In this pilot project*1, at its palm oil factory ABC will digest organic matter contained in factory wastewater to generate biogas, which will be subsequently refined by Osaka Gas into methane gas. ABC will use*2 the refined methane gas as fuel in its own natural gas-powered vehicles. The pilot project is scheduled to run for roughly one year, during which time Osaka Gas will test operate a 250 Nm3/h biogas refining facility that assumes commercial deployment.
The project will focus on a verification of a long-time based stable operation and methods to minimise the cost of producing methane gas, as well as determine the effectiveness of the methane produced as a vehicle fuel. Based on the outcome of pilot testing, ABC will actively continue developing initiatives to effectively utilise the biogas generated at the factory as a fuel for natural gas-powered vehicles.
Osaka Gas has been engaged in developing biogas refining technology since 2012 in a pursuit to effectively utilise unused biogas, promote energy preservation, and help protect the environment. The company is capable of producing high purity methane gas with a methane recovery rate of over 99%. It has achieved this through its proprietary hybrid biogas refining system, which combines a CO2 separation membrane with pressure swing adsorption (PSA).
