Green gas

Organic materials can be kept in tanks and degraded using bacteria under anaerobic conditions to produce a form of natural gas known as biogas or green gas. It differs from natural gas in that it has a slightly lower calorific value and does not contribute to global warming.

Processing farm products produces residues that cannot be used in foodstuffs, animal feeds or as raw materials for other applications. But they can be used to produce green gas. Cosun's policy is to use more of these residues to produce biogas. Suiker Unie has built a large fermentation plant at its sugar factory in Dinteloord. It will produce substantial volumes of biogas that it will upgrade to the same quality as natural gas and then feed into the national gas network, making a substantial contribution to the supply of sustainable gas.

Biogas is also produced at the water treatment plant. It is usually mixed with purchased natural gas and used in our own boilers. Suiker Unie will also upgrade this gas to natural gas quality and feed it into the national gas network.

Sensus is deliberately conducting a policy of producing as much biogas as possible. The proportion of biogas has increased in recent years thanks to improvements in the operation of the wastewater treatment plant and the processing of sugar-rich wastewater produced by Suiker Unie in Roosendaal.