Biogas upgrading solution to supplement national gas grid supply

Transwaste, a British waste management and environmental services company, has enlisted the expertise of technology group Wärtsilä to provide a biogas upgrading solution for their plant near Hull in the north of England. This solution will produce biogas from municipal waste and inject up to 6 million m3 of biomethane into the national gas grid annually. The project is scheduled for delivery in December 2023 and has been entered into Wärtsilä's order book for March 2023.

Wärtsilä's Puregas amine-based, upgrading technology has the ability to handle biogas with high concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) without requiring costly pre-treatment, which is especially relevant given the raw biogas for this project is expected to contain higher than normal VOC levels. The solution will include a flash tank to flash out the VOCs and ensure long amine life.

The plant will be a dry anaerobic digestion plant capable of handling organic matter with a consistency of approximately 20 to 40 percent dry matter. Conventional wet digestion plants can only handle a maximum of 20 percent dry matter. The project is being managed by Paul Winter Consulting Ltd (PWCL), a project management and construction consultancy business, and will be executed by Melton Energy Tech Ltd.

Chris Ives of PWCL commented, "We have successfully worked in close cooperation with Wärtsilä on a number of previous projects, and we are pleased to continue this cooperation with this latest project. Wärtsilä brings a wealth of technical knowledge and experience, which is particularly valuable during the pre-construction phase."

Steven Scott, Sales Manager, Biogas Solutions, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, added, "The operational cost advantages of Wärtsilä's biogas upgrading solution are especially relevant now that energy costs are so high. Our solutions are fully aligned with Wärtsilä's strategy to develop and deliver solutions that support a sustainable future. Furthermore, this product will provide the customer with the lowest Total Cost of Ownership which is a key driver for both our product development and value propositions."