Biogas

In terms of bioenergy and waste management, ifeu has been working on projects relating to the production and use of biogas since the 1990s. The focus is on ecological optimisation and in particular the contribution to climate protection made by biogas. Increasingly low-emission systems have been constructed in Germany due to the framework conditions of the previous EEG funding scheme. The potential future contribution of biogas or biomethane to climate protection is most likely to be in flexible power generation. From a climate and environmental protection perspective, this poses questions about issues including optimum strategies for the ongoing operation or shutdown of existing systems.

For the evaluation from an environmental and climate protection perspective, life cycle assessments are used in all cases to examine complete biogas life cycles and compare them with the conventional energy supply. Different raw materials (cultivated biomass, agricultural, industrial and communal residual products), system concepts and variables (with feed-in to the natural gas network, with storage, with decentralised heat use) and different applications (for electricity and heat generation, as biomethane, in vehicles) are just some of the specialist topics under investigation.

Contact

Regine Vogt

Dipl. Ing. Technical Environment Protection
+49 (0)6221 4767 22
regine.vogt@ifeu.de

Sven Gärtner

Dipl. Physik Ingenieur (graduate in physical engineering)
+49 (0)6221 4767 64
sven.gaertner@ifeu.de

Projects

ēQATOR

The EU-funded project ēQATOR is developing scalable, electrically heated catalytic reactor technologies for the conversion of biogas to synthesis gas (and further to methanol).

Updating the input data for essential biogenic energy use paths (BioEm)

This project was commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency (FEA) to calculate emission factors for essential biomass usage pathways in Germany, whereby the GHG emission factors were supplemented…

Global assessments and guidelines for sustainable liquid biofuel production in developing countries

This project investigated the sustainability of liquid bio-energy sources in developing countries. The aim was to enable the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to identify priorities for future work,…

Wissenschaftliche Studie

Determination of the Environmental Implications of BtL Fuels Production and Biogas Production

ifeu used a screening life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of the production of biomass-to-liquid fuels and biogas in this project.

Wissenschaftliche Studie

Ecological Effects of using Palm Oil as a Source of Energy

In this project, ifeu analysed the ecological effects of the use of palm oil as a source of energy and identified optimization potenatial.

Wissenschaftliche Studie

Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment of Stationary Energetic Use of Imported Biofuels: The Case of Palm Oil

The study analyses the characteristics of palm oil, possibilities of using it for energy as well as the environmental, economic and social consequences thereof.

Ecological assessment of novel logistics concepts for biofuels

Biogenic fuels are increasingly relevant in recent times. However, there are considerable potentials available for exploration in addition to the established biofuels derived from oil, sugar and…

Optimisation for the sustainable expansion of biogas production and use in Germany

Supported by measures like the Renewable Energies Act, the use of biogas has become increasingly relevant in recent years. However, despite the fact that both production and use of biogas are…

Ecologically Optimized Extension of Renewable Energy Utilization in Germany

The objective of the research project is to develop a strategy for an ‘ecologically optimised’ expansion of renewable energies in Germany. Based on a detailed life cycle assessment, in a first step…

Biogas – Quo vadis?

Concretising of present research questions regarding the long-term effect of existing biogas plants for saving the climate.

BioGrace

The BioGrace calculation tools were used to calculate GHG emissions from bio-energy sources, and are available to all market participants. The tools are harmonised within the framework of EU…