Finnish biogas filling station map published

Biogas is the only pure biofuel available in public filling stations in Finland. To facilitate the use of the CBG100 network (CBG100 = 100 % Compressed BioGas) the Finnish Biogas Association published a map of the stations. This is part of a European wide work. In Europe there are already hundreds of biogas filling stations, but in many cases finding them is not easy for the general public. For that reason the Finnish Biogas Association published in October a proposal to develop a European network and  a proposal to renew the glossary of methane fuels in transport.

The first step is to create CBG100 station maps in each country where such stations exist. The Finnish map of public CBG100 stations was published today and can be found here. For each station the map contains information on the source of biogas sold there, location, seller and payment options.

There are now 20 public CBG100 filling stations in Finland. They are operated by four companies: private company Metener since 2002 (1 station), state company Gasum since 2011 (17 stations), municipal company Haminan Energia since 2013 (1 station) and private company Envor Biotech since 2013 (1 station). In addition, there are two private CBG100 stations, which are not marked in the map. They are operated by Gasum and private company Metaenergia. Thus, CBG100 is sold by five companies. It is sold in kilograms. Price of CBG100 in public stations varies between 1.205 to 1.505 euros/kg.

There are five biogas upgrading plants in Finland. All of them have different owners and operators. They are located in Laukaa (Metener, 2002), Kouvola (KSS Energia, 2011), Haapajärvi (Metaenergia, 2012), Espoo (Gasum, 2012) and Forssa (Envor Biotech, 2013). The first four are based on water scrubbers and the last one is membrane based. Two of these plants inject upgraded biogas into national gas pipeline and three supply filling stations directly. Total upgrading capacity is about 1000 Nm3/h.

Biogas sold in 17 public stations originates from municipal sewage and solid municipal biowaste. In one station the sold biogas is made of agricultural and industrial biowaste, in one station it is made of household and industrial biowaste and in one station it is made of municipal sewage.

In 2014 there are plans to open at least four new public CBG100 stations by four different operators, of which three are new. Their approximate locations are available in the map. Of these stations three are outside of the gas pipeline.

The map also allows viewing CNG filling stations (CNG = Compressed Natural Gas). There is only one filling station in Finland selling natural gas only. In many countries blends of biogas and natural gas are for sale, e.g. CBG20 (20 % biogas) and CBG50 (50 % biogas). In Finland blends are not available. Biogas is always sold as 100 % fuel, i.e. CBG100. In 17 of the CBG100 stations, also CNG is sold: customer is given the choice. In 3 stations only CBG100 is available. NGV1 connector is available in all stations. In two stations (Helsinki-1 and Helsinki-4) also NGV2 connector is available (for trucks and buses).

Additional information of biogas use in transport in Finland:

1) History: Finnish traffic biogas statistics 1941-2012 to be read here

2) Future: Roadmap of renewable methane until 2050 to be read here

Source: Ari Lampinen, Finnish Biogas Association