Project Development & Consulting

From location to production – ARCANUM is always at your side in an advisory capacity. Through precise site analysis, we help in all necessary areas of project development and consulting.

Project Development

Since its foundation, ARCANUM has been one of the leading project developers in the field of renewable energies. With the development, operation, and own involvement in the “Biogas pools for Stadtwerke GmbH & Co. KG”, ARCANUM has many years of experience in turning an initial idea into a functioning and profitable plant. This solid foundation is a key to success.

Studies and consulting services

ARCANUM offers the complete range of study- and consulting services in the field of renewable energies:

Site & potential assessment
Feasibility studies
Calculation of the GHG reduction quota according to RED II with the specially developed ARCANUM GHG Emission Check

Financing

Through ongoing relationships with individual investors and financial partners, ARCANUM brings financing options to the implementation of projects. Whether debt-financed projects or equity financing, ARCANUM’s many years of experience also provide the right option for you.

Securing sales

Trade with produced green gases and products
Pooling producers and buyers (e.g., dry ice)

Planning

Preparation of approval documents
Design of the plants from the selection of the correct and site-specific plant technology to the dimensioning of the individual components

Energy turnaround

We take care of the planning, approval, and implementation of projects to make biogas plants fit for the future and make a decisive contribution to the success of the energy transition.

The production of biogas is only the beginning, the processing into biomethane the consistent step towards sustainability and sector coupling. In combination with hydrogen is this the path towards an emission-free industrial society.

Biogas

Why is biogas an important factor of an emission-free industry?

Usage of energy content of plant materials, e.g., corn, green plants, etc. and animal materials, e.g., slurry, manure, dry chicken manure, etc.
Reduction of agricultural emissions (ammonia, which is emitted during application, and nitrate, which pollutes groundwater)
Production of green gas, which is currently still largely used for electricity generation

Biomethane or bio natural gas

What is the advantage of biomethane?

Not only energetically usable, but also transportable and storable via the existing natural gas network
Applicable in combustion engines
Reduction of emission in the transport sector with existing technology

Hydrogen

Why is hydrogen so important?

Applicable in many industry segments (e.g., steel and ammonia industry)
H₂ offers the possibility of avoiding emissions of air pollutants in the transport sector
To meet climate targets, hydrogen is one of the main keys

Sector coupling

What does sector coupling mean?

Connecting/coupling the different sectors: energy, heat, and transport
Linking through decarbonisation of industry and transport → New markets for green gases (e.g., GHG reduction quota trading in the fuel market)
Check your GHG mitigation potential with the ARCANUM GHG Emission Check

Biomethane

Biomethane is an important component of sector coupling and a precursor for other fuels.

Fuel (RED II) and GHG quota

RED II prescribes increased quota for advanced fuels (amongst others biomethane)
Increased share of animal residues and waste (manure, dry chicken manure) is beneficial for GHG reduction quota
GHG reduction quota is tradable

New construction and expansion of plants

According to a UBA survey, small biogas plants have a bright future as well when converting to biomethane production
ARCANUM specialises in the expansion, conversion, and optimisation of biogas plants, e.g., by adding a treatment plant to produce biomethane
New biogas plants are increasingly being built in the field of biowaste composting
Clear advantages of a fermentation stage instead of aerobic rotting through RED II

Post EEG

The first biogas plants are already running out of EEG subsidies
In addition to follow-up subsidies, further lucrative concepts are available
ARCANUM offers tailor-made concepts to preserve the invested capital and to orientate oneself future proof.

Biogas manifold

Further possibility for biogas plants
Economic benefit by combining several small biogas plants due to economies of scale in biogas upgrading
→ Lower specific costs for larger plants
The central treatment plant is supplied via biogas collection pipelines and thus benefits all participants

Hydrogen (H₂)

Generation

Hydrogen is currently produced in different ways. Depending on the type and origin of the energy carrier used, hydrogen is categorised in a kind of colour theory:

Green hydrogen produced by means of electrolysis using energy generated from renewable sources or by reforming biomethane
Grey hydrogen produced based on fossil raw materials (e.g., natural gas)
Blue hydrogen produced with the capture and geological storage of CO₂
Turquoise hydrogen produced via methane pyrolysis → hydrogen + solid carbon is produced
Purple hydrogen produced via electrolysis using electricity from nuclear energy
Other colours hydrogen produced using different sources of electricity and raw materials

Biogas and wind power locations

Green hydrogen requires renewable energy sources. In addition to PV (photovoltaics) and wind power plants, biogas plants also come into question here. Regeneratively generated electricity is converted into hydrogen with water in electrolysers. In biogas plants, the resulting biomethane is converted by steam reforming.

Methanation

In the context of sector coupling, different energy sources are converted into each other. Hydrogen can be produced from biomethane. The reverse process is the methanation of hydrogen. This takes place via catalytic or biological processes.

Photovoltaics

The sun as a source of energy is freely available to us in many places. Wherever free areas allow, the production of solar power is an important component of the energy transition.

Project development

ARCANUM has already supported many projects for the use of PV systems. These include ground-mounted systems, e.g., on landfill sites or military areas (so-called conversion areas), as well as rooftop systems.

CO₂

CO₂ equivalents are the definition of greenhouse gases. All efforts by industry are aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions as far as possible. Agriculture, on the other hand, is considered a CO₂ sink because agricultural plants bind atmospheric CO₂.

Generation

Due to its origin (bonded atmospheric CO₂), the CO₂ captured during the upgrading of biogas can be regarded as neutral in terms of climate balance. After biogas upgrading, it is available in high purity and climate neutral.

Sales

The separated CO₂in a biogas treatment plant can be liquefied and then used to produce dry ice or in the methanisation of H₂ and as a basic chemical. This can significantly improve the carbon footprint of these products.

Project Development & Consulting