Cases

Forward-thinking success stories

The energy transition poses a number of challenges. Here you can see how we put what we do into practice to successfully implement cutting-edge technologies and approaches in the field of plant development and operations. By delving into these cases, you will gain insight into our expertise in driving energy efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and maximising economic performance.

Read on to explore our cases and witness the potential of biogas in action.

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Unique tank design using the site’s soil

  • maximum retention times

  • suitable to any ground conditions

  • 85% CO2 emissions

With our local operating entity VORN Bioenergy Italia, we are working on a unique tank design using the site’s soil in combination with geotextile reinforcement. This works without concrete and allows for very long retention times, safe construction on unstable ground conditions and a reduction of 85% CO2 emissions during construction.

Note: This project is currently in progress. We look forward to sharing more details when the project is completed.

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On-site PV installation

  • 500 kWp

  • >96% self-consumption

  • 15% coverage of annual demand

At the end of 2021, we started planning to optimise our Brandis biomethane plant with photovoltaic systems for self-supply of electricity. Recent volatility in the energy markets underlined the importance of having a self-sufficient plant and justified the business case.

Following the installation during ongoing operation, the PV system (a mixture of ground-mounted and rooftop) with an output of around 500 kWp was commissioned in June 2022. The generated electricity is used almost entirely for the plant's own power supply and covers 15% of the plant's annual electricity demand.

What’s to come?

We plan to further exploit the possibilities offered by the real-time operating data available in our BioRecs information software: this includes, for example, an adjustment of the operating regime in order to balance peak loads through optimised day and night operation (and to minimise the costs).

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Innovative storage solution

  • completion in 9 months in order to secure government incentives

  • production of enough green gas to supply 24,000 homes for 20 years

Meden Vale, the former Welbeck colliery site in Nottinghamshire, was our first biomethane project in the UK. The site was identified as having excellent potential for a biogas facility and we partnered with local developer AcrEnergy to realise the project.

In just 9 months, we developed a detailed design, secured planning approval, constructed and brought the plant into operation. The first gas was injected into the grid very close to the quarter-end (March 2016), a significant milestone to ensure the plant qualified for the non-decreased tariff of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

The plant produces enough green gas to supply 2,400 homes, while the combined heat and power (CHP) plant meets most of the energy needs of the site. 

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Rescue of Europe’s pilot biomethane plant

  • full redevelopment and upgrading of the whole plant within just 14 months

  • maintaining supplies and meeting production targets throughout the renovation phase

When Pliening, Europe’s first biomethane facility (first commissioned in 2006), was on the verge of being shut down for not being able to meet latest environmental standards and newly introduced regulations, it was a rescue mission that we were excited to take up.

We worked closely with the local planning authority to upgrade the site. The priorities for earth and water monitoring, and addressing the leaking storage facilities, were met through the innovative approach of insulating all the storage facilities to make them fully watertight.

We updated the site to meet new safety standards within only 14 months. Not only did we quickly enable the plant to return to full compliance but we also managed to maintain supplies and meet production targets while the renovations were taking place.

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Unlocking the hidden potential in biogas plant data

  • biogas platform solution developed in 2018

  • keeping track of biogas KPI across portfolios in real time

  • active in 35+ plants

To overcome the inefficiency of manual data logging, the complexity of keeping an overview across a portfolio, and the limitations due to manufacturer dependencies, we created the biogas data platform BioRecs. Our solution records and tracks data in real time from multiple plants. Everything from digitised records to analysis functions is accessible from one central dashboard, ensuring a solid working environment for our teams.

What’s to come?

On top of that, we are actively working on solutions that not only show the current status of the plant in real time but also to identify future demands like overdue inspection services or predictive maintenance recommendations. Alerts in case of foreseeable shortfalls in production are another recent upgrade feature.