Biomethane

Gas of the Future

Ins$tu$on of Gas Engineers and Managers Young Persons Paper Compe$$on 2010 Jamie McAinsh (Graduate Trainee)

Background

The Issues

The Idea

Benets Case Studies

Challenges

The Future
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Background
Aim Scope Case Studies Key Message
Prove viability of injec$ng biomethane into the exis$ng gas network Explore the opportunity, challenges and benets Cumbernauld waste treatment facility and Falkirk waste water treatment plant Biomethane is the gas of the future
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Deni$ons
Biomass Anaerobic Diges:on Biogas
Plant materials, sewage and animal waste used as fuel

Biological treatment to breakdown organic materials in the absence of oxygen

Gas produced from anaerobic diges$on (60-65% methane content)

Biomethane

Cleaned up biogas (impuri$es removed), similar to natural gas (>97% methane)

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The Issues
Waste Climate Change Gas Supplies

Waste

Food waste collec$ons have grown Decrease in landll capacity Landll sites emit methane greenhouse gas (20% of UKs methane emissions) Higher landll tax rates

Landll is harmful AND expensive!

(WRAP, 2010)

Climate Change

Rising awareness and focus UK Gov create DECC Push towards renewable energy sources 15% renewable target by 2020

UKs Renewable Performance

(How to Meet the EUs 2020 Renewable Targets, Centre for European Reform, 2009)
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Gas Supplies

Reducing natural gas supply in the north sea Steady demand Gas Gap appearing Dependency on imports

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The Gas Gap

(Parliamentary Oce of Science and Technology, 2004)

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Hmmm.????
Where else can we send our waste? How can we hit the 2020 renewable target? Is there an alternative source of gas?

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Biomethane provides a simultaneous and unique solu:on to all three problems!

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The Idea
From refuse to resource:
Collect & Segregate Capture Upgrade Meter & Monitor Distribute

Collec$on and segrega$on of organic maber

Capture biogas in an anerobic digester

Upgrade to biomethane

Meter and monitor the quality

Inject into gas grid

If at rst the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it

(Albert Einstein)
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How will it work?

ANAEROBIC DIGESTER GAS STORAGE H2S AND CO2 REMOVAL AND DRYING PROPANE ADDED

BOILER

H2S FILTER WATER BLOW DOWN

NEW CONNECTION PIPELINE EXISTING GAS NETWORK OUT OF SPEC RETURN LINE

PRESSURE CONTROL

FLOW METER TELEMETRY ODORANT ANALYSER

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The Benets
Sound Good?
Biomethane is a source of green energy

Could help meet 2020 renewable energy

target

Provides a solu:on for dealing with our

waste

Abate the emissions from greenhouse

gases

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The Benets Con$nued

Ticks all the boxes
Secure and sustainable supply of gas

Increases UKs self suciency Decreases dependency on imports Network infrastructure already exists

Biomethane injec:on has benets on many fronts

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Case Studies

Cumbernauld
Cumbernauld

Falkirk

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Cumbernauld
Type: Food Waste Treatment Facility Capital cost: Circa 1m Digester capacity: 4000 m Gas storage holder: 2000 m Biogas throughput of digester:

589scmh Biomethane produc:on per annum: 2.5 million m (1800 households & 15% of Cumbernaulds domes$c demand) Annual Income: Circa 1m

Biomethane/pa = Biogas/pa@ 65% methane content, 95% availability & 2% methane loss
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Falkirk
Type: Waste Water Treatment Works Capital cost: Circa 1m Digester capacity: 6800 m Gas storage holder: 282 m Biogas throughput of the digester:

Unknown. Either 68; 232; 849scmh (arer upgrade) Biomethane produc:on per annum: 300k m; 1million m; 3.7million m (laber = 2500 households & 10% of Falkirk domes$c demand) Annual Income: 100k; 600k; 2m
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The Challenges
Gas Quality Waste Management Commercial

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Gas Quality
Biogas to Biomethane

For network injec$on it must meet stringent specica$on requirements Remove impuri$es & enrich to match exis$ng CV GS(M)R oxygen content level = 0.2%; Biomethane = 1% Oxygen content 1% in other European countries ; No safety implica:ons for the network; Poli$cal expediency

GS(M)R biomethane specica:on?

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Waste Management
Waste Strategy

UK Govt must realise that biomass has an important role in the future of UK energy Every person and business to sort and direct their waste appropriately Local Authori$es direct waste streams towards AD & renewable gas to maximise energy recovery Poli$cal and cultural shir

Government policy and commitment?

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Commercial
Incen:vise

The right incen$ve is needed to encourage biomethane produc$on rather than electricity genera$on Biomass is a nite but widely available resource and must be used eciently. Eciency maximisa:on is paramount Biomass to electricity is not as ecient as biomass to biomethane (30-40% cf 80-90%) Renewable Heat Incen$ve (RHI) If set right could be a major catalyst not un$l 2011, ROCs already in place for electric!
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Renewable energy is not just about electricity!

The Future

What will it be like?

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Remember Town Gas?

The Biomethane Cycle

Self Produc$on
?

Self Suciency Decentralisa$on

Network Injec:on CHP? District Hea:ng?

Poten:al to sa:sfy 50% of UKs domes:c demand?

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A Journey Through Time

Natural gas Biomethane?

Town gas

Capacity

Time Today

A natural progression for the UK gas industry

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Biomethane.Gas of the future Biomethane. A pile of manure? or is it just rubbish?

Thank Sectionlistening you for 1 Jamie McAinsh Title here

- Use this slide only if a section divider is required

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