Wartsila to co-develop Indonesian bio-LNG plant

Wärtsilä signed a joint development agreement with Indonesian national energy company Pertamina and waste utilization company Godang Tua Jaya on 8 October with the intent to create the first bio-LNG plant in Indonesia.

Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Systems (WOGS) will conduct a feasibility study for the project to develop a mini bio-LNG plant with a capacity of 0.75-tons/hour, which corresponds to approximately 4Mw/hour in electrical production. The plant will process municipal solid waste into eco-friendly biogas for use as a renewable energy source for typical vehicle fuel. In addition to the feasibility study, WOGS will provide technological support and an economic assessment. This study represents a FEED equivalent. If the project is deemed to be feasible, then the parties are expected to enter into an execution agreement.

Wärtsilä has delivered LNG plants with capacities ranging from 20,000 to 85,000-tons per year and has also developed solutions for capacities up to 1mtpa. At the other end of the scale are Wärtsilä's mini LNG plants that are particularly suitable for the liquefaction of biogas, and the production of LNG as a vehicle fuel.

Wärtsilä currently has a biogas liquefaction plant in Oslo, Norway. The plant converts household food waste into biomethane that is then used to fuel the local buses. The plant treats 50,000-tons of garbage per year, which produces enough fuel to run 135 buses. The environmental benefits are extremely significant with annual CO₂ emissions being reduced by as much as 10,000-tons. Additionally, nitrogen oxides, noise levels, and particulate emissions are also considerably reduced.

Photo Wärtsilä's biogas liquefaction plant in Oslo from Wärtsilä.