Madrid Expands PTV Biogas Plant, Will Be Able to Supply 500 EMT Buses

April 22, 2022

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(Madrid City Council/NGV Journal) At the Valdemingómez Technology Park (PTV), the Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida launched the expansion of the facility where biogas from organic matter is transformed into biomethane, “a good example of proper waste management” and that demonstrates “the importance of the circular economy, it allows gas to be supplied to 500 EMT buses throughout the year or to 20,000 households in the city,” explained Almeida.

Almeida stressed that the biomethane plant was the first national facility of this type, and is not only the largest waste plant in Europe, but also a reference for other administrations that look to it to implement “pioneering projects such as those developed here, in tune with “the commitment that the City Council has with the people of Madrid, to improve their quality of life while implementing policies that make Madrid a benchmark city in sustainability and that allow its economic development,” he commented.

The reform of this infrastructure began in July 2021 and has now been completed after nine months of works. Until now, the plant injected up to 100 GWh/year of thermal energy. The increase in its capacity will make it possible to inject 80% more of this renewable gas into the gas network, that is, it will increase the energy injected to 180 GWht, which also means the reduction of more than 43,500 equivalent tons of CO2 per year.

The work, carried out and financed by PREZERO (the plant’s operating company), had a total budget of €6.9 million, of which €656,000 were subsidized by the European Union within the framework of the first call for aid to investment in thermal energy production facilities from renewable energy sources that are financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The project contributes to the achievement of the objectives set in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 (PNIEC) on the participation of renewable energies in the final use of energy, which is established at 42% by 2030. Likewise, The Madrid 360 Environmental Sustainability Strategy is based on measures that promote the circular economy to contribute to the fight against climate change.

The PTV biomethane complex consists of two anaerobic digestion plants, Las Dehesas and La Paloma, which produce two materials from the organic matter of the waste: biogas and digestate.

The biogas is purified at the now expanded biogas treatment plant, which transforms it into biomethane and injects it into the gas network, and can be used for the same uses as natural gas (boilers, refueling of buses, trucks, cars, industrial use), but with a renewable or green origin. The digestate is subjected to a composting process to obtain organic amendments or fertilizers for the soil (compost). This treatment is carried out at the La Paloma Plant.

In May, the Madrid City Council will start work on a new plant to expand the organic treatment capacity with a budget of €42 million. READ MORE

EUROPE: CEPSA AND PREZERO SPAIN INK PARTNERSHIP TO RECOVER WASTE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOMETHANE AND OTHER BIOFUELS (Bunkerspot)
Cepsa and PreZero Spain seal major partnership to recover waste for the production of biomethane and other biofuels (PreZero/WebWire)

Excerpt from PreZero/WebWire:

The agreement provides for the joint development of plants for biomethane produced from organic waste. The first plant, with an expected capacity of up to 100 GWh, will be located at Cepsa’s facilities in Huelva and will be used to produce renewable energy for the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley and the Company’s new second generation biofuels plant
Under this agreement, Cepsa and PreZero Spain will collaborate in developing initiatives to recover waste and convert it into raw material to produce 2G biofuels and circular chemical products
The partnership also includes the analysis of solutions designed to decarbonize PreZero Spain’s private land fleet of more than 750 vehicles

Cepsa and PreZero Spain have signed a strategic partnership that will enable both companies to advance in their decarbonization objectives. Under the agreement, PreZero Spain will supply biomethane from some of its projects to Cepsa, and the two companies will jointly develop biomethane plants. Furthermore, Cepsa and PreZero Spain will work on the recovery of waste to produce second-generation biofuels and circular chemical products and to decarbonize the land fleet operated by PreZero in Spain and Portugal.

Carlos Barrasa, Executive Vice President of Commercial & Clean Energies at Cepsa, said: “This alliance with PreZero will allow us to expand access to circular raw materials to produce alternative energies that will facilitate the energy transition, such as green hydrogen and second-generation biofuels. Together we will develop a sustainable alternative for urban and industrial waste processing, recovering this waste for the production of renewable energy and thus promoting a circular and decarbonized economy.”

Gonzalo Cañete, CEO of PreZero in Spain and Portugal, added: “This agreement stems from the enormous potential in Spain for the development of biomethane as a renewably-sourced natural gas, as well as from the need to align ourselves with other EU countries in meeting circular economy and decarbonization objectives. To this end, together with public-private collaboration, we must enhance cooperation between private companies, as demonstrated by this promising partnership that we are announcing today.”

Both companies are already making progress in the development of a biomethane plant in the province of Huelva. This new facility with an annual capacity of up to 100 GWh, which would cover the heating needs of around 20,000 homes, will be one of the largest installations of this renewable energy in Spain and will be used to produce green hydrogen and renewable fuels. The plant will be built at Cepsa’s facilities in Palos de la Frontera, where the company has an Energy Park and is already building the largest 2G biofuels plant in southern Europe to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel. It also plans to develop a green hydrogen plant with a 1 GW capacity, as part of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, at the Energy Park, where it also has a chemical plant.

In addition, PreZero—which in 2023 produced 75% of all biomethane generated in Spain—will provide Cepsa with this renewable gas, on a preferential basis, in the projects that PreZero and Cepsa identify as strategic for both parties, allowing the energy company and its customers to decarbonize their industrial processes. During its lifecycle, this renewable gas can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to natural gas and has the same characteristics as the latter, which means that it can be stored or fed into the current gas transport network without the need to develop new infrastructure. The agreement will also allow Cepsa to obtain biogenic CO₂ from PreZero Spain’s biomethane plants to produce synthetic fuels.

As part of this partnership, PreZero will recover other organic waste or used cooking oils for Cepsa to use in producing second-generation biofuels, which will facilitate the immediate decarbonization of sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy road, maritime or air transport. PreZero will also treat plastic waste, including from single-use plastics, to supply Cepsa with the raw material which the energy company can then use to develop circular chemical products. Both companies will analyze the joint development of pyrolysis plants to process this type of non-recyclable plastic waste.

In addition, Cepsa will research solutions designed to decarbonize PreZero’s private fleet by supplying biofuels or electric recharging, among other initiatives.

Commitment to decarbonization and circularity

The production of renewable fuels is in line with the REPowerEU initiative to reduce CO₂ emissions and dependence on fossil fuels, as well as contribute to several of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), and SDG 13 (Climate action).

As part of its 2030 strategy, Positive Motion, Cepsa is developing an ecosystem to accelerate the decarbonization of its business and that of its customers through the production of green molecules such as renewable hydrogen and its derivatives as well as 2G biofuels including biomethane, PBS or 100% renewable diesel.

Meanwhile, PreZero Spain, which currently generates more energy than it uses, aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in all its operations. To this end, it has defined a sustainability strategy based on using recycled raw materials, producing green energy, optimizing waste collection routes and loads, and implementing energy efficiency measures, among other actions. READ MORE

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waste management Sustainability Spain methane/biomethane government investment European Union (EU) environmental policy energy policy circular economy buses BioRefineries/Renewable Fuel Production Biogas anaerobic digester/digestion anaerobic digestate Biorefinery Assistance Program (BAP) old 9003 2nd generation biofuels BioChemicals/Renewable Chemicals Fleets defossilization Portugal Hydrogen/Renewable Hydrogen waste-to-chemicals waste-to-fuel Aviation Fuel/Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Jetfuel (Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)) Renewable Diesel/Green Diesel/HVO/Paraffinic Diesel Carbon Intensity (CI)/Carbon Footprint used cooking oil (UCO) heavy duty vehicles (HDV) plastic recycled plastics

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