Bioenergy from waste: Biogas production model

Developing the BalticSeaRegion into the world‘s first EcoRegion
Bioenergy from waste: Biogas production model
Linköping municipality has established a biogas production system with the production
capacity of nearly 29 M m3/year of raw biogas. Biogas is derived from organic waste
from slaughterhouses, food industry leftovers and other organic products and is
upgraded and used as a fuel for public and private transportation. Also, the fermentation
residue is traded as a high quality fertilizer.
Issue
Biogas provides great opportunities for local development not only by promoting renewable energy sources
and energy security but also by stimulating many elements of the local economy like waste management and
water treatment. In the view of biogas production, waste is not a burden but an asset, which can bring profits
to the municipality. If well managed a biogas production system can provide new renewable energy sources
and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Application
For the last 14 years, Linköping Municipality has introduced
a system for the production and distribution of biogas from
organic waste and used it as a fuel for both public and private
transport. The system comprises two biogas plants managed
by a municipality owned company: Tekniska Verken and its
subsidiary Svensk Biogas, a small one adjacent to the water
treatment plant and based on sewage sludge, and a large one
based mainly on slaughterhouse waste (60%), scrap material
from food industry (20%) and other organic rest products
(20%).
Two plants produced 2010 together up to 9 M m3/year of upgraded biogas, but the total technical capacity
is 20 M m3/year. The raw gas is upgraded using water scrubber technology and is distributed via a total of 14
fuelling stations in- and outside Linköping. Public buses in the municipality are run solely on biogas, moreover
Linköping owns the first train in Europe run on biogas. The biogas train has been in commercial traffic on a
non electrified line in the region.
Biogas production became an indispensable element of a comprehensive structure operating in Linköping,
which includes waste management, water treatment, public transportation and agriculture.
In agriculture, fermentation residues can be used as high quality fertilizer for the local farmers. The plant
produced 45 th. tonnes of certified high-quality fertilizers in 2010.
Cooperation between Linköping University and the Tekniska Verken was established in order to develop the
process technology.
Linköping, Sweden
Environmental type
Urban, Rural, Agriculture
Starting Year
2007
Contact
Tekniska Verken I Linköping AB
Bertil Carlson
Project manager
Brogatan 1 PO Box 1500
SE-581 15 Linköping
Email : bertil.carlson@
tekniskaverken.se
Tel. : +46 13 20 81 04
» www.tekniskaverken.se
Links
» www.tekniskaverken.se
Keywords
•Waste
•Energy
•Biogas
•Public transport
•Fuel
•Biomethane
•Fertilizers
Innovation
Municipality owned companies govern all segments of the biogas production process from waste
management to public transportation. Such centralized management allows to create a demand for biogas
through, e.g. introduction of biogas bus fleet, and also to cover investment costs in one sector through the
profits from another sector.
Transferability
A waste to biogas system can be introduced in any municipality; however, a specific approach
is required case by case. Elements such as ownership and governing structure, urban-rural
interactions, current infrastructure and energy use have to be studied beforehand.
Additionally, heterogeneity of substrate material for biogas from waste requires special attention.
The EcoRegion project is part-financed by the
European Union (European Regional Development Fund)