Renewable Gasfield – Lessons Learned From Commissioning Towards Stable Operation

Abstract

Two years ago, the concept of the Renewable Gasfield Gabersdorf was introduced during the ISEC 2022 conference. Now, two years later, we are able to present our “real-life” experience which we made in the meantime, covering the authority engineering process, the construction period and – most important – the start-up and commissioning process. In this period not only the P2G-plant was set into operation, but we also saw an increasing number of hours with a surplus of solar electric power produced in the surrounding countryside. So, at several hours throughout the year, the electric power output of the already existing solar parks had to be reduced in order to maintain a stable electric grid. Although the PEM-electrolyser with 1.4 MW total electric power uptake is still to be considered as a small-scale project, it becomes obvious that the concept of producing green hydrogen and then using this hydrogen to upgrade raw biogas to pure biomethane will be a perfect concept to store a surplus in electric power permanently in the existing natural gas grid.