Infrastructure construction: connecting the Czech Horní Suchá biogas plant to the gas distribution pipeline

The Czech Republic’s largest gas distributor, the GasNet Group, is increasing the share of biomethane in its distribution network. This is further reducing the gas sector’s carbon footprint. Most recently, GasNet connected a biomethane production plant in Horní Suchá, Silesia. What does it take to connect a plant like this to the distribution pipelines that carry renewable biomethane all the way to end users?

Biomethane production is relatively simple. Food scraps or agricultural waste—anything that biodegrades—are collected. The air is kept out, and the waste starts to break down, releasing biogas, which is captured.

Biogas consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide. Methane accounts for 50–55% of biogas, while carbon dioxide makes up roughly a third. For biogas to meet the standard and be injected into the distribution system, it must be purified to the required 95% methane content. Water and other trace impurities, such as hydrogen sulfide or ammonia, are removed in the process. The most widely used biogas treatment methods include high-pressure water scrubbing, chemical scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, cryogenic separation and membrane separation.