate 

Organic and garden waste 

The biomethane project Jona started operation in 2005. The 

gas production is based on the digestation of source separated 

organic waste (OFMSW). 5,000 t are thus yearly processed on 

the site in Engelhölzli, Jona, which represents the first plant 

in Switzerland to upgrade the entire gas production without 

intermediate storage. The digestate is mixed with garden waste 

and post-composted in an enclosed hall. 

Since 2006, the raw biogas is upgraded in a pressurised water 

scrubbing process. In order to reach the upgrade unit, the gas is 

transported in a 4 km long pipeline. The upgraded biomethane 

possesses a 97 per cent methane content and therefore meets 

the Swedish standard. 

Since the Swedish natural gas grid does not serve Kristianstad, 

the biomethane is not injected into the natural gas grid but is 

provided to local vehicles as biofuel at a special service station 

close to town. All town buses in Kristianstand as well as various 

school buses operate on biomethane, representing 1.2 million 

m 3 per year which have been saved in fossil fuels. 

The biogas is upgraded with an Amine-based washing system 

after a prior sulphur and humidity removal with the help of 

activated carbon. 

An innovative aspect of the Jona project is the ownership. In 

former Swiss biomethane projects, the upgrading plant was in 

possession of the digestion site. He transferred the gas to the 

grid in cleaned and odorised quality. In Jona, however, the gas 

is sold to the nationally gas company, which in turn owns and 

operates the upgrading plant and is also responsible for the 

feed-in. 

The biomethane is utilised as biofuel in natural gas dedicated 

vehicles. 

33

Value Chain of Biomethane. 


The generation of biomethane is based on a complex process 

in various stages. Many factors influence the process from the 

generation of biomass to the application of the fed-in biomethane 

– and many diverse players have a stake in the success 

of any biomethane project. The following chapter describes 

the value chain of biomethane generation. 

4.1 Biomass production. 

Since biogas can in principle be generated from any organic 

compound, the biomass feedstock that can be used to produce 

biogas is diverse. Some biomass feedstock comes from farms in 

the form of plants. Others come from other processes, or from 

animals, in the form of waste materials like household garbage 

and sewer sludge. Biomass suitable for use in biogas production 

is called “feedstock.” Waste’s suitability for use as feedstock 

brings every available organic material into question. Especially 

useful for biogas generation are sewer sludge, kitchen rubbish, 

and liquid manure, which as waste products are abundant and 

affordable. 

Europe, such plants include corn, rapeseed, and rye. Many 

tropical countries use sugarcane extensively as an energy plant. 

Energy plants for biogas generation. 

Maize is especially well-adapted for use in biogas facilities, 

though cereals (such as rye) and/or grass cuttings are also 

acceptable. The plants most suitable for use in biogas generation 

vary from region to region; they must be chosen against 

the background of local conditions. From a climate protection 

perspective, it is important to ensure that local land use 

changes associated with energy plant cultivation do not lead 

to negative ecological effects. 

4.2 Logistics. 

With regard to the logistics of biomass energy, one must keep 

in mind the energetic and economic barriers that make longdistance 

delivery of feedstock impractical. Because biomass can 

only be harvested during certain short periods of the year, these 

barriers necessitate a well-planned biomass logistics chain. 

Energy plants. 

The term “energy plants” refers to crops that are cultivated 

especially for the purpose of energy production. These especially 

include crops with high photosynthetic rates that grow 

quickly in the climatic conditions of a given region. In central 

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of decentralised 

and central storage: 

If the areas surrounding biogas facilities already possess the 

capacity to hold the biomass that will be needed by a local 

area during the year, decentralised storage may be the best 

approach. In such cases, biomass is delivered to processing 

facilities on a continual (“just-in-time”) basis. Through this, a 

good utilisation of transport materials is achieved, with remaining 

dry fermentation feedstock being transported away as 

back-freight. A downside of decentralised storage is that personnel 

costs may run high, since biomass must be delivered more 

frequently. 

A second approach is the central storage of biomass at the 

biogas facility. Advantages of this approach include a consistent 

quality of stored biomass, along with minimal logistical 

expenses. These storage facilities may be subject to higher 

investment costs, however, since new storage capacity must 

be created. Nonetheless, savings of €2 per tonne of silage are 



Sales and trade 

Biogas plant 

Energy plants / 

residues 

Natural 

gas grid 

Electricity 

and heat 

(cogeneration) 

Heat 

Recirculation of 

digestate as fertilizer 

Fuel 

Biomass production 

Logistics 

Biogas production Upgrade Injection Application fields 

achievable in central storage sites (relative to decentralised storage 

facilities) through reductions in silage loss of up to 10 per 

cent. 

The choice of transport methods should be made in consideration 

for the distance between energy plant cultivation areas and 

biogas installations. At short distances, transport with tractors 

and other farm equipment is more affordable, because nothing 

but the biomass itself must be loaded. At longer distances, shipping 

via trucks becomes more affordable. 

4.3 Biogas production. 

Raw biogas. 

Raw biogas is generated through the fermentation of feedstock. 

This process occurs in so-called fermenters, where microorganisms 

facilitate the process of material conversion that produces 

the raw biogas. The processes involved in fermentation are 

exceedingly complex, and are currently understood only in 

part. Various current research projects seek to improve this 

understanding. The optimisation of the fermentation processes 

highly depends also on the measurement and control systems 

and procedures used. 

Raw biogas consists of 45 –70 per cent methane (CH 4 

). The second 

largest component of the gas is carbon dioxide (CO 2 

), making 

up 25 –50 per cent of the total. The rest contains minimal 

portions of hydrogen sulphide (H 2 

S), ammonia (NH 3 

), and water 

vapor (H 2 

O). Fossil-based natural gas contains 85 –98 per cent 

methane. To guarantee the consistent quality of the natural 

gas in the grid, the methane content of the raw biogas must 

increase before being fed in. This methane content “upgrade” 

occurs through a purification of the raw biogas. 

Methane yield. 

The flammable and thus relevant component of biogas is 

methane. Hence, the amount of methane contained in the 

biogas should be increased to as large a per centage of the 

m 3 Gas / . 

t Substrate 

700 

600 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

0 

Cattle manure 

Forage beet 

Figure: Biomethane yields of different substrates. Sources: FNR 

(2006), KTBL (2006), dena (2011). 

whole as possible. The initial methane content of raw biogas 

varies chiefly with the feedstock used. 

The upgrading of biogas’s methane content is achieved through 

the optimisation of facility systems for particular feedstock, and 

through the implementation of measurement and regulation 

systems. 

4.4 Biogas upgrade. 

Sugar beet silage 

Grass 

From raw biogas to biomethane. 

Biological waste 

Maize silage 

Food residues 

Waste grease 

The biogas created through fermentation – raw biogas – can in 

various ways be upgraded to high-quality natural gas , lowquality 

natural gas, or so-called accessory or admixing quality. 

An important first step is the removal of sulphur. Depending on 

the other processes used to upgrade the biogas, an additional 

fine-grade sulphur removal and a drying of the gas may be necessary. 

For the upgrade of high- or low-methane natural gas, a 

separation of CO 2 

may also be a required additional step, unless 

the biogas is to be admixed as accessory gas. In a last step, the 

35


Raw biogas from vegetable matter of liquid manure biogas plants 

Gross desulphurisation Option: Gross desulphurisation Gross desulphurisation 

Fine desulphurisation 

Compression 

Fine desulphurisation 

Compression 

Gas cooling 

Compression 

Gas cooling 

CO 2 

separation adsorption 

Gas drying 

CO 2 

separation adsorption 

Gas drying 

Calorific value adjustment 

with LPG or air 

Calorific value adjustment 

with LPG or air 

Figure: Process steps of raw biogas upgrade. 

Source: Fraunhofer UMSICHT (2008). 

Natural gas H or natural gas L 

Supplemental gas 

heat value is increased or reduced by admixing LPG (liquified 

petroleum gas) or oxygen to adjust the biomethan quality to the 

quality of the natural gas in the gas grid. 

The upgrade from biogas to biomethane is economically attractive 

only starting at medium-sized plants. Existing or planned 

smaller biogas plants therefore can make use of the possiblity to 

assemble the biogas generated in each plant via micro gas grids 

and then upgrade and feed-in the entire quanitity on only one 

site. 

The figure above provides an overview of the various process 

steps of biogas upgrade. 

fine sulphur removal are active carbon adsorption and zinc 

oxide adsorption. 

Gas drying. 

For the drying of biogas, adsorption and condensation processes 

are the methods of choice. 

Adsorptive gas drying processes. 

The premise of this process is that water vapour adsorbs to 

specific compounds (including, for instance, silica gel and 

aluminum oxides). Using packed-bed adsorbers, these compounds 

are passed through the biogas as granulates, thereby 

removing water vapour from the gas. 

Sulphur removal. 

The process of crude sulphur removal can be undertaken either 

biologically or chemically. 

Biological sulphur removal. 

Biological sulphur removal employs microorganisms that consume 

hydrogen sulphide. This process is only suitable for crude 

sulphur removal. The microorganisms can be placed directly 

into the fermenter. 

Chemical sulphur removal. 

Chemical sulphur removal involves the use of compounds that 

bind with sulphur in the fermenter. Iron oxide is the best compound 

for this purpose. 

The granulates must be regenerated after adsorption. Here it 

is important to note the difference between cold and warm regeneration 

processes. If the biogas facility is to feed into the gas 

grid on a continuous basis, it is necessary to apply two separate 

packed-bed adsorbers so that one may be used when the other is 

regenerating. 

Condensation processes. 

For this process the biogas is cooled, causing the water it contains 

to condense. This process is above all intended for drying 

biogas for use in motor vehicles. However, the process does not 

meet specifications (DVGW G 260 and G 262) for biomethane 

preparation. For this reason, the process is only partially useful 

to prepare biomethane for feed-in into the grid. 

Because some sulphur (specifically hydrogen sulphide) can remain 

in the biogas after crude sulphur removal, some preparation 

paths may require an additional fine sulphur removal 

process before CO 2 

separation. The most suitable processes for 

CO 2 

separation. 

On the European market, pressure swing adsorption and pressurised 

water scrubbing are the most widely used processes for 

CO 2 

separation. Additional processes are currently in the pilot 

stages; some of these must still be intensively researched. The 

following overview provides a short, non-exhaustive description 

of some selected CO 2 

separation processes: 

Pressure swing adsorption (PSA). 

“Adsorption” refers to the exit of molecules from fluids and their 

subsequent attachment to solid surfaces. This process is used in 



PSA to remove the CO 2 

and any remaining traces of other gases 

from raw biogas. Before adsorption, sulphur and water vapour 

must be removed from the raw biogas, since these substances 

can damage the active carbon required in the process. As a rule, 

water separation succeeds when raw biogas is cooled nearly to 

the point of freezing. For the separation of sulphur from biogas, 

various other processes may be used. 

Pressurised water scrubbing (PWS). 

Pressurised water scrubbing is a matter of physical adsorption 

processes. Raw biogas is routed through a water-filled pressure 

tank, in which the gases present in the biogas are absorbed by 

water. Besides CO 2 

, this process can also remove some of the 

hydrogen sulphide (H 2 

S) and ammonia (NH 3 

) present in raw 

biogas. When biogas contains more hydrogen sulphide than 

can be removed through pressure water washing, this is an 

indication that an additional sulphur removal process should be 

implemented “upstream” of the pressure water wash. Following 

the completion of the pressure water wash, the gas must be 

dried and dehumidified before being fed into the natural gas 

grid. 

There are other promising processes for CO 2 

removal in addition 

to pressure swing adsorption and pressure water washing. 

The following passage briefly describes each of these processes: 

Genosorbs®. 

Like pressure water washing, this biogas purification process 

hinges around a physical adsorption, although washing 

fluid that is highly absorptive of CO 2 

and H 2 

S is also involved. 

The washing fluid Genosorb can regenerate itself after hightemperature 

washes. The washing fluid has a shelf life of about 

10 years. Because of this, an essentially larger load of washing 

fluid is possible. 

Amine washing. 

The amine washes are processes of chemical adsorption. In 

contrast to pressure water washing and Genosorb absorption, 

amine washes use chemical reactions to remove extraneous 

gases present in biogas. Because of this, a large range of washing 

fluids can be used. 

Monoethanol amine washing (MEA). 

Cleaning biogas using monoethanol amine is suitable when 

only CO 2 

must be removed. The process can be implemented 

with only minimal pressure, though it requires a standard 

minimum temperature of approximately 40°C. The process is 

therefore especially appealing for sites that have already access 

to heat. 

Diethanol amine washing (DEA). 

The process of diethanol amine washing is very similar to that 

of monoethanol amine washing. As a washing fluid, though, 

diethanol amine differs from monoethanol amine. Its CO 2 

adsorption capacity is greater than that of monoethanol amine, 

though its environmental impacts (specifically its hazards for 

waterways) are more serious. 

Membrane technology 

Membrane upgrade technology is a physical process. Raw 

biogas flows through a membrane layer which is impermeable 

for methane but is passable carbon dioxide (semi-permeability). 

Thus, the methane concentration is increased to natural gas 

standard. In order for the gas to be separated, raw biogas must 

pass the membranes at a pressure level of 25-40 bar. 

The following table (page 38) provides an overview of the 

respective upgrade technologies and their most important 

parameters. 

4.5 Grid feed-in. 

The feeding of biogas into the natural gas grid is an efficient 

energy solution, even if the sites in which the gas is to be applied 

are far away from the sites at which it is produced. Gas feed-in is 

facilitated via a compressor, a device raising the pressure level 

of the biomethane to that of the gas in the closed pressurised 

37


Criteria PSA PWS Genosorb MEA DEA 

Adsorption process physical physical chemical chemical 

Pre-cleaning necessary? Yes No No Yes Yes 

Required pressure (bar) 4 –7 4 –7 4 –7 depressurised depressurised 

Methane loss 3–10 % 1–2 % 1–4 % < 0.1 % < 0.1 % 

Methane content of the gas product > 96 % > 97 % > 96 % > 99 % > 99 % 

Required power consumption [kWh/Nm 3 ] 0.25 < 0.25 0.25–0.33 < 0.15 < 0.15 

Required temperature range [°C] No No 55 –80 160 160 

Range of controllability as percentages of total load +/– 10–15 % 50–100 % 50–100 % 50–100 % 50–100 % 

Processes already underway > 20 > 20 3 3 2 

Table: Parameters of different upgrade technologies. Source: Fraunhofer Umsicht (2009). 

lines of the grid. Given European regulatory realities, new gas 

producers have the opportunity to feed gas into the conventional 

gas grid. For biogas generators, this multiplication of 

the possible number of consumers is attractive. For purposes of 

injection, however, the gas must meet the quality specifications 

of the relevant legal provisions and may only deviate within the 

range of these quality standards. Such standards are realised 

using technologies for reconditioning gas. Because a non-negligible 

quantity of energy is necessary for gas compression, the 

energy balance and the economic feasibility of the compression 

and feed-in process must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 

Accessory gas / exchange gas. 

With regard to feeding biomethane into the natural gas grid, it 

is necessary to distinguish between exchange gas and accessory 

gas. The difference lies in the quality of the gases. An exchange 

gas has the same qualitative standards as conventional natural 

gas and can be exchanged in the grid as such. Accessory gas possesses 

a composition that is not equivalent to that of the natural 

gas, and can therefore only be mixed into the grid beneath a 

certain threshold. 

The types of natural gas available in Germany vary with geography. 

Similarly, the degree to which biomethane is upgraded 

depends on the region of its origin. 

Quality standards. 

Regulations distinguish between low-quality natural gas 

(“Natural Gas L”) and high-quality natural gas (“Natural Gas H”). 

Natural Gas H possesses a higher methane content, and is used 

mainly in the GUS federal states and extracted principally in the 

North Sea. 

Natural Gas L contains roughly 89 per cent flammable gases 

(primarily methane, but also small amounts of ethane, propane, 

butane, and pentane), while Natural Gas H contains about 

97 per cent flammable gases (the same as those listed for Natural 

Gas L). 

4.6 Sales and trade. 

The transport and sales of the injected biomethane is usually 

coordinated by a biogas or natural gas trading company. To 

transfer biogas from its production site to its end customer, 

these trading companies enter various business and contractual 

relationships with different partners. The following overview 

gives an idea of the biomethane sales dynamics in Germany. 

Biogas Accounting Grid Contract. 

In order to transport the injected biomethane via the gas grid, 

the trading company (also called “transport client”) is required 

to close a biogas accounting grid contract with the accounting 

grid operator. The grid operator balances the account of the 

biomethane amounts fed-in and out of the grid in an accounting 

grid and settles surplus and shortage quantities with the 

transport client. 

Grid Entry Contract. 

In order to be allocated to an accounting grid, the biogas supplier 

enters a contract with the Entry Grid Operator. In this Grid 

Entry Contract, the parties agree on the quality criteria for the 

injected gas. 

Grid Exit Contract. 

The final customer enters into a grid exit contract with the exit 

grid operator settling the gas withdrawal at the physical gas 

exit point. The costs for the grid transport are the same as in 

natural gas transport transactions and are covered by the final 

customer together with grid access fees regardless of the feed-in 

location. 

Biomethane sales and trade in Germany differs from classic 

natural gas trade regarding the necessary proof of origins. The 

amounts of biomethane fed into the natural gas network must 

be documented along the value chain regarding the attributes 

required by law (“produced from renewable primary sources, 

for example). These attributes mostly derive from the legal and 

political conditions. 



Bioethanol 

Biodiesel 

Rapeseed oil 

Biomass-to-Liquid (BTL) 

Biomethane 

22,400 + 14,400 

23,300 + 17,600 

23,300 + 17,600 

64,000 

67,600 

Figure: Mileage yield of biofuels per hectare cropland. 

Source: FNR (2008). 

Figure: Yield of biofuels 

in km per hectare 

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 

In 1,000 Kilometers per Hectare. 

Biomethane from byproducts 

(mash, straw/mulch) 

Next Quelle: to FNR transport 2008 logistics and accounting matters, the trading 

company also coordinates a gas portfolio. The company buys 

0 

10000 

20000 

biogas quantities from various producers and delivers it to different 

(end) customers. Also, the trading company is able to provide 

ongoing and steady supplies as well as singular deliveries 

on the spot. These classic portfolio structuring are accompanied 

also by structuring regarding biomethane attributes. The different 

origin attributes lead to a variety of different biomethane 

products of different value and with versatile application fields. 

By structuring these attributes the trading company can serve 

customers’ individual needs resulting from the field of application 

they are aiming at. The certificates or quantity attestations 

are the basis for biomethane clients to prove their claims for the 

feed-in tariffs in context with EEG or EEWärmeG. 

Since the beginning of 2011, the Biogas Register has set a standard 

for biomethane proof of origin and quality criteria. With 

this system, biomethane producers, traders and users are able to 

document the gas quantities fed into the gas grids. The criteria 

catalogue used in this context is applicable to all potential fields 

of utilization for the biomethane. The information provided 

by the producer is cross-checked by an independent auditor. It 

may then be allocated to its utilization. Therefore, consistent 

proof is guaranteed also while the biomethane is in the gas grid, 

between its feed-in and abstraction. 

30000 

40000 

50000 

60000 

70000 

Heat generation. 

Like natural gas, biomethane can be applied in industry and private 

housholds for heating purposes. No adaptation of the end 

devices (gas-fired boiler, gas stove, e.g.) is necessary since the 

biomethane presents the same heat value characteristics as the 

natural gas in the local gas grid. The fact that biomethane thus 

can resort to existing infrastructure is a central advantage of 

this innovative technology also from an economic perspective. 

Cogeneration of heat and power (CHP). 

In combined heat and power processes, biomethane is used in 

combustion machines (gas engines, (micro-)gas turbines, stirling 

motors). These machines generate mechanical energy and, 

as a byproduct, heat. The mechanical energy is transformed 

into electrical energy via generators and fed into the power 

grid. The generated heat is used for heating purposes. The CHP 

process operating on biogas mainly takes place in CHP plants , 

where the heat energy generated can be applied in a local heat 

network. Regarding the energy yield, CHP achieves very good 

results since the heat which is generated during the process of 

power production can also be utilized. CHP has come to play a 

more and more important role in recent years and is especially 

advisable for edifices and facilities presenting a high heat 

demand all year long, such as public swimming pools, factories 

etc. 

4.7 Application fields. 

The application fields for biomethane are the same as are currently 

satisfied by conventional natural gas . The main advantage 

is its good heating characteristics. In the early stages of 

biogas generation in Germany, it was mainly used for power 

generation in so-called combined heat and power plants (CHP) 

right on the production site. A major part of the generated heat 

remained thus unused. 

The upgrade and feed-in of biomethane broadens the application 

fields of biogas to equal those of natural gas. 

Mobility. 

Biogas upgraded to natural gas quality can be used to fuel natural 

gas dedicated vehicles. A further adaptation on the vehicles 

is not necessary. By feeding biomethane into the grid, it is made 

available on a national basis and can be distributed via the existing 

natural gas station infrastructure. 

In comparison to other biofuels, biomethane is to be ranked 

among the most efficient ones. Per hectare cropland, a similar 

mileage can be achieved with biomethane as with biomass-toliquid 

(BtL)-fuels of the so-called second generation. 

39

Companies and Market Players. 


This chapter presents German and European companies and 

market players in the biogas injection sector. The table provides 

an overview of their core activities. 

Project development 

Engineering 

Plant engineering 

Plant operation 

Trade 

Energy supply company 

Application 

Financing 

Consulting 

Research 

Association 

page 

Abicon GmbH 47 

agri.capital GmbH 47 

ALENSYS Engineering GmbH 48 

Arcanum Energy 48 

BALANCE VNG Bioenergie GmbH 49 

Biogasrat e.V. 49 

BIS E.M.S. GmbH 50 

bmp greengas GmbH 50 

Böck Silosysteme GmbH 51 

Bundesindustrieverband Deutschland 

51 

Haus-, Energie- und Umwelttechnik e.V. 

Bundesverband Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung e.V. 52 

Bundesverband der Maschinenringe e.V. 52 

Cirmac International bv 53 

cng services ltd 53 

Dalkia GmbH 54 

Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e.V. 54 

Deutscher Verein des Gas- und 

42 

Wasserfaches e.V. 

Deutscher Bauernverband e.V. 55 

Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum 

55 

gGmbH 

DZ Bank AG 56 

E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH 43 

EnBW Vertrieb GmbH 56 

Enovos Luxembourg S.A. 57 



EnviTec Biogas AG 57 

erdgas schwaben gmbh 44 

Fachverband Biogas e.V. 58 

figawa e.V. 58 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- 

und Energietechnik UMSICHT 


Engineering 

Plant engineering 

Plant operation 

Trade 


Application 


Consulting 

Research 

Association 

page 

Fraunhofer-Institut für Windenergie und 

59 

Energiesystemtechnik IWES 

GASAG Berliner Gaswerke Aktiengesellschaft 

60 

GREENFIELD Europe 60 

Haase Energietechnik AG & Co. KG 61 

juwi Bio GmbH 61 

keep it green gmbh 62 

KWS Saat AG 62 

Landwärme GmbH 63 

Mabagas GmbH & Co KG 63 

MT-BioMethan GmbH 64 

NAWARO BioEnergie AG 64 

N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie 65 

ÖKOBiT GmbH 65 

PlanET Biogastechnik GmbH 66 

PRIMAGAS GmbH 66 

Propan-Gesellschaft mbH 67 

ProTech Energiesysteme GmbH 67 

r. e Bioenergie GmbH 68 

Rechtsanwälte Schnutenhaus & Kollegen 68 

RES Projects GmbH 69 

RWE Vertrieb AG 69 

Städtische Werke AG Kassel 70 

STEAG GmbH 70 

Thüga Energie GmbH 71 

TÜV Nord Cert GmbH 71 

TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH 72 

Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG 45 

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft 46 

WELtec BioPower GmbH 72 

Windwärts Energie GmbH 73 

59 

41


DVGW German Technical and 

Scientific Association for Gas and Water 

The DVGW’s technical standards ensure a high-quality gas and 

water supply for Germany. The DVGW assists gas and water 

enterprises with the cost-effective implementation of technical 

measures necessary for maintaining Germany’s clean, secure 

gas and water supply. As a setter of technical standards, the 

DVGW with its more than 12,800 members isis instrumental 

in defining collaborative processes designed to improve these 

enterprises, and to ensure effective, autonomous industrial 

management under rapidly changing conditions. 

DVGW German Technical and 

Scientific Association for Gas and Water 

Technical/scientific organisation 

Josef-Wirmer-Strasse 1 –3, D-53123 Bonn, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)228 91 88-5 

Fax +49 (0)228 91 88-990 

info@dvgw.de 

www.dvgw.de 

With respect to biogas, the DVGW takes a holistic approach to 

setting gas and water standards: the focus is on supply security, 

supply diversity, sustained access to native energy sources, and 

the gradual development of processes for producing biomass 

energy from the most commonly used plants. 

DVGW Association office in Bonn 




Within the E.ON Group, the E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH is 

responsible for the generation, grid injection and trading of 

biomethane. 

The E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH was founded in 2007 with the goal to 

market biomethane as an innovative and ecologically-friendly 

energy and heat source. 

In 2008, for example, the E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH put into operation 

the at this point largest plant for biomethane production 

(Schwandorf) in Germany. The plant generates biomethane in 

natural gas quality at a rate of 1,000 m 3 per hour. This equals a 

heat capacity of 90,000.000 kWh per year. With this amount, 

the gas demand of about 5,000 four-person-households can be 

covered. 

Biomethane plant in Schwandorf, Bavaria 

While in Germany the generation of biomethane is based 

mainly on energy crops, E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH is currently 

also analyzing the application of organic waste in biomethane 

generation in existing projects all over Europe. 

With its biomethane product, E.ON Bioerdgas GmbH as one of 

the leading companies will contribute to the achievement of the 

political climate goals until 2030 of the German Federal Government 

and the EU and play an integral role in the coverage of 

10 per cent of the overall gas consumption with renewables. 


Biomethane trading/generation 

Dr. Thomas Stephanblome 

Brüsseler Platz 1, D-45135 Essen, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)201 184-78 31 

Fax +49 (0)201 184-78 37 

www.eon.com 

43



We are where our customers are. 

. 

erdgas schwaben looks back on a long history as an energy 

provider in the German regions Swabia and Upper Bavaria. The 

current pipeline system connects 165 cities and communities, 

covering an area of roughly 5.000 km. Public facilities as well 

as private households utilize our services which cover the full 

spectrum of natural gas supply. For the past three years, the 

Swabian energy supplier has been following its own unique 

energy strategy: “The erdgas schwaben way”. 

Central principles of the “erdgas schwaben way” include the 

professional consultation for the reduction of energy costs, the 

support of more efficient natural gas utilization practices, and 

the resulting expansion of renewable energies. 

The erdgas schwaben way. 

. 

Bio-energy, the renewable energies from Swabia have an enormous 

development potential! We have successfully expanded 

this business sector in 2008. erdgas schwaben currently manages 

four operating bio-natural gas plants. The first plant has 

been in operation since 2007, and is located in Graben, near 

Augsburg. The others are located in Maihingen, near Nördlingen 

in Donau-Ries (since 2008), in Altenstadt/Schongau (since 

2009) and in Arnschwang/Cham (since 2010). 

210 Million kWh are produced and anually fed into the grid. 

This amount equals 12,000 households which are currently 

experiencing the benefits of green energy use. 

Three additional biogas projects for bio-heat and bio-electricity 

are currently in operation in Dillingen, Mindelheim and Kaufbeuren. 

The regional supply of energy from sustainable natural 

resources makes Swabia independent from the international 

energy market, thus strengthening the region as a whole. That 

is why erdgas schwaben annually invests 10 million Euros into 

the expansion of renewable energies in the region and, through 

this measure, in our future generations. 

Bioenergy for us is a means to set the stage for the environment. 

Bio-energy from regenerative natural resources, 100% ecofriendly, 

always available and directly from Swabia. 



Georg Radlinger 

Director Renewable Energy and Heat Project Development 

Bayerstrasse 43, D-86199 Augsburg, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)821 90 02-170 

Fax +49 (0)821 90 02-186 

georg.radlinger@erdgas-schwaben.de 

www.erdgas-schwaben.de 

Bio-natural gas plant 

erdgas schwaben 




The Viessmann Group is one of the leading international 

manufacturers of heating systems and offers a complete range 

of products for all energy sources and areas of application. 

Viessmann offers individual solutions, whether for detached or 

semi-detached homes, large apartment blocks, commercial and 

industrial buildings or local heating networks. With the takeover 

of the two biogas specialists Schmack Biogas and BIOFerm, 

Viessmann is able to offer the complete package in the field of 

biogas technology. 

Schmack Biogas was the first company in Germany to implement 

the feeding of biogas into the natural gas grid. For gas upgrading, 

Schmack uses CARBOTECH technology. The company, 

which now also belongs to Viessmann, is a specialist in technologies 

and processes for conditioning, cleaning and generating 

industrial gases and biogas in particular. 

. 

Utilising biogas as part of “Efficiency Plus”. . 

Thus Viessmann is enforcing its strategy of making increased 

use of renewable forms of energy. Renewable energy systems 

already account for 25 per cent of turnover at Viessmann. 

BIOFerm – the dry-fermentation specialist. 

The 2007 acquisition of BIOFerm GmbH, which provides biogas 

plants based on dry fermentation, represented a first step 

towards Viessmann expanding its field of expertise to include 

biogas. The BIOFerm technology makes it possible to recycle 

organic waste from local authorities, agriculture and landscape 

preservation and turn it into energy. Target groups are local 

authorities, the food industry and landscape preservation businesses. 

Schmack Biogas – market leader for biogas technologies and 

gas processing. 

The takeover of Schmack Biogas in January 2010 enabled Viessmann 

to further expand its position in the market for renewable 

energies. Schmack Biogas is one of the leading German providers 

of biogas plants. The company today provides its services in 

project management and construction as well as service and 

operational oversight, and this makes it one of the few full-service 

providers in the industry. Since it was founded back in 1995, 

Schmack has constructed around 230 biogas plants around the 

world with a total output of over 100 MW. 

With the construction of a biogas plant at the company’s headquarters 

in Allendorf/Eder, Viessmann is underlining its strategy 

to make increased use of renewable energy sources as part of its 

“Efficiency Plus” sustainability project which aims, by 2010, to reduce 

the use of fossil fuels by 40 per cent and CO 2 

emissions by 30 

per cent. 4,500 tonnes of organic waste will be processed in the 

biogas plant every year to generate 2.7 million kwh of electricity 

and heat. The primary energy of the biogas will be converted by 

a CHP plant from the manufacturer ESS, which also belongs to 

the Viessmann Group. 


Biogas companies in the Viessmann Group: 

Schmack Biogas GmbH 

Markus Staudt 

Bayernwerk 8, D-92421 Schwandorf, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 94 31 751-0 

Fax +49 (0) 94 31 751-204 

info@schmack-biogas.com 

www.schmack-biogas.com 

Schmack CARBOTECH GmbH 


Tel +49 (0) 94 31 751-122 

mail@carbotech.info 

BIOFerm GmbH 


Tel +49 (0) 94 31 751-0 

info@bioferm.de 

45


The Volkswagen Group.. 

. 

Based in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Volkswagen Group increased 

the number of vehicles delivered to customers to 7.2 million in 

2010, representing a 13.7 per cent share of the world passenger 

car market. Each brand of the Group has its own distinctive 

character: Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen Commercial 

Vehicles, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Scania. 

Across the Group, the product range extends from fuel-saving 

compact cars to luxury class vehicles. 

The Group’s objective is to offer attractive, safe and environmentally 

friendly vehicles which set world standards in their 

respective classes. For the first time, Volkswagen is offering 

the combination of natural gas drive and turbocharged direct 

injection with the Passat TSI EcoFuel and the Touran TSI EcoFuel. 

Under the brand name SunGas®, Volkswagen is also involved in 

the provision of biogas that is largely carbon neutral. 

TSI EcoFuel – efficiency meets dynamics.. 

. 

Volkswagen is the market leader for natural gas vehicles in Germany, 

and is continuing to make progress throughout Europe. 

The current Volkswagen range extends from the Passat TSI Eco- 

Fuel as a saloon or estate to the 5 or 7-seat Touran TSI EcoFuel, 

right through to the Caddy EcoFuel and Caddy Maxi EcoFuel. 

The Caddy Maxi EcoFuel is available with a sensational range of 

700 km, of which 570 km are covered in natural gas mode. All of 

these Volkswagen vehicles are easy on the environment and on 

the customer’s wallet. Natural gas costs half as much as petrol, 

and is one third cheaper than diesel. 

The engines in the EcoFuel models have been developed and 

optimised specifically for sustained use with natural gas. Modified 

components such as vents, pistons and the engine management 

system are designed to deal with the different operational 

demands of natural gas drive. Volkswagen has been developing 

natural gas engines for approximately two decades and is set to 

continue this work intensively in future. 

The combination of natural gas drive and turbocharged direct 

injection in the TSI EcoFuel is the only one of its kind in the 

world. The Passat TSI EcoFuel was the first natural gas Volkswagen 

available on the market with this innovative technology. 

The subsequent launch of the vehicle with a CO 2 

emission value 

of 117 g/km was greeted with a series of awards. For the first 

time in the six-year history of the ADAC’s EcoTest, this vehicle 

fulfilled the fuel consumption and pollutant criteria to such a 

high standard that it was awarded the top five-star rating. In the 

ADAC’s EcoTest, which is based on real-life driving situations, 

the Passat TSI EcoFuel showed an excellent fuel consumption 

rate of 4.89 kilograms of natural gas over 100 kilometres. 

In 2011, Volkswagen again features among the winners in the 

ADAC’s Golden Angel awards. The Volkswagen Touran 1.4 

TSI EcoFuel won a prize in the “Future” category, intended to 

recognise the highest level of development in the areas of suitability 

for daily use, efficiency, environmental compatibility 

and safety. The award was presented in recognition of the CO 2 

emissions of just 126 g/km, a particularly low figure for a vehicle 

in this class. 

This is the second award of its kind for the compact family van: 

in 2009 and 2010, the Touran TSI EcoFuel was named the most 

environmentally friendly seven-seater in the environmental list 

compiled by VCD, a transport and environmental organisation. 

CO2 emissions, alongside the pollution load, fuel consumption 

and noise level, are the decisive criteria according to which 

vehicles in the VCD environmental list are assessed. The Touran 

TSI EcoFuel sets standards in its class with its economical and 

dynamic natural gas drive. 

Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft 

Group Research, Powertrain 

Dr. Tobias Loesche-ter Horst 

Letterbox 011/17780, D-38436 Wolfsburg, Germany 

info@sunfuel.de 

www.volkswagenag.com, www.sunfuel.de 



Abicon GmbH 


Project development of biogas and photovoltaic plants. 

ABICON GmbH was founded in 2006 and is a spin-off of AUDIT 

GmbH, a company active since 1994 focusing on quality and 

environmental management. 

Led by its managers Dr. Andreas Möller and Thomas Knieling, 

ABICON is by now a well-established market player, known not 

only in Hesse, but in all of Germany. 

The agri.capital group is one of the largest decentralised biogas 

based energy generators in Germany. Apart from its core business 

areas of electricity and heat generation from biogas, the 

Münster based company also produces and feeds biomethane 

into the natural gas network. agri.capital currently operates 

biogas facilities in 59 different locations across Germany. 

Electricity production is presently around 46 megawatts. In 

addition, roughly 250 million kilowatts/hour of biomethane are 

fed into the natural gas network every year. 

The core competences of our teams focus on the development 

of projects in the biogas and photovoltaic fields. The teams 

consist of civil engineers and agriculturists as well as business 

managers with special knowledge in the various sectors of 

renewable energies. 

Thus, we can offer a broad spectrum of practical and theoretical 

know-how. 

We can in particular offer profound experience and know-how 

on the upgrade of biogas to natural gas quality. 

Due to its ideal agricultural structure, the biomethane plant 

Ransbach, Schwälmer Biogas GmbH & Co. KG, represents one 

of the most sustainable biogas projects in Germany. Further 

biomethane projects are currrently in the planning stage. 

Our main virtue lies in the interdisciplinary approach which 

enables us to meet all individual customer needs. 

ABICON GmbH 

Schönsteiner Straße 23, D-34630 Moischeid-Gilserberg, Germany 

Dr. Andreas Möller 

Tel +49 (0)6696 91 29 39-10 

Fax +49 (0)6696 91 29 39-20 

info@abicon-gmbh.de 

www.abicon-gmbh.de 

agri.capital’s expertise encompasses the complete supply chain: 


Acceptance planning 


Construction 

Business and technical operation 

Raw material management 

Biological maintenance 

Network connection 

Sales of electricity, heat and biomethane 

The agri.capital group currently runs facilities for feeding 

biomethane into the natural gas network in Könnern, Lüchow, 

Schmargendorf, Wriezen und Stresow. Additional facilities 

are already under construction or in the planning phases. The 

redevelopment of existing biogas facilities to provide biogas 

feed-in also presents an ecological and economically sage 

alternative and agri.capital is also pushing such developments. 

The biomethane produced is sold to gas dealers, energy providers, 

municipal utilities and CHP operators, to meet the growing 

demand for environmentally friendly gas. 


Michael Hauck 

Hafenweg 15, D-48155 Münster, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)251 276 01-121 

Fax +49 (0)251 276 01-910 

info@agri-capital.de 

www.agri-capital.de 

47


ALENSYS Engineering 

GmbH 

Arcanum Energy Systems 

GmbH & Co. KG 

With more than 10 years of experience the ALENSYS Engineering 

GmbH guarantees for technically and commercially optimized 

solutions for your biomethane project. 

The implementation of your projects is always based on the 

high commitment of our engineers. By separating development 

and implementation processes we exclusively act according to 

the interests of our clients. A team of dedicated and experienced 

engineers provides you with tailor-made solutions. 

Our industrial standard and our technical expertise secure a 

highly sustainable productive efficiency of our facilities. 

Technical project development is a matter of trust. Ask us. 

ALENSYS Engineering GmbH 

Dipl.-Ing. Ilona Paulick 

Zum Wasserwerk 12, D-15537 Erkner, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)3362 8859 141 

Fax +49 (0)3362 8859 151 

i.paulick@alensys.de 

www.alensys.de 

Trade of biomethane throughout Germany, professional transport 

and balancing service from the injection to the discharing 

point at the combined heat and power unit (CHP), project 

management and advisory service for biogas production and 

biogas upgrading plants, Biogas Pool as a successful investment 

model for municipal energy suppliers and farmers, innovative 

ways in acquisition, sales and marketing: ARCANUM energy 

supports you in the whole biogas value- added process. When is 

the operation of a CHP profitable? Which locations are suitable 

for biogas production and upgrading to biomethane? How can 

you import or export biomethane? Who procures biomethane 

on good terms? Competent, experienced and innovative. ARCA- 

NUM energy realizes it. 

Arcanum Energy Systems GmbH & Co. KG 

Project Development and Consulting 

Vera Schürmann (vs@arcanum-energy.de), Prokura 

Hertingerstrasse 45, D-59423 Unna, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)2303 952 32-0 

Fax +49 (0)2303 95 232-2 

info@arcanum-energy.de 

www.arcanum-energy.de 



BALANCE VNG 

Bioenergie GmbH 


As a wholly owned subsidiary of the gas trading company 

VNG – Verbundnetz Gas AG, our focus is the development and 

implementation of biogas projects, with special emphasis on 

the creation of biogas feed-in systems for the natural gas grid. 

Strategy and Services. 

BALANCE focuses on developing comprehensive, professional 

biomethane-related projects, and on providing various business 

services for the biogas industry. It supplements these activities 

primarily by marketing and transporting natural gas in 

coordination with VNG’s renewable energy program, placing 

particular focus on the management of biomethane. 

BALANCE VNG Bioenergie GmbH 

Development and implementation of biogas feed-in projects 

Thomas Fritsch 

Maximilianallee 4, D-4129 Leipzig, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)341 443 29 17 

Fax +49 (0)341 443 29 19 

thomas.fritsch@balance-vng.de 

www.balance-vng.de 

Your partner for future energy policy. . 

. 

Biogasrat e.V. is the association of leading market players in the 

biogas economy. Its members represent the entire value chain 

of the biogas sector. Among its members are agricultural energy 

producers, plant constructors, component suppliers, financing 

experts, project developers, energy supply companies, disposal 

managers as well as trading companies. 

Biogasrat acts as association with the purpose to develop the 

market representing its members, to communicate the important 

role of bioenergies in the future energy mix to politics and 

the overall public and to establish better legal, economic and 

political parameters for the biogas economy. A special focus 

lies on the needs and interests of agricultural, industrial and 

efficient biogas production and utilization. 

The association complies with international and national 

climate goals as well as with the further development of the German 

energy sector. Biogasrat’s objective is to secure the German 

biogas economy’s market leadership position and competitive 

ability while at the same time answering to climate and 

sustainability goals. Biogasrat is a fair and reliable partner for 

both politics and economy, always working towards the future 

energy policy. 


Reinhard Schultz 

Janet Hochi 

Dorotheenstrasse 35, D-10117 Berlin, Germany 

Tel + 49 (0) 30 20 14 31 33 

Fax + 49 (0) 30 20 14 31 36 

geschaeftsstelle@biogasrat.de 

www.biogasrat.de 

49




BIS E.M.S. GmbH is part of the Bilfinger Berger Industrial 

Services (BIS) Group and was established in 1975. Its focus is on 

the chemical, gas and biogas industries. BIS E.M.S. designs and 

builds complete units as well as individual components, as well 

as supplying industrial services. 

BIS E.M.S. provides services for the entire lifecycle of industrial 

facilities, with services ranging from consulting, development, 

planning, assembly and installation to plant maintenance and 

operation. The focus is on our customers’ needs, both in terms of 

project support and service options. 

For efficient and cost-effective biogas upgrading, BIS E.M.S. has 

developed a new process together with BASF. The solvent used 

in the process reacts selectively with carbon dioxide and hydrogen 

sulfide from the biogas. It is particularly oxygen-stable with 

a long lifetime, and can achieve very high biomethane purities 

with methane losses of < 0,08 Vol%. 

Upgrading units up to a size of 1,500 Nm 3 /h are designed in a 

modular way. They are prefabricated to reduce installation 

works on site. Larger units are skid-mounted. As an example, 

BIS E.M.S. installed two biogas upgrading units, each with a raw 

biogas flow rate of 6,000 Nm 3 /h for our customer VERBIO. 

Who we are. 

Since bmp greengas focuses on trading, certification and 

consulting services in the biomethane market. Based upon the 

development of its own independent trading platform, bmp 

greengas is able to purchase biomethane from different providers, 

structure and to provide its customers with highly customized 

products. This business model reduces market risks for all 

players and helps to create a free-flowing market. 

With regards to certification, bmp greengas has developed a 

standard offering in compliance with regulatory requirements. 

Proof of origin certificates for biomethane products in cooperation 

with TÜV SÜD are also provided. 

Trade. 

Biomethane supply at virtual trading points or any physical 

removal station 

Purchasing of grid-grade biomethane 

Certification. 

Planning and organization of audits with official authorities 

Administration of register documentation 

Supply of product certificates 


Engineering Maintenance Services 

Ulrich Trebbe 

Hohe Tannen 11, D-49661 Cloppenburg, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)4471 182-0 

Fax +49 (0)4471 182-128 

info@ems-clp.de 

www.ems-clp.de 

Consulting. 

Feasibility studies, economic modelling 

Technological consultation on gas processing systems 

Workshops on biomethane trade and balancing 


Lothar Gottschalk 

Ganghoferstrasse 68a, D-80339 München, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)89 30 90 58 72 00 

Fax +49 (0)89 30 90 58 78 88 

l.gottschalk@bmp-greengas.de 

www.bmp-greengas.de 




BDH – Federal Industrial 

Association of Germany – 

House, Energy and Environmental 

Technology. 

30 per cent more energy thanks to the BÖCK-Traunsteiner-silosystem. 

BÖCK offers you the full package from one source for the 

construction of this special bunker silo-system, starting from 

consulting up to a ready-to-use building, including unequalled 

silo-cover protection if desired. The BÖCK-Traunsteiner silosystem 

combines both optimal functionality and environmental 

compatibility. Our solutions always are intelligent, low-cost 

and efficient. 

Economic advantages thanks to the Traunsteiner silo. 

Your plants will be optimized through the combination of 

expertise in agriculture and BÖCK’s unique experience. The 

forceful conversion of the BÖCK silo-system, from complete construction 

to ensiling logistics, has a huge effect to your silages 

energy-yield per ton. Our professional know-how, individual 

concepts, safety regarding costs and deadlines, constant supervision 

and our rigorous quality control will guarantee you the 

best reliability for your project. 

Environmental construction. 

BÖCK offers dependable solutions for environmental relief 

and is constantly improving them in cooperation with public 

authorities, engineers and technical universities. 

BDH is a federal association representing 82 manufacturers of 

heating systems and heating system components. It also represents 

three associated organizations. 

Manufacturers of high-efficiency systems for heating, sanitary 

hot water provision, ventilation and air-conditioning in 

buildings are organized in the Federal Industrial Association 

of Germany House, Energy and Environmental Technology 

(BDH). These manufacturers produce modern wood, oil and 

gas-fired boilers, heat pumps, solar installations, ventilation 

systems, control and regulation mechanisms, radiators and 

panel heating/cooling systems, burners, heat stores, heating 

pumps, flue systems, storage tanks and other ancillary components. 

They generate a turnover of 12.3 billion Euros and employ 

some 62,000 staff worldwide. Because of the relatively high 

investment in Research and Development – an annual figure 

of around 385 million Euros – the member companies of the 

BDH enjoy a leading position in international markets and are 

technologically ahead of the field. 

BDH – Federal Industrial Association of Germany – 

House, Energy and Environmental Technology. 

Nationwide representation for manufacturers of heating systems 

Wilfried Linke 

Frankfurter Strasse 720 –726, D-51145 Cologne, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)2203 935 93-19 

Fax +49 (0)2203 935 93-22 

Wilfried.Linke@BDH-Koeln.de 

www.bdh-koeln.de 


Ronald Kriz 

Stefan-Flötzl-Strasse 24, 83342 Tacherting, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)8621 64 66-0 

Fax 49 (0)8621 64 66-25 

silo@boeck.de 

www.boeck.de 

51


Bundesverband Kraft- 

Wärme-Kopplung e. V. 

Bundesverband der 

Maschinenringe e. V. 

Our Objectives. 

Professional service providers for biogas production. 

The B.KWK is non-profit. It pursues its goals by: 

Facilitating dialogue amongst professional groups and 

institutions 

Minimizing deficient information exchange and permanently 

establishing the practice of cogeneration among 

policymakers, market actors and the population at large 

Providing consulting and support for interested persons 

and institutions 

Encouraging and developing scientific and technical 

innovations 

Hosting information days, workshops, and conferences 

Organizing booths at trade fairs and exhibitions dedicated 

to the cogeneration topic 

Collaborating with other national and international 

organizations 

Who is invited to participate? 

People, enterprises, institutions and associations, particularly: 

Cogeneration plant owners and operators in industry, trade, 

sales, and the public sector 

System and component manufacturers, service providers, 

planners, consultants, contractors, energy agencies, technicians, 

and installation specialists 

Municipal power providers, utilities, power distributers, and 

grid operators 

Suppliers of natural gas, coal, petroleum, and biofuels 

Banks, financial services companies, and insurers 

The machine syndicates, which represent about 194,000 workers, 

are agricultural self-help organizations designed primarily 

to help their members minimize operating costs. To this end the 

syndicates provide extensive services, from procuring machines 

for shared use by companies to providing professional logistical 

assistance such as low-cost professional substrates for machines. 

Support for the development of renewable energies is among 

the syndicate association’s most important projects. For this 

reason, dena’s Biogas Partnership is a high priority for the 

association. Of particular importance to the association is the 

expansion of the syndicate network to include market partners 

involved in biogas grid feed-in initiatives, which stand to open 

the gas feed-in market to rural and agricultural enterprises. 

Bundesverband der Maschinenringe e. V. 

Professional service profile around the production of biogas 

Gerhard Röhrl 

Ottheinrichsplatz A 117, D-86633 Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)8431 6499-1060 

Fax +49 (0)8431 6499-1080 

gerhard.roehrl@maschinenringe.com 

www.maschinenringe.com 

Bundesverband Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung e. V. 

Wulf Binde 

Markgrafenstrasse 56, D-10117 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)30 27 01 92 81-0 

Fax +49 (0)30 27 01 92 81 99 

info@bkwk.de 

www.bkwk.de 




CNG Services Ltd 

Since 1979 Cirmac International has been a global player in nitrogen 

generation, gas treatment and the upgrading of biogas 

into biomethane in order to supply custom-made systems in the 

oil & gas and renewable energy sector. 

We have invested a great effort in the development of sophisticated 

technologies for upgrading biogas to biomethane. 

Apart from the membrane separation and VPSA technology 

we specialize in the Low Pressure CO2 Absorption (LP Cooab®) 

amine scrubbing technology, which is developed by our own 

engineers. 

CNG Services Ltd (“CSL”) supports the development of new 

anaerobic digester projects including a range of utilisation options 

for biogas: 

Use to generate electricity in “good quality” CHP 

Clean-up of biogas to produce biomethane 

Injection of biomethane into gas distribution networks (BtG) 

Production of compressed biomethane (CBM) for use as fuel 

in road vehicles 

Development of small scale biogas to CBM plants 

Support to introduction of biomethane fuelled vehicles (we 

are working with VW, MB and Iveco) 

Due to the substantial number of systems that we have realized, 

you can rely on a professional approach on every technical 

level. We have delivered and installed multiple Biogas upgrading 

plants in Europe. 

Cirmac is NEN-EN-ISO 9001-certified and has its own service department 

for total maintenance and the supply of spare parts. 

We also support the sale of biomethane to UK energy suppliers. 

CSL describes the above as “Green Gas” initiatives. 

CSL is independent from manufacturers of AD plants, CHP 

plants, gas clean-up plants, compression plant manufacturers 

and the vehicle manufacturers. 


Supplier of Biogas upgrading systems 

Curt van Oss 

P.O.Box 995, 7301 BE Apeldoorn, Niederlande 

Tel +31 (0)55 5340110 

Fax +31 (0)55 5340050 

info@cirmac.com 

www.cirmac.com 

CSL has developed the UK’s first Biomethane to Grid projects 

and has clients including United Utilities, Thames Water, Kelda, 

Centrica, Scotia Gas Networks and Northern Gas Networks. 

CNG Services Ltd 

Biomethane Consultants and Project Managers 

37 St Bernards Rd, Olton, Solihull, B92 7AX, Great Britain 

Tel +44 (0)121 707 8581 

john.baldwin@cngservices.co.uk 

www.cngservices.co.uk 

53


Dalkia GmbH 

Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft 

e. V. 

Energy in mind. 

Maintaining the Pace of Progress. 

Dalkia, the Energy Division of Veolia Environnement, produces 

and distributes energy for residential and public buildings, 

industry and business. We are a leader in heating network 

management and a recognised expert in cogeneration. 

Working close to customers in city centres, we participate 

actively in urban renewal. This is particularly true in Central 

Europe, where our energy services are encountering growing 

success. 

By optimising the energy mix, designing and operating highefficiency 

installations and tapping into renewable energies, we 

integrate the most advanced energy solutions to enhance our 

facilities’ technical, cost and environmental performance. This 

approach guarantees our customers the lowest prices, while 

minimising the impact of their energy use on the environment. 

The DLG’s bases: innovation and progress. 

The DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e. V.) was 

founded in 1885 by the engineer and author Max Eyth. With 

20,000 members, it is among Germany’s leading agricultural 

and food economy organizations. Politically and economically 

independent, the DLG serves as a representative for all concerns 

regarding agriculture and food production. At the heart of the 

DLG’s mission is the advancement of scientific and technological 

progress. With its activities and initiatives, DLG provides 

both the measures and the pace necessary for such progress. 

International orientation. 

The DLG thinks and works internationally. By pursuing 

international practices and building and maintaining trade 

partnerships abroad, it supports an international exchange 

of information. 

Our portfolio of renewable energies includes biogas, biomass, 

landfill, sewage, and coal mine gas. Upgrading and gridinjection 

of biogas enables us to make renewable energy supply 

available wherever and whenever our customers need it. 

Dalkia GmbH 

Daniel Hölder 

Hammerbrookstrasse 69, D-20097 Hamburg, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)40 25 30 38-17 

Fax +49 (0)40 25 30 38-38 

Mobile phone +49 (0)173 448 52 90 

dhoelder@dalkia.de 

www.dalkia.de 

Fields of work. 

International trade exhibitions 

Machinery and equipment testing 

Food item testing 

Knowledge transfer 

Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e. V. 

Dr. Frank Setzer 

Eschborner Landstrasse 122, D-60489 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)69 247 88-323 

Fax +49 (0)69 247 88-114 

f.setzer@dlg.org 

www.dlg.org 



Deutscher Bauernverband 

(DBV) e.V. 

Deutsches Biomasse- 

ForschungsZentrum 

(DBFZ) 

Tasks and aims of the German Farmers’ Association. 

The German Farmers’ Association (DBV) is the representation 

of interests of agriculture and forestry in Germany. Founded 

in 1948, the DBV provides farming families with a unified, free 

and self-determined professional representation, for the first 

time in German history. The DBV is politically and confessionally 

independent. More than 90 per cent of the roughly 300,700 

farms in Germany are members of the DBV on a voluntary basis. 

Representation of interests for the German farmers means a 

broad field – from agricultural and economic policy to property, 

legal and tax policy, from environmental and commercial 

policy to educational and social policy. One more specific task 

of the DBV is also the representation of interests of the people 

living in rural areas – the rural regions need to be strengthened 

as economic, cultural and recreation areas. Equal conditions of 

living in the countryside need to be assured. 

With its federal constitution – DBV, federal state and regional 

farmers’ associations – the farmers’ association speaks for the 

concerns of its members on all political levels. The same applies 

for the European level by the membership in the European 

farmers’ association COPA. The DBV, as a competent contact, 

informs politicians, media and publicity authentically about 

the economical and social situation of the farmers and current 

topics of agricultural policy and markets. The DBV as a service 

provider offers numerous services and exclusive information 

to its members and supports them in the management of their 

farms and in dealing with public authorities. 

The German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ) is an interdisciplinary 

working research institute dealing with technical, 

economic and environmental aspects of the use of biomass for 

energy, both theoretically and practically addressed. Currently, 

DBFZ has a staff of approximately 175 employees. 

In addition to feasibility studies, expertise, technology 

assess ments, scenario analysis, potential analysis, life cycle 

assessments, modelling and simulations, the work focuses on 

experimental research and development work in laboratories 

as well as in a pilot and demonstration scale. DBFZ conducts 

comprehensive projects in the fields of bioenergy production 

as well as the utilization of organic waste materials. Particularly 

with regard to the supply of biomethane, public and private 

funded research projects, surveys, analysis and potential 

studies are realised. Nationally and internationally, DBFZ 

consults energy suppliers, industrial companies as well as 

public contractors. 

DBFZ 

(German Biomass Research Centre) 

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Scholwin 

Torgauer Strasse 116, D-04347 Leipzig, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)341 24 34-112 

Fax +49 (0)341 24 34-133 

info@dbfz.de 

www.dbfz.de 

German Farmers’ Association 

Udo Hemmerling 

Haus der Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft, 

Claire-Waldoff-Strasse 7, D-10117 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)30 319 04-402 

Fax +49 (0)30 319 04-196 

u.hemmerling@bauernverband.net 

www.bauernverband.de 

55


DZ BANK AG 


With the establishment of a specialised competence team, 

AgrarNaturEnergie (ANE), DZ BANK is responding to the 

increasingly important business areas of agriculture and 

renewable energies. The task of the ANE team is to actively support 

Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken and their medium-sized 

customers to implement and finance ANE projects. 

All EnBW biomethane activities are bundled in the „Renewable 

Gas“ department of EnBW Vertrieb GmbH. The business model 

is to purchase biogas from existing or newly planned biogas 

plants in Baden-Württemberg, to upgrade it to biomethane, 

inject it into the biogas grid and offer flexible biomethane solutions 

to EnBW customers. 

Supplemented by special offers by VR Leasing and R+V Versicherung, 

DZ BANK, with its long-standing experience, is a 

competent financial partner in the cooperative FinanzVerbund. 

DZ BANK ensures ideal solutions for projects in the areas of 

agriculture, wind or solar power, biogas/biomass, geothermal 

energy and water power, using an individual and tailor-made 

approach. 

Simply contact us if you wish to reduce the unsecured proportions 

of your agricultural loan commitments or if you wish to 

finance long-term loans with the involvement of relevant subsidies 

or wish to pre-fund or interim-fund them. We can also help 

with matters regarding to operating resource funding, variable 

forms of funding, including interest and currency hedging, raw 

material price hedging, or the validation of profitability calculations. 

Furthermore, VR Leasing creates individual leasing 

models for you and R+V Versicherung covers possible risks with 

its diversified product range. 

DZ BANK AG 

Expertise for projects in the areas of agriculture, wind power, solar 

power, biogas/biomass, geothermal energy and water power 

Steffen Weinknecht 

Gertrudenstrasse 3, D-20095 Hamburg, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)40 359 00-495 

Fax +49 (0)40 359 00-333 

steffen.weinknecht@dzbank.de or ane-initiative@dzbank.de 

www.dzbank.com 

Via its affliate Erdgas Südwest, EnBW has been operating a biogas 

feed-in plant close to Laupheim since 2008. Since October 

2010 EnBW is operating a second plant in Blaufelden-Emmertsbühl. 

The plant’s distinctive feature is that the upgraded biogas 

is not fed into the high pressure grid but into the local biomethane 

grid. 

A second element of EnBW’s biogas strategy is the utilization 

of so far unused biomass for energy generation. A special focus 

here lies on residues based on food production. In context with 

a project supported by the Federal Ministry for Education and 

Research, EnBW is part of a consortium for the upgrade of 

biogas based on food residues. The gas thus generated will be 

used as biofuel in vehicles. Commissioning of the research plant 

with innovative membrane technology is planned for the end of 

2011. Further large-scale plants for generating biomethane from 

bio residues are in an early stage of development. 


Herr Peter Drausnigg 

Talstrasse 117, D- 70188 Stuttgart, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)711 289-44761 

Fax +49 (0) 721 63-18534 

p.drausnigg@enbw.com 

www.enbw.com 





Enovos is a merger of the three energy-supplying companies 

Cegedel S.A. and Soteg S.A. from Luxembourg as well as the German 

Saar Ferngas AG. Enovos offers public utilities, industrial 

companies and private households a wide portfolio of energyand 

natural gas products at competitive prices. 

Under the claim “Energy for today. Caring for tomorrow” 

Enovos is presenting itself as a strong company who consequently 

invests in renewable energy projects, like Biogas, 

Biomass, Wind and Photovoltaics, all around Europe. 

In the biogas business, Enovos holds a stake of 80% in the Energiepark 

Trelder Berg GmbH. The Energiepark consists of three 

biogas plants with a total electrical power of 5.1 MW. 

In the biomethane production, Enovos holds a stake in the 

Bioenergie Merzig GmbH. This biomethane plant is currently 

under construction and will start commissioning in spring 2011. 

The plant will produce 550 Nm 3 per hour and it is the first of this 

kind in Rhineland-Palatinate Externer Link and the Saar-Region. 

The Bioenergie Merzig GmbH is a joint venture of Stadtwerke 

Merzig, E.ON Bioerdgas and Enovos. 

Further projects with biogas injection into the public natural 

gas grid are under development. 

As trading partner for biomethane, Enovos has long-time 

experience in the trading business for natural gas with a well 

established relation to its customers. 

As the market leader EnviTec Biogas AG covers the entire value 

chain for the production of biogas. In addition, the company 

also operates its own biogas plants. 

At the end of 2009 EnviTec and Greenlane Biogas signed a license 

agreement for the manufacturing, construction and sales 

of biogas upgrading plants throughout Europe. The process 

used is pressurised water scrubbing. EnviTec Biogas offers gas 

refinement plants with capacity ratings from 500 Nm 3 . 

EnviTec has already been involved as principal supplier in the 

construction of the world’s largest plant for the production of 

biogas to natural gas standards with a thermal output of 55 

megawatts in Güstrow, in the German state of Mecklenburg- 

Western Pomerania. 


Planning, Implementation, Commissioning, Operation and 

Service of biogas plants and biogas upgrading plants 

Christian Ernst, Head of Sales Germany 

Boschstraße 2 (Sales and Distribution), D-48369 Saerbeck, 

Germany 

EnviTec Biogas AG, Industriering 10 a, D-49393 Lohne, Germany 

Tel+49 (0)2574 88 88-0 

Fax +49 (0)2574 88 88-800 

info@envitec-biogas.de 

www.envitec-biogas.de 


Renewables Energies & Cogeneration 

Sebastian Nolte, Project Manager 

L-2089 Luxembourg 

Tel +352 (0)2737-62 04 

Fax +352 (0)2737-61 11 

sebastian.nolte@enovos.eu 

www.enovos.eu 

57


Fachverband 

Biogas e.V. 

figawa e.V. 

The association for the renewable energy source biogas in 

Germany. 

With about 4,500 members the German Biogas Association is 

Europe`s biggest biogas lobby. It unites owners, manufactures 

and planners of biogas plants, and representatives of science 

and research. The association with its 26 employees promotes 

the extensive sustainable use of biogas technologies at European, 

national and regional levels. Besides the headquarters 

in Freising, the association is represented in Berlin as well as in 

three regional offices in the north, south and east of Germany. 

In addition to the political representation of interests the German 

Biogas Association has the following aims: 

Advancement of technical development 

Promotion, evaluation and intermediation of scientific 

expertise and practical experience 

Publications 

Promotion of national and international intermediation of 

experience 

Formulation of quality standards 

Through participation in European projects and its membership 

in the European Renewable Energies Foundation (EREF), 

the German Biogas Association is an active initiator of the international 

pooling of experience. It is represented by a committee 

elected by the general meeting of members. These are organized 

into 24 regional groups. 

The most important event of the branch is the Biogas Annual 

Conference. With more than 6,000 visitors this year, more visitors 

than ever streamed into the 20th Annual Conference of the 

German Biogas Association and Europe’s biggest biogas trade 

fair. 

German Biogas Association 

Angerbrunnenstraße 12, D-85356 Freising, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)8161 984660 

Fax +49 (0)8161 984670 

info@biogas.org 

www.biogas.org 

figawa has represented the utilities manufacturers and service 

providers in the gas and water industries at a national and European 

level for over 80 years. 

The association comprises three specialist divisions committed 

to obtaining value for its more than 1,000 members by involvement 

in the following: 

Collaborating on the establishment of the relevant rules and 

standards 

Contributing to the certification of companies and products 

by the DVGW 

Organising professional training and qualification courses 

Providing a discussion platform for the elaboration of techni 

cal and scientific issues 

Acquiring and presenting information 

Contributing to the technical improvement of the facilities 

and operating equipment needed to generate, extract, pro 

cess, transport, distribute and use gas and water 

Encouraging and promoting technical and scientific work 

figawa is represented in the national (DVGW, DIN, DKE) and 

international (CEN, CLC, ISO) standardisation committees and 

contributes to the development of recognised technical standards 

at a European level. 

figawa’s activities relate to: 

The public supply of gas (high, medium and low pressure) 

Home gas installations 

The supply of gas to industry 

The generation, processing and injection of gas into the gas 

grid (biogas) 

figawa Bundesvereinigung der Firmen im Gas- und Wasserfach e. V. 

Marienburger Straße 15, D-50945 Köln, Germany 

Postfach 51 09 60 

Telefon +49 (0) 221 376 68-20 

Fax +49 (0) 221 376 68-60 

info@figawa.de 

www.figawa.de 



Fraunhofer Institute for 

Environmental, Safety 

and Energy Technology 

UMSICHT 

Fraunhofer-Institute for 

Wind Energy and Energy 

Systems Technology IWES 

Fraunhofer UMSICHT develops and optimizes industry-oriented 

environmental, process, material and energy technology. Its 

goal is to harmonize sustainable economy, environmentally 

friendly technology and innovative action in order to improve 

quality of life and economical strength. 

Fraunhofer UMSICHT optimizes biogas plants in terms of process 

biology as well as process engineering. In the field of biogas 

upgrading and injection the institute prepares national and 

international market -, technology - and plant monitoring reports 

and provides consultancy for decision makers concerning 

further development of efficient biogas production, upgrading, 

and utilization. 

In GIS-based modelling and balancing of biomass production 

in rural areas (potentials, emissions, logistics, sites), Fraunhofer 

UMSICHT offers the development of biomass energy registers 

for the sustainable development of energy supply concepts 

and sites. Furthermore the institute has an interdisciplinary approach 

for topics such as public permits, land use planning and 

public acceptance issues with respect to biogas projects. 

Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy 

Technology UMSICHT 

Dr. Ing. Stephan Kabasci 

Osterfelder Str. 3, D-46047 Oberhausen, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 208/8598-11 64 

Fax +49 (0) 208/8598-14 24 

stephan.kabasci@umsicht.fraunhofer.de 

www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de 

www.biogaseinspeisung.de 

Fraunhofer IWES was established in 2009 through the merger 

of the former Fraunhofer Center for Wind Energy and Maritime 

Engineering CWMT in Bremerhaven and the Institut für Solare 

Energieversorgungstechnik ISET e.V. in Kassel. The research activities 

of the Fraunhofer IWES cover all aspects of wind energy 

and the integration of renewable energies into energy supply 

structures. 

In some areas technologies using bio-mass as energy source 

have already reached an advanced stage. The research activities 

of Fraunhofer IWES aim further. Improving energy efficiency, 

adjusting biogas plants to future requirements (e.g. being part 

of regenerative power plant parks) and improving usage and 

commercialization opportunities are core elements. Therefore, 

drawing comprehensive concepts, which improve energy balances 

and environmental performances is necessary, in order to 

increase efficiency and decrease the costs of energy production. 

The research is based on analyzing how energy sources, energy 

conversion technologies and energy grids interact. Fraunhofer 

IWES also addresses questions related to the production, 

distribution and utilization of renewable methane. Renewable 

methane may come from biomass through biogas production 

and conditioning or from excess grid power, which is generated 

by other renewable energies (power to gas). 

Covering all types of bioenergy applicable for electricity 

production, Fraunhofer IWES focuses on the demand oriented 

bioenergy production. In addition, Fraunhofer IWES supports 

the development of advanced technologies or pilot plants for 

industries and assesses technology performances. 

Fraunhofer IWES 

Division Bioenergy System Technology 

Dr. Bernd Krautkremer 

Rodenbacher Chaussee 6, D-63457 Hanau, Germany 

bernd.krautkremer@iwes.fraunhofer.de 

59


GASAG Berliner Gaswerke 

Aktiengesellschaft 

Greenfield Europe 

Company profile. 

The GASAG Berliner Gaswerke Aktiengesellschaft has been a 

part of the history of Berlin for more than 160 years. Today it 

supplies gas to round about 600,000 customers. In Berlin, the 

company’s name is synonymous with both gas supply security 

and the use of innovative, environmentally friendly, energy saving 

technologies. 

As a result of the 2007 initiation of the program “Berlin obliges 

– decentralised energy supply as a chance.” CO 2 

emissions in 

Berlin should decrease by one million tons. The program will 

help secure a decentralised energy supply. It will also encourage 

the modernisation of heating systems and the development 

of energy efficient and renewable resources such as biogas. 

GASAG AG 

Dr. Guido Bruch 

Reichpietschufer 60, D-10785 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)30 78 72-11 51 

Fax +49 (0)30 78 72-11 55 

gbruch@gasag.de 

www.gasag.de 

GREENFIELD EUROPE is one of the leading natural gas station 

constructing companies in Germany. A spin-off of the Mannesmann 

AG, GREENFIELD represents plant construction competence 

and long-standing experience. We are your specialist for 

compressors, high pressure systems as well as for biomethane 

and natural gas plants. 

GREENFIELD does not only act as natural gas station packager, 

but also as system supplier of turnkey plans. Our services include 

planning, permits, project development, parts assembly, 

operation and maintance. All plant components have been 

developed by GREENFIELD. 

We rely on the know-how of the global GREENFIELD GROUP, 

which has erected more than 1,700 natural gas stations worldwide. 

Since 2007 a part of the Atlas Copco Group, we have access 

to more than 150 markets worldwide. 

GREENFIELD EUROPE 

Franz Braun 

Lise-Meitner-Straße 5, D-82216 Maisach, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)8142 448 42 14 

Fax +49 (0)8142 448 42 10 

franz.braun@de.greenfield-comp.com 

www.greenfield-comp.com 

www.gastankstellen.de 



HAASE 

Energietechnik 

AG & Co. KG 

juwi Bio GmbH 

Complete biomethane plants and high-end components for 

biogas plants. 

HAASE Energietechnik AG & Co. KG is one of the leading providers 

of procedural plants and technical components in the 

fields of biogas technology and landfill technology. A major 

focus is on biomethane technology, with the HAASE BiogasUpgrader 

as most efficient technology for biogas refinement, and 

complete biomethane plants. Furthermore, biogas CHP units, 

biogas flares, and TechniqueCentres (pumps, heat, control) are 

manufactured in Neumuenster. Support and supervision of 

maintenance and plant operation are available for international 

customers. 

Besides agricultural and industrial biogas plants the juwi group 

also constructs biomass heating power and wood chip heating 

plants in different dimensions. 

With an annual turnover of about 860 million EUR in 2010 and 

more than 1,000 employees juwi is one of the leading renewable 

energy companies. 

As an experienced project developer juwi is offering the whole 

line-up of regenerative energy projects. juwi bio is taking care 

of safeguarding an industry’s competitiveness and the raw material 

supply as well as planning, getting permissions, financing, 

realization up to the project management. 

HAASE BiogasUpgrader Rathenow. 

The HAASE BiogasUpgrader refines biogas to biomethane by 

organic-physical scrubbing. This particularly efficient method 

is characterised by low methane emissions and low power consumption. 

In addition to the reliable extraction of CO 2 

, the BiogasUpgrader 

simultaneously dehydrates and desulphurises the 

raw biogas in one single process. Surplus heat from the scrubbing 

process can be decoupled at 50 °C for further utilisation. 

One of the HAASE BiogasUpgraders is in operation in Rathenow, 

Germany. With an average upgrading capacity of 1,130 m 3 / h of 

raw biogas, this unit is successfully feeding biomethane into the 

gas grid since July 2009. 

A main pillar for juwi bio is biogas plants on Nawaro basis. 

Several modern plants with a magnitude of 500 kW have been 

realized so far in connection with a good heating concept. 

As the number of biogas facilities in Germany is constantly 

rising, good locations with a reliable supply of substrates and 

a convincing concept for energy recovery will be harder to 

find. That is why juwi focuses on project development of biogas 

plants with a feed into the gas grid. 

Farmers participating are able to develop a second income. juwi 

has designed participation models, for example a co-op. 

Benefiting from juwi’s experience, authority and different participation 

models farmers are part of a well-knit community. 

HAASE Energietechnik AG & Co. KG 

Procedural components for biogas plants; Complete biomethane 

plants with biogas upgrading and grid injection 

Jörg Polzer 

Gadelander Straße 17, D-24539 Neumünster, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) (4321) 878-171 

Fax +49 (0) (4321) 878-29 

joerg.polzer@haase.de 

www.haase-energietechnik.de 

Utilities profit from purchasing ecologically produced biomethane. 

It is turned into electric energy in a block heat and 

power plant, where all lost heat can be used. 

juwi Bio GmbH 

Energie-Allee 1, D-55286 Wörrstadt, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)6732 96 57-0 

Fax +49 (0)6732 96 57-70 01 

info@juwi.de 

www.juwi.com 

61


keep it green gmbh 

KWS SAAT AG 

We are partner in the energy industry and plan and project 

energy plants. Depending on our customers’ requirements, we 

take advising our overall responsibility for project management 

and project controlling in their plant engineering projects and 

we support operation management and system optimization. 

Our services cover all project stages - from project development 

to concept finding for the implementation of project until full 

planning and implementation of the project. 

As an independent engineering service provider we support 

biogas feed-in plants and gas network operators equally in development 

and implementation of new projects for bio-natural 

gas. 

Our goal is the “all-round feel-good” package for our customers: 

We examine and provide feed-in requests, calculate efficiency 

and grid capacity and we examine required gas quality. We 

plan and design biogas treatment plants and feed-in plants including 

conditioning and feed-in compressors. We prepare the 

required bidding and approval documents, provide construction 

supervision, HSC and all other required planning expenses. 

We conceive a complete grid access along with all necessary 

capacity expansions as a general planner. 

Apart from planning the facilities for bio-natural gas we project 

and plan also rear compressor plants and transfer stations for 

local area networks and industrial customers as well as network 

enhancements. 

keep it green – erneuerbare energien gmbh 

Dipl.-Ing. Christian Kindsmüller, Geschäftsführer 

Münchner Straße 19A, D-82319 Starnberg, Germany 

Telefon +49 (0)8151 446 37-0 

Fax +49 (0)8151 446 37-44 

mail@keep-it-green.de 

www.keep-it-green.de 

KWS SAAT AG is one of the world´s leading companies in plant 

breeding, with activities in about 70 countries with more than 

45 subsidiaries and affiliated companies. The product range 

includes more than 250 seed varieties for sugar beet, maize, cereals, 

oil seeds and potatoes. KWS conducted business in family 

since 1856 in an independent and sustainable manner. Currently, 

about 3500 employers work for the KWS group worldwide. 

With research, breeding and the production of seeds which 

yield increasingly stronger results, KWS stands at the beginning 

of the value-added chain. Bioenergy takes a very special place in 

renewable energy, as plants represent an almost inexhaustible 

source of food and raw materials. KWS recognised this early and 

designed its own breeding programme for energy plants. 

KWS relies on whole plant usage and on the production of biogas 

energy, which is probably the most profitable and efficient 

form of bioenergy generation in farming at the moment. The 

greatest efficiency increases in biogas generation are achieved 

from the perspective of KWS by combining the following 

efficiency characteristics: 

whole plant usage 

combination of energy plants with liquid manure, dung and 

organic residue 

power-heat coupling and/or feeding into the existing natural 

gas network. 

The KWS energy plant programme for biogas generation currently 

includes the cultures of maize, sugar beet, sorghum and 

rye. 

KWS SAAT AG 

Dr. Andreas von Felde 

Grimsehlstrasse 31 

Postfach 1436, D-37555 Einbeck, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)5561 311-542 

Fax +49 (0)5561 311-595 

info@kws.com 

www.kws.com 




Mabagas GmbH & Co KG 

Landwärme GmbH is an owner-managed project development 

company based in Munich. Specialized on biogas upgrading 

and feeding biogas into the natural gas grid, Landwärme offers 

a broad portfolio, including the following services: 

Feasibility studies 

Technological biogas upgrading designs 

Supply contract management 

Planning and pollution control permit coordination 

Grid connection design 

Financing concepts 

Biomethane marketing 

Maintenance and operation concepts 

Currently, we are focusing on gas upgrading extensions of existing 

biogas plants in a raw biogas capacity range from 500 to 

2000 m 3 /h. We are presently developing more than 10 projects 

all over Germany, e.g. in Zülpich or Marktoffingen. Furthermore, 

Landwärme is active in project development in Eastern 

Europe. 


Zoltan Elek 

Project development for biogas upgrade and feed-in 

Ungererstrasse 40, D-80802 München, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)89 33 08 86 36 

Fax +49 (0)89 33 08 85 96 

info@landwaerme.de 

www.landwaerme.de 

Mabagas was founded in 2008 with the aim to realise biogas 

projects for the generation of energy in the German and international 

market. Professional competence, reliability and decisiveness 

are our distinctive features. Thanks to our affiliation to 

Marquard & Bahls-Group, we are a dependable, solid and strong 

partner for customers and business associates. We furthermore 

benefit from the experience, network and synergies of an international 

operating consortium. 

To our customers we offer individual system solutions, covering 

planning and developing, construction and operation of plants 

up to delivering of biogas/ biomethan. Mabagas focuses on the 

application of agricultural residues and animal by-products. 

Our target groups are municipal utilities and industry and trade 

customers, which we supply with biogas/biomethane. Additionally 

to the conventional application of biogas/biomethane in 

combined heat and power technology, Mabagas concentrates 

on the utilization of biomethane as fuel, so called bio cng and 

also as an admixing product in the heat market. 

Mabagas is a subsidiary of Marquard & Bahls AG in Hamburg 

and can draw from expertise that has been successfully applied 

in the international energy and oil business for more than sixty 

years. As the leading independent privately owned petroleum 

company, Marquard & Bahls does business in the areas of oil 

trading, tank storage, aviation fuelling, energy contracting and 

renewable energies. 

Mabagas GmbH & Co KG 

Christina Groddeck 

Admiralitätstrasse 55, D-20459 Hamburg, Germany 

Telefon +49 (0)40 370 04-814 

Fax +49 (0)40 370 04-829 

christina.groddeck@mabagas.de 

www.mabagas.de 

63




Corporate portrait. 

MT-BioMethan GmbH was founded in May, 2008. The company, 

originally an offshoot from the former gas treatment business 

division of MT-Energie GmbH & Co. KG, supplies a complete 

range of services in gas refinement and feeding. 

NAWARO BioEnergie AG – Biogas production on the industrial 

scale.. 

. 

The NAWARO BioEnergie AG was founded in 2005 in Leipzig. Its 

business model is the planning, construction and operation of 

industrial scale bioenergy parks. 

The facilities are manufactured in series with three parallel 

manufacturing stations at our new location in Zeven. We have 

the combined knowhow and experience of twenty-five specialists 

from the energy industry, plant construction and process as 

well as chemical engineering on our staff. 

MT-BioMethan GmbH gas refinement technology is based on 

the BCM-Process® designed by DGE Dr. Ing. Günther Engineering 

GmbH based in Wittenberg, a non-pressurised amine washing 

process that refines biogas to natural gas grade for feeding 

into the gas supply network. Unlike conventional refinement 

processes, the BCM-Process® excels in extremely low methane 

losses of less than 0.1 per cent while reaching very high methane 

concentrations in excess of 99 per cent. 


Supplier for complete biogas processing, feeding 

and transport technology 

Karsten Wünsche 

Ludwig-Elsbett-Strasse 1, D-27404 Zeven, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)4281 98 45-0 

Fax +49 (0)4281 98 45 -100 

www.mt-biomethan.com 

www.mt-biomethan.com 

With the „NAWARO BioEnergie Park „Klarsee“, the company 

started operation of the world’s largest plant park for power 

generation from biogas with a capacity of 20 MW el 

in 2006. 

Since June 2009, the NAWARO BioEnergie Park „Güstrow“ is 

feeding biomethane into the natural gas grid. With a capacity 

of 55 MW th 

, this plant is the world’s largest plant for the production 

of biomethane based on renewable primary sources – yet 

again setting a new standard. 

All sites developed by the NAWARO BioEnergie AG are based on 

an industrial approach guaranteeing an efficient plant capacity 

utilisation and thus the best possible resource recovery. All work 

processes are subject to permanent optimisation by NAWARO’s 

own research and development. 

Thus, NAWARO makes a contribution to the clean, secure and 

affordable future energy production. 


Planning, construction and operation of industrial scale biomethane 

production plants 

Frau Kristin Rother, Assistant to the Board 

Liviastraße 8, D-04105 Leipzig, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)341 231 02 85 

Fax +49 (0)341 231 02 61 

kristin_rother@nawaro.ag 

www.nawaro.ag 



N. V. Nederlandse Gasunie 

ÖKOBiT GmbH 

Gasunie is the first European gas transport company with a 

cross-border network in the Netherlands and Germany. The 

excellent quality of our gas infrastructure, its strategic location, 

its numerous connections to international gas flows and the 

high levels of knowledge and experience of our staff, ensure 

that our network forms the core of what is called the northwest 

European “gas roundabout”. 

Gasunie is also the first company in Europe to issue certificates 

for trading green gas, which we do through our subsidiary 

vertogas. Vertogas guarantees the origin of the green gas for 

each certificate it issues. This contributes to the successful evolution 

of the market for green gas in the Netherlands and other 

countries in Europe. 

The role of natural gas will gradually change, given that the 

provision of renewable energy sources is entirely dependent 

on the weather and therefore variable. Gas-fired power plants 

can be quickly regulated and brought in to compensate for 

fluctuations in the availability of solar and wind power. Natural 

gas thus acts as a back bone and facilitator for renewable energy 

sources. And the addition of green gas, such as biogas, to natural 

gas will of course make the natural gas itself increasingly 

sustainable. 

N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie 

Gasunie is a European natural gas infrastructure company 

Concourslaan 17, NL-9727 KC Groningen, Netherlands 

Tel +31 (0)50 521 21 42 

Fax +31 (0)50 521 19 99 

info@gasunie.nl 

www.gasunie.nl 

Multi-feedstock engineering services for every biogas 

and..biomethane project. 

Upgrading and feeding biogas into the natural gas grid is the 

most efficient possible use of biomethane. ÖKOBiT combines 

location-specific feedstock concepts with optimized biogas 

system engineering services and upgrades individually tailored 

to customer needs. 

The individual standards of gas grid operators are decisive in 

determining which biogas processing method is best in a given 

situation, although the pressure washing method is usually 

most favourable. From the fermentation of grass, renewable 

primary products and organic material ranging from liquid 

manure to food waste, ÖKOBiT offers multi-feedstock engineering 

services for every biomethane project. 

The ÖKOBiT name means technical expertise and flawless 

operation, whether one requires consulting, site selection, 

feedstock safety services, or complete project implementation. 

Innovative, reliable, cost-effective, and RAL-certified! 

ÖKOBiT GmbH 

Full-service provider for Biogas-/BioErdgasanlagen – 

Project/Construction/Service 

Achim Nottinger 

Jean-Monnet-Strasse 12, D-54343 Föhren, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)6502 938 59-0 

Fax +49 (0)6502 938 59-29 

info@oekobit.com 

www.oekobit.com 

Gasunie Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG 

Pelikanplatz 5, D-30177 Hannover, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)511 64 06 07-0 

Fax +49 (0)511 64 06 07-1100 

info@gasunie.de 

www.gasunie.de 

65


PlanET Biogastechnik 

GmbH 

PRIMAGAS GmbH 

PlanET Biogastechnik ranks amongst the leading biogas plant 

builders worldwide. The company’s portfolio of service covers 

all fields of biogas technology, from design, planning and plant 

construction all the way to the refinement of biogas to natural 

gas quality, maintenance and biological support by our own 

laboratory. The business unit “RePowering” provides PlanET 

with the possibility to increase the profitability of existing 

plants. Thereby, the as a modular unit developed construction 

kit-SYSTEMBIOGAS-offers plant operators and Investors a high 

level of flexibility. Over 140 people are currently employed 

in the national and international locations in NL, F and CAN. 

Worldwide PlanET has already successfully designed and built 

180 biogas plants with sizes from 40 kW to several Megawatts. 

The specialist consulting “Biogas Upgrade” of PlanET Biogastechnik 

offers individual consultancy for farmers, energy suppliers 

and engineering companies. Apart of a plant operating 

with amine scrubbing technology with 300 Nm 3 /h raw biogas in 

Germany, there exists a further plant in Canada with pressurized 

water scrubbing technology with 800 Nm 3 /h raw biogas. 

PlanET Biogastechnik provides the latest upgrade technology 

due to a tight international network to any relevant international 

manufacturer of upgrade technology (chemical, physical 

or a mixture of both). Our experienced engineers accompany 

you from production site analysis following the decision of the 

ideal technology till the first injection into the biogas grid. 

PlanET Biogastechnik GmbH 

Turn Key Biogas plants and Biogas upgrade 

Alexander Schönberger 

Up de Hacke 26, 48691 Vreden, Netherlands 

Tel +49 (0)2564 3950 171 

a.schoenberger@planet-biogas.com 

www.planet-biogas.com 

Specialist on liquid gas for gas upgrading. . 

. 

With PRIMAGAS biogas plant constructors, consumers and 

small and medium enterprises rely on an innovative and 

service-efficient partner, who is quickly in every corner of 

Germany. 

Since more than 50 years PRIMAGAS is standing for a secure 

supply with liquid gas. As a part of SHV Gas, a worldwide operating 

group of LPG companies, also being the largest LPG dealer 

worldwide, PRIMAGAS benefits from comprehensive resources 

and perfected logistics. 

The gas comes from German refineries and the North Sea area. 

An international procurement via operated import terminals 

and storage facilities in the whole of Germany secures the supply 

of more than 80.000 gas customers. 

PRIMAGAS has emerged in the last years to a demanded partner 

of biogas plants. This achievements and services were officially 

honored in 2009 by the Biogas association in Berlin. The biogas 

is upgraded to natural gas quality, under enrichment with liquid 

gas, to be injected to the public gas grid later. With PRIMA- 

GAS liquid gas the high quality standard of network operators 

is assured. 

PRIMAGAS GmbH 

Marco Fischell 

Luisenstrasse 113, D-47799 Krefeld, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)2151 852-235 

Fax +49 (0)2151 852-340 

mfischell@primagas.de 

www.primagas.de 




ProTech Energiesysteme 

GmbH 

Propan-Gesellschaft – Your liquefied gas partner for biogas feed-in. 

Engineering and Installation. 

Propan-Gesellschaft specializes in the construction, operation, 

and supply of large container facilities throughout Germany. 

With its own planning department, facility construction team, 

and extensive expert knowledge, the company is guaranteed to 

be the right partner for biogas facility builders and grid operators. 

The German Eichgesetz (Verification Act) requires that 

liquefied gas be used to enhance the quality of biogas that is fed 

into the natural gas system. Propan-Gesellschaft, a member of 

the Deutscher Verband Flüssiggas (German Liquefied Gas Association), 

upholds the stringent quality standards established 

for liquefied gas in DIN 51622. 

For 60 years, the name Propan-Gesellschaft has stood for a 

reliable supply of liquefied gas – and not only for large container 

facilities, but also in the case of small tanks, gas bottles, 

and in the autogas segment. The gas is produced at refineries 

in Europe and the North Sea area and delivered via large tank 

warehouses using our own fleet of tanker trucks and specific 

shipping providers. 

Economic efficiency, individuality, customized end-to-end solutions 

from a single source – that’s the company philosophy of 

Propan-Gesellschaft! This spring alone, several large container 

facilities are scheduled to be built in the states of Brandenburg, 

Hessen, and Baden-Württemberg. 

Propan-Gesellschaft is your partner when it comes to realizing 

new biogas projects! 


Liquefied Gas Supplier / Enhancement of Biogas 

Björn Briesemeister, Sales Manager large container facilities 

Hammer Deich 134 –140, D-20537 Hamburg, Germany 

Tel+49 (0)40 21 11 02-50 

Fax +49 (0)40 21 77 58 

bb@propan.de 

www.propangesellschaft.de 

ProTech delivers turn-key solutions with standardized ECOMAX 

LPG tanks, vaporizers, and gas blenders for example for digester 

gas conditioning. Under German law, we are a registered 

company for gas, heating, and electrical installations as well as 

cathodic corrosion protection. 

Approval. 

We are specialized in carrying out official applications required 

by regulations and laws. Standardized submissions help us to 

achieve short approval periods. 

Service. 

ProTech services all gas installations, carries out mandatory 

periodic inspections, and competently provides instructions, 

and training to operator personnel, as required by law. The 

company has established a 24 hour hotline for emergencies. For 

assessments or surveys registered experts for gas installations 

are in-house available. 

As a member of the Tyczka Group we collaborate with gas 

companies to offer flexible solutions in gas supply. Fill-levels are 

transmitted remotely to provide a high quality of on-time gas 

delivery. 

ProTech is registered according to ISO 9001:2008 und SCC**. 

ProTech Energiesysteme GmbH 

Gas and Energy Systems 

Hannes K. Junginger, Managing Director 

Oelgrabenstrasse 13, D-71292 Friolzheim, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)7044 94 22-0 

Fax +49 (0)7044 94 22-29 

info@protech.de 

www.www.protech.de 

67


r.e Bioenergie GmbH 

Law firm Schnutenhaus 

& Kollegen 

r.e Bioenergie GmbH is a leading project developer and independent 

service provider for biogas and photovoltaic power 

plants. The company belongs to the pioneers of the renewable 

energy sector and plans, builds and operates power plants since 

1996. 

The design and operation of large biogas plants in the megawatt 

class have been established as one of the core competencies. 

The portfolio offered by r. e Bionergie spans the entire 

value of the energy production process: from the initial feasibility 

analysis to the trading with bio-methane, power and heat. 

The scope of supply of r.e Bioenergie includes the following 

services which can be combined subject to customer, location 

and project: 

Project development with determination and securing of 

location 

Substrate management and digestate usage 

Choice of technology 

Planning and permitting 

Construction and commissioning as general contractor 

Operation, technical and biological service 

Feeding-in and Trading of biomethane, via re. Biomethan 

GmbH 

The company has its head office in Regensburg, Germany with 

own branches and subsidiaries in Spain, Hungary, Poland and 

Indonesia. 

Schnutenhaus & Kollegen is a highly specialised energy law 

firm. We have been dealing closely with the legal and contractual 

conditions of biogas feed-in from the outset and offer 

comprehensive legal support of biogas feed-in projects. Based 

in Berlin, we advise clients in all parts of Germany. The work of 

four lawyers focuses on renewable energies, in particular on 

biomass and biogas. Due to our focus on energy, climate protection 

and renewable energies, we offer a high level of legal expertise, 

economic and technical know-how and long-standing 

experience in the energy sector. Depending on the project, we 

cooperate in interdisciplinary teams with consulting engineers, 

auditors, tax consultants, business consultants and banks. 

Biogas feed-in – consulting is essential. 

The successful implementation of biogas feed-in projects requires 

competent legal, economic and technical consulting. 

We support feed-in projects at commercial, communal and 

agricultural level. We advise on all relevant legal issues and 

support our clients in all legal issues related to planning and the 

authorisation process and ensure speedy implementation of 

grid connection. We represent our clients’ legal interests versus 

gas distribution service operators and draft the necessary agreements 

and contracts for delivery & purchase of biomass and 

crude biogas and as well as for feed-in, balancing and trading 

with biomethane. 

r.e Bioenergie GmbH 

Technology-independent project development, construction 

and operation of biogas plants; Trading of biomethane via sister 

company re. Biomethan GmbH 

Torsten Warmbold 

Ludwig Dinkloh 

Blumenstraße 16, D-93055 Regensburg, Germany 

Telefon +49 (0)941 69 87 30-0 

Fax +49 (0)941 69 87 30-550 

Info@rebioenergie.com 

www.rebioenergie.com 

Schnutenhaus & Kollegen 

Legal support for biogas feed-in projects 

Rechtsanwalt Hartwig von Bredow 

Reinhardtstrasse 29B, D-10117 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)30 25 92 96-30 

Fax +49 (0)30 25 92 96-40 

info@schnutenhaus-kollegen.de 

www.schnutenhaus-kollegen.de 





Partner for biomethane projects – consulting, development, 

operating enhancement. 

In 2003, RES Projects GmbH has been involved in the development 

and control of the first biomethane feeding-in project in 

Germany. Since then, RES successfully has accomplished many 

other biogas and biomethane projects. 

By technical specialization and interdisciplinary consulting 

teams, we cover the entire biogas value-added chain and bundle 

all skills for consulting, development and operational enhancement 

of biogas and biomethane projects. With a proven 

project approach and comprehensive experience from numerous 

projects, we daily work with passion towards a sustainable 

andlocally rooted energy supply of the future. In partnership 

with our customers we realize this vision – RES is ‘energy for 

generations’. 

With our range of services, RES Projects paves the way for your 

biogas project: 

Gas network connection – Feasibility studies – Initial Operation 

Technology consulting – Funding concept – Substrate 

analysis 

Logistics concept – Site selection – Project management 

– Investor identification – Profitability calculation – Public 

relations 

Operation enhancement – Approval process – Tender – Project 

development – Public funding – Contractual affairs 

RWE Vertrieb AG in Dortmund supplies over 4 million customers 

in Germany with electricity and natural gas and numbers 

among the largest energy supply utilities and providers of energy-related 

services. Within the RWE Group, RWE Vertrieb AG is 

furthermore responsible for marketing and trading biogas. 

Generating electricity and heat using biogas-fired cogeneration 

plants (CHP) is a particularly interesting option for commercial 

and business customers. These are able to use the heat generated 

from renewable sources either for meeting their own heat 

demand or they can supply heat to third-party customers. 

Our energy specialists can find suitable CHP plant sites for customers 

and develop benefit-driven, individual solutions. These 

Contracting concepts are based on the experience we have 

gathered ourselves as an owner and operator of CHP plants. 

Customers profit from stable and calculable heat prices through 

our energy services projects. In addition, RWE also manages the 

full gas process chain and secures the renewable energy sources 

act (EEG) subsidies. 


Bernd Springorum 

Freistuhl 7, D-44137 Dortmund, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 231-438-1115 

bernd.springorum@rwe.com 

www.rwevertrieb.com 


Consulting, development and control of biomethane projects 

Dr. Bernhard Thiersch 

Ganghoferstrasse 68a, D-80339 München, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)89 316 05 79-500 

Fax +49 (0)89 316 05 79-888 

b.thiersch@res-projects.de 

www.res-projects.de 

69


Städtische Werke AG, 

Kassel 

STEAG New Energies 

GmbH 

The Städtische Werke AG participates in two biogas upgrading 

plants in Homberg (Efze) and in Willingshausen-Ransbach. 

Both places are located in Hessen. The power supply company 

from Kassel takes and utilizes the biomethan at combined heat 

and power unit places, where thermal power is needed the 

whole year like in public swimming pools, hospitals or in other 

industrial companies. Moreover the Städtische Werke AG trades 

with biomethan. 

With renewable Energies for more climate protection. 

STEAG New Energies GmbH, part of the STEAG Group, is a 

European specialist in decentralized energy supply. In keeping 

with present climate protection policy, it specializes in providing 

custom-tailored solutions based on efficient and sustainable 

concepts. Energy sources range from biomass, biogas, wind 

energy and mine gas to utilization of geothermal energy. 

For using and trading biomethan the Städtische Werke AG accounted 

the input and output amounts of biomethan in accordance 

with the rules of the GasNZV. 

Further biogas upgrading projects in whole Germany where 

the Städtische Werke AG will be involved are in the process of 

project planning. 

STEAG New Energies GmbH 

Contracting and Application of Renewable Energies 

Peter Ney, Communications and PR 

St. Johanner Straße 101–105, D-66115 Saarbrücken, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)681 94 94-00 

Fax +49 (0)681 94 94-2211 

info-newenergies@steag.com 

www.steag-newenergies.com 

Städtische Werke AG, Kassel 

Supply with Electicity, Natural Gas, heat from a district heating 

network, Water, Energy Services, Running of public bath and 

street lighting 

Lars Pingel, Projektentwicklung erneuerbare Energien 

Königstor 3 –13, D-34117 Kassel, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)561 782-2256 

pingell@kvvks.de 

www.stwks.de 




TÜV NORD Group 

Thüga Energie GmbH is a modern, customer-oriented energy 

supplier belonging to Thüga AG, the largest municipal energy 

group in Germany. Approx. 145,000 customers in the regions 

of Hegau (south of Baden-Württemberg), the area west of Lake 

Constance, Allgäu-Upper Swabia and Rhine-Hesse-Palatinate 

are supplied with electricity, natural gas and heat. 

Renewable energies are not only an integral part of the range 

of products offered, but Thüga Energie GmbH also invests in 

most recent technologies. The latest major project is a biogas 

treatment plant operated in co-operation with the companies 

Franz Rupp Gaserzeugung GbR and BRV – Biologische Reststoff 

Verwertung GmbH. 

More efficiency thanks to innovative technology. 

In its biogas plant located in Kisslegg-Rahmhaus the company 

Franz Rupp recycles foodstuffs which are unfit for consumption. 

The ultra-modern treatment plant, put into operation in May 

2010, transforms the gas mixture into a biogas which reaches 

natural gas quality. 

Thanks to the innovative membrane technology used in the biogas 

plant, the treatment of the gas is possible without the need 

of process water or chemical detergents. 

The processed bio-natural gas is fed into the natural gas grid 

and can be used as fuel and energy source. With the biogas 

generated in Kisslegg it is possible to supply approx. 1,000 

households. 


York-Alexander Batsch (Thüga AG in Munich) 

Manager Renewable Energy and Systems Engineering 

Industriestr. 9, D-78224 Singen, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 89 38197-0 

york-alexander.batsch@thuega.de 

www.thuega-energie.de 

Based on many years of experience, the TÜV NORD Group (with 

more than 8.500 employees worldwide) has comprehensive 

know-how in certification of green electricity and biogas products 

as well as in the appraisal and final inspection of biogas – 

and upgrade plants. 

The clients of TÜV NORD Group are provided with support, from 

the planning phase through the approval process up to safe 

and environmentally-friendly operation of the plant. A further 

important aspect is the legal compliance of operational and 

systems management within the company as a whole. 

The environmental assessment organisation of TÜV NORD 

Group fulfils the legal requirements needed to check remuneration 

claims of biogas plant operators. If the rules of EEC 2009 are 

adhered to, operators can claim different types of bonus (e.g. 

technology bonus, waste heat use, use of renewable resources 

and liquid manure). 

TÜV NORD Group 

Dirk Holle(EEG, Certification Biogas) 

dholle@tuev-nord.de 

Max Westphalen (Safety System) 

mwestphalen@tuev-nord.de 

Uta Preußker-Thimm (Odour and sound emission measurement) 

upreussker-thimm@tuev-nord.de 

Locations: 

Langemarckstrasse 20, D-45141 Essen, Germany 

Tel +49(0)201 825-0 

Am TÜV 1, D-30519 Hannover, Germany 

Tel +49(0)511 986-0 

Große Bahnstrasse 31, D-22525 Hamburg, Germany 

Tel +49(0)40 85 57-0 

Zimmerstrasse 23, D-10969 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49(0)30 201 77 430 

www.tuev-nord.de/en 

71


TÜV SÜD Industrie 

service GmbH 


TÜV SÜD has long-standing international experience in the 

field of energy certification. We provide certification services 

for traditional ecopower products, generation of tradable 

certificates and renewable energy plants. Our latest TÜV SÜD- 

Service “GreenMethane” offers the certification of biogas which 

is fed into the natural gas grid. 

The certification service is designed for: 

Operators of plants for biogas generation and grid injection 

Traders of biomethane 

Providers of biomethane end user products 

Network operators 

Documentation and verification of the plant technology and 

feedstock are vital due to the physical separation of production 

and consumption. The TÜV SÜD standard GreenMethane 

provides a reliable system for documentation, auditing and certification. 

Market participants holding this certificate benefit 

from the new regulations of the European Renewable Energies 

Directive, the German Renewable Energies Heat Act, the 

German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the biofuels 

sustainability ordinance. 

TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH 

Elena Schmidt 

Westendstraße 199, D-80686 München, Germany 

Tel +49 (0) 89 57 91 34 11 

Fax +49 (0) 89 57 91 27 56 

elena.schmidt@tuev-sued.de 

www.tuev-sued.de/energie-zertifizierung 

Established in 2001, WELtec BioPower GmbH is a leading 

provider of complete biogas plants. Based on the long-standing 

experience of the parent companies and the modern approach 

of young engineers, the company, with its staff of 55, offers 

complete solutions from one source. 

As the hydrogen sulphide and ammonia compounds contained 

in biogas corrode unprotected parts, WELtec makes use of stainless 

steel fermenters, ensuring a long life of the plant. WELtec 

BioPower uses only proven system components and develops 

most of the technologies internally, such as fermenter technology, 

mixing technology, control technology, sanitation systems, 

and digestate processing solutions. Thanks to its advanced 

production depth, WELtec does not need to purchase any parts 

or material and guarantees a consistently high quality around 

the globe. WELtec BioPower biogas plants are characterised by 

a modular structure. This enables individual and flexible solutions. 

In Könnern (Saxony-Anhalt) WELtec BioPower has built one of 

the largest biogas-parks in the world with upgrading facilities 

and direct feed-in of biomethane into the public grid, where 15 

million cubic metres of biomethane are fed into the grid. Currently, 

WELtec BioPower is planning and building more biogas 

parks with direct gas feed-in, such as Barsikow, Brandenburg, 

which will generate 4,8 million cubic metres of biomethane per 

year from late 2010 on. 

WELtec BioPower GmbH is one of the first providers of complete 

biogas plants to be certified by TÜV Rheinland according to the 

environmental management standard DIN EN ISO 14001:2004 

and the quality management standard DIN EN ISO 9001:2000. 


Sales Director Hajo Schierhold 

Zum Langenberg 2, D-49377 Vechta, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)4441 999 78-0 

Fax +49 (0)4441 999 78-8 

info@weltec-biopower.de 

www.weltec-biopower.de 



RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS 


Windwärts Energie GmbH carries out biogas projects in Germany 

aimed at local heat recovery with an output of more than 

500 kW el 

and for directly feeding biomethane into the natural 

gas network with an output of more than 300 cbm/h. 

The company sets a high value on a transparent project development, 

an active and open communication towards residents 

and business partners as well as on a close collaboration with 

local authorities and landowners. For projects which are ready 

for construction, Windwärts Energie GmbH develops a reliable 

financing concept, and remains responsible for the ongoing 

operations management of the sites. 

Windwärts Energie GmbH is an internationally active company 

in the renewable energy industry. The company’s core business 

is the development, financing and operation of wind, solar and 

biogas projects. As an issuing company for sustainable investments, 

it offers financial participation in its energy projects. 

Windwärts Energie GmbH was established in 1994, employs a 

workforce of about 100 people and has subsidiaries in France, 

Italy and Greece. 


Renewable energy projects 

Fred Wokittel 

Hanomaghof 1, D-30449 Hannover, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)511 12 35 73-0 

Fax +49 (0)511 12 35 73-19 

info@windwaerts.de 

www.windwaerts.de 

73

Abbreviations. 

Abbreviations. 

BtL Biomass-to-Liquid 

BHKW Blockheizkraftwerk 

CH 4 

Methane 

CHP Cogeneration of Heat and Power 

CO 2 

Carbon Dioxide 

DVGW (Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches) 

German Technical and Scientifical Association for Gas and Water 

DEA Diethanol Amine Washing 

DP (Druckstufe) Pressure Stage 

EEG (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz) German Renewable Energy 

Sources Act 

EEWärmeG (Erneuerbare Energien-Wärme-Gesetz) German 

Renewable Energy Heat Act 

FNR (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe) German Agency for 

Renewable Resources 

GasNZV (Gasnetzzugangsverordnung) German Gas Network 

Access Ordinance 

GWh Gigawatt Hour 

H 2 

S Hydrogen Sulphide 

IEKP (Integriertes Energie- und Klimaprogramm) Integrated 

Energy and Climate Programme 

kWh Kilowatt Hour 

MEA Monoethanol Amine Washing 

MWh Megawatt Hour 

NH 3 

Ammonia 

Nm 3 Normal Cubic Meter 

PSA Pressure Swing Adsorption 

PWS Pressurised Water Scrubbing

Glossary. 

Glossary. 

Anaerobic biological decomposition Degradation of organic 

substance with the help of anaerobic bacteria; one effect is 

biogas release. 

Biogas Product of the anaerobic biologic decomposition of 

organic substances. Consists of 45 –70 per cent methane, 30 –55 

per cent carbon dioxide, marginal amounts of nitrate, sulphide 

and other trace gases. In legal texts and ordinances, the term 

biogas may also relate to gas upgraded to natural gas quality (also 

called “Bio- Natural Gas” or “Biomethane”). For gas right after the 

fermentation process, the terms raw biogas or bio-raw gas are 

often used. 

Biomethane Coinage, Term for methane of biological origin, 

applied for biogas upgraded to natural gas quality, synonym for 

bio-natural gas. 

Bio-natural gas Coinage, term for biogas upgraded to natural 

gas quality and injected into the natural gas grid, synonym for 

biomethane. 

Cogeneration of Heat and Power Simultaneous conversion of 

implanted energy in mechanical / electrical energy and useable 

heat. In a cogeneration process, the energy included in an energy 

source (e.g. biogas) is efficiently used since the heat generated 

during the power production process is used for the heating of 

production processes. 

Desulphurisation Biogas upgrade process step in which the 

sulphur portion included in raw biogas is removed in a biological 

and/or chemical process. 

Digestate Biogas production residues after fermentation 

Energy plants Plants grown specifically for energy utilisation, 

whose energy is made usable by processes of fermentation, 

burning and gasification. 

Fermentation Multi-stage process in which organic substances 

are degraded under conditions of oxygen deficiency and moist 

surroundings. One product of this process is biogas, synonym for 

digestion. 

H-Gas (Natural Gas H) Gas classification, in which “H“ stands for 

“high“. Natural gas of this quality possesses a calorific value of 

ca.12 kWh/Nm 3 

Injection Process of the feeding of biomethane into the natural 

gas grid. 

L-Gas (Natural Gas L) Gas classification, in which “L“ stands for 

“low“. Natural gas of this quality possesses a calorific value of 

ca.10 KWh/Nm 3 

Manure Collective term for dung and urine of agricultural farm 

animals, possibly together with litter 

Normal Cubic Metre (Nm 3 ) Measuring unit for the amount of gas 

which under “normal conditions” equals the volume of a cubic 

metre. Normal conditions include a 1.01325 bar pressure level, 

0 per cent humidity and a temperature of 0 °C (DIN 1343) or 15 °C 

(ISO 2533) 

Proof of Origin Certifiacte stating that a biomethane quantity 

taken from the natural gas grid equals the amount of biomethane 

fed into the natural gas at another point of injection regarding 

quality and amount. Especially important for the validation 

of EEG-feed-in tariffs (such as the renewable primary products 

bonus) for power generated from biomethane. 

PSA Pressure Swing Adsorption 

Raw Biogas Biogas in the raw state right after the fermentation 

process (before upgrade processes). Often also referred to as 

bio-raw gas. 

Renewable Primary Products Collective term for resources 

generated in agriculture and forestry operations such as wood, 

flax, rape, sugar substances and starch from beets, potatoes or 

corn. As well as plants for energy use, the term also includes plants 

or industrial use. 

Upgrade Process to enrich the quality of biogas. A CO 2 

-separation 

(= methane enrichment) is necessary to achieve natural gas quality 

by increasing the methane portion of raw biogas (45 –70 per 

cent) to the local quality (natural gas L ca. 85 per cent, natural gas 

H up to 99 per cent). 

Wobbe Index Data used for the quality characterisation of 

com bustion gases. Similar Wobbe data points to the interchangeability 

of gases without further modifications of combustion 

nozzles, for example.

Publications. 

Further “biogaspartner” 

publications on biomethane. 

Free copies of all publications on biomethane listed below may 

be ordered via contact@biogaspartner.com. 

Brochure: “biogaspartner – gemeinsam einspeisen” 

biogaspartner – gemeinsam einspeisen. 

Biogaseinspeisung in Deutschland und Europa – 

Markt, Technik und Akteure. 

The German “biogaspartner – gemeinsam einspeisen” brochure 

provides an overview of biogas grid feed-in in Germany 

and Europe. The publication spans the entire biomethane 

value chain, from biogas production, upgrade and feed-in 

into the gas grid to the various applications in combined heat 

and power plants, heat production or use as biofuel in natural 

gas vehicles. It covers market development, political and legal 

framework and technologies as well as market actors active in 

the biogaspartner project. 

80 pages, German 

Biomethane – 

The Smart Solution 

for the Future. 

Biogaseinspeisung – 

die intelligente 

Lösung für 

die Zukunft. 

Flyer: “Biomethane – The Smart Solution for the Future“ . 

. 

“Biogaseinspeisung – die intelligente Lösung für die Zukunft“. 

. 

There are many good reasons for the upgrade and feed-in of 

biogas into the gas grid. This handy brochure, available in German 

and English, presents the most important facts on biogas 

grid feed-in at a glance. 

20 pages, German/English 


Publications. 

Report: “Biomethan im KWK- und Wärmemarkt” 

Biomethan im KWK- und Wärmemarkt. 

Status Quo, Potenziale und handlungsempfehlungen 

für eine beschleunigte marktdurchdringung. 

In collaboration with partners joined in the biogaspartner project, 

the Deutsche Energie Agentur GmbH(dena) – the German 

Energy Agency – has published a report on biomethane sales 

markets in Germany. It analyses the combined heat and power 

sector as well as the heat market. The report presents findings 

on the market development status quo, provides market share 

prognoses and offers recommendations for speedy market 

penetration of biomethane in Germany. 

43 pages, German 

Factsheet: “Biomethan als Kraftstoff: Quotenübertragung” 

This fact sheet informs you on the role of biomethane in context 

with the government’s biofuel goals. Furthermore it provides 

information business models concerning biomethane and the 

obligations regulated by the biofuels quota act. Advantages 

of biomethane different actors involved and respective sales 

options are especially highlighted. 

4-Pager, German 

Factsheet: “Biomethan: Grüne Energie im Erdgasnetz” 

How much acreage is available for biomethane production 

in Germany? Where does biomethane come from, and is it 

really eco-friendly? What am I to expect if a biomethane plant 

is built in my neighbourhood? This 4-pager provides answers 

to frequently asked questions on biomethane production and 

utilization. It offers compact and coherent knowledge, helps 

to ease prejudices and supports stakeholder communications 

during the planning phase of biomethane plants. 

4-Pager, German 

77

Imprint. 

Publisher. 

Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) 

German Energy Agency 

Renewable Energies 

Chausseestrasse 128 a 

10115 Berlin, Germany 

Tel +49 (0)30 72 61 65-600 

Fax +49 (0)30 72 61 65-699 

E-mail. 

info@dena.de 

Internet. 

www.biogaspartner.com 

www.dena.de 

Important Note. 

All rights reserved. Any use is subject to consent by dena. 

All content has been prepared with the greatest possible care 

and is provided in good faith. dena provides no guarantee 

regarding the currency, accuracy and completeness of the 

information provided. dena accepts no liability for damages of a 

tangible or intangible nature caused directly or indirectly by the 

use of or failure to use the information provided, unless dena 

can be proven to have acted with intent or gross negligence. 

This publication was prepared with the kind support of the 

partners in the biogaspartner project. 

Editor. 

Michael Herr, dena 

Sandra Rostek, dena 

Layout. 

Katrin Schek, kursiv, Berlin 

Photos. 

aboutpixel.de/Fischlein/Gastmann, B.KWK e. V., BMR e. V., 

DVGW e. V., erdgas schwaben gmbh, Erdgas Mark Brandenburg 

GmbH , Landwärme GmbH, MT-BioMethan GmbH, ÖKOBiT 

GmbH, RWE Energy AG, Schmack Biogas AG, digitalstock.de, 

pixelio.de 

Printed by: 

H&P Druck, Berlin 

Date: 8/2011 



The platform for biogas grid injection.. 

www.biogaspartner.com 

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