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Energy & biogas

Run your biogas plant on live data, not the operator's notebook.

A biogas plant's margin depends on three things: what the feedstock costs, how stable the digester runs and how many hours the engine or upgrader is available. Many plants still log feeding by hand and only notice a process upset when gas output drops. We digitalise plants end to end, from the weighbridge to the grid connection.

Discuss your plant

Who we work with

  • Biogas and biomethane plant operators
  • Farms with on-site digesters
  • Energy companies building plant portfolios
  • Investors and lenders in renewable energy
Common problems

What plant operators bring to us

If one of these sounds familiar, the answer below is where we would start.

Feedstock

“We don't know how much gas each tonne of feedstock really gives us.”

Feedstock is usually the largest operating cost, and its value varies widely by type, supplier, dry matter content and storage losses. Without weighing data linked to quality and gas output, plants pay for tonnes and fresh mass rather than for methane.

Linking weighbridge records, dry matter analysis and feeding logs to measured gas production gives the real methane yield per tonne and per euro for every feedstock and supplier.

What we do

  • Connect weighbridge, loader scales and feeding system data
  • Track dry matter and organic dry matter by delivery and clamp
  • Report gas yield and cost per MWh by feedstock and supplier
Process

“We only notice a process upset when gas production has already dropped.”

Digester biology changes over days, but many plants check it once a day or once a week. By the time methane content or gas flow falls, acids have often been building for some time, and recovery can take weeks of lost output.

Online measurement of temperature, pH, gas composition (CH₄, CO₂, H₂S, O₂) and gas flow, combined with regular FOS/TAC results, shows trends early and triggers alarms before the process tips.

What we do

  • Specify online sensors where measurements are missing
  • Bring SCADA, lab and sensor data into one trend view
  • Set alarm rules and early-warning indicators with your operators
Engines & upgrading

“Unplanned CHP downtime costs us more than anything else.”

Every hour a CHP engine or biomethane upgrading unit stands still is lost revenue, and gas may have to be flared. Most failures give warning signs first: rising oil consumption, temperature drift, falling efficiency or H₂S peaks in the gas.

Condition monitoring and maintenance records in one place turn those signs into planned stops. Where gas storage allows, generation can also be shifted towards hours with higher electricity prices.

What we do

  • Monitor availability, efficiency and condition indicators
  • Link alarms to maintenance plans and spare parts
  • Model flexible operation against electricity prices and gas storage
Certification

“Sustainability certification and subsidy reporting take weeks every year.”

Selling biomethane or green electricity with guarantees of origin, and meeting the sustainability and greenhouse gas savings criteria of the EU Renewable Energy Directive, requires a complete audit trail from feedstock origin to energy delivered. Collecting it by hand from delivery notes and spreadsheets is slow and error-prone.

When feedstock, process and output data are already in one system, mass balance and emissions reports become a query, ready for the auditor of your certification scheme.

What we do

  • Map the data your certification scheme and subsidy body require
  • Record feedstock origin and transport automatically
  • Produce mass balance and GHG reports from live data
Portfolio

“We run several plants and compare them in spreadsheets.”

Plants built at different times by different suppliers record different things in different units. A common data model makes them comparable: gas yield per tonne, availability, own energy use and cost per MWh, side by side.

What we do

  • Define one set of KPIs and calculation rules across sites
  • Connect each plant's control system to a shared platform
  • Build portfolio dashboards for management and investors
Reference

What to measure in a biogas plant

The measurements that matter most, where they come from, and the decisions they support.

StageKey measurementsTypical sourceDecisions it supports
Feedstock intakeMass, supplier, dry matter, organic dry matterWeighbridge, loader scales, lab analysisSupplier pricing, feeding recipe, stock planning
Digester processTemperature, pH, FOS/TAC, level, mixingPLC/SCADA, online probes, labFeeding rate, early warning of acidification
GasFlow, CH₄, CO₂, H₂S, O₂, storage levelGas analyser, flow metersDesulphurisation, engine protection, storage use
CHP / upgradingOutput, availability, efficiency, oil and temperaturesEngine or upgrader controller, metersMaintenance planning, flexible generation
DigestateVolume, nutrients, storage level, spreadingLevel sensors, lab, spreading telematicsStorage capacity, fertiliser value, compliance
Example engagement

What working with us typically looks like

FAQ

Biogas digitalisation questions

What does biogas plant digitalisation include?

It connects every stage of the plant to one data system: feedstock weighing and quality, digester temperature, pH and gas composition, gas flow and storage, CHP or upgrading unit output, and digestate. Operators get live alarms and trends; managers get gas yield per tonne, cost per MWh and certification reports without manual spreadsheets.

Can you connect to our existing SCADA and PLCs?

Yes. Most plant controllers can share data over standard industrial protocols such as Modbus TCP or OPC UA. We read from the existing control system rather than replace it, and add sensors only where measurements are missing, such as online gas analysis or feedstock dry matter.

How can AI help run a biogas plant?

With a year or more of process and feeding data, models can forecast gas production from the planned feeding recipe, warn of acidification days before gas output falls, and suggest feedstock mixes that maximise methane per euro. The operator stays in control; the model gives earlier warnings and better options.

More on AI decision support

Want a clearer view of your plant?

Tell us about your plant, its feedstock and control system. We'll suggest where data would pay back first.

Book a free call Reply within two business days