Sweden
- Biogas use for transport to increase eight fold by 2010
- Biogas energy yield from wheat double ethanol yield
- Substantial economic and greenhouse benefits
The Swedish Gas Centre (SGC) has released an updated report on the potential of biogas for transport in Sweden.
Sweden is already a relatively high user of biogas for transport, using
126 GWh in 2004. This is expected to increase eight fold in the next
five years to reach 1040 GWh in 2010.
The report shows that high energy yields can be obtained from the
production of upgraded biogas used for vehicle refuelling
purposes. Comparisons indicate that energy yields from biogas derived from wheat are
twice as high as when wheat is used for ethanol production.
Estimated production costs for upgraded biogas are shown as 3.50-4.50
SEK per Nm3 methane gas ($US0.49-0.64 per Nm3, $US0.05-0.06 per kWh, or
$US0.45-0.57 per litre gasoline equivalent), approximately 70% the
current price of gasoline. These costs include production, upgrading
and compression, but exclude amortization costs for refuelling
facilities.
A mid term (2015) production of biomass (wood) based SNG (synthetic
natural gas) is also discussed with production costs estimated at about
$US0.36 per litre gasoline equivalent.
As well as economic and air quality benefits, the study also indicates
that using biogas for transport, CO2 emissions could be reduced on a
life cycle basis by between 65-85% on current fuels, depending on the
feedstock used.
By 2020 the Swedish use of methane gas used in the automotive sector
could reach 5% via biogas and another 10% via natural gas. In
addition, SNG might by 2050 account for 40% of the Swedish needs
within the automotive sector.
More information available at www.sgc.se/uk/index.asp
Current news items can be found on the NGV Global Home Page. Items from past issues can be found via the Article Index page.
PDF 
