The energy capital :
Ribe BioGas is Esbjerg Municipality's largest taxpayer in the energy industry.

The metropolis or capital of energy, Esbjerg has many names. And therefore one would think that the energy sector would dominate the list of the municipality's ten largest corporate taxpayers for the year 2021 in an overview from the municipality. But the list, which can be seen at the bottom of the article, does not show companies within either oil and gas from the North Sea or the wind turbines that pass through the harbor. The only company within the energy industry is Ribe BioGas A/S, which has taken an impressive eighth place.

Chairman of the Board Aage Lauritzen is also surprised by the high ranking.

- It is a surprise that we ended up on the list with all the major industries in Esbjerg. Many of the companies may be headquartered in other cities, says Aage Lauritzen, who also has an explanation for why the company ended up with the good location:

- In 2021, the raw materials had been covered at a low price, and then gas prices rose.

Prices had already risen significantly the year before Russia entered Ukraine and started the war. At the same time, the company has an approach to economics that is based on reason.

- The way to good economics is that we know what we have to pay for things, explains Aage Lauritzen, who has also been involved in the expansion in the spring:

- We are in the process of a major expansion, where we will have assembled four more reactors, two of which have already been built. But that does not mean that we will produce more than the 15 million. cubic meters of gas, as we do now.

The new plant means that the plant will be able to receive biofuel with a lower calorific value, but deliver the same amount of gas to the natural gas network as today.

Locally rooted and responsible

But perhaps it is not entirely a coincidence that Ribe BioGas has ended up with this fine location, because local roots and responsibility are part of the company's DNA on several levels.

- It is a local biogas plant, and we are located in the city, and we are responsible to the city. It is part of our culture, says the chairman.

It also means that we are working hard to reduce any odor nuisance.

- It is a major focus area not to be a nuisance to our neighbors, because we are located so close to the city. That's why we've installed an oversized carbon filter and a sulfur removal system, he says.

A future with pyrolysis and PtX?

Ribe BioGas was founded in 1989, and at that time the plant was the world's largest of its kind. The ownership consists of 60 farmers who own 83 percent of the shares, while Nature Energy owns the remaining 17 percent. Until 2016, the gas was delivered to the local district heating company, where the cooperation ended. But it may well be that the future will offer surplus heat, where the proximity to Ribe can be utilized again.

- We've just bought 27 hectares of land, and we're looking at both pyrolysis and PtX, says Aage Lauritzen, recalling the company's culture:

- We're not first movers, but we're first followers. We will only have a pyrolysis plant or PtX when the technology is in place and working.

But when that time comes, the company is open to other players as partners.

- I can't say whether we will be doing it ourselves yet or whether it will be together with a partner, he says.

The company is also already in the process of having a municipal plan made so that it will be possible with the new technologies on the acquired land in the future.

More jobs and record results

However, the approach will not change, regardless of whether there is a partner or not.

- As I said, we are very cautious and conservative. It's about creating the right value streams, because we also have a vision of creating local jobs around Ribe, says Aage Lauritzen.

The chairman is also quite certain that Ribe Biogas will not be on the list of best corporate taxpayers in Esbjerg Municipality in 2022. But this year it looks completely different again.

- It's going to be a record result this year, so I wonder if we'll be on the list again for 2023, concludes the chairman.