“Biogas is the life jacket of Russian gas”

– We are upset that the Danish Climate Council has not become better acquainted with the biogas production process and how production is actually developing, says DI Energi Troels Ranis, branch manager on behalf of Green Gas Denmark.

The Climate Council has warned against “biogas over-expansion”, referring to the maintenance of a certain production structure in agriculture. We are not interested in getting into a debate about livestock, but we want to emphasize that, in addition to the brutal invasion of Ukraine, climate-neutral biogas is a lifeline on the path to energy independence.

According to a recent report, Denmark could meet the Energy Agency’s projection of the target of 50 picojoules from biogas by 2030, making the entire gas grid green — and also with fewer livestock.

Specifically, the analysis shows that “there is, without any methane to CO2 content in biogas, it is very likely that 50 PJ of biogas could be produced in Denmark in 2030 while livestock production is halved.”

In other words, it is possible to reach the goal without being stuck in a specific production structure.

A large biogas plant

Biogas can be produced in several ways. It is the biological waste and leftover products that are used in the production of biogas. Manure from animal production is certainly included, but plant residues, waste from food production, and organic waste from households can also be used to produce biogas.

For example, Eon and Biofuel Technology A/S announced on February 10, 2023 that they plan to build a large biogas plant in Stigsnæs, which will produce biogas on a straw basis. Therefore this plant does not require animal production and hence there is no animal dependency in it.

gas strategy

The potential for biogas production in Denmark is great. The Gas Strategy published by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Supply as of December 2021 indicates a potential of 74 to 94 BJ of biogas by 2040.

Using the energy to produce biogas X, the potential could in fact be increased to 111-165 PJ by 2040, the ministry wrote.

The ministry also wrote that straw will be included in biogas production to a much greater extent from 2030.

Source: Green Gas Denmark