Biogas Energy Systems Training Course

Participants can assess feedstock quality, availability and supply risks for a proposed plant.

• Feedstock inventory: tonnes, seasonality, dry matter, contaminants and collection radius
• Differentiate manure, food waste, sludge, crop residues and energy crops
• Sampling plans for total solids, volatile solids, COD and nutrients
• Biochemical methane potential tests: purpose, limits and interpretation
• Calculate annual feedstock availability using collection and rejection assumptions
• Supply agreements covering volume, quality, delivery schedules and gate fees

Participants can relate microbial pathways and chemistry to stable methane production.

• Hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion
• Methanogenic archaea sensitivity to pH, temperature and toxic compounds
• Volatile fatty acids and alkalinity as stability indicators
• Ammonia inhibition mechanisms in nitrogen-rich feedstock mixtures
• Trace elements supporting methanogenic activity and process resilience
• C:N ratio, buffering capacity and co-digestion feedstock balancing

Participants can calculate preliminary substrate, gas and energy balances for a biogas system.

• Build mass balances from feedstock tonnes, solids and conversion assumptions
• Estimate methane production using volatile solids destruction and BMP results
• Calculate lower heating value from methane concentration measurements
• Energy balances for digester heating, parasitic loads and useful output
• Apply conversion efficiencies for CHP engines, boilers and upgrading systems
• Sensitivity analysis for yield, uptime, feedstock volume and methane content

Participants can select a suitable digester configuration and establish preliminary design parameters.

• Compare wet, dry, plug-flow, CSTR and batch digestion systems
• Select mesophilic or thermophilic operation from feedstock characteristics
• Hydraulic retention time and solids retention time design logic
• Organic loading rate limits for stable digester operation
• Size digester volume using daily substrate flow calculations
• Mixing systems, heating loops and recirculation design considerations

Participants can define reception, preparation and contamination-control requirements for selected feedstocks.

• Reception layouts for weighbridge, unloading, storage and odour containment
• Depackaging food waste using shredding, pulping and separation equipment
• Screening technologies for plastics, grit, stones and fibrous contaminants
• Maceration and slurry preparation for pumping and mixing performance
• Hygienisation requirements for animal by-products and pathogen control
• Odour control using enclosure, extraction and biofilter systems

Participants can specify treatment steps required to protect equipment and meet gas-use requirements.

• Typical biogas constituents: methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and moisture
• Hydrogen sulphide removal using iron salts, activated carbon and biological scrubbers
• Moisture removal through cooling, condensation, drying and drainage
• Siloxane control for landfill, wastewater and food-waste gas streams
• Gas sampling methods, analyser selection and calibration requirements
• Set gas-quality specifications for engines, boilers and upgrading plants

Participants can compare energy conversion routes and select an appropriate gas utilisation concept.

• CHP selection: spark-ignition engines, microturbines and dual-fuel systems
• Heat recovery design for digesters, buildings and industrial processes
• Membrane separation for carbon dioxide removal and methane recovery
• Pressure swing adsorption performance, limitations and operating requirements
• Water scrubbing and chemical scrubbing technology selection criteria
• EN 16723 requirements for biomethane grid injection and vehicle fuel

Participants can develop a digestate management approach that addresses nutrient value and compliance.

• Separate liquid and fibre fractions using presses, centrifuges and screw presses
• Nutrient analysis for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic matter
• Digestate storage sizing for seasonal land-application restrictions
• Nutrient management plans matching application rates to crop demand
• Compare composting, drying, pelletising and ammonia-stripping treatment options
• Control runoff, odour, pathogens and nutrient-loss pathways

Participants can establish monitoring routines and interpret data for stable plant performance.

• Daily operating dashboard for feed rate, gas flow and methane concentration
• Trend pH, alkalinity, VFA, ammonia and volatile solids destruction
• Mass-flow measurement for substrates, recirculation, digestate and biogas
• Set warning limits using baseline performance and operating envelopes
• Laboratory quality control for sampling, preservation and analytical repeatability
• SCADA alarms for gas pressure, temperature, foam and equipment faults

Participants can diagnose common operational problems and define corrective action sequences.

• Diagnose acidification from VFA accumulation, declining pH and gas loss
• Identify ammonia inhibition through TAN, free ammonia and temperature data
• Foaming causes: surfactants, rapid loading, mixing faults and filamentous organisms
• Respond to scum layers, sediment accumulation and blocked pipework
• Investigate low methane concentration using gas analysis and feed records
• Apply root-cause analysis using fault trees and five whys

Participants can identify major biogas hazards and prepare operational risk controls.

• Methane explosion hazards, hazardous zones and ignition-source control
• Hydrogen sulphide toxicity, exposure limits and personal monitoring
• Confined-space entry permits for digesters, tanks and gas holders
• HAZOP studies for process deviations, safeguards and action tracking
• Emergency response procedures for gas releases, fires and overpressure
• Lockout-tagout controls during maintenance of rotating and electrical equipment

Participants can identify environmental controls, permit conditions and emissions-reduction measures.

• Permit requirements for waste acceptance, emissions, discharge and digestate use
• Methane slip measurement from upgrading units, engines and storage systems
• Fugitive-emissions surveys using leak detection and repair methods
• Control ammonia emissions from digestate storage and land application
• Odour assessment using source inventories, dispersion inputs and complaint records
• ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 lifecycle assessment boundary setting

Participants can screen a project site and define the evidence needed for feasibility assessment.

• Site screening: access, utilities, setbacks, flood risk and land area
• Map feedstock origins, transport routes and competing disposal outlets
• Assess electricity connection capacity, gas network proximity and heat demand
• Preliminary geotechnical, drainage, groundwater and contamination investigations
• Develop project assumptions register with owners, evidence and review dates
• Stage-gate decisions from concept screening to bankable feasibility

Participants can prepare a technology procurement approach with measurable supplier requirements.

• Develop employer requirements for throughput, uptime, emissions and gas quality
• Compare EPC, EPCM, design-build-operate and packaged-equipment contracting models
• Performance guarantees for methane yield, availability and parasitic energy
• Vendor due diligence covering references, warranties, service capacity and exclusions
• Factory acceptance tests and site acceptance tests for critical equipment
• Spare-parts lists, maintenance contracts and long-term service agreements

Participants can build a preliminary financial case and test the assumptions driving project viability.

• CAPEX breakdown for civil works, digestion, gas treatment and connections
• OPEX assumptions for labour, chemicals, maintenance, power and digestate handling
• Revenue modelling for gate fees, electricity, heat, biomethane and certificates
• Calculate NPV, IRR, payback period and debt-service coverage ratio
• Scenario analysis for feedstock price, energy price and availability
• Allocate risks through feedstock, offtake, EPC and operations contracts

Participants can create an operations framework for reliable, controlled biogas plant performance.

• Operating procedures for receiving, feeding, sampling and digestate dispatch
• Preventive maintenance plans for pumps, mixers, engines and compressors
• Critical-spares strategy based on failure modes and replacement lead times
• Reliability metrics: availability, mean time between failures and downtime
• Shift handovers using operating logs, alarms and outstanding-work records
• Annual shutdown planning for inspection, cleaning and statutory testing

Participants can build, review and present a complete preliminary biogas project concept and implementation plan.

• Define feedstock blend, annual volumes, quality assumptions and supply strategy
• Calculate digester sizing, methane output and net useful energy
• Select treatment, utilisation and digestate-management technologies with justification
• Prepare preliminary CAPEX, OPEX, revenues, sensitivities and investment metrics
• Review permitting, HSE, emissions, operational and contractual risk controls
• Present project recommendation, assumptions register and next-stage development plan