Production of biomethane from sewage sludge in order to fill the corporate fleet of a water utility

Permalink of this case: https://www.futuresdiamond.com/unimib-bolero/bolero-hub/international-database/12616

Production of biomethane from sewage sludge in order to fill the corporate fleet of a water utility

The aim of the project is to continuosly produce 65 mc/h of biomethane from the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge in order to fill almost 400 cars owned by the Company (an italian water utility company).
The project is completed on an infrastructural point of view but it’s still awaiting for the formal authorizations from the ’national energy authority’.
The project is a concrete application of the principles of circular economy and sustainable mobility for the advantage of the public.
It will also provide significant environmental savings and important results in terms of reduction of CO2 emissions.
If this project will be successfull it could lead to other interesting application, for example the byomethane could be sold to the market, directly to other clients or used in a cogeneration plant producing electric energy.

https://www.gruppocap.it/en/activities/research-and-development/biomethane-from-sludge

Related sector

D - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
E - Water supply; sewerage; waste management and remediation activities
O - Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

SI Lead organisation

Gruppo CAP - Business actor ( Medium to large private organisations (Corporations, Firms) )

www.gruppocap.it

SI Scope

Local: Milan Area (Italy)

SI Process

Sustainable Innovation conception/design

Start Date: June 2017 End Date: June 2018

Sustainable Innovation development (piloting / demonstration)

Start Date: June 2017 End Date: June 2018

Sustainable Innovation implementation

Start Date: June 2018 End Date: June 2018

Sustainable Innovation diffusion

Start Date: June 2018 End Date: Ongoing

Link to H2020 SI Priorities

Climate change mitigation solutions
Long-term raw materials availability
Climate action by sustainable lifestyle
Climate action eco-innovation policies
Eco-innovation and green economy transition

SI Type

Main type of innovation

Organisational / Business model - The idea to re-use internally the produced biomethane is the new aspect of this project, differentiating it from similar ones.

SI Objectives

Explicit Objectives

Producing more than 300 kg of biomethane per year, sufficient to supply 416 vehicles travelling 20,000 km per year (which is the average distance travelled by each one of the company’s vehicles.
Saving money purchasing fuel for the firm’s vehicles. The production cost’ll be of 0.58 euro/kg, lower than the market cost of 0.9 euro/kg
Using the biogas produced as a waste transforming it into a resource for the company (circular economy).
Using clean energy instead of traditional fuel to power the comapany’s fleet.

SI Origin

This project is part of a bigger one called ’Non si butta niente’. The aim of Gruppo Cap with these project is to transform the water treatment plants into plants that recycle waste and produce clean energy. Since the majority of the firm’s waste is sewage sludge the company decided to start rethinking the way water is treated in a more sustainable way.

SI Factors of success

Technological - The project has involved several technology suppliers before validating the proper solution adapted to the local production. There had to be made many experiments using different technologies.
Economic - The economical forecasts have been approved by the local water authority on the assumption that the project will allow to reduce the fuel costs of Gruppo CAP thus reducing the water tariffs of the population to which the company supplies water.
Environmental - The project will significantly impact on CO2 emissions since it’ll allow the firm’s fleet to move without purchasing traditional fuel.

Sources

Primary - The primary source is the biogas which the firm produces as a waste (it comes from the sewage system).
Secondary - Many experiments and evaluations have been made to develop the best technological solution.
Tertiary - The Sostunaibility Account and the Enviromental Account

Business for Society Innovation