Upgraded biomass plant operating in Samstagern

Axpo has fully modernised its fermentation plant in Samstagern (municipality of Richterswil, Zurich). The upgraded plant will process biomass into renewable energy more efficiently and with even fewer emissions, thereby contributing to the energy transition.

Axpo invested around CHF 2.5 million into the plant and thus strengthens the significance of this site in the context of biomass processing within the region of Zimmerberg. In addition to upgrading the desulphurisation plant to achieve improved emission values, the plant was also given a new liquid fertiliser tank with a gas reservoir for the long-term storage of liquid digestate. In addition, the specialists at Axpo Biomasse put into operation a closed ‘post-rotting’ hall to further reduce the odour emissions from the plant.

In the Samstagern fermentation plant, Axpo collects green waste and other biomass from the Zimmerberg region. By exploiting this biomass, the plant feeds around 1.35 million kilowatt hours of green electricity into the grid each year. This equates to the power consumption of around 300 average four-person households. This process also creates natural fertiliser as a by-product, which can be used in regional agriculture.

With the modernisation of its plant in Samstagern, Axpo continues its investment into the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland. Axpo operates 15 fermentation plants across Switzerland and processes around 280,000 tonnes of biomass per year. With this volume, Axpo produces about as much electricity as the city of Biel consumes.