Ratingen, April 2025 – The UGS Group, a leading global provider of gas separation and upgrading technologies for renewable gases, which also includes Houston-based Unconventional Gas Solutions LLC. and Dortmund-based H-Iron GmbH, founded UGS Europe GmbH, based in Ratingen, Germany, in January 2025. ‘This step is a significant milestone for the growing demand for advanced biogas upgrading systems tailored to the European market,’ explains Dr Oliver Jende, Managing Director of UGS Europe.
The UGS Group, a leading global provider of technologies for gas separation and the processing of renewable gases, founded UGS Europe GmbH in January 2025, with its headquarters in Ratingen, Germany.
The European biogas sector has undergone a fundamental change in recent years - away from the input of energy crops and towards the utilization of feedstock production residues and by-products from food production and waste. This development has made anaerobic digestion processes more complex. In addition, the quantities of biogas produced contain more impurities and exhibit greater variability in gas composition. Consequently, the demands on plant operators are increasing: A sustainable technology must not only operate efficiently but also adapt flexibly to market changes.
Customers must protect membranes from contamination, meet grid specifications in the event of elevated nitrogen or oxygen levels, and maintain energy efficiency during seasonal load reductions. UGS Europe offers solutions precisely tailored to these market needs.
As a result, customers are often confronted with major challenges: These include protecting the membranes from impurities in the biogas stream and complying with strict grid specifications on the biomethane production side if the gas has elevated nitrogen or oxygen levels. Additionally, there is a need to maintain high energy efficiency during seasonal load reductions or when switching between biomethane production and heat or power generation in winter. ‘This is exactly where we see the niche for UGS Europe to position and distinguish itself, by offering solutions precisely tailored to this market demand.’ explains Dr Oliver Jende.
The standardized, modular design reduces manufacturing costs, while space-saving container units minimize installation time and on-site costs.
UGS Europe GmbH has precisely aligned its market entry and product range with this need. ‘Following a benchmark analysis, we developed a compact system concept and planned it through completely - with a focus on cost optimization, functionality and user-friendliness. Our BUS 250 and BUS 500 biomethane systems can therefore cover the biogas inlet volume range from around 150 to 550 Nm3/h (standard cubic meters per hour)’ explains Kris Salewski, Sales Manager at UGS Europe. Compared to a combined heat and power (CHP) plant, this corresponds to a plant output of 300 to 1000 kW of electrical power. ‘With this concept, we address the large market share of all biogas plants in Germany and Europe. Additional capacities of over 2000 Nm³/h can be designed at any time, depending on the project requirements,’ adds Kris Salewski.
UGS’s extensive expertise in developing gas separation membranes enables high-level, detailed process simulations. The goal is to minimize physical stress on the polymer membranes. UGS Europe achieves this through optimized biogas pre-cleaning, site-specific selection of suitable membrane types, and the avoidance of strong pressure fluctuations. In combination with effective gas temperature control, these factors extend the membrane service life and enhance the efficiency and overall performance of the plant.
UGS Europe works closely with customers to develop customised solutions — striking a balance between cost-efficient standard systems and individually performance-optimised designs. With scalable, sustainable solutions and a customer-focused corporate philosophy, UGS Europe actively supports the energy transition, promoting the long-term growth and broad acceptance of renewable energies.
UGS Europe GmbH, based in Ratingen, Germany, develops and supplies state-of-the-art biogas upgrading plants based on innovative membrane technology. The company can draw on over 17 years of experience in the development, manufacture and application of membranes for gas separation.
With the aim of actively shaping the changing biogas market, UGS Europe is continuously developing new processes that guarantee high efficiency, flexibility and future-proof plants. The engineering services are provided in Germany by experienced specialists, while the entire supply chain relies on established European component manufacturers.
The UGS Europe team is committed to each individual project with passion, expertise, modern technologies, implementation skills, customer proximity and a deep understanding of the industry.
Thanks to a state-of-the-art production facility in Riga, Latvia, UGS Europe is able to offer economically attractive, cutting-edge solutions that meet the highest quality standards.
In addition to biogas upgrading plants, the product portfolio also includes
Raw gas pre-treatment & dehumidification (H2S, NH3, VOC)
Biomethane polishing plants for downstream LNG production (CO2)
Nitrogen removal systems for landfill gas and other special solutions for gas treatment.
In close cooperation with experts from the UGS group of companies - such as Unconventional Gas Solutions (Houston, USA) and H-Iron (Dortmund, Germany) – UGS Europe benefits from a broad and internationally connected wealth of experience across the entire gas industry.
