100s of new biowaste based biogas plants in the pipeline
Europe’s total electricity generation capacity from biowaste biogas plants is expected to almost double to around 1 750 MWe by 2023
Within the next ten years around 650 small-scale biogas plants with an electrical capacity of around 850 MW are expected to come into operation. That is the main finding from Cologne-based consultant Ecoprog, which published a report covering the European market for biowaste on 18 March.
Between 2014 and 2023, the number of biogas plants fermenting municipal and industrial biodegradable waste in Europe will increase by about 650 to more than 1,450, according to the report. This will raise total electrical capacity from 900 MW in 2014 to around 1.750 MW by 2023.
Growth will be mainly driven by the implementation of European-wide energy and waste legislation, such as the Landfill Directive and the Waste Framework Directive. The UK will experience the “strongest growth” due to increasing landfill tax and subsidies making biogas more attractive to investors and developers. The situation in France is very similar to the UK, but subsidies also support the development of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plants with integrated anaerobic digestion facilities. In Germany stricter waste legislation such as the legally required separate collection of biowaste, which came into force in January 2015, will “stimulate” the construction of new AD plants.
The report also acknowledges biogas subsidies were cut in late 2014, but says the German waste management system remains “one of the growth markets” for AD plants due to a generally supportive national stance. Further growth is also expected in Italy.
This article appears courtesy of ENDS Waste&Bioenergy.
Author: Dante Gibson
This article is a result of a partnership between ENDS Waste&Bionergy and EBA.
