Renevo’s biogas plant in Stord has been unprofitable since its start-up in February 2022. The plant is now closing pending upgrades. The facility was built with NOK 50 million in support from the state. news was present during the opening, where Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre pumped out residual product from the biogas production during the opening. Since then, news has discussed problems and neighbor complaints related to odors at the plant in several articles. Biogas is pointed to as one of the solutions that will make the transport industry emission-free in the future. What is biogas? Biogas is created when organic material, such as fertiliser, food waste, plant residues, waste water and others, is broken down by microorganisms in an oxygen-free environment. Biogas mainly consists of methane. During combustion, CO2 and water are formed. Since the raw material comes from biological material, the combustion is considered CO2-neutral as it enters the natural CO2 cycle. Biogas can be used to produce electricity, heat and fuel. The most important raw materials (substrata) for biogas production are: wet organic waste sewage sludge fish sludge livestock manure other organic material The gas yield is often better when you combine different raw materials. Livestock manure and sewage sludge constitute a potentially large source for the production of biogas. Raw materials from forestry are often less suitable for biogas production due to their high cellulose and lignin content, which require more pre-treatment. After the microorganisms have done their job and produced methane, you are left with a liquid residual product called bioresidue. The bioresidue is a nutrient-rich mass that is suitable as fertilizer for plants. Source: Norwegian Environment Agency Now the plant’s owner is shutting down one of the most modern plants in the country. “Zero income” – Since its inception, the operation has only had costs and generated almost zero income. Given the production results that have been achieved so far, there is no reason to expect that it will be possible to increase biogas production with the technology that is at the plant today, writes director Eilef Stange of the company Renevo to the specialist website Biogasbrånsen. The company is talking to the supplier of the facility to see how it can be upgraded. The closure is likely to be temporary, writes the trade website about the plant in Sunnhordland. The day before the news became known, NHO sent a press release in which several actors demand better support schemes for biogas plants. – The support schemes for industrial biogas in Norway do not work. Today’s arrangements place too much emphasis on requirements for innovation, they claim. They demand more predictable support schemes that “combine investment support and loans throughout the value chain for new facilities”. The framework must be at least NOK 300 million for 2024, the players believe. Mayor surprised Stord mayor Sigbjørn Framnes (Frp) believes that the framework conditions must be the same for biogas plants throughout the Nordic region. – I recognize myself in the image that the framework conditions are difficult. There must be equal conditions for the operation of such facilities, he says. For him, the news of the closure came as a surprise. – I was not aware of this until it was in the media today. We are keen to take care of skilled workplaces towards the green shift at Stord. The technology is there and they have signaled that they will only close for a period, he says. news has not yet succeeded in getting a comment from the CEO of Renevo, Eilef Stange.
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Almost new biogas plant at Stord stenger – news Vestland
