Gas Natural SDG : Region of Murcia could replace 6.8% of its annual natural gas consumption with renewable gas

• At a seminar organised today by the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation and the Economic Development, Tourism and Employment Council of the Regional Government of Murcia various experts highlighted the potential of biogas (renewable gas) to reduce energy dependency in Spain.

Earlier today the Director-General for Energy and Industrial and Mining Activity of the Regional Government of Murcia, Esther Marín, and General Manager of the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation Martí Solà opened a seminar entitled Renewable Gas: The present and future of biogas. The event highlighted the potential importance of biogas for reducing environmentally harmful emissions, creating jobs, reclaiming waste, improving competitiveness in industry and reducing energy dependency in Spain.

During the event, which was attended by over 100 professionals, an explanation was provided on the process required to obtain biogas, its advantages and disadvantages, and the degree of market implementation of the various technologies. Practical cases were also presented on harnessing of biogas from the waste generated by farming operations, wastewater treatment plants and projects located in the Region of Murcia.

Biovec Medio Ambiente Manager Oscar Bartomeu described the situation and the potential for producing farming and livestock biogas in Spain. He explained that Spain has enough raw materials to replace 12% of its annual consumption of natural gas with biogas and that, for the Region of Murcia, this figure stands at 6.8%.

GAS NATURAL FENOSA Biogas Project Manager María Piedad Martínez presented an overview if the various technologies available for producing biomethane from biogas and solid biomass and their market implementation, as well as the operational principles, general characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of each one.

Grupo Hera Energy Director Miquel Torrente presented the HERA Góngora Project and HERA Arazuri Project involving GAS NATURAL FENOSA and SONDENA that will analyse the viability of using biogas from the Góngora Landfill (Navarre) for injection into the natural gas network and the possibility of using biogas from the Arazuri Treatment Plant (Navarre) as biofuel for vehicles.

In turn, the Director of the Biomass Department at the National Centre for Renewable Energies (CENER), Javier Gil, explained the main motivations behind developing biomethane produced from synthesis gas and analysed its production costs and potential value.

R&D+i and Project Management Officer Elena Zuriaga explained the main features of the European LIFE STO3RE Project at the Totana Wastewater Treatment Plant (Murcia) that aims to convert the waste from treatment plants and farms into high-quality bio-fertilisers and biogas for self-supply purposes.

Finally, the Head of System Development Management and Studies from Enagás GTS, SAU, Ana Belén Juara, presented the Valdemingómez plant, one of the largest biomethanisation plants in Europe that has shown itself to be a success in terms of integrating biogas into the gas transport network.

The Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation

Set up in 1992, the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation focuses its activities around promoting information, training and increased public awareness on improving energy efficiency and technological innovation in the field of energy while respecting the environment. It also promotes cultural activities through its Gas Museum aimed at preserving and spreading knowledge about the historical and cultural heritage of the sector while leading an export support programme aimed at small- and medium-sized enterprises. Its international activities are carried out in Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Morocco, Italy, Moldova and South Africa.

Murcia, 26 January 2017.

Images

The General Manager of the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation, Martí Solà , and the Director-General for Energy and Industrial and Mining Activity of the Regional Government of Murcia, Esther Marín.