Business Talk : "Our smallest digester fits in two containers"
How small are your small-scale digesters?
Our VALENTIN biogas plant is our smallest digester with a volume between 580 m3 and 891 m3. A few years earlier, we had developed this product for the international agricultural market, but quickly realized that it could also be used very well in other industries.
What is the minimum in-put your small digesters needs? How much output do they produce?
Each substrate behaves differently and takes more or less time to convert from organic to methane. For pure manure, the flow capacity per year ranges from 7,000 m3 to 12,000 m3 with an average residence time of about 30 days. The output also depends on the substrate but can range from 40 to 150 kW.
What sets your product apart from others?
I would call it a “plug-and-play”-plant, that the competition does not have. It fits into two containers and can be shipped and installed worldwide. Through its modular design, it’s easily adaptable for individual needs. A PlanET Biogas supervisor helps with the set-up which is usually done within two weeks. You can watch a timelapse video of the installment.
Like all other PlanET digesters, the VALENTIN benefits from our 24 years of experience designing and building best-in-class digesters.
Who is your target group?
Wherever there are low currents of substrates, our digesters can be used. From farms to industrial plants or even municipal sewage treatment plants. One of our clients, for example, is a sugar mill in Brazil.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of small-scale digesters?
The advantages are that even small farms and settlements are able to produce their own energy. A disadvantage is, that it is not very flexible with regard to the substrate. It must be clarified in advance which substrate is to be processed, and the system is adapted to this. This cannot simply be changed again.
Where do you see your biggest market growth?
It's hard to say because demand is actually high worldwide. We have inquiries from South America as well as from the Asian region.
Do you think small-scale and micro digesters will play an important role in the future?
I think so. Small-scale digesters might be very interesting in regions where the infrastructure for other renewables is already saturated. Subsidies and legal provisions of course also play a role.
About PlanET Biogas
As one of the leading providers of biogas plants, PlanET Biogas are specialists in engineering, approval, plant construction, technical plant service and CHP service. The company also has an in-house laboratory for biological
service and process optimisation which makes PlanET a unique brand for biogas and biogas technology.
