EUBCE 2024 - Lukas KNOLL - Fugitive Methane Emissions from Biogas Upgrading Units and Exhaust Gas Treatment Technologies

Fugitive Methane Emissions from Biogas Upgrading Units and Exhaust Gas Treatment Technologies

Short Introductive summary

With about 8,900 biogas plants and a biogas production of about 100 TWh, Germany is one of the world’s largest producers of biogas resp. biomethane. Biogas upgrading plants (BGUU) have to consider some emission sources such as leakages, enclosed plant components or the exhaust gas. Due to the limitation of the CH4 quantities in the exhaust gas stream (0.2 %) some upgrading technologies (e.g. PSA, water scrubbing, membrane) require an exhaust gas treatment, while others (e.g. amine scrubbing) can fulfil the limit value even without post-treatment. A current research project (EmMinA - Emission reduction during biogas upgrading, compression and injection) focuses on GHG emission quantification and mitigation from BGUU. Emission measurement campaigns were carried out on overall 15 plants. The results show the status quo of GHG emissions from different BGUU measured in 2023/24. From that the relevant leakages causing GHG emission at BGUU were identified. In addition to the comparison of the different treatment technologies with regard to methane slip, the potential reductions that can be achieved by an RTO are shown as well as the economic aspects of exhaust gas treatment.