Il Hera Group, one of the major Italian multi-utility companies, will build within the next year a plant capable of converting renewable electricity and waste water into green hydrogen and then into biomethane. The plant SynBioS, equipped with “power to gas” technology – previewed at the fair Gastech of Milan, dedicated to the energy sector – is one of the first on the international scene and will make it possible to fuel the annual consumption of 1200 families and avoid CO2 emissions equal to those produced in a year by 400 cars.
"With the 'power to gas' technology used by the plant is converted to renewable electricity in synthetic natural gas and in this way not only the pollutant abatement potential of the purifier is increased, but the excess renewable energy is valorised through the reuse of biomethane in the city distribution network, which thus assumes the role of long-term storage,” they explained during the presentation Alessandro Baroncini, Central Director of Networks of Hera group e Christian Nardi, executive chairman of the Pietro Fiorentini group, an Italian company active in the creation of products and services for the entire natural gas supply chain, already a partner of Hera in other projects.
SynBioS: a plant for obtaining biomethane from renewable electricity
In particular, the plant uses wastewater ed renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and oxygen. By exploiting the CO2 of biogas produced by the digestion of sewage sludge, hydrogen is converted to biomethane, to then be introduced without concentration limits into the city gas network and easily stored, thus enabling a diversification of the supply. Furthermore, in the future, oxygen could be used to increase the purification capacity and effectiveness of the purifier.
SynBioS (syngas biological storage) is located in Bologna Corticella within the largest treatment plant among those managed by multiulity by catchment area served.
The entry into operation of the new plant is expected by 2023 and "is bound to the support of incentive measures such as the PNRR“, says a note from Hera where it is specified that the plant is made possible by an investment of approximately 10 million euros.
