The GoBiGas-project is a project for the large-scale production of renewable methane by gasification of biomass and low-quality forestry material. The syngas resulting from gasification is purified and then upgraded in a methanation plant to biogas with a quality comparable to natural gas to enable the two types of gases to be mixed in the gas network, until the natural gas is phased out.

The project is a collaboration between Göteborg Energi and E.ON. Göteborg Energi expects to deliver in 2020 biogas equivalent of 1 TWh. This represents about 30% of current deliveries in Gothenburg or fuel to 75,000 cars.

The gasification plant will be built in two phases; the first phase will be put in operation at the end of 2012. The second will be implemented after an evaluation of the first phase. .

We have to be able to handle the climate threat as well as continue to use different means of transportation. This is why it is important that Sweden invests in development of second generation biofuels, contributing to lower the climate impact of the transport sector.

—Maud Olofsson, Minister of Enterprise and Energy

GoBiGas is the second project receiving a grant within the call for proposals regarding second generation biofuels and other energy technologies issued by the Swedish Energy Agency at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. The first project granted was Volvo Cars’ development of the C30 battery electric vehicle.

Projects that are still waiting for the state support inquiry are:

• Chemrec AB’s project which aims to extract biofuels from black liquor;
• Södra Cell AB’s project of a full-scale demonstration of the LignoBoost concept; and
• Seabased Industry AB’s project to demonstrate a full-scale wave power plant.