Successful Swedish biogas with global applications Higher national employment Lower emissions of greenhouse gases More efficient use of resources
A comprehensive solution with great potential Biogas can be produced and used anywhere in the world. Biogas is one of the solutions to the climate issue, a solution that is good not only for the climate but also for the environment as a whole, use of resources and development in those societies that realise all the gains to be made from biogas. Biogas has the potential to become an important part of the work to reduce emissions from fossil fuels in the world. Investment in biogas worldwide could be an important step towards an eco-efficient world economy. Sweden is a world leader using biogas and is a leading proponent of purification of biogas for use as vehicle fuel. Unique interaction between research, policymaking and trade and industry means Sweden leads the field in biogas development. The regions of Skåne and Västra Götaland in southern and western Sweden are responsible for a significant part of the development of biogas. We are anxious to accelerate this development as part of the efforts to reduce climate impact and also to enhance the conditions for new companies and for a living dynamic area. We in Region Skåne and Region Västra Götaland are convinced that biogas can contribute to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. We are welcoming more partners, regions and countries in the work of developing the fuel that is the best we have yet seen. Biogas is a climate-friendly fuel produced locally involving ecocycle-based use of resources. By investing in biogas we can contribute to a more sustainable society both locally and globally.
Biogas - the most climate-smart fuel Biogas is a renewable fuel that can both be used as fuel in vehicles and be converted into electricity and heat. Biogas is currently produced mainly by the anaerobic digestion of waste and manure. In Sweden we have the potential to produce enough biogas for virtually all the vehicles in the country. Energy and ecological recycling Biogas is not only a renewable fuel. It also contributes to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Manure and waste usually emit the powerful greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere. In the biogas process we can instead take this methane and use it in the supply of energy. Biogas production also has another major environmental benefit. The digestion residue formed in the process has a modified chemical composition. When it is used as fertiliser in agriculture, nitrogen can be returned more easily to the nutrient cycle and the risk of nitrogen losses decreases. potential were to be exploited, we could produce biogas that would generate a total of 74 TWh. This would drive virtually all the vehicles in Sweden, which currently use just over 80 TWh. The number of vehicles in Sweden that run on gas has increased dramatically in recent years and in 2009 new models were introduced onto the market. In several Swedish cities, for example Malmö, Kristianstad and Borås, the city buses run on biogas. Sweden has come far in terms of the utilisation of biogas and is a pioneering country in the purification of biogas to vehicle quality. Both political decisions and initiatives by companies and public organisations have led to biogas plants being developed over a period of several years. New plants and new technology are being added all the time. Can drive all vehicles As well as via anaerobic digestion of waste and manure, biogas can also be produced from cellulose from, for example, forestry, using a gasification technique. This production takes place to a limited extent so far in Sweden, but if the full
Invest in bioga - for the climate, businesses and Climate Biogas is a climate-friendly fuel, promotes regional employment and provides security of supply that does not depend on others. Investment in biogas could be an important step towards an eco-efficient world economy. Climate and the environment Biogas is the greenest, most energy-efficient biofuel available on the market. The biogas process has many environmental benefits and has a special position as it has two green end products, biogas and biofertiliser. Biogas is the vehicle fuel with the lowest carbon dioxide and particle emissions of all fuels available on the market today. Emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulphur compounds, nitrogen oxides, heavy metals and dust are negligible. A gas engine is quieter than a diesel engine, which means a better working environment for professional drivers, for example. Biofertiliser is a high-quality fertiliser that can return nutrients to the soil and thus complete the nutrient cycle between town and country. g CO2 equivalents per kw/h fuel CO 2 300 200 100-100 -200 Petrol Fossil Diesel Rapseed Ethanol Biofuel Biogas Natural biogas not natural gas Biogas and natural gas consist of similar methane molecules but they have different origins. Biogas is produced in the cycle of natural biological processes, while natural gas is a fossil gas taken from the earth s crust. While natural gas emits greenhouse gases equivalent to 80% of emissions from oil, biogas emits no greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. On the contrary, biogas produced from manure can reduce emissions by up to 180% as the normal emissions of greenhouse gases from the manure are minimised. Emissions of carbon dioxide equivalents from various fuels, based on current cultivation conditions in central Sweden. Source: Pål Börjesson, LTH Lund, Bioenergi från jordbruket - en växande resurs (Bioenergy from Agriculture - a Growing Resource), SOU 2007:36.
s employment Rapid technical development in progress Biogas production is growing fast in several countries and the technology is being developed rapidly. Research calculations show that better technology can multiply the efficiency of the biogas process. A clear national commitment and a national target with policy instruments stimulate both users and producers. Rapid technical development in progress In Sweden the potential of biogas and the willingness to invest are high. Several companies and public organisations in Skåne and Västra Götaland are already working actively to switch from fossil fuels to renewable fuels. Biogas plants are being built and hundreds of biogas buses are in use on our roads. In cooperation with researchers, several technology companies have been able to produce advanced technology that has been established on the international market. Higher employment It is not only the climate and international companies that benefit from biogas development. National investment in the production, distribution and use of biogas creates local jobs. A biogas system at municipal level contributes to maintaining a living rural area and can generate several economic benefits on various levels. Investment in biogas creates jobs for vehicle makers, farmers, engineers and researchers. With a locally produced fuel, we are less dependent on events elsewhere in the world and the amounts spent on fuel stay in the region. Higher employment
Region Skåne and Region Västra Götaland lead the development Biogas can play a significant role in world governments ambitions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and work towards an eco-efficient economy. Considering the major social benefits of biogas to employment and business development, we in Region Skåne and Region Västra Götaland believe that we should all redouble our efforts. We would very much like other regions and countries to work with us to promote the fuel that is the best we have yet seen and would urge them to do so. A first step is to set up national targets for biogas. This creates confidence and starts a social process that benefits business development and employment and reduces emissions of greenhouse gases. We are working for Sweden to set a national target of 20 TWh biogas by 2020. This is not an unreasonable target. However, a number of conditions must be met if we are to achieve this target. Climate-smart policy instruments are required to provide the financial incentives for the investments required in production plants and the infrastructure for distribution, among other things. Correctly formulated policy instruments will also promote development of energy-efficient gas-driven vehicles. In our regions in southern Sweden, there are great potential and good conditions for major production, distribution and use of biogas. There are many committed players, municipalities, companies and incubators, who are driving development with our regional biogas clusters. In our regions there is extensive agriculture that provides good access to the substrate for biogas production. There are three large vehicle makers and several companies that have become established on the international biogas market with their outstanding technical solutions. Together, our two regions have comprehensive biogas research. In both regions there is high demand for fossil-free fuels, among other things from the public transport sector. Västra Götalandsregionen Region Skåne Filling stations for gas in Sweden Source: www.fordonsgas.se
Benefit from our biogas know-how Biogas can be produced and used anywhere in the world. Unique interaction between research, political decisions and trade and industry has been significant for the development of the biogas field in southern and western Sweden. You are welcome to visit us in Region Skåne and Region Västra Götaland to meet representatives of successful clusters and learn more about how we work. Not only do we have long experience and profound expertise in the field of biogas but also a deep commitment to the continued development of the area. In southern and western Sweden we work in the entire biogas chain from production and upgrading to distribution and the building of fuel stations. Naturally, this profound know-how also implies that we have a wide range of highly competent companies in the field. Here you can find experts in anaerobic treatment as well as specialists in how to use the natural gas grid to distribute biogas. But in order to gain this experience, the companies have also made many mistakes that they have been forced to learn from. We can help you avoid these mistakes and show you how to get it right first time. Contact us and we will help arrange your visit. We can offer you study tours and meetings tailored specifically to your needs. Sustainable Business Hub, Malmö www.sbhub.se Ebbe Nordell, ebbe.nordell@sbhub.se Ecoex West Swedish Environmental Export,Gothenburg ecoex@ecoex.se
Successful Swedish biogas with global applications BIOGAS Is a renewable fuel Promotes regional employment Boosts technological development Provides security of supply and independence Is a comprehensive solution with great potential graphic/photo: christian andersson, region skåne coverpage photo: matton