Biogas

The same legislation and requirements that regulate the use of natural gas also apply to processed biogas, primarily biogas that contains methane. Processed biogas is delivered to natural gas pipework, filling stations or usage sites.

If the methane content of biogas is 80% or more, the storage limits are the same as with natural gas.

Permit procedure for storing upgraded biogas	Notification to Tukes	Permit from Tukes	Major accident prevention policy (permit from Tukes)	Security report (permit from Tukes)
Volume of biogas (at least 80% methane)	0.2 – less than 5 tonnes	5 – less than 50 tonnes	50 – less than 200 tonnes	200 tonnes or more

 

Tukes processes biogas in accordance with the Natural Gas Decree in the following cases:

• biogas pipelines outside a plant, the interface is usually a biogas processing unit.
• public biogas filling stations in connection with a biogas plant
• biogas recovery from a landfill. In landfills, the recovery pipeline itself is not within the scope of natural gas regulations. Instead, the application starts with the gas manifold after the recovery pipeline.

Biogas production

Applications for permits to produce, use and store biogas are processed in accordance with Government Decree No 685/2015 on the supervision of the processing and storage of dangerous chemicals. The permit covers all on-site reactors, domes, upgraders and compressors as well as cylinder filling and boiler combustion. The competent authority is either the local fire department or Tukes, depending on the volume of dangerous chemicals on site. All dangerous chemicals processed on site are included in the figure, not just biogas.

Permit procedure for biogas production	Notification to local fire department	Permit from Tukes	Major accident prevention policy (permit from Tukes)	Security report (permit from Tukes)
Volume of non-upgraded biogas (less than 80% methane)	1 – less than 5 tonnes	5 – less than 10 tonnes	10 – less than 50 tonnes	50 tonnes or more

Government Decree on the Safety of Natural Gas 551/2009 (in Finnish)

Act on the Safe Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals and Explosives 390/2005 (in Finnish)

Government Decree on the approval of operators installing and maintaining natural gas, liquefied gas and oil heating equipment and inspecting underground oil tanks 558/2012 (in Finnish)

Government Decree on the Monitoring of the Handling and Storage of Dangerous Chemicals 685/2015 (in Finnish)

Application of legislation to biogas (in Finnish)

Tukes instructions 7/2015 Natural gas handling safety (in Finnish)

Safety guide for biogas (in Finnish)