Fraunhofer IGB Develops Electricity Price-Oriented Operation of Biogas Plants

The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB has developed a digital solution that enables existing biogas plants to be operated in line with electricity prices. A data platform aggregates process and operational data and uses it for forecasting and AI-supported operational optimization. This allows plant operators to better align electricity generation with market conditions and strategically reserve biogas for periods of high electricity prices.

The platform is connected directly to the existing plant control system via an industrial computer. It takes into account factors such as expected gas production, the gas storage level, the available output of the combined heat and power (CHP) unit, and electricity price forecasts. From this data, it can be determined when biogas should be stored and when it should be used for electricity generation. The composition of the substrates used and their impact on gas production and costs can also be incorporated into the optimization process. The solution is designed to offer operators of existing plants a way to increase the flexibility of their facilities without major investments in additional gas storage.