In brief

Ferrocarriles Argentinos Sociedad del Estado (F.A.S.E.) signed a cooperation agreement this summer with U.S.-based Optifuel Systems LLC. to make rail transport lower in emissions. Argentina’s Transport Minister Alexis Guerrera commented, “Our plan to modernize transport is about developing infrastructure with construction works throughout the country and also innovative technologies, like this change in energy sources for our trains, to make them cleaner, more efficient, more sustainable and more economical.” As a result, the U.S. company is now expected to develop CNG-powered locomotives with 1600, 2000, and 2400 horsepower that can operate in line with Argentina’s decarbonization goals thanks to CNG or, ideally, even biogas. They are intended to replace diesel locomotives, which are still very common in South America. “We know that CNG and biogas are fuels that produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel, and are resources that we have in our country that can be used to the fullest,” Guerrera said.

The Gas for Climate consortium, together with Guidehouse experts, published a report on European biogas potential at the end of 2020 and has now provided an update on it. New figures on biogas /about and green and blue hydrogen trends show that due to increased EU efforts to increase biogas production, as well as technical advances, production potential could be updated and increased. The experts conclude that there are enough sustainable feedstocks available in the EU-27 to reach the REPowerEU target for 2030 (35 bcm). The estimate showed that as much as 41 billion m³ of biogas could be available in 2030 and now as much as 151 billion m³ in 2050. This is almost equivalent to the 155 bcm of gas that the EU currently imports from Russia. Energy experts see great biogas potential thanks to anaerobic digestion, but also thermal gasification. In addition, renewable methane produced from renewable electricity and biogenic CO2 captured during biogas upgrading could provide further potential. For full details, see the new Gas for Climate report.

Energy group Uniper has been given the green light to start construction ahead of schedule on Germany’s first LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven. “The rapid granting of approval for the early start of construction shows the importance of the LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven for the country’s security of supply,” said Uniper CEO Klaus-Dieter Maubach. “This cannot be taken for granted – above all, it shows what is possible when society, industry and politics pull together.” An LNG terminal is the logistical hub for unloading LNG tankers, for regasification and injection of liquid LNG into the gas grid or liquefied storage in tanks, and for onward transportation of liquid gas in tank cars and bunker ships. Up to 7.5 billion cubic meters per year are expected to be handled via the floating LNG terminal in the future, which corresponds to around 8.5 percent of Germany’s current gas demand. LNG can be transported worldwide, enabling trade with international partners who cannot transport gas via pipelines.

LNG is a readily available alternative fuel that helps reduce CO₂ emissions in the transportation sector. As demand for LNG for heavy-duty transport increases across Europe and in particular in Germany, the Dutch company PitPoint.LNG B.V. is now working more closely with Liqual, a Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS) company, to expand the network of LNG refueling stations in the German market. The two companies will therefore implement three LNG refueling stations before the end of 2022. The first is already installed at the Total Energies filling station in Hirschberg (D). It is conveniently located on the A5 motorway, making it ideal for transport companies using the travel corridor between Germany and Italy. The state-of-the-art facility includes a turnkey Liqual LNG refueling station with vertical 80 cubic meter LNG storage tank and two LNG dispensers. The complete forecourt installation allows for simultaneous high-speed refueling of two LNG-powered trucks. “I am very pleased that PitPoint.LNG B.V. has chosen to gain experience with our automated and TCO-effective BTU system to reliquefy the station’s boil-off gas at the project site”, said Joost Jansen, Business Development Manager Liqual.

Gas infrastructure is a key element of the Swiss energy supply. It can make an important contribution to decarbonizing the energy system and improving overall supply security. The members of the Swiss Gas Industry Association VSG approved the new vision and as well as the strategic thrusts of the industry at the General Assembly in Bern. The Swiss gas industry is committed to the net-zero target for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest and has been actively promoting corresponding measures for some time. The industry wants to make an additional effort and has defined its orientation in a new strategy paper; this is posted on gazenergie.ch. Swiss gas suppliers are planning to achieve the goal of a decarbonized gas supply in various stages: 15 percent by 2030, 50 percent by 2040 and 100 percent by 2050 in the total supply. Of course, it is at the discretion of individual gas suppliers or cities and municipalities to move even faster and set their own, even more ambitious targets. The new strategic directions also define the field of activity of the VSG. Its tasks lie primarily in the areas of information and consulting, education and training, creation of suitable framework conditions, research and development, and the promotion of climate-neutral gases. According to the strategy paper, the decarbonization of the gas supply will lead to changes in the use of gas, the extent of which will depend heavily on political requirements, local conditions, and economic and technical developments. The gas industry takes this into account in its planning and business decisions. The gas industry will develop the network in such a way that it meets the changing needs and requirements, especially with regard to security of supply. In this context, the Swiss gas industry is also making great efforts to reduce existing dependencies on Russian gas as quickly as possible and to broadly support alternative supply options.

Lidl Switzerland has once again been able to reduce its CO₂ footprint in the area of logistics and has now been awarded the “2^nd Star Award Lean & Green” for this achievement. Overall, Lidl Switzerland has reduced CO₂ emissions in transport & logistics by a further 13 percent from 2017 to 2020. The retailer is also switching to fossil-free store delivery by 2030. Already today, four CNG trucks, which are almost CO₂-neutral on the road thanks to 100 percent Swiss biogas in the tank, more than 30 LNG trucks and one electric truck are in use for Lidl Switzerland. The transport companies and chauffeurs have two LNG filling stations at their disposal, which are gradually being converted from LNG to fossil-free LBG/bio-LNG. Lidl Switzerland thus already completes over 60 percent of its logistics kilometers diesel-free. Ueli Rüger, Head of Logistics at Lidl Switzerland (left in the picture), explains: “Our goals are ambitious: fossil-free by 2030, but we are already well on the way to achieving this goal. We already drive more than half of our logistics kilometers with alternative drive concepts. We are really proud of the ‘2^nd Star Award Lean & Green’. It shows us that we are on the right track with our strong commitment to sustainability.” Far from resting on its laurels, the retailer intends to continue improving and has set itself a new goal of also achieving the third star of “Lean & Green.” This requires a further 5 percent reduction in CO₂ within two years.

The aim is to produce 35 billion cubic meters of biogas across Europe by 2030 for a clearly greater reduction in CO₂. To achieve this, the biogas action plan “REPowerEU”was presented, which aims to promote renewable gas along the entire value chain together with an industry alliance. The plan also includes a targeted revision of the “Fit for 55” targets for energy efficiency and renewables, as well as the necessary measures to accelerate RE permitting and recommendations to facilitate the injection of renewable gas. This is an important step towards achieving climate targets, circular economy and security of supply across Europe. “The industry alliance proposed by ‘REPowerEU’ is an essential tool to steer collaboration between policy makers, investors and the biogas value chain to drive technological innovation,” said Harmen Dekker, CEO of the European Biogas Association EBA. “This is about removing bottlenecks such as cross-border trade and ultimately accelerating the expansion of the sector.”

The German biogas producer Bioenergie Geest GmbH & Co. KG and the Swiss green-tech company Hitachi Zosen Inova plan to build a bio-LNG plant in Apensen (D). This is scheduled to start production at the end of 2023 and enable 2100 tons of bio-LNG per year from sustainably produced biogas. Bioenergie Geest GmbH & Co. KG has already been successfully operating a fermentation plant and a biogas upgrading plant in Apensen since 2011. Biomethane is produced here on the basis of renewable raw materials and fed into the grid. This classic plant concept is now being further developed. To this end, on the one hand, the plant’s substrate feed will be switched to over 80 percent sustainable feedstocks such as liquid manure and dung. On the other hand, the existing gas processing plant will be supplemented by new systems for methane and CO₂ liquefaction. The approximately 32 GWh/a of sustainable raw biogas will thus be used to produce around 2100 tons of biogenic liquefied gas annually for the fuel market in the future. In addition, more than 4000 tons of liquid CO₂ are produced as a by-product, which replaces fossil-generated CO₂ in industry.

At the official inauguration ceremony, CEO Claus Sauter told the state governor Kim Reynolds, who was in attendance, and other representatives from politics and business: “The plant at the Nevada site in the state of Iowa is our first facility in the USA. We will reach full capacity in the summer of 2022. Then we will process up to 100,000 metric tons of corn straw here annually into biomethane and make it available to the market as a climate-friendly renewable biofuel.” He added: “By 2023, we will expand the Verbio biorefinery along the lines of the German plants with combined bioethanol-biomethane production. With our technology, we are setting new standards and bringing new momentum to the U.S. market. Nevada is just the beginning. We want to install another five to ten biorefinery plants in North America over the next five years.” As in its other four large-scale biomethane production plants worldwide, Verbio uses agricultural residues for bioenergy production in Iowa. “We’re not using bread grain, for example, but surplus corn stover. Farmers benefit in several ways: we get the straw off the field, which would otherwise simply rot there. This reduces CO₂ and methane emissions. At the end of our production chain, we produce what is known as straw humus, which can be used as a high-quality fertilizer. Our biomethane therefore contributes equally to the decarbonization of transport and agriculture,” explains the biofuel expert. The biomethane from straw is fed into the gas network of the utility Alliant Energy to be delivered by pipeline to CNG filling stations and trucking companies nationwide.

New Holland Agriculture is the official sponsor of the world-class cycling event, the Giro d’Italia 2022, so a T6 Methane Power tractor will also be on display along the route. The CNG-powered tractor is a real game changer that can even have a negative carbon footprint when running on biomethane from slurry. “The T6 Methane Power is the culmination of New Holland’s pioneering work in developing CNG technology and one of the many tangible results of our ‘Clean Energy Leader Strategy,'” said Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President. “At New Holland, we are passionate about enabling and promoting sustainable, efficient and profitable agriculture through advanced technologies, enhanced connectivity and reliable powertrain technology.” The T6 will, of course, feature a specially designed livery to match the legendary maglia rosa of the leading one in the Giro d’Italia, perfectly showcasing New Holland Agriculture’s commitment to performance and sustainability.