EnviTec forms joint venture to produce bio-LNG
EnviTec Biogas and Leipzig-based BALANCE Erneuerbare Energien, a wholly-owned subsidiary of VNG AG, have formed a joint venture to produce bio-LNG.
The two companies will build a bio-LNG liquefaction plant under the name BALANCE EnviTec in Brandenburg, near Berlin, which will have storage tanks and a filling station for collection by tanker, in addition to the actual liquefaction of biomethane.
Through the joint construction and operation of the liquefaction plant, two major biogas plant operators in Germany can produce bio-LNG from their biomethane and bring it to market.
“With our cooperation, we want to set an important milestone for decarbonisation in the transport sector,” said Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of EnviTec Biogas.
Thomas Fritsch, managing director of BALANCE, added: “We are delighted that we will be able to liquefy biomethane to bio-LNG in our own plant in the future and bring it to market because commercial and heavy-duty traffic can only make its contribution to achieving this with CO2-neutral fuel of climate protection goals.”
The plant will produce around 100 tons of bio-LNG per day from the fourth quarter of 2023. With these quantities, an average of 1,800 LNG trucks can be operated annually.
“We have already received enquiries from petrol station chains, from the logistics sector, but also from other companies who want to convert their vehicle fleet to the largely low-emission bio-LNG,” added von Lehmden.
“Because with the now applicable RED II directive, those who sell fuels are obliged to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their products by 25% by 2030.”
Additionally, the joint venture is purchasing biomethane and offering other producers the option of liquefying biomethane as a service.
“That means we can buy the biomethane from plant operators or provide capacities for the liquefaction plant so that the customer can also market the resulting products himself,” said Fritsch.
The two companies will build a bio-LNG liquefaction plant under the name BALANCE EnviTec in Brandenburg, near Berlin, which will have storage tanks and a filling station for collection by tanker, in addition to the actual liquefaction of biomethane.
Through the joint construction and operation of the liquefaction plant, two major biogas plant operators in Germany can produce bio-LNG from their biomethane and bring it to market.
“With our cooperation, we want to set an important milestone for decarbonisation in the transport sector,” said Olaf von Lehmden, CEO of EnviTec Biogas.
Thomas Fritsch, managing director of BALANCE, added: “We are delighted that we will be able to liquefy biomethane to bio-LNG in our own plant in the future and bring it to market because commercial and heavy-duty traffic can only make its contribution to achieving this with CO2-neutral fuel of climate protection goals.”
The plant will produce around 100 tons of bio-LNG per day from the fourth quarter of 2023. With these quantities, an average of 1,800 LNG trucks can be operated annually.
“We have already received enquiries from petrol station chains, from the logistics sector, but also from other companies who want to convert their vehicle fleet to the largely low-emission bio-LNG,” added von Lehmden.
“Because with the now applicable RED II directive, those who sell fuels are obliged to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their products by 25% by 2030.”
Additionally, the joint venture is purchasing biomethane and offering other producers the option of liquefying biomethane as a service.
“That means we can buy the biomethane from plant operators or provide capacities for the liquefaction plant so that the customer can also market the resulting products himself,” said Fritsch.
