Centria University of Applied Science’s Biogas Pilot: A Step Towards Sustainable Farming

*Picture from Pixabay*

Centria’s pilot site is a fully automated farm with a high electricity demand of 50-150 kW. The farm's activities, such as feeding and conveyor belt systems, need a steady and reliable power supply. The biogas plant's CHP unit produces 70 kW of electricity by burning biogas to run a generator. The BESS will help manage energy better by storing extra electricity for later use.

The COPOWER project will oversee the use of new automation hardware and software to ensure efficient energy distribution. When the CHP unit produces more electricity than the farm needs, the extra power will be stored in the BESS. If the farm's demand is higher than production, the battery will supply additional energy. If there is still extra energy and electricity and prices are high, some of it will be sold to the public grid. The energy balancing system will be controlled automatically by software developed as part of the COPOWER project.

Recently, the COPOWER project completed the Joint Transnational Methodology: A Plan for Community-Based Virtual Power Plants & Distributed Energy Solutions. This document looks at the Community-Based Virtual Power Plants (cVPPs) concept. The methodology discusses how to develop a VPP this in your region and promote local energy solutions. Detailed information about the pilot is included in this document, providing further insights into the project's innovative approach.

A key part of Centria’s pilot plan is teamwork! Project partners, experts, and stakeholders, called “critical friends,” have shared their thoughts on the software and procurement process. Their feedback is helping to improve the technology and ensure it works well for real-world farming.

Stay updated as the COPOWER project moves forward with this exciting pilot. To find out more, watch the video interview with COPOWER project partner Fabian Sanders from Centria University of Applied Science, who shares insights into the project’s impact on sustainable energy and farm operations.