Energy Sources

BIOGAS

Instead of producing waste that creates emissions, organic waste—also called biomass—can be used as a valuable energy source when turned into biogas.

These days everyone is talking about sustainable energy, but actions speak louder than words. Using biogas from the fermentation of organic waste, Jenbacher biogas engines can create heat and power as a reliable energy source to power your business today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Your Challenge

With the phase-out of coal and nuclear power, centralized electricity producers often are replacing larger plants with a number of smaller, decentralized wind energy and photo-voltaic plants that provide power and heat where it is needed. There’s a downside, though: fluctuations in electricity production due to volatility of renewable energy sources. To avoid blackouts, the missing electricity must be generated through other available sources, quickly. That’s where another renewable energy source, biogas, comes into play—as a complement to these volatile, weather-dependent energy sources.

Industry Trends

Instead of producing waste that creates emissions, organic waste—also called biomass—can be used as a valuable energy source when turned into biogas. And the use of biogas to fuel engines as a substitute for fossil fuels is on the rise across the energy market. That’s because this renewable energy source complements other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar–with one big difference. It’s not dependent on the weather!

Our Approach

Jenbacher offers flexible, innovative, and proven combined heat and power (CHP) biogas solutions that turn biogas produced from biomass into power and heat. With a wealth of experience in biogas applications, Jenbacher also is a global technology leader when it comes to engine-based power generation and waste heat recovery solutions including biogas CHP.

The Jenbacher solution

Jenbacher biogas generator sets are widely used by farmers and industrial users across the globe. Onsite biogas cogeneration plants can be used by businesses to supply their own electricity and heat needs, or biogas gensets can transform biogas to electricity for future off-take to the grid.

Biogas CHP generators can be installed inside buildings or also can be supplied as ready-to-use biogas-to-power containerized solutions that can be used in various applications, for example, as a part of a biomass energy power plant.

The process of biogas generation is divided into three steps: Preparation of the bio-input, fermentation, and post-treatment of the residual material. At the start, the organic material is collected in a primary pit, sterilized to remove harmful germs in case of food waste and moved to the digester. The biogas produced in the digester is collected in a gas storage tank to ensure a continuous supply of gas, independent of fluctuations in the gas production. Finally, to turn biogas into electricity, it is fed into a biogas engine.

Once the fuel is fed into the biogas cogeneration plant, it sets the engine into action. This engine drives a generator that turns biogas into electricity. The heat produced during this process, which would otherwise be wasted, is captured and used for heating applications. This dual use of energy makes the biogas cogeneration plant highly efficient, enabling it to reach total efficiency levels of up to 90%. With Jenbacher biogas CHP generators, the process is not only efficient but also sustainable.

Benefits of biogas engines

An investment in INNIO’s Jenbacher biogas cogeneration plants let you realize impressive economic and ecological benefits when using biogas for power generation:

• Highly efficient for combined onsite power and heat generation with biogas (biogas CHP).
• Ready-to-use biogas power plant solutions in containers.
• A green waste-to-energy/waste-to-power application decreases your business’ carbon footprint.
• An alternative disposal of dung, liquid manure and biowaste, while simultaneously harnessing energy—a valuable substitute for conventional fuels.

A proven concept

Jenbacher has delivered more than 6,000 biogas engines that can generate a total electrical output of green energy of approximately 5.5 GW. Our delivered biogas-fueled fleet has the potential of an annual production of 44 TWh of electricity. This amount of energy can deliver annual average electricity for around 11.7 million EU homes.

 

COAL MINE GAS

Coal mine gas develops during the geochemical conversion of organic substances to coal. It is present in fissures, faults and pores of coal seams and as adsorbed gas on the inner surface of coal and neighboring rock.

However, the potential danger of coal mine gas (CMG) and methane emissions can be greatly reduced when they are harnessed properly for power and heat generation. Since the early 1990s, Jenbacher gas engines product line, with an installed capacity of more than 400 MW running on coal mine gas worldwide, has provided solutions for this special application.

How does it work?

Today, most large underground hard coal mines potentially contain coal mine methane, and abandoned mine methane and can be effectively used for power and heat generation with gas engines.

Sudden changes in the composition of CMG put greater demands on the engine, however. INNIO offers a special gas mixing and engine control system that enables efficient use of this gas to a minimum CH4-concentration of only 25%.

Additionally, Jenbacher gas engines are designed to operate on full load, despite low gas pressure, high humidity, dust load, and altitude.

The generated energy can be used in the coal mine to meet electricity requirements or fed into the public power grid. Thermal energy can be used for onsite heating or fed into a district heating system.

Benefits of green mining

• Increased worker safety due to installation or refurnishing of gas suction system
• Mitigation of greenhouse gas (methane) and possible carbon monetization
• Revenues for power and heat production, when fed into the public grid
• Smooth operation despite fluctuations in gas pressure and methane content
• Overall efficiency of up to 90%, in combined heat and power, and up to 43.5% in power generation alone
• Zero to 100 percent load in 10 minutes
• Compact, modular units with low footprint requirement and dynamic weight
• Basic design and support for gas conditioning if required
• Low NOx yield from Dry Low Emissions (DLE) combustors

 

FLARE GAS

For a long time, oil producers have simply flared associated petroleum gas (so called “flare gas”), considered an unwanted oil by-product. But with increased energy demand coinciding with an escalation in environmental consciousness — flaring now often is avoided, and sometimes even prohibited.

Backed by more than a century of innovation and engine-building experience, INNIO's Jenbacher gas engines are ideally suited to deliver reliable and efficient performance for a variety of mobile and stationary applications – whether running on oilfield gas pulled straight from the ground, trucked-in liquid natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG).

How it works?

The field gas that is uncovered as the result of oil extraction is often wastefully flared or captured at significant expense. INNIO's fuel-flexible gas engines offer an alternative solution that turns the field gas directly into power for applications such as drill rigs, artificial lifts, pump-jacks, and worker camps. 
 
Rich-burn technology: Ideal for use in the most rugged environments, INNIO's Waukesha EPA-certified gas engines employ a rich-burn combustion technology for precise control of the air-fuel ratio at stoichiometric conditions. 

Low emissions: With the help of a three-way catalyst, rich burn engines can achieve very low exhaust gas emissions (such as NOx, CO, and THC) compared to lean burn engines. 

Proven reliability: Rich-burn engines offer the same reliable, continuous performance proven in gas compression applications for a variety of field environments, including: hot fuel applications, greater than 50% load step capability, and extended service intervals. 
 
High-altitude performance: While turbocharged diesel engines typically require derating above 1,500 feet (457 m), rich-burn technology offers increased flexibility with full power at altitudes up to 8,000 feet (2,438 m). 

Fuel flexibility: Because rich-burn engines operate with a wide knock and misfire margin, they will run at higher loads on a variety of lower quality fuels..  

Lean-burn technology: For drill rig applications running LNG, INNIO's Jenbacher EPA-certified gas engines offer high-efficiency lean-burn control that is particularly well-suited to mobile oilfield applications.

Benefits of flare gas power generation

• Rugged, durable operation. Suited for reliable operation in harsh, remote, mobile or stationary mission-critical applications
• “Plug and Play” installation. Easily exchanged with existing diesel rig power generation drivers
• Reduced operational costs. Field gas operation cuts operational costs by up to 80% compared to  diesel or dual-fuel operation
• Fuel flexibility. Ability to operate on a wide range of gas fuel quality, including high-BTU field gas (up to 1654 BTU HHV),  HD-5 propane, and ethane, without knock
• Lower emissions. Paired with a three-way catalyst, rich-burn engines can attain or surpass the latest environmental requirements, producing emissions as much as 95% lower than diesel operation
• High-altitude performance. Maintains performance ratings at much higher altitudes (up to 8,000 feet) – without derate – compared to diesel technology
• Excellent transient load capability. Rich-burn engines handle large load variations in just two steps (nearly as well as diesel engines)

 

FURNACE GASES

In the steel industry, you need a lot of power — and energy costs are rising. Fortunately, there’s an energy source that is closer than you think: Gases created as a „free“ by-product during steel production processes can provide efficient power generation.

In addition to the economic benefit these gases provide, using them as engine fuel reduces industrial CO2 emissions and saves natural energy sources. Jenbacher offers specially modified gas engines that make efficient use of three different steel gases—coke gas, blast furnace gas, and converter gas—for combined generation of heat and electricity, while managing the gases’ varying compositions.

Furnace gas power generation benefits

• Alternative disposal of a challenging gas while simultaneously harnessing it as an energy source
• Reduced energy costs, and greater predictability and stability
• Efficient and economic combined heat and electricity supply
• High electrical efficiency compared to other power generation technology (e.g., steam or gas turbines)
• Full power in 10 minutes
• Considerably low gas pressure required
• Reduced greenhouse gas
• Long intervals between overhauls, due to simple, high-quality construction

 

HYDROGEN

Jenbacher is ready for the age of hydrogen! With its potential as a CO2-free fuel source and its ability to be stored, hydrogen (H2) is an important part of the energy transition. Jenbacher already has 50 years of experience in converting alternative fuels into power—and more than 8,500 of our Jenbacher gas engines are operating on climate-neutral gases right now. Some of these engines have already been converted to hydrogen power engines, showcasing the versatility of our technology.

As you face stricter emission regulations and a push toward CO2-neutral power solutions, how will you reach a greener future? Renewable power is part of the answer, of course, but traditional technologies also can become CO2-free—if they use hydrogen (H2) as fuel. This is where our hydrogen gas power plant solutions come into play.

Well suited for engines for power, heat and/or cooling generation, H2 can be integrated with solar, wind, or other renewable technologies to form the backbone of your 100% renewable microgrid. When using green hydrogen in engines, you can even achieve a zero-carbon emission solution. This is made possible by our ability to convert gas engines to hydrogen, ensuring a seamless transition to a greener future.

INNIO Group's Jenbacher products can deliver hydrogen-ready power plants today. With an investment in our Jenbacher hydrogen combined heat and power (CHP) technology, you can run your plant on conventional pipeline gas and flexibly start mixing in H2. The switch to a CO2-free operation can be done with an engine conversion when hydrogen becomes more readily available.

In 2020 the world's first Jenbacher gas engine has been converted to run on hydrogen at HanseWerk Natur in Hamburg-Othmarschen, Germany, a prime example of how INNIO gas engines can be converted to use hydrogen as fuel. The Jenbacher gas engine in the 1 megawatt class supplies 30 residential units in a district heating network as well as a kindergarten, a sports field and a leisure center including a cinema.

3 ways to use hydrogen with Jenbacher engines

H2 in pipeline gas

All new Jenbacher engines are "Ready for H2".* They can be offered with the option of running with up to 25% (vol) of hydrogen in pipeline gas. As hydrogen becomes more readily available, all "Ready for H2" units and most of the currently installed Jenbacher pipeline gas gas-fueled engines can be converted to operate on 100% hydrogen. Type 4 engine solutions are available to run on 100% H2 today.

* In general, “Ready for H2” Jenbacher units can be converted to operate on up to 100% hydrogen in the future. Details on the cost and timeline for a future conversion may vary and need to be clarified individually.

H2 locally admixed to conventional gas

Up to 60% (vol) hydrogen content can be admixed to pipeline gas fuel for use in special versions of Jenbacher Type 3, 4, and 6 engines. Type 4 engines and CHP systems are available today as dual gas-fuel solutions capable of running on 100% conventional gas, 100% H2, or mixtures of conventional gas and H2.

100% H2 as an energy source

Jenbacher Type 4 engine solutions now are available as 100% H2 engine systems operating exclusively on hydrogen. These plants are CO2-free by design.

Hydrogen power plant solutions

We are offering upgrades for existing plants or installation of new ones. Whether you choose to convert your current Jenbacher engine plant to "Ready for H2" operation, accepting up to 25% (vol) of hydrogen in pipeline gas, or opt for one of our Type 4 100% H2 engines, you are making a smart investment choice. Combining the electrical energy of hydrogen with heat generation can significantly increase the overall efficiency of the hydrogen power plant solution.

Smart investment in hydrogen technologies

Some of the world’s largest economies—the US, Japan, European Union member countries, China and Canada, for example—have committed to large-scale investment in hydrogen technology in this decade with the belief that H2 will be widely available by 2030. By investing now in INNIO’s Jenbacher “Ready for H2” technology, you will be ready for a hydrogen-based economy. With Jenbacher H2 engines, you can quickly convert from pipeline gas to hydrogen and avoid stranded investments.

Carbon tax case and saving potential

A 1 MW CHP plant running on about 4,000 operating hours per year on conventional gas has current yearly emissions of about 2,500 tons of CO2. When operating with 100% H2, the same plant based on the current CO2 price of around 80 €/ton from the EU Emission Trading Systems (ETS) would save a total of €160,000 per year.

Benefits of hydrogen power generation

• Rely on proven technology
  Build on proven and established engine technology that enables you to flexibly move to 100% H2 operation. Our upgrade can be done during an overhaul.
• Flexibly move to sustainable energy
  Although H2 is a rare energy source today, this will change over time. With your Jenbacher “Ready for H2” plant, you won’t lose momentum. You can move as fast as H2 availability progresses and harvest the green potential.
• Meet future emission goals
  Once your proven Jenbacher power plant is operating with 100% H2, you’ll have a CO2-free energy solution.
• Improve resource efficiency
  With CHP efficiency as high as 95%, about one-third of the H2 fuel can be saved versus power generation alone. And, by running our H2 technology in CHP mode, you can help drive the energy transition as you generate CO2-free heat.
• Help ensure supply security
  With their dispatchability, Jenbacher engines can help balance the intermittence of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and help maintain the resilience of the electrical grid.

 

LANDFILL GAS

Landfill gas is created during the decomposition of organic substances in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

The controlled collection and combustion of this Gas is an indispensable step in the modern operation and re-cultivation of a landfill site. In addition, the high calorific value of landfill gas makes it a viable fuel for gas engines that can be effectively used for power generation. With more than 25 years of experience in the combustion of landfill gas throughout the world, INNIO's Jenbacher landfill gas engines provide an ideal solution for using your waste gas as an energy source.

How does it work?

Municipal waste contains about 150 to 250 kg of organic carbon per ton. These substances are biologically degradable and are converted by microorganisms into landfill gas. Stable, anaerobic methane fermentation begins one to two years after the waste is deposited in the landfill.

Following a simple rule of thumb, 1 million tons of deposited municipal solid waste will produce landfill gas over a twenty-year period—an amount sufficient to fuel a gas engine capacity of 1 MW.

• Perforated tubes are drilled into the landfill body and interconnected by a pipe work system.
• Using a blower, the gas is sucked from the landfill, compressed, dried and fed into the landfill gas engine.
• In most cases, electrical power generated by a landfill gas power plant is fed into the public grid.
• Since there is no buyer for the heat output in most cases, the thermal energy could be converted into further electrical power.

Benefits of landfill gas to energy solutions

Jenbacher landfill gas engines are specially designed to run at full load with high efficiency, despite a low heating value and fluctuations of gas quality and pressure. High quality engine parts resist impurities that usually appear in this type of fuel.

• Mitigation of greenhouse gas (methane) and possible carbon monetization with INNIO landfill gas to energy solutions.
• Revenues for power production, when fed into the public grid.
• Alternative disposal of landfill gas while simultaneously harnessing it as an energy source.
• Low weight landfill gas generators in containers. Ready-to-use landfill gas power generation solutions are easy to move and adjust to changing project capacity.
• Smooth operation despite low heating value and fluctuations in gas composition and pressure.
• Standard electrical efficiency of up to 42% and up to 90% in the case of combined heat and power (landfill gas cogeneration/CHP).
• CL.AIR integrated emission control solution complies with country-specific standards.

 

LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS

We are a “one-stop solution provider” for scalable and flexible gas engine-based LNG-to-Power solutions. We work with you to design the tailored power generating concept that meets your needs. Typical decentralized power plants range from 10 MW to 50 MW matching Jenbacher's product portfolio of 250 kW to 10.6 MW of single unit electrical power output. Our company collaborates with suppliers, distributors, and other leaders in the LNG value-chain to deliver effective LNG-to-Power solutions.

Your Challenge

Empowering Net Zero with flexible, future-proof technology. Nowadays, lowering carbon footprints in power generation is a must. CO 2-free renewables for baseload power generation need to be combined with dispatchable power from such energy sources as biogas, biomethane, or clean gas. Future energy investments need to consider a multi-fuel strategy involving natural gas for today, renewable gases and a hydrogen energy mix for a sustainable tomorrow.

Operating gas engines with liquefied natural gas (LNG) today and transitioning to CO2-free green hydrogen power generation tomorrow is a feasible option.

Industry Trends

Virtual pipeline LNG as a bridge to CO 2-free fuels like hydrogen. Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel available globally and it can be used to leverage a fast energy transition and reduce carbon footprints. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) – natural gas, converted to a liquid form through refrigeration to -260°F (-162°C) is a clear, colorless, non-toxic liquid. It occupies 1/600th of its original gas volume, making it economical to safely transport, trade and store. Utilizing LNG opens up a global market for you with competitive price-building mechanisms and the ability to choose from various providers. LNG production and transport is a proven concept. The LNG infrastructure can be used for future carbon-free hydrogen power generation. The virtual pipeline connects the main storage facility by truck, smaller feeder ship, rail, or decentralized small pipeline to a power plant or industry complex.

 

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas, also known as pipeline gas, is a viable solution for a swift energy transition and minimizing the global carbon footprint. Natural gas power solutions can be an important part of this transition.

Natural gas fired power plants emit approximately 40% less CO2 than coal, 20% less than oil, and around 30% less than diesel. This makes natural gas a suitable dispatchable counterpart to the growing proportion of fluctuating non-dispatchable renewables in global power grids. You can deploy natural gas immediately to serve as a substitute and bridge towards a cleaner energy future. Natural gas emits 202g of CO2/kWh instead of more than the 400g of CO2/kWh that is emitted out of lignite*.

Natural gas engines are a key component of power generation plants dedicated to minimizing carbon footprints. These engines are known for their efficiency, reliability, and lower emissions compared to traditional fossil fuel engines.

INNIO has long-term proven expertise with more than 50% of the Jenbacher engines delivered globally running on natural gas. Learn more about our broad portfolio of applications which operate on natural gas below.

Benefits of natural gas power plants

• Up to 90% total efficiency in cogeneration mode
• Reduced emissions
• Lower energy-related OPEX
• Fuel availability
• Reliability

Renewable natural gas power generation

In addition to natural gas from fossil sources, natural gas can be derived from renewables.  Also called biomethane, renewable natural gas (RNG) often comes from agricultural waste or landfills, where it is turned into an energy source (biogas). The biogas then is upgraded to a quality that resembles that of natural gas. Fully interchangeable with natural gas, it can be fed into the existing natural gas pipeline network. The advantage? RNG uses waste to keep CO2 from the atmosphere while helping to decarbonize the gas grid.

The use of RNG in our Jenbacher engines is just one of many sustainable energy solutions from INNIO, with engines capable of efficient operation on a variety of renewable energy sources.

Discover our broad portfolio of natural gas applications below.

*Source: IPCC 2006

 

SEWAGE GAS

You may operate a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), be a decision-maker in environmental infrastructure projects, or be part of a business that generates large volumes of wastewater.

How does it work?

Jenbacher gas engines provide the solution to the rising energy costs that wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators have had to pay to meet their discharge permit requirements. Our gas engines efficiently and reliably convert sewage gas into electricity in plants that use anaerobic digestion for biosolids treatment. The process covers up to 80% of a plant’s electricity needs and makes it unnecessary to burn fossil fuels for heating. The gas produced in anaerobic digesters from municipal WWTPs generally contains 55 to 65% methane and typically has a low heating value of 500 to 600 BTU/SCF.

Impressive Potential and Results

On average, about one megawatt of electricity can be generated from biosolids for every 25-30 MGD of treated wastewater. Several active installations fueled by sewage gas show the generation potential of the INNIO solution.

• In Tirol, Austria, two Jenbacher gas engines, a J208 and a J312, power and heat a facility that provides 120% of its energy demand and sends the excess power to the local grid.
• Two J316 engines provide 1.7 MW of renewable energy for a facility in Portland, Oregon. The electrical output meets about 40% of the plant’s electricity demand.
• A cogeneration plant in Spain uses three Jenbacher J620 gas engines to produce 8 MW of power – more than four times the norm for a standard biogas plant.
• Three more J620 units enable a plant in Santiago Basin, Chile, to produce up to 60% of its power with renewable electricity.

Benefits of CHP for wastewater treatment plants

• LEANOX controls with turbo charger bypass help ensure the correct air-to-gas ratio to lessen exhaust gas emissions while maintaining stable engine operation.
• Electrical efficiency of up to 43% reduces the need to purchase energy from the public grid.
• A fully developed monitoring function, including remote monitoring, creates high levels of reliability.
• Maintenance intervals – 60,000 operating hours for major overhauls and 30,000 for cylinder heads – cut maintenance costs.
• Seamless dual fuel mixing evens out gas production fluctuations by supplementing natural gas as needed.
• High power engine density reduces space requirements and installation costs.
• The low-vibration engine has negligible impact on buildings.