Solvay Integrates BICAR®Z and Biomethane: A Sustainable Model for Higher-Performance Plants

BICAR®Z is a well-known and widely appreciated product that has been used for many years in the nutrition of pigs, poultry, and rabbits, and is extensively applied in cattle feeding to address the issue of ruminal acidosis.

Starting from the clear analogy between the rumen of a cow and the biodigester of biogas plants, Solvay has studied applications of BICAR®Z also in the biogas sector.

Following several research projects carried out in collaboration with the University of Rostock (Germany), it has been demonstrated that BICAR®Z, thanks to its buffering effect, is perfectly suited to stabilize the biogas production process and maintain correct pH levels inside digesters, with clear benefits in terms of reliability and production efficiency. Encouraged by these significant and measurable results, these studies also led to a Solvay patent on the application of sodium bicarbonate in biodigesters.

Key Benefits of BICAR®Z

In summary, BICAR®Z offers the following advantages:

• Increases and stabilizes pH and the system’s buffering capacity

• Provides long-term stabilization of fermentation biology

• Optimizes system performance through controlled buffering action

• Increases plant efficiency and overall yield

• Prevents the formation of sediment layers and scaling thanks to its high solubility

• Reduces foam formation

Applications of BICAR®Z

BICAR®Z can therefore be used in two different application modes:

• In response to acidification or potential biological system failure
  (“Emergency Treatment” or “Intensive Treatment”)

• As a preventive measure, by stabilizing pH and enabling the system to cope with:
  variable feedstock quality, substrate change issues, start-up problems, temporarily excessive or highly variable organic loads
  (“Continuous Treatment”)

Beyond promoting the use of BICAR®Z and ensuring supply for this application, Solvay also offers its collaboration in biomethane projects in Italy as a potential off-taker of both the biomethane produced and the CO₂ generated as a by-product of the process.

Solvay produces BICAR®Z in Rosignano (LI), and it is precisely for this production site in Tuscany that the company is seeking sustainable energy sources to reduce its environmental impact.

To achieve its decarbonization targets, Solvay is interested in replacing its current gas consumption volumes with industrial-use biomethane.

Specifically, by 2028, Solvay aims to replace at least 30% of its current natural gas consumption (approximately 400 million Smc/year used in cogeneration plants and production processes) with biomethane, corresponding to more than 120 million Smc/year, through medium- to long-term contracts.

In conclusion, by positioning itself simultaneously as a supplier of BICAR®Z and as a buyer of biomethane and CO₂, Solvay ensures the sustainability and circularity of the project, while also guaranteeing continuity and long-term solidity of the commercial relationship.