The Ukrainian Milk Company is making good use of its ready supply of manure, and has successfully completed a nine month trial of the first biogas fueled Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in the country.
Designed and built by ZORG, a Ukrainian biogas specialist, the facility, located near Kiev is powered by 4000 cows and a GE Jenbacher gas engine.
The new CHP plant is powered by a GE JMC 312 containerized cogeneration model gas engine, and is able to substitute the equivalent of 1.2 million cubic meters of natural gas annually and, therefore, is projected to reduce the equivalent of 18,000 metric tonnes of CO2. Once converted into biogas, the manure from the cows produces 625 kW of electricity and 686 kW of thermal output.
The excess power produced at the plant is being sold to the grid. The Ukrainian Milk Company, which produces milk for baby nutrition products, received the license for selling power to the grid based on the ‘green’ tariff, which is being approved by Ukraine authorities. According to the law, the ‘green’ tariff is “a special tariff for electricity generated at the power plants with use of alternative energy sources.”
The first stage of operation for the plant took place during the most severe winter in the last 20 years, with constant minus temperatures reaching -25°C to -30°C. Despite the cold temperatures, the operation of the plant remained at a favorable level.
Biogas offers customers several advantages. It provides an alternative disposal of dung, liquid manure and organic waste, while simultaneously harnessing them as a substitute for conventional fuels. It also offers high potential for the reduction of greenhouse gases and is highly efficient for combined on-site power and heat generation.
In addition, the remaining substrate from the digester can be used as high-quality, agricultural fertilizer, characterized by neutralizing the acid effect with a higher ph-value, keeping nutrients retained and nearly odorless.
“The disposal and treatment of biological waste represents a major challenge for the waste industry. Our Jenbacher biogas-fueled gas engines improve waste management while maximizing the use of cow manure, an economical energy supply,” said Prady Iyyanki, CEO-gas engines for GE Power & Water. “We are pleased that our technology is a part of the first biogas plant in operation in the Ukraine and applaud the region for seeking new renewable and alternative ways to create cleaner energy.”
This is GE’s first order from the biogas plant construction company ZORG, and the unit was supplied through GE’s distributor and service provider in the Ukraine, SINAPSE.
