Adding gas from biomass to the gas grid - SGC

an oxygen leak is detected. This requirement is often also set by the national legislation, in order toavoid explosions in digestion reactors.Gas quality measurement- and data acquisition systemsGas quality measurement- and data acquisition systems are necessary to check and report thedelivered gas quantity and quality to the grid operator. These systems may be costly for a smallsupplier of gas and it is therefore recommended that these systems are standardised and integratedwith the systems operated by the grid operator.6.2.6 ‘Responsible Bodies’ for gas qualityThe European legislation generally states that the operator of the grid is responsible for the safeoperation of the grid and he thereby has to set the standards for the gas that is introduced into thegrid. The grid operator is also responsible for the quality of the gas in the grid. The demands on gasquality is then further specified by the national authorities that control the natural gas sector in theindividual countries and these demands vary between rather detailed definitions of the natural gasquality to definitions like "gas containing mainly methane".The European body that handles the discussions within the gas industry about gas qualityquestions, is Marcogaz. Twelve European countries are represented in Marcogaz and the workwithin Marcogaz is performed within three different committees. It is important that the partnerswithin Marcogaz bring up the discussion on how to handle biogas injection into the grid. This ishowever a matter that must be co-ordinated with the organisations producing biogas or representingthe biogas industry. It may be feasible to set up a joint working group with representatives from thebiogas industry and the natural gas industry to draw up a proposal for standards that can be usedwithin the European countries. These standards should include recommendations for:• quality assurance systems for biogas injection• measurement procedures for biogas injection• quality requirements for biogas injected into natural gas grids.These recommendations can then be discussed in CEN/TC 234 ‘Gas supply’ in order to formEuropean guidelines for the handling of biogases on the natural gas grid.page: 69