Wärtsilä to supply biogas liquefaction (LBG) plant to Norway

Finland-based marine and energy technology suppliers Wärtsilä has announced that it has been awarded the contract by Purac Puregas AB to supply a biogas liquefaction (LBG) plant for the Biokraft biogas project in Skogn, Norway. The LBG will be used as fuel for public transport vehicles, mainly in Norway.

The biogas plant is being built adjacent to a paper mill and the LBG unit will convert the cleaned biogas from fishery waste and residual paper mill slurry into liquid fuel. The liquid will be cooled to minus 160°C and stored in insulated tanks. Having the biogas as a cryogenic liquid, rather than as compressed gas makes it a viable fuel for heavy vehicles since sufficient energy can be stored onboard.

– We expect strong demand in a fast-growing market for liquefied biogas fuel. Wärtsilä’s biogas liquefaction solution represents an important step forward in realising this potential. The fuel can now be produced economically and sustainably, which were key factors in the award of this contract, said Håvard Wollan, CEO of Biokraft A/S.

Wärtsilä is delivering the system on a fast-track basis and the on-site installation is scheduled for completion within 15 months.

– With a capacity of 25 tonnes of liquid biogas per day it will be the biggest in the Nordic countries. It is a game-changer in the biogas fuel market, said Øystein Ihler, Development Director of Climate and Energy Programme for the City of Oslo.

This is over double the capacity of an existing Norwegian LBG plant commissioned in 2013, also supplied by Wärtsilä.

– Wärtsilä is very pleased to deliver a compact solution featuring proven technology that has been adapted to the needs of the customer. The system offers low operating costs and is energy efficient with a minimal environmental footprint and enables profitable projects for smaller gas streams, said Timo Koponen, Vice President, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

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