Air Liquide has tripled its European biogas purification capacity over the past year, bringing the total number of plants to 12 and its installed capacity to 160,000 cbm per hour. Altogether, the company said it has designed 50 biogas purification units designed to transform biogas into biomethane and inject it into natural gas networks.

Five of the 12 new purification units in France, the UK, Hungary and Denmark, representing a total investment of €12 million, are operated by Air Liquide itself and generate long-term contracts for production of biomethane for Europe’s natural gas grids supplying transportation fleets running on bio-natural gas for vehicles (bio-NGV).

Air Liquide, which claims to be world leader in biogas purification, said it has developed technologies spanning the biomethane value chain. In addition to production of biomethane for the natural gas grid, these include liquefaction and distribution for clean transportation fleets.

Purification and biogas valorization is a “very promising example” of a circular economy, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to solutions for zero emission transportation, said François Darchis, senior vice president and member of the French company’s executive committee responsible for overseeing innovation.