Wartsila Biogas Upgrading Plant Will Significantly Reduce Methane Emissions from US Dairy Facility

Puregas Solutions, a part of the technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply a turnkey biogas upgrading plant to the USA. The plant will upgrade an existing anaerobic digester (AD) to produce biomethane. It has been ordered by a leader in sustainable agricultural practices, located in the state of Oregon. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2018.

The Puregas solution will process 3100 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of biogas from the anaerobic digestion of manure from more than 50,000 dairy cows. The renewable natural gas will then be injected into a pipeline for use as transportation fuel in California, the adjoining state. The project generates Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, as well as credits under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

The plant is expected to produce around 81 mmBTU of biomethane per year. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of over 15,000 households, 570 city buses, or 10,000 cars, with an annual CO2 reduction of 51,000 tons.

The project includes the installation of gas conditioning equipment, as well as compression to 975 psi for pipeline injection. The Puregas CApure CA80 biogas upgrading plant is scheduled to be delivered during the first quarter of 2019. The contract also includes the supply and installation of a hydrogen sulphide removal system.

“This project, which essentially converts the methane gas from animal manure into a sustainable transportation fuel, is environmentally significant and an indicator perhaps of a future trend in biogas upgrading in the agricultural industry. Our capability to deliver the necessary technology in a turnkey solution was the key to securing this important contract,” says Jan Molin, Managing Director, Puregas Solutions.

This is the first order received by Puregas from the USA, and is in line with the increasing global trend for using chemical absorption technology to provide unrivalled methane recovery, thereby maximising revenues with low operating costs.

In 2017, Wärtsilä acquired Puregas Solutions, the Sweden based provider of turnkey biogas upgrading solutions. Puregas is a leading player in its field and has a biogas specialized local presence in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and the USA. The company utilises a unique CApure process to convert raw biogas to biomethane and renewable natural gas.