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Systematic optimization of biogas plant operation through strategic analysis of existing systems and projects

Project Leader: Kirchmayr Roland, BOKU Project Leader

Duration:: 14.03.2007-12.09.2008

Programme:: Energiesysteme der Zukunft (Impulsprogramm Nachhaltig Wirtschaften)

Type of Research: Applied Research

Project partners: ARGE compost and biogas, Austria, Landstrasse 11, 4020 Linz, Austria.
Contact person: Franz Kirchmeyr;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; BIOS Bioenergiesysteme GmbH, Inffeldgasse 21b, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Contact person: DI Jörg Pfeifer;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Lokale Energieagentur Oststeiermark, Auersbach 130, 8330 Feldbach, Austria.
Contact person: Ing. Karl Puchas;
Function of the Project Partner: Koordinator

Staff: Resch Christoph, Project Staff (bis 31.07.2007); Drosg Bernhard, Project Staff; Corcoba Garcia Alberto, Project Staff (bis 30.06.2008)

BOKU Research Units: Institute for Environmental Biotechnology

Funded by: Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, Renngasse 5, 1010 Wien, Austria

Abstract: Due to the green electricity act of 2002 the number of biogas plants increased very fast during recent years. Within this time many plants were realised, few are still under construction. As a result of this rapid development, caused by the regulation of the green electricity act 2002, a lot of institutions and
companies turned out to be a biogas expert within a few months. However the know-how of the participated actors is based only on a short experience. Furthermore the size of the realised Austrian biogas plants increased from an average size of 30-40 kWel up to an average plant size of 250 kWel
within a few months. But the complex system of a biogas plant recommends a comprehensive knowledge and long-term experience in the field of biogas utilisation. Therefore the quality of the whole biogas system can be optimised relying on appropriate optimisation measures.
Up to now the development of the biogas technology is based on individual experiences of the actors involved in the process of the realisation of a biogas plant. In this field know-how has to be gathered from own experiences and mistakes as well as positive impressions, which is very laborious as well as
expensive. Within this work useful experiences from all participating actors will be collected. The results will be available for all interested parties. This will cause an impulse concerning the development of biogas plants and an advantage for the whole biogas industry sector on the market economy.
Future biogas projects should benefit from the experiences of the past which could lead to an optimised realisation and the optimised operation of biogas plants. The necessary experiences from all involved industrial sectors dealing with biogas will be collected and combined to a useful tight tool for the realisation of biogas projects.
The mentioned project includes personal interviews with biogas experts and workshops, to gather as much information as possible for a complete overview of this topic. With the combination of the numerous experiences and the compact documentation a valuable tool for the involved actors will be available for their special field of operation. The results of the project will contain a catalogue of known mistakes as well as a plan describing the measurements to avoid these mistakes. Also the optimisation potential will be mentioned.

Keywords: process engineering; environmental technology; energy research; biotechnology; agricultural economics; technical didactics (agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine); environmental protection;