Wärtsilä to supply biogas upgrading plant to Oregon facility

Wärtsilä has announced its subsidiary Puregas Solutions has been contracted to provide a turnkey biogas upgrading plant to an existing anaerobic digestion facility in Oregon for the production of renewable natural gas (RNG).

The Puregas CApure CA80 biogas upgrading plant will process approximately 3,100 cubic feet per minute of biogas from the anaerobic digestion of manure sourced from more than 50,000 dairy cows. The plant is expected to produce approximately 80 mmBTU of RNG annually, which is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 10,000 cars. According to Wärtsilä, the project includes the installation of gas conditioning equipment, as well as compression to 975 psi for pipeline injection. The contract also includes the supply and installation of a hydrogen sulphide removal system. Delivery of the Puregas CApure CA80 plant is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.

RNG produced at the facility will be injected into a pipeline for use as transportation fuel in California. According to Wärtsilä, the project will generate renewable identification numbers (RINs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard as well as credits under California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

“This project, which essentially converts the methane gas from animal manure into a sustainable transportation fuel, is environmentally significant and an indicator perhaps of a future trend in biogas upgrading in the agricultural industry,” said Jan Molin, managing director of Puregas Solutions. “Our capability to deliver the necessary technology in a turnkey solution was the key to securing this important contract.”