Puregas Solutions, a part of the technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply a turnkey biogas upgrading plant to the USA. The plant will upgrade an existing anaerobic digester (AD) to produce biomethane. It has been ordered by a leader in sustainable agricultural practices, located in the state of Oregon. The order was booked in the second quarter of 2018.

The Puregas solution will process 3100 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of biogas from the anaerobic digestion of manure from more than 50,000 dairy cows. The renewable natural gas will then be injected into a pipeline for use as transportation fuel in California, the adjoining state. The project generates Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, as well as credits under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).

The plant is expected to produce around 81 mmBTU of biomethane per year. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of over 15,000 households, 570 city buses, or 10,000 cars, with an annual CO2 reduction of 51,000 tons.

The project includes the installation of gas conditioning equipment, as well as compression to 975 psi for pipeline injection. The Puregas CApure CA80 biogas upgrading plant is scheduled to be delivered during the first quarter of 2019. The contract also includes the supply and installation of a hydrogen sulphide removal system.

“This project, which essentially converts the methane gas from animal manure into a sustainable transportation fuel, is environmentally significant and an indicator perhaps of a future trend in biogas upgrading in the agricultural industry. Our capability to deliver the necessary technology in a turnkey solution was the key to securing this important contract,” says Jan Molin, Managing Director, Puregas Solutions.

This is the first order received by Puregas from the USA, and is in line with the increasing global trend for using chemical absorption technology to provide unrivalled methane recovery, thereby maximising revenues with low operating costs.

In 2017, Wärtsilä acquired Puregas Solutions, the Sweden based provider of turnkey biogas upgrading solutions. Puregas is a leading player in its field and has a biogas specialized local presence in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and the USA. The company utilises a unique CApure process to convert raw biogas to biomethane and renewable natural gas. 

Image caption: The Puregas solution will convert the methane gas from cow manure into a viable and sustainable transportation fuel.

Media contacts:

Mr Jan Molin
General Manager, Sales
Puregas Solutions AB
Tel: +46 727 448 300
jan.molin@wartsila.com

Ms Marit Holmlund-Sund
General Manager, Positioning, Marine Solutions Marketing
Wärtsilä Corporation
Tel: +358 10 709 1439
marit.holmlund-sund@wartsila.com  

Wärtsilä in brief:
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2017, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.9 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com