FirstBio2Shipping, a bio-LNG project developed by Dutch companies Attero, Nordsol and Titan, is nearing production of the first bio-LNG to be supplied to the maritime sector.
On February 13 Nordsol shared a social media update stating that good progress was made in the construction of the bio-LNG plant at the site of Attero in Wilp, the Netherlands, with the arrival of the cryogenic installation for the liquefaction of biogas.
Attero, Nordsol, and Titan reached the final investment decision (FID) for the FirstBio2Shipping project in late 2022, enabling the start of the construction phase.
Once operational, the plant is expected to produce around 2,400 tons of bio-LNG (or liquefied biomethane) per year.
Attero will process domestic biowaste into 6 million Nm3 of biogas per year. Nordsol and Attero will jointly produce 2,400 tons of high-purity bio-LNG per year and 5,000 tons of liquid bio-CO2 per year from this biogas using Nordsol’s patented iLNG technology.
Clean fuel supplier Titan , the exclusive long-term off-taker, will supply the bio-LNG to the maritime industry where it is expected to cost-effectively substitute fossil fuels.
The project was awarded with €4,3 million in funding by the European Union.
The use of bio-LNG as a marine fuel can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 80% compared to marine diesel on a full well-to-wake basis. Depending on the method of production, bio-LNG can have net-zero or even net-negative GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis.
According to an analysis of the green LNG bunkering market published by SEA-LNG in 2023, bio-LNG is available in almost 70 ports worldwide, including in Singapore, Rotterdam, and the U.S. east coast.