bad köstritz

Biogas plant

In 2010 Danpower acquired the biogas plant in Bad Köstritz. This is where packaged as well as unpackaged organic waste from the food industry and gastronomy are processed.  Biogas is produced there from up to 60,000 t of organic waste.  An unpacking plant makes it possible to accept packaged waste, e.g. spoiled and expired food stuffs.  Packaged waste materials are separated there into reusable biomass and foreign matter.  While organic components can be used in the production of biogas, the later will be separated again into metals, inert materials, and plastics. 

After processing and storing, the usable biomass is subjected to a sanitation treatment.  The biomass will be heated to a temperature of 70°C for at least an hour to kill potential pathogens. 

Then the biomass is moved to the main digester after completing a homogenization stage; the majority of the organic material can now be disintegrated to biogas at a temperature of approximately 42°C.  The biogas is then routed to the gas storage, which is located on the secondary digester.  Then the biogas is desulfurized and dehumidified.  After a passage through the active carbon filter, the biogas will be fed into the combined heating and power unit for electricity and heat generation.  The solid and liquid digestate substances are used as organic fertilizer in agriculture.  The heat produced in the process is used to supply a neighboring chemical plant with steam. All the electrical energy produced is fed into the public power grid.