BIOGAS AGRAFERM COMPLETE 20TH UK PLANT AND SET-UP IN KOREA 36 Bioenergy International No 83, 7-2015 Getting “af biogas” to a start with a Korean delegation in Zell am See, Austria together with Agraferm sales team, Matthias Kellerer (1st from left) and Markus Ott (4th from left). A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed with the government of Jeollabuk-do province in Korea. 2015 marks a decade of growth for German turnkey biogas solution providers Agraferm Technologies AG. It also marks the 20th installation in the UK and the setting up of a subsidiary, aptly called “af biogas”, in the “Land of Morning Calm”, South Korea. FOR BAVARIA-BASED Agraferm Technologies, 2015 marks a decade of business. Founded in 2004 as part of the Agraferm Group, it commissioned its first biogas plant in the UK in October 2011. This was the 1.4 MWe Taverham biogas power plant in Norfolk for Guildford based Future Biogas Ltd, which was also the first plant for Future Biogas. UK biogas future – The UK is one of the most promising future markets for us. With Future Biogas we have found a competent and reliable partner, who understands the flexibility, reliability and associated economic benefits the Agraferm Technology offers, commented Markus Ott, Sales Director at Agraferm Technologies AG. Since then Agraferm is on track to have completed 20 biogas projects in the UK by the end of 2015, which combined have the capacity to provide around 200 million Nm3 raw biogas per annum. This includes the first ever agricultural-based biomethaneto grid project, the 5 MW Poundbury plant for the Duchery of Cornwall commissioned in 2012. Several projects are for Future Biogas including the 2 MWe Oak Grove plant as well as a flexible substrate gas-to-grid project in Methwold currently under construction. This plant will produce biomethane at a rate of 400 Nm3/h as well as power the 500 kW CHP plant. – We appreciate that Agraferm has been a strong, punctual and reliable partner and the performance of our existing plants has encouraged us to work with Agraferm technology again. The timetable for this project is demanding, but we are convinced that the cooperation will enable us to cope with this challenge, said Philipp Lukas, Managing Director of Future Biogas and board member of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA). Korea next In mid-November Agraferm Group announced plans to expand into the Asian markets by setting up “af biogas”, a biogas technology subsidiary in Seoul, South Korea. According to the company its biogas technology is ideally suited to the environmentally sound disposal of waste and recovery of energy from waste material from the intensive agriculture and animal husbandry practised in the region. Furthermore the Group has already experience of projects with the biomechanical treatment and utilization of other organic waste via its subsidiary BTA International GmbH. – We are planning to build the first plant next year and two more plants are to be added in 2017. The plants are going to be started up initially with in-house operation so that we can train the personnel adequately and guarantee reliable transfer of our efficient project management and technology knowledge, explained Dr Kyong-Hee Choi, Korean representative for af biogas. Text: Alan Sherrard Photo: Agraferm BI83/5043/AS
Bioenergy International no 7 December 2015
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