Hungarian wastewater scheme turns to biomass plant 20 May 2010

One of Europe's most ambitious biogas from wastewater projects has been switched on in Budapest by Ener-G.

The UK clean tech company's Hungarian subsidiary Ener-G Energia Technologia Zrt. has designed and built a €2.6 million renewable energy centre at the Budapest wastewater treatment plant in Csepel – part of the Living Danube programme, currently Europe's largest environmental investment.

Ener-G has installed a 4.5 MWe biogas cogeneration system, together with three 2.5MW Loos boilers for additional hot water generation, using natural gas or biogas. The company is also managing operations and maintenance services.

Balazs Marialigeti, director of Ener-G, explains that the renewable energy centre forms part of a biological treatment complex covering 70,000m² on a 29 hectare site at Csepel Island. He says the plant will increase the amount of biologically treated wastewater in Budapest to 95% by 2010 – treating 350,000 m3/day from most of Buda and part of Pest, and serving one million people.

The energy centre will run at up to 80% capacity until September, when it will be fully commissioned. It will then supply up to 4.5MWe of renewable electricity to the site, which provides more than 50% of the plant's total electricity consumption.

Marialigeti says that is the equivalent output of eight large wind turbines. The maximum 8.5MW heat generated by the CHP (combined heat and power) unit is utilised in the digester process consuming 563m3/h biogas per unit.

"The Budapest wastewater treatment plant is a vivid example of how effective anaerobic digestion is as a commercial and environmental solution for large-scale projects such as this," says Marialigeti.

"It is enormously fulfilling to be involved in this groundbreaking venture and we are looking forward eagerly to full commissioning in September 2010."

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
ENER-G plc

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