Finnish energy solutions provider Wärtsilä has received a contract from Purac Puregas to develop biogas liquefaction plant in Skogn, Norway, to produce fuel for public transport vehicles.
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Under the contract, Wärtsilä will build the plant at the paper mill in Skogn and will convert the cleaned biogas from fishery waste and residual paper mill slurry into liquid fuel.
The fuel is then cooled to minus 160°C and stored in insulated tanks. The system is designed to liquefy small methane-based gas streams.
Terms of the contract were undisclosed.
Wärtsilä Marine Solutions vice-president Timo Koponen said: "The system offers low operating costs and is energy efficient. Furthermore, the environmental footprint will be minimal.
"By enabling profitable projects for smaller gas streams, we are aiding the EU’s target of having 10% renewable fuel by the year 2020."
Wärtsilä said that the renewable liquid biogas fuel virtually eliminates sulphur oxide (SOx) and particle emissions, while any released CO2 has zero environmental impact since it is part of the existing circulatory CO2.
City of Oslo Climate and Energy Program development director Øystein Ihler said: "The plant at Skogn will be privately operated and, with a capacity of 25 tons of liquid biogas per day, will be the biggest in the Nordic countries. It is a game-changer in the biogas fuel market."
Wärtsilä plans to complete installation of the biogas facility within a 15 month time-frame.
Image: Illustration of Wärtsilä’s biogas liquefaction plant in Skogn, Norway. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.