Edition 02/16

Mr. Cichon, what is the role of biogas/biomethane today in the generation of energy?

Cichon: To be able to reply to this question correctly, it is important for me to clarify the two terms, as both gas types have, and will continue to have, a different meaning, and importance, for energy supply: Biomethane is processed biogas - after processing, it has natural gas quality, so it may be fed into natural gas systems. Whereas from biogas itself, power can be generated directly, at block-type thermal power stations. This is then fed into the power system. So, we are talking about two different uses.

What worldwide trends do you see in the field of biogas/biomethane?

Cichon: Currently, in Europe, there are about 16,000 biogas plants generating power out of biogas, but only about 350 plants processing biogas into biomethane, which is then fed into the gas system. According to EU targets (please refer to www.greengasgrids.eu), this situation will change significantly by the year 2030: The number of plants converting biogas into electricity is likely to remain fairly stable, while the number of biomethane plants is set to increase to several thousand. Even if you consider these figures to be very optimistic, you can clearly see the direction of travel. In the process of converting biogas into electricity, our blowers are not often used, due to the low pressure required, but when it comes to producing biomethane, we see significant market potential for our products in the near future.

Which products or technologies does AERZEN offer for biogas and for the processing of biogas into biomethane?

Cichon: Our strength is that we can offer suitable blower and compressor packaged units for nearly all processes. No matter whether a discharge pressure of a few hundred millibars or 20 bar is required: We have a suitable solution for our customers. In addition, we can measure, with our gas meters, the biogas/biomethane generated. Furthermore, we can offer local service worldwide via our 43 AERZEN subsidiaries. So, we are well ahead of our competition.

Which products are currently in particular demand?

Cichon: At present we are experiencing increasing demand for our oil-injected compressors for compression of biogas in treatment processes. Another satisfactory development is that we are seeing a change in the market, and with our customers, towards using high-quality, reliable products, complying with all safety standards. Meeting such requirements comes as standard for our products, but this is not the case with low-price products, which have high susceptibility to failure. The extra price to be paid for our products pays off very quickly, due to the long service intervals and resulting high availability of the plant the keyword is: Life Cycle Cost Analysis.

For how long has AERZEN been working on biogas applications?

Cichon: For us, the compression of biogas is nothing extraordinary, special or new. In our opinion, biogas is a type of process gas. And, in turn, compression of process gases has been a core competence of AERZEN for decades. So, in all our products for the biogas market, our extensive know-how of development, manufacturing and application of twin-shaft rotary lobe compressors gained over 150 years can be found. Based on this knowledge, and this experience, we always offer our customers the optimal and most economical solution for their application.