DESFA and the companies Polyeco and Ergoplanning
A Tripartite Cooperation Agreement for the development of a Biomethane Pilot Project with injection into the National Natural Gas Transmission System was signed on Monday, September 12 between DESFA and the companies Polyeco and Ergoplanning. The relevant Cooperation Agreement marks the opening of the specific market, based on a specific action plan and a defined schedule, with the first milestone being the preparation of a business plan by the end of November 2022 and the taking of a final investment decision by the end of 2023. As described in the Cooperation Agreement, biomethane may be used instead of natural gas for the Operator's own consumption purposes in the operation of the compression stations in Nea Messimvria in Thessaloniki and Ampelia in Thessaly, which is currently carried out using natural gas. As the two facilities are located near areas with a high availability of waste, this move is a feasible and economically viable solution, which at the same time significantly improves the carbon footprint of the stations. DESFA's synergy with the two companies concerns the entire biomethane value chain, from the existence of a large waste portfolio that will allow the plant to be continuously supplied with waste to the installation, operation and management of the plant and the final extraction of the green gas for consumption. The CEO of DESFA, Maria Rita Galli, commented: “Biomethane gas, as a renewable and locally produced fuel with a zero-carbon footprint, is a promising solution both for the transition to a green energy system at affordable cost and for significantly reducing energy dependency. In this direction, the signing of this Cooperation Agreement marks yet another step towards the concrete implementation of the biomethane production value chain in Greece, following the submission of a comprehensive study on the development of a biomethane market to the Ministry of Environment and Energy in June. DESFA, committed to the principles of circular economy, always explores synergies with companies of high technical know-how and expertise to improve our environmental and carbon footprint, and therefore we are particularly glad for today’s signing and looking forward to continuing this fruitful cooperation”.
The President & CEO of POLYECO, Mr. Ioannis Polychronopoulos, said: “With nearly 50 years of experience in environmental protection, we are proud that our accumulated know-how contributes to the green transition of the energy sector. The current energy crisis requires the development of partnerships, strategies and solutions that will create high business prospects in the transformation of energy systems.
Polyeco’s collaboration with DESFA and Ergoplanning, for the implementation of a pilot project of energy production from RES and specifically Biomethane, is based on the recovery of energy from the utilization of organic non-hazardous waste and is part of the circular economy action plan. The inclusion of Biomethane in the energy balance of our country is not just an imposed choice, but a feasible and sustainable perspective, as it contributes to energy independence, urban and rural development, the reduction of carbon emissions and the improvement of the ecological footprint“.
Mr. Spyros Tziakas, representative of Ergoplanning, said: “We hope that through this collaboration a feasible and viable solution will emerge, which will prove to be truly pioneering for Greece. Although such units have already been established in Europe, unfortunately, in Greece we still do not even have the required institutional framework. The initiative launched by DESFA and some other market stakeholders provides the opportunity to create the conditions required to pave the way for the implementation of such units in our country. We hope that there will be a positive result both for the pilot and for the implementation of other similar units, which will have the required investment interest and will help to provide green gas production in Greece, as well. This development is very important, as it is linked both to the need for energy self-sufficiency and autonomy, which is highlighted even more strongly by the events that have been taking place lately, and to the need for substantial assistance in the proper waste management of the available waste.”
The Cooperation Agreement follows the submission to the Ministry of Environment and Energy of a comprehensive study which analyzes the necessary adjustments to the institutional framework in order to facilitate the development of the specific market on a commercial scale.