Biomethane Regions – Technology Review

Biogas upgrading and the production of biomethane nowadays is a state-of-the-art process of gas separation. A number of different technologies to fulfil the task of producing a biomethane stream of sufficient quality to act as a vehicle fuel or to be injected into the natural gas grid are already commercially available and have proven to be technically and economically feasible. Nevertheless, intensive research is still in progress to optimise and further develop these technologies as well as to apply novel technologies to the field of biogas upgrading.

All technologies have their own specific advantages and disadvantages and this review shows, that no technology is the optimal solution to each and every biogas upgrading situation. The right choice of the economically optimal technology is strongly depending on the quality and quantity of the raw biogas to be upgraded, the desired biomethane quality and the final utilisation of this gas, the operation of the anaerobic digestion plant and the types and continuity of the used substrates as well as the local circumstances at the plant site. This choice is to be made by the planner and future operator and this report is worked out to act as a supporting guideline during the planning phase of a new biomethane production site.