FeaturePower generationReducing the risk of biogas leakage
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Catastrophic risks
The implications of this volume of methane being released are significant. According to the latest IPCC Assessment Report, methane is 34 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas over a 100-year period. For any industry to be emitting this volume of methane would be a concern; but for a renewable sector, whose entire premise is based on being green, this is catastrophic.
Aside from the considerable environmental impact, biogas leaks bring other risks. In the worst-case scenario, biogas in
Financial risks
Gas leaks in AD plants also have a financial impact. Any volume of biogas leaking into the atmosphere will subsequently reduce a plant's gas yield and therefore, the owner's profit margin. In fact, losing just 1m3 of methane per hour will result in a financial loss in the region of £5,000 per year.
There is also the issue of sustainability criteria to consider. In order to receive payments through either the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) or Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes, AD operators must
Leakage hotspots
While an AD operator may believe that their plant is operating at a high standard, all anaerobic digesters have inherent weak points which make them susceptible to biogas leakage. Potential hotspots include:
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Gas membrane connections;
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Cable grommets (where a submersible stirrer cable passes through the digester wall);
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Flange connections;
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Viewing windows;
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Carbon filters;
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Any areas where maintenance is carried out.
Reducing risks
The risks of gas leakage are clearly significant and often expensive. However, identifying a leak is a simple and affordable process which can help prevent a serious incident from occurring. A gas leakage detection service should therefore form part of any responsible plan operator's ongoing maintenance programme.
The FM BioEnergy service covers a full AD