Introduction
Biogas Syd is a concurrence project between private and public actors with the objective to increase biogas use and production within the south of Sweden.

Objectives and target audience
The main objective of Biogas Syd is to increase opportunities for biogas use and biogas production in Skåne through its strategic and operative work.

The future vision for Biogas Syd is as follows:-

-    By 2015 every municipality in Skåne will have a filling station for gas, with the majority of the pumps outputting 100% biogas, and the short remaining others outputting 50% biogas 50 % natural gas
-    By 2015 there will be biogas production plants in each municipality in Skåne, with the inclusion of several new farm-based production facilities.

-    By 2010, 10% of new cars sold in Skåne will be gas driven.
-    By 2010, 50% of new cars sold to the public sector will be gas driven.

-    By 2010, 99% of city commuter busses in Skåne will be gas driven (majority will be operate on biogas).
-    By 2010, 50% of regional commuter busses will be gas driven (majority will be biogas).
-    In 8-10 years time (from 2005) Skånetrafiken (regional commuter traffic company) will hopefully replace all diesel operated vehicles with gas.

Financial Resources and Partners involved
Region Skåne (county council) is currently the head finance funder of the Biogas Syd project.  In addition, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has also contributed  funding for the project through a local investment program.  All current members of Biogas Syd also help finance the project by contributing a small fee every year.  The budget is approximately 1,2 M€ over four years, which is divided to approximately 300 k€ per year.

Process

Working methods in Biogas Syd:

-    Meetings and seminars were organised with members and others participating to help disseminate knowledge and information about biogas, the qualities of biogas and the thought of the new traffic system.  The idea behind this was to increase the acceptance of using biogas as a fuel and the implementation of biogas production as a business.

-    With the knowledge and information collated, to identify the most geographically suited areas for production and to identify the sector that would have the most important and strategic development

-    To cause the merge of people from other sectors who would not normally co-operate with each other, to meet regularly and form related biogas projects.

Results
Since the project has not reached completion, there are no results that can be connected to the objectives.  Below state activities that have been completed during 2007 and 2008:-

2007:-

-    A 1 day course learning about farm-based biogas production;
-    A study visit to a farm-based biogas production facility;
-    Exhibitions at regional fairs;
-    Membership meetings;
-    A 4 day education experience in farm-based biogas production;
-    Study visits at different biogas production facilities;
-    Biogas Syd attended the international Clean Vehicle and Fuel fair in Stockholm.

2008:
-    A basic course learning about farm-based biogas production;
-    A course on how electricity is produced from a farm-based biogas facility;
-    The involvement in the international gas project ‘MADEGASCAR’;
-    The participation of a Swedish car fair in Malmö;
-    Promotion of gas fuelled vehicles.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges
Success factors are:-

-    The market development for renewable fuel uses but focussing on biogas in particular.
-    The willingness to risk in new energy production markets, e.g. farmers as energy producers.
-    Change of attitude in peoples mind to use gas driven vehicles
-    Technology development from car manufactures to improve gas driven vehicles cruising range.
-    Willingness from car dealers to sell gas driven cars
-    Good supply of raw materials for bio gas production
-    The need of users to demand biogas as fuel for vehicles, (Skånetrafiken plays important role)