21 Nov 2012

Poundbury Biomethane to Grid Project

The UK’s first commercial scale biomethane to grid project

CNG Services Ltd MD John Baldwin and three other members of the CSL team were delighted to be invited to the opening today of the Poundbury Biomethane to Grid project.

Prince Charles officially opened the plant which is owned by a JV between the Duchy of Cornwall and a group of its tenants (“JV Energen”). The anaerobic digesters convert organic matter, which includes potato waste, into biogas that is upgraded into biomethane and injected into the Southern Gas Networks (SGN) gas grid. There is also a small on-site CHP plant that provides heat and electricity for the digestion process. The energy utilisation is highly efficient, almost certainly the most energy efficient AD plant in the UK.

Scotia Gas Networks, which runs Southern Gas Networks – responsible for the local gas distribution network – was contacted by JV Energen to clean up the biogas produced by the AD and then inject the resulting biomethane directly into the gas network. The biogas is upgraded using an innovative membrane technology that is the first of its type in Europe offering a high level of efficiency.

John said: “we started campaigning for biomethane to be rewarded with a renewable support regime in 2006 and it is great to see the UK’s first commercial biomethane to grid project operating. Congratulations to the developers JV Energen, the Duchy and SGN, all have done an excellent job and can be rightly proud of helping the UK take a big step towards meeting renewable energy targets. This project will be a hard one to beat!”

Our Role on the Poundbury Project

• Completed initial feasibility study and created the development concept, identifying the DMT technology as appropriate for the project
• Provided engineering support to SGN included design integration services
• Supported JVE in relation to the RHI application and biomethane sales

About CNG Services Ltd

• We provide engineering services on projects to make renewable methane and inject this into the gas grid:
• Developer of Didcot project for Thames Water, SGN and Centrica
• Completed initial Concept Definition Study for Poundbury and provide engineering support
• Working on 20 further biomethane injection projects in UK in 2012-13
• We are developing a national network of CNG filing stations to fuel trucks:
• Owner of UK’s largest CNG station
• 20% CO2 saving
• We are supporting the development of onshore gas fields and gas storage projects:
• Ryedale Gas Project
• Wingas Saltfleetby Gas Storage Project
• Halite Preesall Gas Storage Project