Integrated energy giant Dong Energy has teamed up with other Danish companies Novozymes, Novo Nordisk and Bigadan to investigate the possibility of creating biogas from biomass.

The firms intend to proceed with biogas production processes if a one-year pre-investigation supports the preliminary analyses.

Pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk and biotechnology firm Novozymes have factories in Kalundborg on Denmark’s Zealand island.

These enzymes and insulin production centres generate biomass as a by-product, which is either used as field fertiliser or by Novo Nordisk to create biogas at installations around the island.

Bigadan and Dong Energy have been chosen as partners for the study, with the aims of exploring the potential of using the biomass from the facilities for biogas production.

“This doesn’t just make sense for the environment, but also financially for our production.”
Novozymes EMA operations director Gerrit Liebgen and Novo Nordisk senior vice-president Michael Hallgren said: “It’s an exciting project which will look at whether it’s a good idea to use our production here in Kalundborg as a source of biomass for large-scale biogas production.

“It would mean that the biomass will both be used as a fertiliser, and for green energy. This doesn’t just make sense for the environment, but also financially for our production.”

Detailed analyses of the potential biogas generation are being carried out.

The firms intend to set-up a new production facility for the project, which will require relevant authority approvals.

Once approved, Bigadan and Dong Energy will develop and own the biogas plant, currently planned to sit near the Asnæs power station.

Apart from the Kalundborg facilities, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes will also deliver biomass for the proposed plant from their facility at Fuglebakken, Copenhagen.