CycleØ Debuts Biomethane Plant with Ammonia Stripping in Spain

CycleØ, a prominent European biomethane producer, has marked a significant milestone by inaugurating the first-ever biomethane plant featuring ammonia stripping technology in Vallfogona de Balaguer, Catalonia, Spain. This pioneering facility is poised to make a substantial impact by reducing nitrate pollution and emissions in the local agricultural landscape, particularly benefiting Granja La Carbona, a nearby farm. At its core, the plant's innovative design aims to transform manure into sustainable ammonium nitrate and sulphate, which will serve as valuable fertilizers for agriculture.

With an impressive maximum production capacity of 15,000 MWh (megawatt hours) per year, this $2.6 million biomethane plant represents CycleØ's second operational venture in Spain. Significantly, it stands as the company's first fully developed, owned, built, and operated facility in the country.

CycleØ's ambitious development plan envisions the establishment of 20 biomethane plants either in progress or already operational in Spain by the end of 2024. This endeavor entails a substantial investment of $53.3 million. Laurence Molke, CEO of CycleØ, elaborated on the potential of their biomethane production, explaining that "the biomethane we produce can be injected into existing gas grids, and the Bio-CNG (compressed natural gas) or Bio-LNG (liquefied natural gas) can be used as fuel for heavy transport." Moreover, CycleØ's involvement in projects like this is a testament to their commitment to the burgeoning bioenergy market in Spain, aligning with the national decarbonization targets and collaborating with farmers to enhance cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

The advanced technology employed in this cutting-edge plant is provided by CycleØ's industrial subsidiary, FNX. FNX has been instrumental in developing, designing, and constructing the membrane-based cleaning and biogas compression equipment, which enables the plant to produce Bio-CNG or Bio-LNG with an impressive 99% purity. Jordi Berengué Piqué, Managing Director of FNX, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, "We're very excited about this project.

The significance of CycleØ's biomethane plant with ammonia stripping lies in its multifaceted benefits. It not only contributes to reducing waste management costs but also fosters the production of organic fertilizers, rendering the company's operations more sustainable. Furthermore, projects like these are directly aligned with the global mission to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050 and meet the RePower EU target of 35 billion cubic meters (bcm) of biomethane by 2030, as emphasized by Molke.

In summary, CycleØ's inauguration of Spain's first biomethane plant with ammonia stripping technology represents a significant stride in the field of renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. By reducing pollution, emissions, and waste management costs while enhancing the circular economy through fertilizer production, this innovative project showcases the potential of biomethane in addressing pressing environmental challenges. It also aligns with Spain's commitment to decarbonization and contributes to global efforts to combat climate change. With its ambitious expansion plans, CycleØ is poised to play a pivotal role in Spain's emerging bioenergy market and the broader European push towards sustainable energy solutions.