Biogas: high potential, sustainable green energy, yet very little exploited in Romania
"The biogas plant was opened in 2012. Initially, the production was 1 mw/h electricity and 1 mw/h heat. The idea was imported because the majority shareholder is German (i.e. Michael Dietrich, the founder of Baupartner), and there are many such plants in Germany. He had several businesses in Romania, mainly in the construction sector, and decided to expand into this area of environmental protection, entering the field of green energy production from renewable sources. Initially, biomass corn silage was used. Subsequently, the price of corn silage increased and it was no longer convenient to buy it, as we had to purchase it from farmers, so we started a modernization of the plant in 2018, which was completed in 2019. We now use 100% biodegradable waste: expired food, waste from raw material processing in the food industry, slaughter, sludge from sewage treatment plants, fats, food waste from canteens and restaurants and in general, pretty much everything in this area of food industry, but also biodegradable waste from the pharmaceutical industry. The station currently produces 3 mw/h of electricity and 3 mw/h of heat. We process 140-180 tonnes of biodegradable waste daily. By processing it and by producing electricity, we could supply around 6000 households a day. And this is happening every day, for two years, as we produce electricity which we feed into the national public grid," explains Genesis Biopartner's marketing director Stefan Tudorie.
