SOCOTEC’s Syngas Analysis Service is Awarded UKAS Accreditation

Syngas – or synthesis gas - is the gas generated from the gasification process, whereby biomass or waste materials are exposed to high temperatures. The thermochemical conversion of waste using controlled amounts of oxygen and/or steam is of growing interest to many key players in the energy industry as the product – syngas – can be used for generating electricity, replacing natural gas or converting into liquid biofuel.

With the modern world producing 222 million tonnes of waste (figures correct in 2014, when the UK statistics on waste were last updated), and growing demand for renewable energy sources, waste has been used as a resource across the industry for many years. In line with this evolution of energy generation, SOCOTEC’s client base became increasingly interested in understanding the components of their syngas.

While SOCOTEC already analyse solid biofuel as a commodity to the industry, SOCOTEC introduced a new service for the analysis of syngas to further support the energy market’s needs.

As one of the first UK laboratories to become accredited by UKAS for the analysis of syngas at our Bretby laboratory, SOCOTEC can offer a comprehensive and quality assured suite of analytes for this fuel. Typically, the analysis determines the percentage of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, oxygen and other hydrocarbons that makes up the syngas.

In addition to providing clients with full details on the components that make up their syngas samples, SOCOTEC can also determine its calorific value (CV). This information is essential for clients who report to Ofgem for their subsidy claims.

David Gough, operations director, Environment & Safety, commented: