Biogas can be the solution to meeting the large energy demand in Norway in the years to come. In a report it appears that the amount of energy from biogas can be multiplied from today’s 6 Twh. The greatest potential is in animal manure, biological waste and sewage sludge. This has also been an area of focus for the authorities. In total, Enova has supported biogas plants with NOK 967 million since 2010. But now the adventure has come to an end. Both in Båtsfjord in Finnmark and at Stord in Vestland. The biogas plant in Finnmark was to produce biogas, which in turn was to provide electricity. Now the facility is for sale. Photo: Roald Knudsen Going bankrupt on 12 October was the end of the biogas adventure for Liholmen Biogass AS in Båtsfjord in Finnmark. Then they went bankrupt with over NOK 13 million in debt. – We are reasonably pissed off, to put it that way, says daily manager of the bankrupt biogas factory, Roald Knudsen to news. With new technology from the supplier Antec, which in 2016 received an award for a new type of biogas reactor, the plant in Finnmark was to convert both animal manure and fish waste into energy. Former fisheries minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) was one of those who visited the plant in Finnmark. He boasted of his contribution to the green shift. Photo: Bård Wormdal But after several years of trial and error there was a stop. Despite support of 10.7 million from Enova, it did not go through. – There was simply not enough capacity in the facility, Knudsen believes. He claims the supplier of the reactor gave the impression of having a finished product, which in turn could produce biogas in only half the time as other suppliers. – Producing biogas can easily take 25 days, says Professor John Morken at the Norwegian University of Environment and Life Sciences, NBMU in Ås. Knudsen claims they were promised a production time down to seven days. Roald Knudsen in Liholmen Biogass has lost large sums on biogas adventures in the north. Now he is simply pissed off at the supplier of technical equipment. Photo: Bård Wormdal In use at Stord The same reactor type from Antec is also used in Renevo’s plant at Stord in Vestland. The plant, which received approximately NOK 50 million in Enova support, has been dogged since its start in spring 2022 by both complaints from neighbors about smells and threats of closure from the State Administrator. But when they got the smell under control, new problems arose. On Wednesday, the message came that the plant chose to close down. Poor production and lack of interest were pointed to as reasons. – In order to make money, we are dependent on having a product to invoice the customers for. We have not got the production we had envisioned, says Eilef Stange, managing director of Renevo. He is familiar with the bankruptcy in Båtsfjord and their argument. – We see it as appropriate to have the technology discussion directly with the supplier and not through the media, writes Stange in an e-mail to news. The plant at Stord is temporarily closed while waiting for the upgrade. The owner does not rule out that it will be closed permanently. Photo: Olav Røli Enova: Higher risk with these two plants In the next few months, they will try to make the factory in Stord profitable again. – Is there a chance that the factory will not reopen? – We cannot guarantee that, but our plan is for it to open again, says Stange. In total, Enova has supported the factories in Stord and Båtsfjord with a total of NOK 60 million. The plants in Vestland and Finnmark are both defined by Enova as projects with immature technology and a high degree of innovation. – We are aware that there was a higher technological risk for the factories in Stord and Båtsfjord, says Trond Bratsberg, senior adviser at Enova. Both have applied for support under the program for more immature technology. The plant in Finnmark is now for sale, according to bustyr. Innovation Norway has a lien on the plant, according to iFinnmark. Here is Sveinung Rotevatn (V), then climate and environmental protection minister at Renevo’s plant in Stord. In the middle Etne mayor Mette Heidi Bergsvåg Ekrheim (Sp) and Renevo founder Jan Kåre Pedersen. Photo: Eli Bjelland They think they have a good solution Eirik Gundersen, day-to-day manager of Antec Biogas, says they think it was right and responsible to close the plant at Stord. He believes that their technology is both well-thought-out and well-proven, but that its use places demands on the operators of the plant and on-going control of production. Gundersen does not wish to comment on the case, nor the claims from the owner of the plant in Finnmark. – Do you fear legal action against Antec? – No, I don’t mind, he replies. Biogas Norway: Must invest in new technology Professor Morken at NTNU says there can be many reasons why errors occur in biogas production. – Material that contains some fat can take time. In addition, animal manure, which contains a lot of cellulose, can also make the process take time, he says. Pia Farstad von Hall at Biogass Noreg believes that one must dare to try new technology. – What has been exciting about Antec’s technology is that they have reduced the time it takes to produce biogas. When you drive innovation, you don’t always hit the mark, says von Hall. Founder and former owner of Renevo in Stord, Jan Kåre Pedersen, does not wish to comment on why they chose Antec as supplier for the plant. Here are grinders for food waste at the bankrupt factory in Båtsfjord. Photo: Roald Knudsen
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Enova admits that they took a risk with biogas plants at Stord and in Båtsfjord – news Vestland
