The municipality of Ringkoebing-Skjern - via Bioenergi Vest - is cooperating with eeef on Technical Assistance to develop biogas production based on animal manure

Ringkoebing-Skjern – Bioenergi Vest in the Danish municipality Ringkoebing-Skjern will receive eeef Technical Assistance to support its project development activities for a renewable energy biogas program to help achieving the EU 20/20/20 goals. Ringkoebing-Skjern municipality has launched a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) under the Covenant of Mayors Initiative for being 100% self-sufficient with renewable energy by 2020. Bioenergi Vest has made a business model on biogas that will help achieving this goal.

The municipality has the highest density of animals in Denmark and almost no biogas production. By producing biogas from 80% of the manure, 1/5 of the fossil fuel consumed today can be substituted with renewable energy in 2020. The municipality has assessed how the manure can be utilized in the most energy efficient way in a unique model of combining decentralized anaerobic digestion (AD) plants with a biogas grid known as ‘The Ringkoebing-Skjern Model’ or the ‘RKSK-model’.

Core of the project is the biogas grid that enables the transmission of biogas from smaller/middle sized AD plants to large-scale consumers, such as local district heating companies using the heat generated as a by-product of electricity production. The RKSK-model is developed in cooperation with local and national stakeholders, such as the public utility company, district heating companies, local farmers etc.

Development activities to be undertaken by the Bioenergi Vest will receive support from the eeef Technical Assistance, as a first step to fund an ambitious and comprehensive plan including an energy audit, tendering activities and the legal and financial set up of the project. In a second stage, eeef will also be of vital importance for the RKSK model as a potential funding partner for the project.

The total achieved energy saving in the first stage of the project (three AD plants) is approx. 89,700,000 kWh per annum, greenhouse gas emission savings equal to approx. 21,600 tons of eqCO2 per annum. Over the next stages of the project (in total 46 AD plants) a substantial amount of energy/CO2 savings will be achieved.

According to Energinet.dk, the Danish national gas distributor there is substantial need for programs like the RKSK-model in order to enhance biogas production and create a sustainable biogas infrastructure in Denmark. The Danish Energy Research and Development Program (EUDP) support the development and implementation of the project.

The European Energy Efficiency Fund S.A., SICAV-SIF is a “société d’investissement à capital variable” governed by Luxembourg law and was initiated by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Investment Bank. The initial capitalization provided by the European Commission was increased with contributions from the sponsors European Investment Bank, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti as well as the Investment manager Deutsche Bank.