Biogas co-generation

Biogas Co-generation is the combined production of electrical and thermal energy using an engine running on biogas and connected to a power generator.
This technology is easy to implement in agricultural and animal farms.

CPL CONCORDIA designs and builds complete co-generation systems of any size and supports its customers through its pre- and after-sale services available throughout Italy.

Biogas production

Biogas is a natural gas mainly consisting of methane and carbon dioxide, obtained from the anaerobic fermentation of organic matter from different sources: animal manure, vegetable biomass, agri-food industry waste. Fermentation occurs in digesters, in a wet environment without oxygen.

The biogas generation process occurs in three steps:

Preparation of the material
Fermentation
Post treatment of residue

The organic matter is collected in a primary pit, sterilised to remove any harmful germs and transferred to the digester for the fermentation process. The gas produced during the anaerobic digestion process consists in 50-70% methane and 30-50% carbon dioxide.
Lastly, biogas is conveyed into a thermal combustion engine: the co-generator.
Part of the output power is injected into the distribution grid, and partly used to supply the anaerobic digestion plant. The thermal energy produced by the engine can be used to heat the digester and control the biogas production process, to heat greenhouses, or injected into a district heating grid.

A biogas power plant is made up of:

A supply section
A biogas digestion section
A co-generation section

The co-generation section is made up of:

Biogas treatment system
Central heat exchanger with dual circulation pump, piping, valves
Power transformer and output section

The advantages

Power generation from the waste produced by animal husbandry and farming to generate extra income
Less issues with bio-waste storage and disposal
Sewage stabilisation: degradation and fermentation processes slow down and produce less foul-smelling compounds. In addition, the odorous substances developed during the process (hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans, ammonia) are delivered to the combustion process
Use of energy sources alternative to conventional fuels
Low-profit crops with high energy content can be used with great economic benefits
Digestate can be used and sold as soil improver instead of chemical fertilisers
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

Applications

A great variety of materials can be treated to obtain biogas through anaerobic digestion:

Energy crops: maize, sorghum, triticale, rye grass, etc.
Crop residues
Animal sewage
Sewage sludge
Wet fraction of solid urban waste
Organic waste from agri-food and slaughterhouse industry

The offer

“Systems and products designed for biogas enhancement”

CPL CONCORDIA has 35 years’ experience in the co-generation sector, with over 500 plants built totalling 10 million guaranteed operating hours. It has the ability to:

Determine plant size according to the waste available to user
Provide “turn-key” plants
Provide careful, tailored plant management services in accordance with the business plan
Operate as general contractor, i.e. take care of the chemical-biological process and of digestate management, determine digester sizing, supply and install the digester
Offer several solutions to finance plant purchase
Ensure ongoing assistance:
- Development of preliminary project and quotation
- Paperwork: permits and licences
- Technical service: full-service maintenance and post-start-up procedures
- Sales assistance: access to current incentives
- Service centres located throughout Italy provide quick service and maintenance

The products

The fermentation process needs to be monitored continuously, but even more important are the proper sizing of the co-generation module and choosing the best performing technology solutions, because the co-generation unit determines the energy and economic performance of the plant. This is why CPL CONCORDIA developed the BIOPOWER line dedicated to biogas enhancement.