Top: EnviTec’s Güstrow AD facility in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany processes over 100,000 tons/year of poultry litter and agricultural residue. Photo courtesy EnviTec Biogas AG
In February, Energy Vision’s president Matt Tomich had an opportunity to join a German biogas tour with other representatives from the U.S. and Brazil. In a March 12 blog, Tomich wrote about the takeaways from the tour, which was sponsored by EnviTec, a biogas systems manufacturer. Germany has nearly 9,000 anaerobic digestion systems in operation, “roughly four times the number in the U.S.,” reports Tomich. “Many are small-scale agricultural facilities producing under 1 megawatt of electricity. There are a few key themes associated with the buildout of this sector in Germany over the past 25 years: Supportive policies providing certainty to developers/investors; public awareness/acceptance; and geopolitics favorable to bioenergy. The German biogas sector really began to take shape with the introduction of the Renewable Energy Sources Act in 2000 (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz or EEG) and subsequent amendments/expansions of this policy. At the heart of this policy measure was the inclusion of a biogas ‘feed in tariff,’ i.e., a guaranteed premium 20-year price to be paid for biogas-derived energy. Ultimately, providing long-term certainty and price stability for the sale of energy derived from biogas was the most important element, as it gave biogas producers, developers and investors the clarity they needed to build out this infrastructure.”
Tomich explains that much more recently, the war in Ukraine and direct impacts on Germany’s energy security — namely the shutoff of Russian gas in September 2022, which had accounted for 55% of Germany’s natural gas demand — significantly bolstered the need for domestic and non-Russian supplies of gas. “This has markedly expanded opportunities for the local production of ‘biomethane’ (aka RNG or renewable natural gas) all across Europe,” writes Tomich. “Germany has achieved remarkable progress in the development of its biogas sector, and its broader transition to renewable energy, but overcoming the significant challenges along the way hasn’t been easy or cheap. The shift away from fossil fuels and nuclear power has required major investment, complex political negotiations, and occasional setbacks, much of which is still playing out today.”
The trip to Germany included an in-depth look at multiple biogas projects and the lessons learned. One of tours visited the EnviTec’s Güstrow AD facility in in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which processes over 100,000 tons/year of poultry litter and agricultural residue. The biogas is upgraded to biomethane by removing carbon dioxide (CO2), moisture, and other impurities. Unlike conventional U.S. facilities, notes Tomich, which typically vent CO2, Güstrow captures and liquefies it for sale to beverage manufacturers, adding another revenue stream. The biomethane is further processed into liquefied natural gas (LNG), powering hundreds of heavy-duty trucks that would otherwise run on diesel. A significant portion of the biogas is used on-site via combined heat and power (CHP), making the plant largely independent from the grid. Plans are underway to enhance the recovery of nutrients from the remaining organic material.
“The Güstrow plant exemplifies how biogas technology can be leveraged to reduce emissions, generate renewable energy, and create valuable byproducts,” he explains. “The technology exists, is scalable, and the feedstock is abundant — especially in the U.S. What’s missing is the policy and market framework to fully unlock this potential. Germany’s experience underscores the importance of long-term policy certainty, public acceptance, and strategic investment.”
