T ansac ions o he VŠB - Technical uni e si y o Os a a
Sa e y Enginee ing Se ies
Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
36
BIOGAS: OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND SAFETY
REGULATION
Oli ie SALVI1, Ch is ine CHAUBET1, Sébas ien EVANNO2
1 Eu opean Vi ual Ins i u e o In eg a ed Risk Managemen (EU-VRi), S u ga , Ge many, [email p o ec ed]
2 Ins i u Na ional de l’En i onnemen Indus iel e des Risques (INERIS), Acciden al Risk Di ision, Ve neuil-en-Hala e,
F ance, [email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : The p oduc ion o biogas is posi ioned as ene gy which can no only gene a e a sou ce o
enewable ene gy bu also which ecycles was e. In he con ex o sus ainable de elopmen ,
he place o biogas is he e o e essen ial. Se e al ques ions abou sa e y issues, he
ha moniza ion o he egula ions and he need o de elop s anda ds a e discussed in his
pape , based on he esul s o a wo kshop on biogas sa e y and egula ion o ganized in
No embe 2010 and he ac i i ies o he Eu opean Wo king G oup on Biogas Sa e y and
Regula ion c ea ed a e he wo kshop. The isks co esponding o he biogas p oduc ion
and use ha e been amed using iNTeg-Risk me hod and ools. Se e al de i ci s o isk
managemen ha e been iden i i ed and a s a egy o imp o e isk managemen p oposed
by he wo king g oup is p esen ed a he end o he pape .
Key wo ds: Biogas, Sa e y, Regula ion, Risk managemen .
In oduc ion
Biogas is a p omising ene gy esou ce in he
con ex o he new Eu opean Ene gy S a egy 2020.
I ep esen s a alo iza ion o was es (wa e o
biomass) and can be p oduced all o e Eu ope o
a g ea a ie y o applica ions: anspo , s a iona y
ene gy use, hea and combus ion.
The main eme ging isk issues ela ed o he quick
de elopmen o biogas, which is l ammable, oxic,
and possibly pa hogen (mic obiological haza d), a e:
- he di e si y o p ocesses ( om was e wa e
ea men o solid was e ea men , o biomass
alo iza ion by a me s) wi hou e e ence
documen clea ly de i ning a in e na ional le el
he s a e o he a ega ding sa e y,
- he lack o clea egula ions and s anda ds ega ding
sa e y o biogas p oduc ion and use, and he lack
o en o cemen o he exis ing occupa ional heal h
and sa e y egula ion (including ATEX),
- he lack o o ganized communica ion channels o
sha e he expe iences (nea -misses, acciden s, and
also posi i e expe iences) be ween he indus y
playe s, bu also wi h he usual s akeholde s such
as au ho i ies, insu ance companies, he public.
N.B.: The smell which is o en conside ed as an
en i onmen al issue is no add essed speci i cally in
his documen .
The Eu opean Wo king G oup on Biogas Sa e y
and Regula ion (EWGBSR), c ea ed a e he
Wo kshop o ganized by EU-VRi and INERIS in
Pa is in No embe 2010, has joined he iNTeg-Risk
p ojec in 2011. This p ojec p o ides a amewo k,
me hods and ools o s a s uc u ing he sec o om
a isk managemen poin o iew.
The pa icipa ion in he p ojec is pe o med
by ha ing “Biogas sa e y and egula ion” as a new
ERRA (Eme ging Risk Rep esen a i e Applica ion)
whose objec i e is o accompany he deploymen o
biogas in Eu ope wi h a high le el o sa e y. I means
ha he app oach and ools de eloped wi hin iNTeg-
Risk ha e been implemen ed in he wo king g oup.
These me hods and ools a e help ul o manage he
eme ging isks o biogas and hey cons i u e a ull
es o he esul s o iNTeg-Risk p ojec .
This pape p esen s he ideas de eloped in
a “b ie i ng pape ” p epa ed by he EWGBSR. I
desc ibes he eme ging isk issues ela ed o he
p oduc ion o biogas. The objec i e o he “b ie i ng
pape ” is o aise awa eness abou he eme ging
isks among policy make s and isk manage s a
co po a e le el. I is aimed a p o iding syn he ic
in o ma ion on sa e y issues ela ed o biogas o
he a ge g oup abou possible solu ions based on
he implemen a ion o he iNTeg-Risk solu ions,
and he e o e i migh suppo he launch o u he
ini ia i es on isk managemen ela ed o biogas.
Fi s o all his pape p o ides a gene al
p esen a ion o he ends o biogas p oduc ion
in Eu ope and he legisla ion cu en ly in o ce.
Secondly, he main biogas sa e y issues a e p esen ed
Resea ch a icle
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T ansac ions o he VŠB - Technical uni e si y o Os a a
Sa e y Enginee ing Se ies
Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
37
as well as he ends in e ms o acciden s in Eu ope.
Then he applica ion o he iNTeg-Risk app oach and
ools is desc ibed wi h e en ually some p oposals
o imp o ing isk managemen .
Ma e ials and me hods
Biogas de elopmen and Eu opean policy
con ex
• Backg ound in o ma ion
Biogas is an ene gy esou ce de eloping e y
as in Eu ope. In 2010, p ima y ene gy p oduc ion
om biogas enjoyed an annual g ow h o 31.3 % o
each a p oduc ion o 20.9M oe (Obse ’ER, 2011).
The e a e h ee majo p oduc ion channels:
- Sewage sludge gas ep esen s 9.8 % o o al
p oduc ion (1.1 M eo).
- Land i ll gas ep esen s 26.8 % o o al p oduc ion
(2.9 M eo).
- The emaining 63.4 % a e p oduced om
o he deposi s which co e pu pose-designed
ene gy con e sion me haniza ion plan s
(decen alized ag icul u al plan s, municipal solid
was e me haniza ion plan s, co-diges ion and
mul i-p oduc plan s).
This impo an inc ease in biogas p oduc ion
bene i ed mainly o:
- Elec ici y p oduc ion ha ep esen ed 30.3 TWh
in 2010 which is 20.9 % up on 2009.
- To al hea consump ion ( om he ans o ma ion
sec o and o sel -consump ion by he end-use )
ha amoun ed o 1.5 M oe.
- Ano he ype o biogas eco e y, biome hane
injec ion (pu i i ed biogas) in o he na u al gas
g id ha is booming in a numbe o coun ies such
as Ge many, Sweden, and he Ne he lands. The
de elopmen o “ uel-g ade biogas” (na u al gas
quali y) p o ides ano he possible opening.
The Eu Obse ’ER su ey indica es ha he
membe s a es a e al eady ahead o hei elec ici y
a ge and in line wi h hei hea consump ion
o ecas s. Indeed, he Na ional Renewable Ene gy
Ac ion Plans (NREAPs) a ge
a p oduc ion o elec ici y om biogas
sou ce up o 64 TWh in 2020 (43.9 TWh
in 2015 and 28.7 TWh in 2010) and he
biogas hea is a ge ed o each 4.5 M oe
in 2020 (2.7 M oe in 2015 and 1.5 M oe
in 2010).
Howe e much o he g ow h in
p ima y ene gy p oduc ion om biogas
is happening in Ge many (61 % o he p ima y ene gy
p oduc ion). Con a y o he o he s, Ge many has
made he choice o p omo e he use o ene gy c ops.
Poli ical decisions o de elop he biogas sec o ,
bo h in egula ion and i nancial e ms a e c ucial i he
a ge s a e o be me , bu he public accep ance o he
new ene gy sys ems is also an impo an componen
ha has o be se iously aken in o accoun .
• Biogas p oduc ion
Biogas is p oduced om was e in biogas plan s
o anae obic diges e s (Sal i e al., 2011). The
anae obic diges ion is he p ocess which ans o ms
o ganic ma e in o biogases such as me hane and
ca bon dioxide. The e a e se e al p ocesses o
he p oduc ion o biogas depending on he ype o
o ganic was e used. Indeed, biogas could come om
se e al so s o aw ma e ials:
- Sewage sludge,
- Food was e,
- Was e om ood indus y,
- Manu e om cows, pigs e c.,
- Residues om ag icul u e,
- ”Ene gy” he bs and plan s like maize,
- Dis ille y by p oduc s,
- O ganic ac ion o municipal solid was es.
The amoun o biogas o he quali y o he biogas
which will be p oduced depends on he so o aw
ma e ial. Thus, he biogas p oduc ion is e y a iable
om one plan o ano he . I is also impo an o
highligh he di e ence be ween biogas plan and
anae obic diges e (biogas om land i lls and biogas
om diges e s).
The e a e a lo o echnical aspec s which depend
om each o he : Va ious aw ma e ials mean di e en
p ocesses, di e en p ocesses mean di e en amoun s
o gases, and di e en amoun o gases mean di e en
so s o up-g ading o emo ing. And i nally, i
appea s impossible o i x a global yield in o de o
s udy all uses o biogas o o iden i y clea ly haza ds
and isks in a biogas plan .
Tab. 1 T ace compounds o biogas om di e en
biogas p oduc ion plan s
Biogas CH4
[%]
CO2
[%]
O2
[%] N2 [%] H2S
[ppm]
Benzene
[mg.m-3]
Toluene
[mg.m-3]
Land i ll 47 - 57 37 - 41 < 1 < 1 - 17 36 - 115 0,6 - 2,3 1,7 - 5,1
Sewage
diges e 61- 65 36 - 38 < 1 < 2 b.d. 0,1 - 0,3 2,8 -
11,8
Fa m
biogas
plan
55 - 58 37 - 38 < 1 < 1 - 2 32 - 169 0,7 - 1,3 0,2 - 0,7
No e: b.d.: below de ec ion
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Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
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Then, i is impo an o unde s and he sa e y
c i ical pa ame e s and o es ablish a egula ion on
he p oduc ion o biogas o o hink abou a possible
s anda diza ion ha is compa ible wi h he a ie y o
biogas p oduc ion plan s.
• Ene gy policy con ex
The sa e de elopmen o biogas in Eu ope will
be possible wi h a s ong legisla ion o suppo i s
p oduc ion. This pa ag aph maps he landscape o
EU policy.
The d i ing o ce behind he de elopmen and
use o bioene gy is he Renewable Ene gy Di ec i e
(Di ec i e 2009/28/EC) adop ed in Ap il 2009 by
he Council and he Pa liamen o he Eu opean
Union. This di ec i e se s a common amewo k o
he p omo ion o ene gy om enewable sou ces in
Eu ope. The aim o his legisla i e ac is o achie e
by 2020 a 20 % sha e o ene gy om enewable
sou ces in he EU's i nal consump ion o ene gy and
a 10 % sha e o ene gy om enewable sou ces in
each membe s a e's anspo ene gy consump ion.
The implemen a ion o hese objec i es is
suppo ed by he Eu opean S a egic Ene gy
Technology Plan (SET-Plan), ini ially se led
in 2007 by he Eu opean Commission (COM,
2007). The objec i e was o inc ease, coo dina e
and ocus EU suppo on key low-ca bon ene gy
echnologies. The e a e 6 Eu opean Indus ial
Ini ia i es (EIIs) in he SET-Plan, including he
Eu opean Indus ial Bioene gy Ini ia i e. The EIIs
b ing oge he he indus y, he esea ch communi y,
he membe s a es and he Commission and aim a
he apid de elopmen o key ene gy echnologies
a Eu opean le el. In pa allel he Eu opean Ene gy
Resea ch Alliance (EERA) wo ks o align he R&D
ac i i ies o indi idual esea ch o ganiza ions o he
needs o he SET-Plan p io i ies, and o es ablish
a join p og amming amewo k a he EU le el. The
SET-Plan is coo dina ed by he SET-Plan S ee ing
g oup (SET-G oup) and suppo ed by Eu opean
Commission's In o ma ion Sys em o he SET-Plan
(SETIS).
A global s a egy insis ing on sa e y aspec s has
been es ablished in he Communica ion “Ene gy
2020 - A s a egy o compe i i e, sus ainable and
secu e ene gy” (COM, 2010). This Communica ion
se s ou he ene gy p io i ies o he nex en yea s
and se s he ac ions o be aken in o de o ackle
he challenges o sa ing ene gy, achie ing a ma ke
wi h compe i i e p izes and secu e supplies,
boos ing echnological leade ship, and e ec i ely
nego ia e wi h ou in e na ional pa ne s. The
s a egy is s uc u ed a ound ou p io i ies. P io i y
2 & 3 speci i cally se high equi emen s on he
de elopmen o sa e echnologies in an app op ia e
and e ec i e egula o y con ex , eaching he public
accep ance o he new ene gy echnologies.
The impo ance o biogas has been mo e
pa icula ly poin ed ou in he esolu ion o
12 Ma ch 2008 on sus ainable ag icul u e and
biogas (Resolu ion 2009/C 66 E/05). The Eu opean
Pa liamen emphasizes he impo ance o biogas
as a enewable ene gy esou ce o he u u e. This
esolu ion highligh s he bene i s o biogas bu also
se e al h ea s on heal h and en i onmen linked o
biogas p oduc ion, and make some ecommenda ions
o Membe S a es and Commission:
13. S esses ha echnical and managemen
de elopmen s a e expec ed in he nea u u e which
will u he inc ease en i onmen al and heal h
bene i s o biogas ins alla ions which use li es ock
manu e, slu y and o ganic was e.
The Eu opean Commission is also asked o p o ide
suppo and in pa icula o en o ce legisla ion o
he de elopmen o biogas ins alla ions. Conce ning
sa e y aspec s, he impo ance o epo ing and
sha ing expe ience on bes p ac ices be ween
Membe S a es is emphasized:
39. U ges he Commission and Membe S a es
o de elop a cohe en biogas policy; asks he
Commission o p esen a speci i c epo on biogas
and i s p omo ion in he EU, ou lining he necessa y
changes in Communi y and na ional law o acili a e
u he expansion o he biogas sec o and poin ing
ou he mos e i cien ways o using EU unds
and p og ammes, as well as gi ing bes p ac ice
examples; asks also, in his ega d, o an impac
assessmen o he a ious o ms o biogas p oduc ion
on clima e, he ecology o he landscape, u al
incomes and wo ldwide secu i y o ood supply.
50. Calls on he Commission o ensu e
coope a ion and coo dina ion be ween Membe
S a es, including hose who cu en ly ha e no biogas
ins alla ions, o jus a small numbe he eo , so ha
hey may lea n abou each o he 's bes p ac ices in
ela ion o biogas ins alla ions h ough he sha ing
o knowledge and echnology.
Rega ding he policy con ex , i gi es a high
p io i y o enewable ene gies, in pa icula o hose
ha can be p oduced locally and in a dis ibu ed
manne , such as biogas. A he same ime, he shi
o enewable ene gy has o be sa e and secu e. The
in as uc u es ha e o be adap ed as well as he
egula o y con ex .
I means o he biogas, ha he ollowing
challenges mus be sol ed:
- Assu e he inhe en ly sa e design and ope a ion
echniques o biogas plan s and usages.
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Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
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- Reach he public accep ance o his enewable
ene gy.
- Capi alize he good p ac ices in e e ence
documen s (guidelines) and in s anda ds.
- Suppo he de elopmen o a ha monized and
cos -e ec i e egula o y amewo k.
Biogas sa e y issues
• Main isks o biogas p oduc ion
Biogas p oduc ion plan s p esen h ee main
isks:
- The isk o explosion is he mos s udied because i
is ela ed o he p oduc ion and use o a l ammable
gas which is composed mainly wi h me hane
(c . Tab. 1).
- The second majo isk is oxici y due o he
p esence o H2S. I is a e y oxic gas ha is
p oduced in anae obic diges ion.
- The mic obial isk is also o be conside ed, howe e
ch onic isk o inhaling pa hogens and mino
elemen s when using biogas is o e shadowed by
he wo p e ious isks.
The cons uc ion o a biogas plan and i s
main enance should be well moni o ed in o de o
manage isks. P e en ion o people om being
exposed o hose isks and checking o all ma e ials
(including co osion) should be ealized wi h he
aim o making he p oduc ion o biogas sa e .
• Analysis o acciden s in ol ing biogas
A census o da abases collec ing acciden
analyses o biogas p oduc ion was conduc ed in
2011 by INERIS o he Minis y o he En i onmen
in F ance. The aim was o collec a eedback as
comple e as possible on he me haniza ion ac i i y
om di e en na ional and in e na ional da abases
such as he da abases ARIA om BARPI in F ance
o ZEMA in Ge many.
Fig. 1 Numbe o acciden s on ins alla ions
p oducing Biogas in Ge many
The s udy om INERIS (E anno e al., 2012)
p o ides o he i s ime a de ailed analysis o
acciden s in F ance and in Ge many. Fo example
140 acciden s whe e iden i i ed in Ge many in 2009.
The s udy desc ibes he mos p obable scena ios
and gi es an indica ion o he se e i y o he pas
acciden s.
I appea s om he s udy ha mos acciden s
ha ha e occu ed we e i es and in mos cases hei
causes ha e no been iden i i ed wi h ce ain y. The
e olu ion shows ha acciden s a e be e con olled
and consequen ly wi h smalle e ec s on and o
si e. Mos o he epo ed acciden s occu ed wi hin
he s o age a ea o he biogas plan s. F om he cases
epo ed, no signi i can impac on he en i onmen
was eco ded, side e ec s we e mos ly small. The
only consequence o i es ou side biogas plan s a e
ela ed o he o ma ion o plumes made o smoke
om bu ning was e.
Typical inciden s in biogas plan s a e lis ed
below:
- leakage in he s o age ank and/o on he
dis ibu ion ne wo k o he biogas,
- leakage ollowing he comple ion o wo k on si e
s o age and dis ibu ion o biogas,
- acciden al elease o H2S especially in mix u es o
sep ic was e,
- wa e pollu ion caused by e l uen discha ge,
- o e l owing sewage sys ems o s o m-wa e
con ol due o excep ional downpou s, o
equipmen ailu es in he e en o massi e in l ux
o wa e i e supp ession,
- p esence o dange ous p oduc s in he aw ma e ial
used o p oduce biogas,
- o e l ow, eezing o al es, high p essu e inside
he diges e .
The inciden assessmen shows ha he
unc ional uni s such as CHP plan s, injec ion sys em
o solid, pumps, pipes and al es and agi a o s, a e
pa icula ly ulne able, implying ailu es on sa e y
sys em (loss o con ainmen , leakage…).
In gene al, he p ocess o anae obic diges ion o
biomass and was e gene a es a high isks p obabili y
(and heal h and en i onmen al ex ension) du ing he
cou se o ope a ion and/o main enance.
The main haza ds o conside a e lis ed in o de
o p io i y in e ms o occu ence p obabili y: i es,
explosions, oxic gas emissions (H2S).
Compliance wi h ATEX egula ions and he
d a ing o documen ela ed o p o ec ion agains
explosions is a signi i can measu e o con ol such
isks in he me haniza ion sec o . I is he e o e
necessa y o ensu e, depending on he biomass
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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
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Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
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used, p o ec ion agains explosion o l ammable
gases (CH4, CO, H2S and H2), p o ec ion agains i e
and p o ec ion agains he emission o oxic gases
(including H2S).
• E olu ion o he egula ions dealing wi h sa e y in
se e al membe s a es
In 2011 he Eu opean Wo king on Biogas Sa e y
and Regula ion has de eloped a su ey ocusing on
he ollowing ques ions:
- A e you awa e o ecen e olu ions o he biogas
egula ion in you coun y?
- A e you awa e o echnical guidelines ela ed o
sa e y a na ional o Eu opean le el?
This su ey, ha collec ed answe s om
14 na ional expe s om 6 di e en coun ies,
p o ided an in e es ing o e iew o he si ua ion
in Eu ope. Acco ding o he esul s, i appea s ha
a ew egula ion and guidance documen s exis , bu
hey a e ei he oo gene ic (e.g. SEVESO), ei he
oo speci i c (e.g. echnical guideline o biogas
anspo a ion). Mo eo e he implemen a ion o
sa e y egula ions on biogas plan s is no ha monized
h oughou Eu ope.
Thus, he e is a eal need o a common amewo k
ha can be applied o all p oduc ion p ocesses, all
aw ma e ials and all ypes o p oduce s.
Resul s
Implemen a ion o iNTeg-Risk app oach
• Use o iNTeg-Risk ools o ame he p oblems
P oblem aming is a quali a i e s ep necessa y
o s a de eloping isk managemen solu ions. I
places a pa icula impo ance on he need o all
in e es ed pa ies o sha e a common unde s anding
o he isk issue(s) being add essed o , o he wise,
o aise awa eness amongs hose pa ies on he
di e ences ela ed o he pe cei ed isks.
The p ojec has p oduced a amewo k and ools,
such as a empla e o ca y ou a common analysis
o he a ious case s udies. The use o he empla e
p o ides an o e iew o he eme ging isk issues o
he case unde conside a ion. The ollowing aspec s
a e sys ema ically desc ibed:
- Gene al desc ip ion,
- Sou ce o haza d,
- Elemen s a isk o haza d,
- Haza dous si ua ion,
- Main s akeholde s,
- Ea ly wa ning si ua ions,
- S a us desc ip ion.
The able he eunde gi es a summa y o he
a ious aspec s ha help o ame he eme ging isk
issues o biogas.
Tab. 2 The di e en s eps o ame he isk
managemen p oblems o biogas p oduc ion
• S akeholde s and hei conce ns
I appea s ha he s akeholde s in ol ed in biogas
p oduc ion ha e e y di e en isions and conce ns
abou biogas, making di i cul any consensus on
he e olu ion o his sec o . Conce ns should end
o con e ge and i nd common solu ions in o de o
u he de elop he biogas p oduc ion.
Gene al
desc ip ion
Biogas di e s om gas in pe ochemicals
due o h ee main cha ac e is ics ha a e
impo an o ake in o accoun :
- Biogas has been de eloped in e y a ious
sec o s, e y di e en sa e y and indus ial
cul u es
- Biogas ope a o s a e o en public
companies o ins i u ions wi h di e en
ules and logic han p i a e sec o .
- Biogas is a biological p ocess, no
a chemical p ocess
Sou ce o
haza d
The sou ce o haza d is mainly ela ed o he
composi ion o he biogas, which is a oxic,
l ammable and pa hogenic mix u e. The
con ex can also play an impo an ole.
Elemen s
a isk o
haza d
The elemen s a isk a e mainly he ope a o s
bu can be ex ended o he en i onmen , he
popula ion and e en he whole communi y
depending on he plan s size and loca ion.
Haza dous
si ua ion
The haza dous si ua ions a e:
- Explosion and i e
- Toxic elease
- Mic obiological elease
Main
s akeholde s
The main s akeholde s a e he ope a o s
(public companies o municipali ies) and he
chain o ope a ion (sub-con ac o s).
O he s akeholde s can also be in ol ed:
- Public
- Local public au ho i ies
- Regula o (cen al go e nmen )
Ea ly
wa ning
si ua ions
A ecen s udy desc ibes he mos p obable
scena ios and gi es an indica ion o he
se e i y o he biogas acciden s. The numbe
o acciden s has signi i can ly inc eased in
se e al membe s a es (c . Fig. 1).
S a us
desc ip ion
A Eu opean Wo king G oup on Biogas
Sa e y and Regula ion (EWGBSR) has been
c ea ed in 2010 and is ope a ing o b ing
mo e e idences on he isk managemen
issues o he biogas p oduc ion.
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Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
41
Tab. 3 Lis o s akeholde s and hei conce ns
• Iden i i ca ion o de i ci s
The isk managemen de i ci s o biogas
p oduc ion ha e been cha ac e ized using he se
o ools de eloped wi h he iNTeg-Risk p ojec .
These ools ha e been ex ensi ely desc ibed in he
p oceedings o he h ee las annual con e ences
(Jo ano ic e al., 2010, 2011, 2012).
Tab. 4 De i ci s iden i i ed o biogas isk managemen
P oposal o imp o ing isk managemen
• Speci i c elemen s o isk managemen
The de elopmen o a isk managemen s a egy
has o ake in o accoun he speci i c ea u es o he
biogas indus y, which is in ac de i ed om se e al
indus y sec o s, i.e. in pa icula :
- Was e wa e ea men indus y,
- Solid was e ea men indus y,
- Ag icul u al indus y.
These sec o s a e s uc u ed di e en ly, has
di e en ac o s and di e en se o s anda ds and
egula ions. These aspec s a e conside ed in his
pa ag aph.
Indus ial a ionale:
- A he o igin, Biogas is a ely he objec i e o he
p ocess bu o en a sub-p oduc e en some imes
conside ed as a “was e gas”. Fo example, in was e
wa e ea men plan , biogas is he sub-p oduc o
he diges ion p ocess, he objec i e o which is o
educe olume and weigh o he was e ex ac ed
om wa e .
- Excep o speci i c me haniza ion plan , biogas
p ocess is a ely he main p ocess o he plan , bu
jus a pa o .
- E en i me haniza ion p ocess could be a c i ical
one (ex: in WWTP), use o biogas is a ely c i ical
excep om a i nancial poin o iew (ex: when i
mus be eplaced by na u al gas in boile s).
The e o e, i biogas would no be easily
conside ed as a sa e and sma p ocess, i migh be
wi hd awn.
Technical s anda ds:
- As expe iences and con ex s a e a ious be ween
he di e en sec o s
o ope a ion, he
echnical answe s a e
also di e en . These
di e ences o echnical
answe s could e en
begin di e ences o
echnical e idences. Fo
example, using pipe in
s ainless s eel is e idence
in WWTP sec o , bu in
ubbish dump sec o ,
HDPE is.
S akeholde Conce ns
Public ope a o s
Con ol he cos o he main
ac i i ies (was e o wa e
ea men )
Business con inui y
Ope a ional cos s
Ope a ing
company
Heal h and sa e y o he employee
Business con inui y
Ope a ional cos s
Di e si y o p ocess and op ions
o he sa e y design
Ope a o
(ag icul u al)
Heal h and sa e y o he employee
Business con inui y
Ope a ional cos s
Local public
au ho i ies
Heal h and sa e y o he employee
Business con inui y
P o ec ion o he ci izens
Public in gene al Cos o ene gy
Public in he
icini y o he
biogas plan
Odou
Impac o acciden s
Public
au ho i ies
( egula o )
Long e m sus ainable ope a ion
Minimizing he isks o he
socie y
Cos e ec i eness o he biogas
sec o
P e-assessmen Risk App aisal Tole abili y &
Accep abili y Judg. Risk Managemen
T: Technical/
Techno-logical
P e y good
knowledge on he
haza ds o biogas
No enough da a
a ailable on he
a ious si ua ions
o biogas
p oduc ion
Lack o moni o ing/
indica o s abou
inciden s and
acciden s
Lack o speci i c
echnical guidance
documen s o sa e y
H: Human/
Managemen
Lack o educa ion
and sa e y cul u e
Lack o isk
pe cep ion s udies
No c i e ia a ailable
o isk ole abili y.
Lack o channels o
sha e expe ience on
inciden s and acciden s
C: Go e nance/
Communi-ca ion
Lack o awa eness
is obse ed
Lack o conce n
assessmen
No discussion on
isk accep abili y
has aken place.
Lack o
communica ion on he
haza ds and esidual
isks
R: Policies/
Regula ions/
S anda ds
The p oblem is
no ye clea ly
amed
No cos -bene i
analysis and socio-
economic impac
Lack o
accep abili y c i e ia
Lack o ha monized
egula ion wi h a clea
doc ine
On-going ini ia i es in
some coun ies o se
up a sa e y egula o y
amewo k
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Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
42
- Di e ences exis abou he commonly accep able
le el o MTBF o MTTR o he same equipmen s
(ex: gas comp esso , gas moni o ), depending
on he c i icali y. These di e ences be ween he
le els o accep abili y ha e a s ong impac on he
quali y o he p oduc s p oposed by he supplie s.
- Me haniza ion is a biological p ocess wi h
a g ea ine ia. The e o e i canno be s opped
like a classic chemical p ocess. So ha , sa e y
equipmen and sa e y concep s mus absolu ely
ake his pa icula i y in o accoun wi hou simply
copying wha ’s done in pe ochemicals.
Fo example, in o de o p e en a isk o explosion
by in oducing ai in he me hanize , you could ha e
some condi ions which o de i s isola ion. Bu wi h i s
ine ia, me hanize will con inue o p oduce biogas
and p essu e will inc ease un il he sa e y al e opens,
eleasing he gas o he a mosphe e.
Regula ions:
- When hey exis , egula ions abou biogas ha e
been de eloped a ound he egula ions al eady
exis ing abou he main ac i i y o which biogas
is issued. Fo example in F ance, me haniza ion
eac o s o WWTP a e no egula ed by he
indus ial isk egula ion bu he wa e one.
- Au ho i ies in cha ge o moni o ing ac i i ies o
biogas ope a o s, p io i ize hei ac ion owa ds
he co e ac i i ies o biogas p oduce s such as
was e managemen o wa e quali y.
The e o e, egula ions could be con adic o y and
au ho i ies a e no p ope ly equipped o comple e
hei mission o p e en ion.
Sa e y cul u e:
- Con a y o pe ochemicals - whe e indus ial isk
managemen is ully pa o hei ac i i y, in each
s ep o p ocess - biogas ope a o s ha e o ace
such isks only in a small pa o hei ac i i y. So,
hey do no mas e enough he di e en ools used
in isk managemen like HAZOP. We can e en
a i m ha hey a e no eally com o able wi h he
p inciples o indus ial isks managemen .
- Sec o s in which biogas is ope a ed, a e in e nally
linked a ound hei main issues such as land
e i ciency o ag icul u e o own planning policy
o municipals. Bu hey do no sha e oge he
hei expe iences abou biogas.
In hese condi ions, a collec i e lea ning p ocess
has o be de eloped o imp o e he sa e y cul u e in
he biogas indus y. The cu en low le el o sa e y
cul u e and isk awa eness p e en s oday o se up
adequa e ha monized minimum sa e y equi emen s
all o e Eu ope and in he a ious sec o s o biogas.
Raising he sa e y cul u e le el is he e o e a p io i y.
• P oposal o a ailo ed-made app oach o imp o e
isk managemen
In o de o suppo he collec i e imp o emen
o he sa e y le el, he biogas indus y sec o s need
o p epa e a se ies o e e ence documen s and
guidelines. As a p io i y, he ollowing documen s
and ini ia i es should be p epa ed apidly, wi h
he suppo o expe s om indus y and esea ch
o ganiza ions, specialized on indus ial sa e y.
- Eu opean gene al guideline ha con ains
in o ma ion on echnologies o biogas p oduc ion,
egula o y con ex o biogas plan s and ad ices on
managemen o he se ing up o a biogas plan .
- Eu opean da a base on acciden , inciden and
nea -misses p o iding an o e iew o he e en
wi h s anda dized in o ma ion wi h he abili y
o sea ch and i l e he con en by key wo ds,
echnologies, con ex s…
- Ca alog o p o en echnical solu ions on piping
class, demons a ed ins umen echnologies,
se e e condi ions ecommenda ion, speci i cs
P ocess Flow Diag am.
- Me hodological guideline o he design o each
ype biogas plan wi h a p esen a ion o he main
acciden s and hei causes, a eminde o he
speci i c ques ions o aps ela ed o biogas and
ecommenda ions on he P ocess Flow Diag am.
- Me hodological guideline o biogas plan
ope a ion con aining a p esen a ion o he main
acciden s and hei causes and in o ma ion on
he ecommended con ols and ecommended
me hodologies o s op o s a biogas equipmen
in sa e y.
- Eu opean speci i c egula ion on biogas p oduc ion
and uses de i ning he minimum sa e y design
and equipmen equi ed, as well as he minimum
ope a ion p ocedu es equi ed and he o ganiza ion
o he moni o ing.
Conclusion
Biogas is a e y p omising enewable ene gy
esou ce ha p esen s se e al haza ds such as i es,
explosions, oxici y and mic obial con amina ion.
This pape p esen s an o e iew o he sa e y
si ua ion o biogas p oduc ion. A e a e iew o
he p oduc ion p ocess, he ends in Eu ope as well
as he legisla ion in o ce a Eu opean le el, isks
ela ed o biogas p oduc ion ha e been desc ibed.
I is essen ial o ame p ope ly biogas sa e y issues
in o de o imp o e isk managemen . The e o e
iNTeg-Risk ools, which p o ide an e ec i e
amewo k, ha e been implemen ed o biogas o
help aming he p oblems and de eloping a isk
managemen s a egy.
p. 36 - 43, DOI 10.2478/ 10281-012-0010-0
T ansac ions o he VŠB - Technical uni e si y o Os a a
Sa e y Enginee ing Se ies
Vol. VII, No. 2, 2012
43
Re e ences
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Plan (SET-Plan) - 'Towa ds a low ca bon u u e'.
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Economic and Social Commi ee and he Commi ee o he Regions: Ene gy 2020 - A s a egy o compe i i e,
sus ainable and secu e ene gy.
Di ec i e 2009/28/EC. Di ec i e 2009/28/EC o he Eu opean Pa liamen and o he Council o 5 June 2009 on he
p omo ion o he use o ene gy om enewable sou ces and amending and subsequen ly epealing Di ec i es
2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC.
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& Eme ging Risks. Dealing wi h mul iple and in e connec ed eme ging isks. S u ga , Ge many: S einbeis
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Repo .
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As a consequence, a se ies o documen s and
ini ia i es ha e been p oposed: Eu opean gene al
guideline; Eu opean da a base on acciden ; inciden
and nea -misses; Ca alog o p o en echnical
solu ions; Me hodological guideline o he design
o each ype biogas plan ; Me hodological guideline
o biogas plan ope a ion; Eu opean speci i c
egula ion on biogas p oduc ion and uses.
These ac ions will be se up by he EWGBSR
wi h he aim o imp o e biogas isk managemen
and consequen ly suppo he u he and sa e
de elopmen o biogas in Eu ope.
p. 36 - 43, DOI 10.2478/ 10281-012-0010-0