For the second time since 2016, the annual convention of the German Biogas Association (Fachverband Biogas e.V.) will be organized in conjunction with the EnergyDecentral trade fair that will take place in Hanover, Germany during November, 13 - 16, 2018. “The premiere two years ago was very successful”, says Dr Claudius da Costa Gomez, CEO of the German Biogas Association, “which doesn’t mean we won’t be even better this year”.
“Flexible, reliable, future-oriented” is this year’s theme overarching the selection of six panels and eight workshops available to participants of the BIOGAS Convention. Out of these, three panels and two workshops will be held in English. Visitors can put together their individual combination of panels and workshops by using the new modular online booking system that was released on August 27.
Based on the strong interest at the last BIOGAS Convention, the workshops “Digestate as fertilizer” and “Biomethane” will be offered in both English and German. Using digestate is becoming increasingly significant, particularly in Germany in the context of its amended Fertilization Ordinance. As an emerging trend, upgrading and marketing digestate also offer operators new sales channels and income sources.
While the exact future development of biomethane can at this point only be surmised, the subject will be looked at from the perspective of research, legislation, commerce, and practice in the workshops. The English track will focus on the global possibilities for biomethane, including examples and reports from practical experience from selected countries.
In line with the convention’s theme, a panel on flexible power production of a biogas plant will be offered alongside a panel on participation in German tendering procedures. In the workshop “Current developments in water and emissions protection”, the topic plant safety will be discussed in relation to the current regulatory frameworks associated with the Technical Rules for Substances Hazardous to Water (TRwS), Technical Instructions on Air Quality Control, and Technical Rules for Biogas Plant Safety (TRAS).
The “Innovation & Science” workshop will offer a look at the future and give insights to new scientific trends.
The scope of subjects that German operators of biogas plants have to deal with is steadily increasing. Accordingly, staying up-to-date is important as well, said da Costa Gomez.
The combination of BIOGAS Convention with EnergyDecentral not only offers visitors the option of getting the latest information via presentations, but also of examining the latest company trends at the trade fair. Since the trade fair starts a day earlier than the convention, this year participants will have enough time for both options.
In addition, the traditional evening event on November 14 will provide sufficient time and space for networking in a relaxed atmosphere. As always, the conclusion of the convention involves an excursion, on November 16, to selected biogas plants in the region around Hanover.
