Ofgem Review Group on Energy Market Issues for Biomethane Projects (EMIB)

Gas Quality Analysis at Biomethane Entry

REA Biogas Groupthe voice of the UK Biogas industry

since 2004

27 Sept 2011John Baldwin

Chair, REA Biogas Group

Summary

• GSM(R) Requirements (Gas quality)• GSM(R) Requirements (other)• Costs of gas quality monitoring• Model Risk Assessments• Possible way forward

GSMR Related Requirements(Gas quality)

• This is important to the GDNs as they must avoid transporting off-spec gas

• Standards for monitoring GSMR components: – What is measured continuously?

• Eg H2S, Wobbe, O2, water dewpoint –

– What is measured by sampling?• Eg H2, NH3, total S, Siloxanes• Frequency?

– What is calculated from other measurements?• Sooting index, hydrocarbon dewpoint

– What is the speed of response for measuring gas quality?– What is the required accuracy of gas quality measuring devices?

GSMR Related Requirements(other)

• Standards for Odorant addition – Safeguards to ensure odorant always being injected at correct rate

• Standards for pressure regulation to prevent over-pressuring the network

• Standards for providing data to the GDN System Control

Costs of Gas Quality Measurement

• CV considered as a separate issue (item 6)• Normal practice is to have a chromatograph to measure total

sulphur– Is it needed? Is total sulphur only present as H2S?

• H2 monitor– Is it needed?

• Sooting index– Can this be calculated/?

• Hydrocarbon dewpoint– Can this be calculated?

• REA believes saving of around £100k is possible by adopting a risk assessment approach– Also the simpler the system the higher the availability

Biomethane Gas Quality – Risk Assessment

• Can the industry reach a consensus?– What gas quality components have to be measured?– Frequency?– Accuracy?– Speed of response?– Responsibility for measuring?

• We cannot afford the cost and delay to do this from first principles for each biomethane project– Ideally all 4 GDNs would agree to apply the same standards to

reduce overall industry costs– Draw on other EU countries experience

Model Risk Assessments• REA suggests that the GDNs and AD industry develop a suite of Model

Risk Assessments (MRA) based on different types of AD feedstock:– Sewage biogas– Food waste biogas– Agricultural waste, crops including manure– Mixed feedstock (eg from MBT plant)– Landfill gas may follow in 2012

• The MRA would use the established GQ/8 process to establish the gas quality monitoring scheme for each type of biogas to biomethane project.

– This scheme would then be defined in the NEA gas quality arrangements for that project.

• REA suggests that this is taken forward by one GDN as an IFI project but all the GDNs send representatives to the GQ/8 Risk Workshops and have the intent of reaching a consensus that they will all adopt

– SGN considering this– Can use actual biogas from sites generating biogas for electricity

• REA has knowledge of gas quality analysis regime in the other EU countries that inject biomethane

– Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, France– Green Gas Grids Project underway

Biomethane Producer Gas Quality Measurement

• To ensure that an overall safe and reliable system is developed, the NEA can also set out minimum standards for the “upstream‟ measurement of gas quality that is used to control the biogas clean-up and upgrading plant– This gas quality measurement equipment exists already to control the

biogas clean up and upgrading plant– Consider manufacture standard solutions – quick and proven– Suggestion is to ensure a minimum SAFE standard of such monitoring as

done elsewhere in the EU:• Accuracy• Speed of response• Range of components• Maintenance

Gas Quality – Possible Way Forward

• That a GQ/8 based approach is adopted to reach consensus on the biomethane gas quality monitoring scheme

– Model Risk Assessments based on feedstock

• That consideration is given to minimum standards of monitoring in the biogas clean-up and upgrading plant