War time biofuel production in Ukraine: new project launch with the Dutch link
The first connection of the biomethane producer to the gas distribution networks will take place in Chernihiv region
Regional Gas Company and Gals Agro agricultural holding signed the contract to connect the biomethane plant in Chernihiv region to gas distribution networks. The first physical connection of biomethane plant capacities to gas distribution networks in Ukraine is scheduled for the beginning of the next year.
"Horodishche-Pustovarivska Agrarian Company" LLC, a member of Gals Agro agricultural holding, is the owner of a biogas plant located in Prylutsky district of Chernihiv region. In 2021, a decision was made to equip the plant with a production site for biogas purification to biomethane, which is a complete analogue of natural gas. The installed capacity of purification equipment is approximately 3 million cubic meters per year. It is equal to the consumption of approximately 1,500 private households. The start of biomethane production and its physical injection into gas distribution networks is scheduled for the beginning of the next year. The biogas-to-biomethane upgrade technology is from well-known Dutch company Bright Renewables, with experience of more than 150 successful projects across the world.
Currently, RGC experts together with Gals Agro and JSC Chernihivgas, scientific and expert institutions are developing technical solutions to connect the production facilities to gas distribution networks using the most advanced equipment by leading manufacturers such as Pietro Fiorentini and Emerson.
“Our company grows grain and energy crops, produces sugar, meat and milk, and is engaged in poultry farming and horticulture. Consequently, we have our own raw materials to produce biomethane, - says Serhii Kravchuk, Director General, Gals Agro. For a long time, we have been looking for ways to use livestock and crop production wastes not only to generate "green" electricity but to produce biomethane as well. Now, using RGC technical expertise, we are going to proceed with planning the production”.
At the moment, the biogas produced at the plant is used only to generate electricity to be sold at the "green tariff". In the future, part of the biogas will be purified into biomethane and pumped into the gas distribution networks in Chernihiv region. They are the most extensive networks and have a system operating pressure comparable to that of a biomethane module, which does not require the installation of additional equipment.
"Injecting biomethane into gas networks is an example of the so-called distributed power generation, when energy resources are neither extracted from the underground nor transported by gas pipelines but are consumed right next to the production facilities. This approach implies fewer infrastructural risks and is very common in countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium," says Serhii Bondar, Chief Technical Officer, RGC.
At the end of 2021, RGC established a one-stop shop based on the "single window" approach, which businesses and investors can turn to for advice on connecting their facilities to the gas distribution networks.
We want to remind you that services for drafting technical terms and conditions, project approval, and physical connection of biomethane producers to the gas distribution networks are offered at a symbolic fee of one hryvnia. To get their facilities connected, biomethane producers shall only finance the construction of external and internal gas networks and purchase the necessary equipment. For advice on the connectivity, the manufacturers or investors may email to: biomethane@rgc.ua; Our associates will offer you timely initial advice and assign you a personal manager.
Regional Gas Company is an engineering and technology company specializing in developing operational, production, engineering and R&D solutions for the gas distribution industry. The design centers, production facilities and logistics network of the company provide advanced equipment to meet the needs of Ukraine’s gas infrastructure and are integrated into global markets.
Regional Gas Company
32/2 Moskovska str., 8th floor, Kyiv, 01010, Ukraine, T: +380 44 364 25 71, F: +380 44 364 25 75
Gals Agro agricultural holding is a group of agricultural companies cultivating more than 30,000 ha of arable land in Chernihiv, Kyiv, Poltava and Vinnytsya regions of Ukraine. The holding specializes in growing grains and industrial crops, poultry farming, meat and dairy production, and horticulture, and has its own processing facilities. Since 2016, the agricultural holding launched a new line of business, i.e. production of energy from renewable sources. By the end of 2022, the total capacity of "green" energy facilities will exceed 16 MW.
Bright Renewables B.V. supplies membrane biogas upgrading technology. Bright’s in-house product and technology portfolio includes standardized modular containerized biogas upgraders, CO2 liquefaction technology, virtual pipeline, carbon capture, service support and predictive maintenance, and bio-CNG and bio-LNG applications in addition to biomethane. Bright is committed to bringing solutions to increase sustainability in the renewable energy market and improve deployment and conversion of biogas worldwide.
BIOFUEL PRODUCTION ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF WORK OF AGRARIAN POLICY IN UKRAINE
KYIV. July 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Increasing production of fuel from agricultural raw materials had become one of the priority areas of work of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food since the spring of this year, after Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine, Taras Vysotsky, the first deputy minister, said. "Agriculture is a source of raw materials for production of various types of biofuels – from biomethane to solid biofuel. Together with the Ministry of Finance and other departments, we supported the development of bioethanol. Bill No. 7401 was adopted, allowing not only more active production of technical and food alcohols, but also bioethanol. The raw materials can be both crops directly grown in the fields, and animal and crop waste," he said during an online discussion on July 14. According to him, everything that was previously considered industrial waste in the agricultural sector and was not used is now considered as a way to create additional added value. Vysotsky clarified that since the beginning of the war, an additional incentive for agricultural companies to invest in vertical integration and production of certain types of biofuel is significantly increased energy prices, as well as limited opportunities for exporting oil from grain crops used in production of biofuel. The Deputy Minister emphasized that Ukrainian farmers are already changing the way they use land, since at the moment there are all favorable conditions for investment in the biofuel production industry. "Our task as a relevant ministry, together with colleagues from the Ministry of Energy and the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving, is to make the regulatory framework so that these favorable conditions can be practically implemented. Today, our goal is not just to support, but to put the development of biofuel in one of the top priority areas. It's time to move from talking about opportunities to practical implementation," the deputy minister summed up.