Germany’s EnviTec Biogas and compatriot Balance Erneuerbare Energien, a unit of VNG, have formed a joint venture as they look to produce and supply bio-LNG in the country.
EnviTec Biogas announced this joint venture in October, but the firm did not reveal much additional information as the deal was subject to approval by the local authorities.
The partners plan to jointly produce and market “CO2-free” bio-LNG for commercial and heavy-duty transport as independent supplier, according to a joint statement.
As part of the plans, the newly established company Balance EnviTec Bio-LNG would build a liquefaction plant in Brandenburg, near Berlin.
In addition to the actual liquefaction of biomethane, the plant would have storage tanks and a filling station for tanker trucks, the statement said.
It would produce about 100 tons of bio-LNG per day from the fourth quarter of 2023.
These quantities would make it possible to operate an average of up to 1,800 LNG trucks annually, the partners said.
Besides using self-generated biomethane, the joint venture would purchase biomethane from other sources.
Furthermore, the joint venture would be able to provide a service option to liquefy biomethane from other biomethane producers as well, the statement said.
Gustrow plant
EnviTec’s unit EnviTec Bioenergie Gustrow previously revealed plans to convert its facility in Gustrow to be able to produce bio-LNG as it now only makes biomethane.
The firm has also signed a deal with Liqvis, a unit of energy firm Uniper. Liqvis said its filling stations would start receiving bio-LNG from the plant in October 2022 for onward distribution to the heavy goods vehicle sector in Germany.
In addition, Germany’s Liquind, now owned by Vitol, has also signed a deal with EnviTec Biogas to buy bio-LNG from the latter’s plant in Gustrow.
Following completion in autumn 2022, Liquind would take bio-LNG at the plant and distribute it to its network of truck filling stations across Germany.