Dutch bio-LNG production plant for maritime industry enters build phase

The Dutch companies Attero, Nordsol and Titan have reached the final investment decision (FID) for their bio-LNG project, FirstBio2Shipping, which now enters the construction phase.

The three partners announced the FID on 9 November after meeting at the site for the proposed plant, located at the facility of waste processor Attero in Wilp, the Netherlands.

Set to deliver the first bio-LNG in early 2024, the plant will produce around 2,400 tons of bio-LNG (or liquefied biomethane) per year.

For the FirstBio2Shipping project, 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. 

Léon van Bossum, Commercial Director at Nordsol, commented: “Nordsol is committed to making bio-LNG mainstream together with various partners. In 2021, we built the first Dutch bio-LNG installation to make road transport more sustainable. As a frontrunner, we are proud to also contribute to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector, together with Titan and Attero. The FirstBio2Shipping project is intended to start a snowball effect, resulting in more and larger installations that help make shipping more sustainable.”

Ronald van Selm, CTO of Titan, said: “At Titan, we are dedicated to delivering all fuels that decarbonise shipping and industry in a substantial way. We recognise bio-LNG as a strong clean fuel and we have therefore acted to progress its production and supply to the maritime industry. We are excited to reach the build stage of the project with the Attero and Nordsol teams. They are committed, valuable partners and we look forward to collaborating with them further in the future.”

Jan-Willem Steyvers, Business Developer at Attero, added: “Producing bio-LNG out of biogas from biowaste for decarbonising the maritime sector is a unique innovation. Attero is delighted with the cooperation with partners Nordsol and Titan in bringing biogas to a high-end quality product. Yet another step in our mission of continuously increasing sustainability and creating raw materials and energy out of waste.”

Last year, the European Union awarded the project with €4,3M in funding. This year, on 19 October, the European Parliament adopted the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, which aims at the decarbonisation of maritime transport, and recognised (liquefied) biomethane as a renewable fuel and its potential to blend with and replace fossil LNG.

This joint bio-LNG project, therefore, fits perfectly in the European policies to achieve the climate and energy transition goals, the developers conclude.