Naturgy, together with the companies Compost Segrià, Sitra and Servei de Gesció Ramadera, has begun the process of a new renewable gas plant in Torrefarrera (Lleida), in one of the main areas of Spain that generate agricultural and livestock waste. The plant will represent an investment of 18 million euros.
The facility, which is expected to be commissioned in 2025, will treat 140.000 tons/year of agroindustrial and livestock waste in the area, and will generate 60 GWh of renewable gas per year. This production is equivalent to the annual consumption of 16.000 homes and will prevent the emission of 15.000 tons of CO into the atmosphere.2/year, an amount comparable to the planting of 25.000 trees.
With this project, both Naturgy and Compost Segriá, Sitra and Servei de Gesció Ramadera show their determined commitment to the energy transition, the production of renewable energy at a local level and waste management, since it will provide clean gas to the energy system and will contribute to the sustainable management of agroindustrial and livestock waste in the area.
The biomethane generated at the Torrefarrera plant will be injected directly into the gas network of Nedgia, the gas distributor of the Naturgy group, which is fully prepared to transport renewable gases thanks to the investments made by the company in recent years.
Silvia Sanjoaquín, director of New Business at Naturgy, stated that “this new plant is a clear example of a circular economy, thanks to the revaluation of waste to generate energy and to produce fertilizer for agricultural uses, and at the same time it is one more step on the path.” towards the decarbonization of the energy system.”
Meanwhile, Abel Torrelles, manager of Compost Segrià, stated that “for us, it is a natural evolution of the composting plant, and a significant step towards sustainability and the circular economy. “We are committed to innovation and environmental responsibility, and this facility is a testament to our commitment.”
Ricardo Saez, general director of SITRA, stated that “we continue to commit to participating in the development of bioenergy projects, which are aligned with the sustainable development objectives and that will contribute to achieving energy self-sufficiency.”
Francesc Miret, co-owner of Servei de Gesció Ramadera, stated that the installation will not only generate energy, but will also contribute to reducing the pressure of nitrogen fertilization in the territory, since with the post-treatment the impact on the aquifers of livestock farming has been raised. associated with the plant will be reduced by half.”
Most of the waste that will be revalued to generate energy in this plant is currently managed in the Compost Segrià composting plant, attached to the future biomethane installation.
Additionally, the project will be complemented with the production of organic fertilizers and fertilizers, which can be used in local crop fields.
Bet on biomethane
Renewable gas is a green energy with zero emissions balance, which is completely interchangeable with natural gas, so it can be distributed through the existing gas infrastructure and used with the same energy applications in homes, industries, businesses and also for mobility in transport, contributing to decarbonization.
The production of renewable gases is aligned with the recently approved REPowerEU package, the European plan to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and advance the green transition. Within this plan, biomethane plays a key role in replacing the use of natural gas in the coming years.
However, this renewable gas still has a long development in Spain and requires support mechanisms similar to those existing in other surrounding countries such as France or Germany to promote it. Spain is the third country in Europe in terms of production potential for this gas of clean origin and could produce the amount equivalent to 40% of conventional gas consumption, according to a recent report published by Sedigas.
Naturgy has made a decisive commitment to the production and distribution of renewable gas. It currently operates three other biomethane production projects: the Elena plant, in Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), which was the first to inject renewable gas from landfills into the gas distribution network; the Vila-sana (Lleida) plant, installed on the Porgaporcs livestock farm and which is currently being adapted for commercial exploitation; and the one located in the Bens wastewater treatment plant, in A Coruña, co-financed by the Xunta through FEDER funds to produce biomethane from wastewater for mobility purposes.
Likewise, the company has promoted, together with the Greene company, a project for the research of a technology that allows biomethanation from syngas with the aim of injecting it into the distribution network or for use in mobility. This is a unique project in Spain that will be carried out in a pilot plant to be built in Elche (Alicante).
For its part, Nedgia, the gas distributor of the Naturgy group, has a distribution network of 55.000 kilometers throughout Spain. In 2022, it transported 35 GWh of renewable gas through its networks, which prevented the emission of 7.400 tons of CO into the atmosphere.2.
