SEAT transforms organic waste into biofuel

The transformation of organic waste into biofuel is part of a project developed by SEAT and is called Life Methamorphosis.

SEAT has launched a project that transforms organic waste into biofuel. The project is called Life Methamorphosis and aims to obtain biomethane from organic waste. The SEAT transformation of organic waste into biofuel has five steps.

The first step in SEAT’s transformation of organic waste into biofuel is recycling. Andrew Shepherd, head of SEAT’s Life Methamorphosis project, has stated that “with all the organic waste that is generated we can produce enough biomethane to power 10,000 cars for about 15,000 kilometres each year”.

The raw material used to turn it into biofuel comes from the brown organic waste bins and what can be recovered from the grey bins in Barcelona.

Second step: transforming the raw material

The selected raw material goes into anaerobic digesters 26 metres high, equivalent to an apartment block. Inside these digesters a decomposition process begins that generates gases. These are converted into biogas after thirty days.

SEAT’s head of the new project has added that “this biogas does not yet have the quality needed to power the brand’s gas engine; it must be refined.”

Third step: refining and compressing

The mixture of methane and carbon dioxide requires a fundamental third step. This is refining. “One of the greatest efforts we are making in our project is ensuring that the quality of the gas is optimal. At the end of the study, we will check how the sole use of our biomethane has affected the engines of the four vehicles we are testing it on,” said the project engineer.

Fourth step: refuelling

Once the biomethane resulting from the process has been refined, the vehicles are refuelled. “This biomethane can be injected into the general gas grid. Chemically they have the same composition, so it is valid to use it either directly or mixed with conventional gas.”

Fifth step: running in

Currently, the Methamorphosis project generates biomethane to refuel the four test cars. SEAT assures that if all the raw material generated at Ecoparc 2 in Barcelona were recycled, around 3,750 vehicles could be refuelled.

“With this renewable gas we address very important issues today: contributing to the circular economy, reducing waste and reducing greenhouse gases, since its production and use generates 80% fewer CO2 emissions than petrol,” Shepherd concluded.

Currently three SEAT León and one SEAT Arona are running on this biomethane to check its effect on their engines after each has driven a minimum of 30,000 kilometres.