REEFUELERY begins construction on bio-LNG and e-LNG liquefaction plant

Construction has begun in Burghaun: Government President of Kassel, Mark Weinmeister; Burghaun's Mayor, Dieter Hornung; Erdgas Südwest GmbH Managing Director, Ralf Biehl; Managing Director of REEFUELERY GmbH and Head of Participation Management at Erdgas Südwest GmbH, Frank Erben; Managing Director of REEFUELERY GmbH and avanca Energy AG, Jürgen Muhle; and Project Manager of REEFUELERY GmbH, Benedikt Rolfes, came together on the 27 April 2023 for the ground breaking of REEFUELERY.

“The market town of Burghaun is pleased to participate as a climate community in the decarbonisation of heavy-duty transport. Together with the companies involved, we support the use of a proven technology that immediately helps to achieve climate targets. We are rightly proud of that,” said Hornung. The partner companies, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance, PSE Engineering, political representatives from Hesse, and numerous invited guests from all over Germany, were also present on site.

In partnership with the Wärtsilä, the REEFUELERY liquefaction plant is being developed to the most efficient standards. It consists of a gas treatment, a liquefaction unit, and storage and loading units. REEFUELERY will produce the renewable fuel REEFUEL (bio-LNG and eLNG) from green hydrogen generated by wind energy and biomethane from certified organic waste. For the liquefaction at -162°C, bmp greengas GmbH, the leading biomethane marketer in Europe and a subsidiary of joint venture partner Erdgas Südwest GmbH, will supply the plant with the required amount of biomethane. Bilfinger Engineering & Maintenance GmbH and PSE Engineering GmbH provide expertise in areas such as engineering, planning, and installation, as well as the approval process. Bilfinger also supplies four 300 m³ storage tanks and the loading unit, including a weighing system.

“I am pleased to celebrate today a special milestone on the way to climate neutrality in transport, which also contributes to our sustainability goals,” added Biehl.

With the start of operations, a daily production of up to 180 tpd of REEFUEL can be achieved from 2024. This enables around 4500 LNG trucks to operate in a climate-neutral manner. Regional and centralised production with direct access to MIDAL and optimal connection to the Alternoil filling station network can save further CO₂ emissions along the entire value chain, leverage economies of scale, and achieve stable, competitive prices for end consumers. This creates independence in volatile times.

Schneider commented: “For our suppliers and ourselves, REEFUELERY provides a secure biomethane supply path into the transport sector. I am also convinced that today's ground breaking ceremony heralds a new era of sustainable future for transport and logistics companies in this country.”

Alternoil GmbH has taken early steps towards transformation in heavy-duty transport and has built a nationwide network of filling stations for climate-friendly fuels. This ensures reliable supply of alternative fuels to logistics companies through-out Germany. Alternoil is supported by Paneuropa Transport GmbH, which is responsible for the nationwide transport of REEFUEL.

Muhle, concluded: “Efficient measures need to be taken today to achieve climate goals and ensure a livable future. Therefore, we are rapidly building our REEFUELERY liquefaction plant and expanding our Alternoil filling station network. I am proud that we are leading the way as a joint venture and scaling up the volumes of REEFUEL as an interdisciplinary team of specialists. This provides the heavy-duty transport sector with a competitive, already available fuel alternative that has been proven and certified to reduce the CO₂ footprint.”

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/16052023/reefuelery-begins-construction-on-bio-lng-and-e-lng-liquefaction-plant/