New Green Gas installation at Essent Milieu

Groningen, 10 August 2009 - Essent Milieu is planning to build an installation for the production of Green Gas at its Groningen site. This construction has been made possible by a subsidy called the Incentive Scheme for Sustainable Energy Production (SDE subsidy). Expectations are that, in mid 2010, the company will supply the first cubic metres of Green Gas from the installation to Groningen's gas mains network.

One of the activities performed by Essent Milieu at its Groningen site is the separation of organic fraction from the domestic waste that is supplied. Subsequent fermentation of this material results in biogas. The biogas is burned in onsite combined heating and power plants, and is thus converted into electricity and heating. The electricity is delivered to the grid and finds its way to consumers. Heat that is generated can gradually be utilised in the production process. Practically no energy in the form of heat is being lost in the conversion of biogas into Green Gas. That is what Essent Milieu has presently opted for with the construction of the new reprocessing plant. Green Gas has the same qualities as natural gas and can be fed into the natural gas network.

Green Gas

Essent Milieu is the largest producer of Green Gas in the Netherlands. On an annual basis the company produces 12 million cubic metres at three sites in Tilburg, Wijster and Nuenen. Landfill gas from (former) landfill sites at three locations and gas from a sewage treatment plant are the current sources being used to produce Green Gas. The biogas to be used at the new installation in Groningen is produced from the flow of organic residual waste separated from domestic waste. This expansion will result in an increase in the annual production of Green Gas at Essent Milieu by 5.5 million cubic metres.
The construction of the new installation will commence in the first quarter of 2010. At a later stage, a 1,300-metre-long pipeline will transport the Green Gas that is produced to the local natural gas network in Groningen.

Energy transition policy

The Cabinet has advised that it considers Green Gas to be an important part of the energy transition policy. Essent Milieu wishes to contribute to that. In the near future, the company also wants to produce Green Gas from vegetables, fruit and garden waste and from other organic waste flows.

About Essent Milieu

Essent Milieu one of the largest processors in the Netherlands, offers its customers (governments and companies) environmentally aware solutions to their waste. From it, Essent Milieu separates materials which are suitable for reuse.

Essent Milieu produces sustainable energy from incineration and fermentation. Vegetable, fruit and garden waste is converted into compost and biomass, an environmentally friendly fuel for generating energy. Essent Milieu's landfill sites supply biogas for the production of green electricity and heating. Moreover, Essent Milieu is market leader in the production of Green Gas, which can also be used as a sustainable fuel for motor vehicles.

Essent Milieu employs 670 people, who in 2008 provided a turnover of over 367 million euros. The company processes almost 3 million tonnes of waste materials annually at its production sites in the North and South of the Netherlands. At the same time it produces an amount of sustainable energy equivalent to the energy needs of approximately 350,000 households.

Published: 11 August 2009