WP2 Modeling, description and analysis of biogas hubs
Work Package 2 promotes the development and interaction of biogas hubs, or clusters, located in various regions, as well as the growth of biogas markets by providing detailed and comprehensive information about the biogas production potential of each region. This enables the examination of both regional biogas hubs and their interconnections. The reports prepared within the work package offer essential information to promote biogas production and support the utilization of the decentralised food chain’s input potential for energy by making public information available to current and future actors in the biogas sector. The work package was launched in May 2024 and is led by SeAMK – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences.
The core focus of the work package is the description and analysis of three different biogas hubs, examining their synergy effects, and developing a process model for developing biogas hubs. Biogas hubs are regional descriptions of concentrations and potential areas for biogas production, key players and what is needed to increase biogas production. At the beginning of the project, the hubs were geographically defined, and their key actors identified. They are built around the following cores:
- Ostrobothnia: LBG, a hub supporting the development of industry, port, and maritime transport
- Central Ostrobothnia: Industrial park based hub
- South Ostrobothnia: CBG and LBG, Food system-based hub
To investigate the production and use potential of biogas hubs and their environmental impact, suitable databases and analytical methods were identified and selected. These include the Natural Resources Institute Finland’s Biomassa-atlas and biogas tool. Environmental impact assessments focus on greenhouse gas calculations based on the EU’s RED II directive. The techno-economic calculations consider factors like the production, investment, and operational costs of CBG and LBG, as well as costs for raw material procurement, energy, labour, maintenance, and administration. Reports on provincial biogas potential, emission calculations, and techno-economic analyses will be completed in early 2025.
At the beginning of 2025, a synergy analysis of the hubs will be initiated. This will integrate the key results of hub-specific analyses and assess the added value and synergies for actors across regional boundaries. In the final phase of the work package, a process model for biogas hub development will be created and described. This model will provide concrete steps for building a regional biogas cluster.
Work package 2 publications
WP2 Analysis of biogas production and use potential, and emission calculation of biogas production and use – Ostrobothnia region (Executive summary available in English, full text in Finnish)
WP2 Techno-economic analysis of the production and use of LBG and the utilisation of biogas by-products – Ostrobothnia region (Executive summary available in English, full text in Finnish)
WP2 Analysis of biogas production and use potential, and emission calculation of biogas production and use – Central Ostrobothnia region (Executive summary available in English, full text in Finnish)