Page 50 - Industrial Plants

commissioning, maintenance and assistance of waste, a source that is continuously replenished by
anaerobic digestion systems man, which, if not used in this system, would in part
increase climate-altering emissions. Unlike other
BTS Biogas believes that the “smart” management of energy sources, the combustion of biogas does not
organic waste and the generation of clean energy are contribute to increasing the atmospheric concentrations
crucial to building a sustainable future for local and of CO2 of fossil origin and is therefore one of the best
global communities. Under this perspective, anaerobic sources of energy.
digestion systems represent an economically and
environmentally sustainable alternative to the current BTS Biogas operations are managed by over 100
waste management system: indeed, organic residues employees, located at the Italian headquarters in Affi
are transformed into renewable energy allowing (Verona) and in Brunico (Bolzano) and the offices
communities and companies to achieve the goal of abroad in France, the United Kingdom and the USA,
“zero waste” and increase decarbonisation more which were inaugurated in 2021. Through its plants,
quickly. the company contributes to the process of energy
transition towards a circular economy with the
Indeed, anaerobic digestion unites two fundamental production of biomethane for transport and the
components of our society - the food system and the network, electrical and thermal energy, soil fertilisers
production of energy - in a closed system in which the and carbon dioxide for industrial use. Some of the
by-products of one become the raw materials of the most significant projects for the type of by-products
other and are transformed into a precious resource for used are represented by plants powered by olive
the community. The natural gas created by the pomace, OFMSW, the effluents of farms or biological
anaerobic digestion process comes from organic waste from food companies.

Agroenergy among the first plants in Europe powered by olive pomace

The Agoenergy biogas plant, built by BTS Biogas in 2019 in Andria, Apulia (Italy), is owned by the Agresti
family, which also owns the Agrolio company that has been producing extra virgin olive oil for three generations.
The Agresti family has been able to make use of olive pomace for anaerobic digestion with significant
advantages for the environmental impact and economic balance sheet of the company, combining tradition

and local values with innovative circular economy models.
Indeed, Agroenergy is one of the first
plants in Europe to be powered 100%
by pitted biphasic olive pomace, which
was previously stored in stainless steel
silos. This source of power can also be
supplemented by other by-products of
the agricultural supply chains on the
territory.
With the biogas produced, the
cogeneration module generates 500
kW of electricity and 500 kW of thermal
energy, while the digestate is part of the
plant cycle of olive production, helping
to improve its quality and quantity. The
efficiency and functionality of
Agroenergy are guaranteed by careful,
continuous biological support: the
process is mesophilic (35° - 48°C) and
involves a preliminary digestion phase in a hydrolysis pre-tank. Two storage tanks with floating covers and a
separator were built downstream of the fermenter.

IndustrIal Plants - May 2022
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