Brogas initially focused entirely on biogas. However, when public transport on Gotland invested in biogas, Brogas established a subsidiary and made a new investment in a wood chip boiler.
This made it possible to meet Arla’s energy needs using the boiler, while at the same time contributing to the transition of public transport from fossil fuels to biogas.
Residual waste
“Without Arla’s interest, this would not have worked. We produce the steam that Arla needs to evaporate the milk, but we generate it using heat from wood chips instead of burning biogas. There is good availability of wood chips. At the same time, under the agreement we have, we are entitled to inject biogas into the system,” says Lars Erik Jansson,
The first to be fossil free
Controller and Financial Adviser on biogas for the biogas company Brogas on Gotland.
Arla can deliver its residual waste for biogas production, which makes the company part of the energy cycle on Gotland.
“Of course, there are methane emissions from dairy farms, as with all animal production. But as a production site, we were the first within Arla to be able to become fossil free,” says Martin Berg, Site Manager at Arla in Visby.
Renewable energy
Mats Eklund, Professor and Director of the Biogas Solutions Research Center at Linköping University, considers these solutions particularly interesting.
“Wood chips are not biogas, but they are renewable and readily available on Gotland. Taken together, this makes Gotland a good example of how collaboration between different actors is necessary. With flexibility and mutual understanding of the needs of different operations, it is possible to make a real difference. We are all part of a larger cycle, a circular economy where everything can be used, from excess heat and residual products to knowledge and innovation,” says Mats Eklund.
Exports
The Arla factory in Visby produces, among other things, whole milk, semi skimmed milk, skimmed milk, whipping cream and large quantities of milk powder. The milk powder is used in ice cream and food production in Sweden, but is primarily exported. One of the largest customers is a European manufacturer of hazelnut spread.
