Largest contract awarded in the company’s history:
Renewable energy from Willich for Qatar

(Willich, 09.04.2008) Pro2 Anlagentechnik GmbH – one of the leading suppliers in the field of biogas and landfill gas worldwide – is proud to announce it was recently awarded the largest contract in company history. Among other technology, Pro2 will deliver 5 co-generation power plants to the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar to transform ecologically dangerous biogas containing methane into environmentally friendly electricity at the emirate's central waste disposal facilities.

The contract volume for Pro2 comprises around € 4.5 million with options for expanding the plant. In an initial phase, the Willich-based company will deliver five co-generation power plants with an output of 1.3 MW each, two flares with a thermal capacity of eleven MW each and two compressor stations for a total of 4000 m3/h of biogas. Pro2 was able to beat out the international competition with its concept of offering “everything from a single source” in the field of gas treatment. Production will begin soon for both the co-generation power plants and the flares; the plant in Qatar is scheduled for commissioning in July of 2009. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture issued the RFP for this project. KeppelSeghers of Singapore is the general contractor.

The waste disposal facilities will cover an area of 300 hectares and are being built near Doha, the capital of the emirate Qatar. There will be five refuse collection points in the country. From there, waste will be transported to the central waste treatment facility by truck.

In fermentation plants, biogas is produced during the decomposition of organic materials within the waste. Released into the atmosphere uncontrolled, this combustible greenhouse gas which contains methane poses a hazard to the environment and places a tremendous strain on the climate. It is also partially responsible for the greenhouse effect and global warming. The global warming potential of one kg of methane is 23 times higher than that of one kg of carbon dioxide. It is estimated that 500 million tons of methane are emitted worldwide; around 70% of these emissions are caused by humans. Methane is also emitted through agricultural cultivation and animal farming. The concentration in the atmosphere rose from 0.8 ppm in the year 1750 to 1.75 ppm in the year 2000.

Pro2 is one of the market leaders in Europe for the disposal, treatment and utilisation of biogas. Worldwide over 600 co-generation power plants have been constructed with a total output of 190 MW. The plant concepts in the area of biogas and landfill gas developed by Pro2 in container-type design have proven to be especially effective. Modular, flexible and cost effective, they assure long-term gas utilisation and gas disposal. If gas quantities and/or gas qualities happen to change, container plants can be exchanged within a few hours.

Pro2 Managing Director Stephan Waerdt anticipates that the project will act as a signal for other similarly positioned projects: “We expect this pilot plant to give our strong export business a considerable boost in the Arab world.”