Bioforce OÜ is constructing an advanced and environmentally friendly biomethane production unit in Aravete. The total investment amounts to €4 million, with the new facility set to begin operations early next year.
“European Union and Estonian climate goals increasingly drive us to adopt green fuels. This is particularly crucial in the transportation sector, where Estonia’s fuel consumption relative to GDP is twice the European average. We see great potential in eco-friendly, locally produced biomethane, especially as demand for green gas in Estonia is expected to surge in the coming years,” said Bioforce board member Henry Uljas.
Uljas explained that they are not building the new plant from scratch but instead placing it adjacent to the existing Aravete Biogaas OÜ production unit, which currently produces heat and electricity from biogas. “After discussions with Aravete Biogaas, we concluded that focusing on biomethane rather than cogeneration would be more practical, given the high demand for biomethane in Estonia,” said Uljas.
Aravete Biogaas will invest €1.3 million to build a new pre-storage tank, a new secondary digester, and a wood chip boiler house, which are essential prerequisites for producing the new fuel. Meanwhile, Bioforce will invest €2.7 million to establish the production facility that will purify biogas and convert it into biomethane. “The result is an environmentally friendly fuel with the same energy content as natural gas, suitable for use in public transport,” noted Uljas.
The new plant is expected to produce approximately 35 GWh of green gas annually, comparable in volume to other biomethane production facilities in Estonia. The primary raw material will come from the nearby Aravete Agro dairy farm, with additional organic waste sourced from the food industry. The biomethane will be supplied to gas stations in Tallinn, fueling the city’s new gas-powered buses. “This brings us a step closer to reducing emissions in the transportation sector,” added Uljas.
Bioforce will start construction of the new facility this fall. The plant is projected to begin biomethane production in January 2022. During construction, about 20 people will be employed, and approximately seven permanent positions will be created at Aravete Biogaas and Bioforce in Aravete.
Established in 2017, Bioforce OÜ focuses on three main areas: biomethane production, compressed gas stations (CNG), and wastewater treatment solutions. Bioforce’s subsidiary, Bioforce Infra, won the Tallinn City Transport compressed gas bus fueling contract over a year ago, resulting in the construction of the Baltics’ largest compressed gas station near the Peterburi Road bus terminals. A similar station will also be built near the Kadaka Road bus terminals.
In 2012, Aravete Biogas OÜ established the largest agricultural biogas plant in Estonia at the time, which enables the use of agricultural by-products to produce heat and electricity. Half of the company is owned by Aravete Agro AS and half by Baltic Biogas OÜ, the latter owned by U.S Invest AS.