Discover bioenergy Biomass & biogas

Fuels with a future

Clean energy from scrap wood

Biomass can come in 3 forms – solid, liquid and gas – to generate electricity and heat. Woody residues hereby is the most important renewable domestic energy source. When it is used as an energy, only as much CO2 is produced as the plants have captured during their growth. We at RWE make use of these advantages. Our power plants that use biomass generate electricity from residual wood. Wood residues from a forest or sawdust is suitable for this purpose.

Other biomass provided by agriculture and forestry is also used for energy production. These include, for example, residues and waste of biogenic origin, such as organic waste, liquid manure and grain bagass.

Wood pellets | Discover renewables at RWE

This is how the energy production works

The wood will be filled into a kiln. The heat, generated by the burning process of the wood, heats up the water. The resulting steam then drives a turbine to generate electricity. When the wood is burned, no more CO2 is produced than the plants absorbed during their growth.

More and more biomass is being used in our Dutch power plants - and the trend continues to rise. In the country's national energy agreement, corresponding agreements have already been made. 

The Amer power plant in Geertruidenberg has already been converted into a biomass power plant. Over 50% of the hard coal is being replaced by biomass on a daily basis. By the end of 2020 this percentage will be increased to 80% or more.

One of two units of the hard coal-fired power plant in Eemshaven is also technically capable of using woody biomass. Up to 15% of its current electricity production is already sustainable by using biomass. With its efficiency level of 46 %, and modern cleaning techniques the power plant is one of the cleanest of its kind.

Biogas: harnessing the power of plants

Renewable raw materials from agriculture and liquid manure are ideal for the production of biogas. Which plant or which input substrate (raw material to be used) is best suited depends on the one hand on the regional landscape; on the other hand, the composition of the soil, the water supply and the regional climate are important decision criteria. 

This is why our concepts for the production of biogas are as diverse as nature itself.

Biogas plant | Discover renewables at RWE
RWE operates two biogas plants in Germany. One plant is located near Neuss and supplies the equivalent of around 1,600 households with electricity and an adjacent industrial plant with heat. An upgraded plant is located in Bergheim-Paffendorf. This biogas plant produces around 15,000 cubic metres of biogas per day, which is processed to natural gas quality and fed into the local natural gas grid.

  • How a biogas plant works

    Biogas is a true multi-talent: biogas essentially consists of methane, carbon dioxide and small amounts of water and trace gases. The almost CO2-neutral energy supplier is generated in a biogas plant. In a closed tank (fermenter), the biogas is produced with the aid of bacteria from biomass such as green plants and manure or slurry.

    Biogas is a versatile product: It can be used locally in a combined heat and power plant (CHP) directly to generate electricity and heat. Processed at natural gas level, it can be used multifunctionally via the natural gas network. This includes classic electricity and heat generation, e. g. in natural gas CHPs, heating of buildings and the use as fuel for natural gas vehicles.

Biomethane: near-pure source of methane

Biomethane, also known as green gas or renewable gas, is biogas which has been upgraded to the quality of natural gas, so that it can be used as direct substitute for natural gas and injected into national grids.

Biomethane offers the advantage that this can be stored in the existing natural gas network without any problems and can be removable at any time.

Biomethane | Discover renewables at RWE

  • The biomethane market

    Efforts towards decarbonisation in Europe have led to growing demand for biomethane as well as the necessary documentation to prove its renewable character. 

    A harmonised system such as Electricity Guarantees of Origin does not yet exist for biomethane, but many European countries are developing their own certification schemes. In addition, quality labels like REDCert and ISCC are now available and are recognised at EU level.

    Biomethane Certificates (also known as Biomethane Guarantees of Origin, Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin or Green Gas Certificates) are issued based on the quantity of biomethane injected into the grid and prove the renewable nature of the gas, ensuring no double counting and close monitoring of quantities and quality of biomethane produced and used.

    Market players use Biomethane Certificates to claim consumption of renewable gas and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as to improve sustainability ratings and comply with national emissions reduction requirements or quota systems.

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