German farming business adds biomethane upgrading to biogas plant

A pig farming business in Lower Saxony, Germany, is upgrading its biogas facility to produce biomethane as its original 20-year support under Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) comes to an end. The Timphaus family business in Lohne has selected EnviTec Anlagenbau to install a 561 Nm³/h EnviThan gas upgrading unit, with construction beginning in January and the first biomethane injection into the gas grid planned for October 2026. The project also includes an expansion of the biogas plant, enabling the use of additional feedstocks such as manure and slurry to increase biogas production. The upgraded facility will provide greater operational flexibility, allowing the business to either generate electricity or convert biogas into biomethane for grid injection based on market conditions. The expansion builds on a previous upgrade in 2020, when a 1,500-kW combined heat and power (CHP) unit was added, supporting a transition from fixed government subsidies to a more market-driven business model.