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Biogas

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INTRO

Biogas is a renewable alternative fuel, which is produced by breaking down organic matter by a process of microbiological activity. Basically this means that rotting municipal waste, food waste or sewage (both human and animal) is turned into gas by means of "anaerobic conversion" in a digester. Organic matter such as switchgrass can be grown specifically for biogas production.
The process of anaerobic conversion is what occurs naturally at the bottom of ponds and gives rise to marsh gas (or methane).
Methane is the main component of natural gas. Biogas is then processed to the same specifications as natural gas (CNG) and fed into the piped network (like green electricity is co-distributed).

Technical details for Biogas:

Manufacture - Made from either rotting municipal waste, food waste or from sewage (human or animal). A digester controls the anaerobic conversion. The product is then dried and adjusted for calorific value before being introduced into the Natural Gas Pipeline.
Specification - Made to the specification of 'mains' gas.
Use- Biogas can be used and is used with vehicles running on CNG.
Environment - It's generally accepted that biogas gives an average 95% carbon dioxide reduction (well to wheel) in comparison to diesel whilst also delivering 80% lower NOx emissions and zero particulate emissions. It can also be argued that the use of biogas creates a carbon reduction of greater than 100% as the organic matter would have naturally put methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Instead the methane is converted into carbon dioxide when burnt in the engine. Thus, developing this fuel would also provide environmental benefits by lowering the need for landfill and allowing gas capture at sewage works.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

It is generally accepted that Biogas gives an average of 95% carbon dioxide reduction (well to wheel) in comparison to diesel, as well as 80% lower nitrous oxide emissions. Plus, it also has zero particulate emissions.
Some people even argue that biogas actually reduces carbon emissions by more than 100%. This is because the organic waste that is converted into gas would normally be responsible for putting methane into the atmosphere. Production of biogas therefore actually lowers the need for landfill and allows gas capture at sewage works.
There is enough biogas available to fuel half the HGV fleet in the UK.

COUNTRY SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Slovenia

Like elsewhere, biogas production in Slovenia is increasing. Beside landfill gas and sewage sludge gas production, recent trend is mainly upon central and farm scale biogas plants. However, biogas is used solely either for power production or, in last decade, combined heat and power production (CHP). Biogas is not utilised as vehicle fuel, there are no biogas upgrading plants, also due to dispersed relatively small scale biogas production. There are also no NGV vehicles for use of compressed natural gas (CNG) or biogas.
Only LPG is available as (fossil) gaseous fuel alternative with 19 publicly accessible refuelling points and more to be build in next few years.

Sweden

The use of biogas is growing and used in about 600 buses and 10 000 light and heavy vehicles.
By the Swedish Parliament’s decision of 16 December 2005, the obligation to provide renewable fuels was introduced. The Act stipulates that from 1 April 2006 onwards the largest petrol stations must sell renewable fuels such as, for example, ethanol or biogas. Petrol stations selling more than 3 000 cubic metres of petrol or diesel per year are covered first. The requirements will then gradually be defined up to 2009 when they will apply to those points of sale that provide 1 000 cubic metres of conventional fuels or more annually. Small enterprises selling less than 1 000 cubic metres of fossil fuels per year will be exempted from the rules.
The number of light vehicles equipped to run on biogas/natural gas or petrol is increasing, reaching 6500 in 2005 compared with 4 519 in 2004. The number of vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes is also increasing. The number of buses and lorries powered by natural gas or biogas has increased by 120 and now totals 900.

Bulgaria

At the moment in Bulgaria the biogas from landfills or sewage water treatment (fermenters) or biomass gasification is applicable only for local industrial or energy use. Further biogas from such sources could be supplied to the methane stations for transport use in Sofia and other big towns in Bulgaria. There is no refueling stations with biogas or biogas mixture with other fuels in Bulgaria. There is no stimulating laws in Bulgaria for the production of biogas. There is only permission for the use of 5 % of biofuels as additives to conventional fuels in accordance with EN590 standard, etc.

Portugal

In 2006, both EU Directives were transposed by the Portuguese Government (DL 62/2006 and DL 66/2006), transpiring its intention to reach the quota of 5,75% of biofuels in the market by the year 2010. Of all the energy consumed in Portugal, 40% is used by the transports’ sector and 98% of energy consumed in the transports’ sector comes from petrol. The promotional measures include total or partial exemption of the taxation on consume of these fuels until a target value is fixed annually and foresees the possibility to impose a mandatory minimal quota of biofuels in fuels in case the incorporation of these will be significantly below the predicted value. This is expected to promote the production of biofuels from used oils, waste products and agricultural based products by "small dedicated producers". Some of the challenges biofuel production faces in Portugal are the lack of agricultural areas for production and the lack of pilot-experiences.

Regarding incentives and laws for other alternative fuels and alternative vehicles in Portugal, a note should be given to the 40% reduction on the acquisition tax on hybrid vehicles. This tax is also much smaller for the acquisition of electrical vehicles.

The United Kingdom

Currently, there is a limited supply of biogas available in this country. However, several refuelling stations linked to the HGV industry are planned for the next 5 years.

Greece

Currently there is some recovery of biogas in Greece (from landfills) but is used in other than transport purposes (electricity, heating).

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