Earlier in December 2012, the project had secured up to €22.3m from the European Commission under the EU’s NER300 initiative for the Verbio technology to make biomethane entirely from straw.
The NER300 initiative is aimed at providing funding for demonstration projects for innovative renewable energy technologies over a five-year period.
German agency for renewable resources Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR) will provide administrative support for the project.
Designated as ‘DE BIOh Verbiostraw’ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the project was commenced following the execution of the grant agreement by FNR managing director Andreas Schutte and Verbio COO Oliver Ludtke.
Verbio CEO Claus Sauter said the funding will help increase the share of biomethane in the biofuel market and biomethane, a real all-rounder amongst other renewable sources, can be easily stored and can therefore be deployed at all times irrespective of its point of origin.
Schutte said, "Theoretically, Germany could use up to 10 million tons of the straw produced each year for energy production without compromising soil fertility, and thus significantly and economically increase the proportion of energy sources represented by renewable energy.
"The processing of straw into biomethane provides an attractive solution in this regard and does not in any way compete with the production of foodstuffs or animal feed."
Image: VERBIO straw facility, Schwedt. Photo: courtesy of VERBIO AG.
