Meth@domf | Saint-Mars-d’Égrenne | France

Methanation plant with thermal energy from wood

Meth@domf produces and markets energy from biomass through agricultural methanation. Agricultural waste consisting of around 95 % liquid manure supplied by thirteen regional farms is utilized.

Energy &+, a partner of Schmid energy solutions, was commissioned to install this huge methanation plant by Meth@domf. The project was accompanied by Energy &+ from design to planning, construction and commissioning.

Energy from manure – hygienization with wood chips Before fermentation residues leave the methanation process, they must be 100 % hygienized. The residues are heated to 70 °C for an hour using process heat. This requires process heat, which is provided by a Schmid biomass combustion.

Although the decision to use biomass combustion is an obvious one, propane gas was initially considered. However, Energy &+ was able to show that the profitability of a biomass combustion is significantly higher, especially because there is sufficient landscape and forestry wood available on the surrounding farms. In addition, the CO₂ savings are estimated at around 280 tons per year, which is in line with the purpose of the entire project.

Tight schedule – construction of the heating plant in record time

Construction work on the heating plant for the hygienization process began in July 2022. The UTSR-550 visio from Schmid with a capacity of 550 kW was put into operation in October 2023. The Schmid combustion system is supported by a 350 kW biogas boiler.

Thanks to the fast turnaround times of Schmid energy solutions and the prefabrication of Energy &+, which was created off-site, the system for Meth@domf was delivered in a record time of 48 hours.

“We opted for a Schmid moving grate combustion system, because it is designed for different fuel moistures and especially for landscape conservation wood. The boiler perfectly matches the DNA of the project: reliable, versatile and robust,” explains Pierre Doreau, Business Development Manager, Energy &+.

“To keep the methanation process running all year round, you need a reliable, high-quality system that heats the hygienization process without interruption. “The systems of our partner Schmid energy solutions are characterized by precisely these properties”, Pierre Doreau continues.

Partnership-based cooperation

“This project is the result of good cooperation. Laurent Koehl, our contact person at Schmid, and Claude Koegl, the commissioning engineer, have enabled us to implement a high-performance project and cover all customer needs.” Marine Baudu, Business Manager, Energy &+