The plant is expected to produce 100,000 megawatt-hours of energy a year - more than the entire Bauska region, where the factory is located, consumes in a year.
Balticovo has more than 3.5 million chickens, producing around 70,000 tonnes of manure annually. This produces biogas, which is pumped to the Bovo Gas building that opened on Wednesday July 3.
There, the biogas is cleaned and biomethane is produced, which is then fed into the common network for use.
"We also plan to liquefy and sell this in the future as food gas - for all beverage industries and also for greenhouses, fire extinguishers, industrial needs," said Toms Auškāps, Member of the Board, Communications and Development Director of Balticovo AS.
Climate and Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis (Greens and Farmers Union) said that "the establishment of a new plant and the expansion of the spectrum means additional jobs in the future, and this is a direction in which farmers will continue to move, and development is also taking place elsewhere in Latvia".
The Minister said that it is one of the safest forms of energy there is, and we can produce it ourselves. This strengthens the country's energy independence and self-sufficiency.
Biomethane can also be produced by recycling organic waste or sewage sludge, but mainly by recycling manure. The main value of biomethane is its ecology, and such energy is currently highly valued.
The Bovo Gas plant was built in nine months at a cost of €7 million. It is also planning to expand its capacity and set up an additional production line.