VITAGRO ENERGY’s biomethane plant.
The second biomethane plant was built in Ukraine in 2024. This is a plant of VITAGRO ENERGY, located in Khmelnytskiy region. Feedstock for biomethane production is agricultural residuals (straw and other harvest materials) and livestock waste (cattle manure and chicken litter). Digestion process lasts up to 4 weeks at a temperature of 36-40 C.
The biogas upgrading technology is used from the Bright Renewables company of the HOST energy holding from the Netherlands.
More than 80,000 tons of annual volume of digestate reduce application of mineral fertilizers on an area of up to 1,500 hectares.
The annual capacity of the plant is 3 million m3 of biomethane. Biomethane will be fed into the natural gas distribution system (GDS). In order to connect to the GDS the company received technical conditions and, before the start of the project, ordered hydraulic modelling to identify how much biomethane can be delivered to the GDS during the year.
The company’s investments for the implementation of the project amounted to almost 6 million euros. Despite the war, the company decided to invest in the plant, as it believes that biomethane has the potential for development in Ukraine. Biomethane projects are not only about livestock waste and crop treatment, but also about the creation of added value. They create possibility to diversify agricultural business, make vertical integration of business and expand export channels for Ukrainian manufacturers.
During the implementation of the project, the company created about 50 temporary and 15 permanent jobs. New jobs in a warring country are taxes for local and state budgets, and support for workers’ families. One average biomethane plant forms 2-3 million UAH (50,000-75,000 Euros) in taxes during the year.
Such investment projects have a great multiplier effect for the country’s economy, as they provide work for other companies, small and medium-sized businesses, starting with the production of construction materials and ending with service activities.
The other biomethane projects of Yuzefo-Mykolaivska biogas company, Teofipolska energy company and the second project of Gals-Agro company are being actively built and are close to completion in Ukraine.
