There was some good news announced earlier this week regarding the biomethane industry in the UK.
The current government support mechanism, called GGSS (Green Gas Support Scheme), was originally due to close in November 2025, but this has now been extended to March 2028. As part of a mid-scheme GGSS review, the government had initially proposed to extend it by only four months, but after consultation with the industry, they agreed to add a further two years to the GGSS scheme, recognising supply chain delays and issues securing food waste feedstock.
The date of this GGSS announcement, by DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), coincided with the publication of the findings of the ‘Simpler Recycling Consultation’, which sets out the timings for compulsory food waste collections (in England).
So, this double announcement represents good news for the UK biomethane sector, offering investors and operators some level of confidence and security for the next four+ years.
The UK government is also currently looking into options for a future policy framework for biomethane, beyond the March 2028 closure of the GGSS – they plan to announce further details of this next year.
Activated carbon filtration is used extensively in the production of biogas and biomethane. Its main function is to remove unwanted impurities from the ‘green gas’ stream, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S, aka hydrogen sulfide – traditional spelling), ammonia (NH3) and various VOCs such as linear and cyclic siloxanes, limonene and terpenes. Activated carbon scrubbers are also used for general air purification and odour abatement of feedstocks, which include food and agricultural waste streams.
Different activated carbons are available for various types of gas-phase impurities. VOCs are generally removed using standard activated carbon grades, whereas inorganic impurities like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide require more specialised impregnated grades, with the type of impregnant being optimised for each target contaminant.
We can supply our FiltraCarb® activated carbon grades in one of our range of VOCSorber® mobile carbon filters, ranging in size from 180 litre single-use drums to large 30m3 units delivered to customer sites on dedicated tipping trailers. With the exception of the drums, which are generally disposed of once used (being uneconomic to recycle), the filters are replaced once the carbon inside them is ‘spent’.
The used filters are returned to one of our Service Centres, where the spent carbon is removed, bagged, and sent for recycling via thermal reactivation at our facility in Immingham, northeast Lincolnshire. Even spent carbons that are heavily loaded with sulfur, which is a common issue in the biogas/biomethane sector, can be safety and efficiently reactivated in this way, thanks to breakthroughs recently developed by our Technical and R&D departments.
The use of recycled/recyclable activated carbons, together with reusable mobile filters, represents a true circular solution for the renewable energy sector. When combined with the production of green energy itself, this represents a huge win-win for the environment, as well as the many other advantages associated with the production of biogas and biomethane.
These include reducing the proportion of imported fossil fuels in the grid, using up waste feedstocks and the production of post-production digestates that offer a locally-produced and chemical-free alternative to traditional chemical fertilisers. It also offers agricultural communities with the possibility of economic diversification and provides increased job opportunities in a truly renewable and growing sector.
If you are involved in the production of biogas and/or biomethane and you think we may be able to assist with your gas scrubbing and purification requirements, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Puragen team. Our friendly and experienced team are ready to help solve your most difficult purification challenges!
