Case History
ASSORO BIOMETANO
In Sicily the Assoro Biometano facility produces 4,4 million Sm3/year of advanced biomethane from 74.500 tons per year of livestock effluents, agri-food by-products, including waste from citrus processing, olive pomace and tomato peelings, and secondary crops (silage). Potentially it is able to power almost 3.000 cars and save 3.400 tons of oil equivalent, avoiding the emission of 8.580 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
It is one of the first Italian plants to produce and distribute biomethane for automotive use in agriculture and agro-industry sectors, a virtuous example of a circular economy that recognizes to Sicily a key role in the energy transition.
The feedstocks remain in the digesters for about 100 days and then pass into the covered storage tank. The double-stage mesophilic process occurs at a temperature of 38°-42° and allows to have a safe and flexible fermentation process, ensuring appropriate retention times. The storage coverage ensures complete degradation, efficient use of biomass and a greater reserve of biogas.
The biogas is sent to the upgrade system for the production of biomethane compressed at 220 bar in tanker trucks for automotive use: in the future, a part will be compressed and will enter directly into the Snam grid and a part will be liquefied to be released for consumption as LNG, going to feed green fleets for the distribution of goods.
TECHNICAL SHEET // 490 Sm3/h
POWER DI UPGRADING
| POWER DI UPGRADING | 490 Sm3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| TECNOLOGY: PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) | |||
| Pre mixing tank: | n.2 | Ø 10 m | h=4m |
| Digesters: | n.5 | Ø 30 m | h=8m |
| Biomass Load: | n.2 | hopper | 60mc |
| FEEDSTOCK / day | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus fruit processing waste: | 120 ton | ||
| Agro-industrial byproducts: | 96 ton | ||
| Livestock effluents: | 51 ton | ||
| 2° hervest energy crops: | 40 ton | ||
| RESA ENERGETICA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual production of biomethane: | 4.300.000 Sm3 | ||
The future is biomethane
Biomethane is a biogas derived gas, which has undergone a refining and purification process, called upgrading, whose concentration of CH4 exceeds 98%. It has characteristics and conditions of use corresponding to those of methane gas and is suitable for feeding the natural gas network.
The biogas, desulphurised and dehumidified, undergoes a purification process, in order to separate the methane from the other gases that make up the biogas mixture. The biomethane obtained can be used, marketed and transported, in gaseous or liquefied form, in the same way as natural gas.
The advantages of biomethane
- Programmable renewable source
- Reduction of import dependency
- Development of the local economy
- Environmental sustainability
- Perfect example of circular economy
- Reduction of the emissions and greenhouse effect
- Maximum flexibility
