'First' biomethane plant opened in Brazil

The ‘first’ plant in Brazil to make biomethane for fuelling vehicles has been opened in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, in the state of Paraná.

Brazilian company Intaipu Binacional, the ‘world’s largest’ generator of renewable clean energy, opened its new biomethane facility on 2 June 2017. It will see non-polluting biomethane, which shares a number of qualities with natural gas, produced in Brazil for the first time, according to the Brazil-Arab News Agency.

The facility will purify biogas obtained from mixing sewage, organic waste and lawn refuse. The method is a substitute for the usual animal excrement-based process.

BRL 2.16 million (€592,000) has been spent on constructing the new plant. Currently operating at one-fifth of full capacity, the plant will eventually boast production of 4,000 cubic metres of biomethane per month.

At its current output, the plant can fuel 80 to 100 vehicles at an with an average mileage of 800km/month.