Enagás Renovable and Genia Bioenergy announced the creation of a joint venture to create ‘The Green Vector’ (TGV), a platform to promote the development of biomethane from organic waste in Spain. The initiative integrates all the actors in the waste recovery chain, including the production, distribution and final consumption of biomethane.
This project, which aims to promote decarbonization, the circular economy and the reduction of energy dependence, is in line with the Biogas Roadmap of the Government of Spain, the Integrated Strategic Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), the National Air Pollution Control Program (PNCCA), and the European goals set by the REPowerEU Plan and the European Energy and Environment Framework 2030.
Through a collaborative platform model, TGV plans to implement at least 10 biomethane production plants by 2030 with the capacity to produce up to 1 TWh of renewable energy per year and sustainably manage more than 1.5 million tons of waste, thus avoiding the emission of more than 1.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere. In this way, TGV will contribute to changing the management and recovery model for organic waste, which will be converted into gas of renewable origin using the anaerobic biodigestion technique.
“The Green Vector is going to represent a decisive boost to the management of organic waste and the production of gas from renewable sources in Spain, also doing so collaboratively and integrating the different agents in the sector,” said the CEO of Enagás Renovable Anton Martinez.
The circular economy model that these plants will introduce will make it possible to generate a network that integrates all the agents in the waste valorization chain -composters, waste managers, farmers, ranchers, agri-food industry- and connects them with the town halls of the different localities and areas close to the location of the plants.
“Among TGV’s objectives is promoting the decarbonization of the economy by offering energy from renewable sources in a process that wants to give a role to all agents in waste management and biomethane,” said Gabriel Butler, CEO of Genia Bioenergy.
Currently, ‘The Green Vector’ is promoting five new biomethane production facilities in Spain, whose start-up dates are scheduled by 2026.
In November 2021, the two companies announced the first of the projects: the construction of a biomethane plant in Vencillón (Huesca). This site, whose construction is scheduled to start in 2024 and with estimated investment of more than 15 million euros, will be able to digest more than 140,000 tons of organic waste (mainly manure) and convert it into biomethane with an energy capacity of almost 100 GWh annually, thus avoiding the emission into the atmosphere of approximately 150,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.
In November 2022, the construction of a biomethane plant in Lugo was also announced, with an energy capacity of more than 100 GWh per year that will allow the conversion of around 150,000 tons of biowaste into renewable energy per year.
Regarding the rest of the plants, two are located in Valencia, one with a recovery of up to 180,000 tons of organic waste to produce more than 80 GWh of energy per year, and another with an expected energy production of 100 GWh from 130,000 tons of biowaste per year. The fifth planned facility is located in Albacete, with a value of 100,000 tons of organic waste to also produce more than 80 GWh per year. All of them have identified and insured land.
The objective of the two companies is to expand this network with new projects that will be announced as the locations are confirmed and the corresponding processing begins.
The biomethane production plants promoted by TGV will generate economic ecosystems around waste (with specific treatment and recovery processes) that will contribute to the sustainable development of society, especially in rural areas. These facilities will generate circular economy models, which will create jobs, investment and boost local economic growth, reducing the environmental impact of waste management. Biomethane can be injected into the gas network for distribution, which will allow homes, industries and vehicles to consume energy from renewable sources.
Source: Enagás
