Germany – Shell Deutschland has commissioned a new bio-LNG (liquid biomethane) production plant at the Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland. The plant is the largest of its kind in Germany and can produce about 100,000 tons of this fuel annually. Shell is targeting freight transport with this fuel.
Felix Faber, Managing Director of Shell Germany said at the opening of the plant that Shell wants to serve the entire value chain for bio-LNG: “To this end, Shell has already established a Europe-wide network of 90 filling stations for refueling LNG trucks, including 36 stations in Germany. In 2022, we acquired NatureEnergy, Europe’s largest biomethane producer from Denmark. We are currently working on building more plants in Germany.’ Faber added that the liquefier is not only important for the transformation of the site, but is also an important building block for the bio-LNG value chain.
Biomethane is produced from agricultural waste (manure, slurry or organic residues). Shell liquefies it at the new plant at the Rheinland location and delivers it to LNG filling stations. The facilities now in operation include a liquefaction plant, a gas processing system, storage tanks, truck loading stations and the required safety flares.
Shell sees the Rheinland location as one of the key drivers in the energy transition. At this locaction three years ago, the company commissioned the Refhyne-1 electrolyser, which produces green hydrogen. In January, Shell announced that it will convert its Wesseling site at Shell Rheinland and will no longer process crude oil there.
Foto: Shell, Joachim Rieger
