Construction and operation of the Transitgas transport system are based on compliance with statutory regulations with respect to safety and the environment, as well as on constructive working relationships with the appropriate authorities at federal, canton and community levels.
The Sustainability
In the course of the sustainable development of its business activities, Transitgas AG has always been committed to organizing its activities transparently and beneficially.
With this natural gas pipeline significant volumes of energy are being transported across Switzerland. It is not visible because it runs underground.
Thus it preserves the appearance of the landscape and does not pollute the environment. Transitgas AG recognizes the importance of soil conservation. The soil is in itself a habitat, a filter and a foundation and must therefore be protected.
Funding of Projects to Promote Sustainability
Transitgas AG funds specific projects for sustainable development in the fields of society, the environment and business.
Transitgas AG supports projects with a funding programme to strengthen sustainable development in the regions of the transport system. The funded projects contribute to an ecologically sustainable society and economy in these regions. Transitgas focusses on the topics of CO2 reduction and renewable energies.
The following projects are supported by Transitgas as part of the funding programme.
Attraction and Sustainability on Lake Brienz
Transitgas AG runs a funding programme to support sustainable development projects in the regions belonging to its gas transport system. The funded projects contribute to society, the environment and business in those regions.
Cut energy costs with LORALARM
Transitgas AG supports the LORALARM project by Energie Zukunft Schweiz AG. The project aims to establish a monitoring system for solar thermal systems.
Energie Zukunft Schweiz has identified through 600+ samples that one-sixth of all thermal solar systems are not functioning properly. Often, this goes unnoticed. Defective systems do not achieve CO₂ reduction as the heating automatically kicks in. In collaboration with Energie Zukunft Schweiz, Transitgas promotes CO₂ reduction through the monitoring of solar thermal systems. A sensor detects malfunctions and enables prompt maintenance of defective systems. The offering is targeted towards municipalities, administrations, and property owners within the transit area of Transitgas AG.
Solar roof for the Gass barn Project
Transitgas is helping the Buttisholz energy cooperative implement a photovoltaic system on the roof of the Gass barn in Buttisholz. The barn and the other buildings are to be refurbished, re-purposed and made accessible to the general public.
Website: www.energie-buttisholz.ch
Redesigning the Environment with Ecological Enhancement Measures – Valve Station in Rothenfluh
In autumn 2020, a valve group, including ancillary facilities, was replaced at the control station in Rothenfluh, BL. The environmental design was conceptualized, planned, and implemented from scratch by Daniel Emmenegger, an employee at Transitgas AG, as part of his project work during the Swiss Ranger training program at the Wald BZW Education Center in Lyss.
Birds on the Transitgas Signal Panels -
Manifestation of an invisible infrastructure
Like a network, the orange markings stretch across Switzerland, sometimes standing out in the landscape, sometimes in villages, and sometimes in industrial areas, catching the eye with their striking color. They are signals of a central but invisible infrastructure. Serving as a visual system, these markings are used to locate the gas transportation network and are therefore of great importance in terms of safety.
Project to recover the blown-off natural gas
As part of ongoing initiatives to reduce methane emissions from its natural gas transmission network, last December 2022 Transitgas successfully commis-sioned a new gas recovery system at the Ruswil compressor station.
Energy transition and security of supply
How is Transitgas tackling these two challenges?
The immense use of fossil energy sources enabled major technological progress in the past decades and made our current standard of living possible. Carbon dioxide emissions are, however, the cause of global climate change. To stop or at least curb those effects, climate neutral targets have been decided upon. Those can be attained if energy needs are met in the future using renewable energy sources. Transitgas AG has also devised solutions for decarbonisation. Which of those it sees as medium-term and which as long-term is highlighted below.
«30 trees for Ruswil» Transitgas AG donates native tree species
The trees are financed by companies and private individuals. The company Transitgas AG, represented by Bernhard Hodel from Grosswangen, donated ten trees. He did not want to miss the opportunity to be present at the planting of the first tree: “As a gas compressor station, we deal with fossil energy. The ecological idea and balance is important for us and is gaining a lot of weight within the company. Because we are based in Ruswil, we are very happy to get involved in this project with conviction.”
Emissions and Waste Heat Recovery
4 Turbo compressor units are installed at the Ruswil compressor station.
2 turbo compressors (TKA and TKB) supplied by Solar Turbine SA (USA) model MARS100 SoLoNOx (10 MW) each equipped with a Dresser Rand centrifugal compressor.
In 2019, in cooperation with the Solar Turbines SA (USA), Transitgas implemented a pilot project aimed to upgrad the TK-A unit.
Thanks to this project the unit is able to comply with the stringent Swiss emissions limits already from 35% of his output power (first machine in its class).
2 turbo compressors (TKC & TKD) supplied by Baker Hughes (IT) model PGT25 (DLE 1.0) (20MW) each equipped with a Nuovo Pignone centrifugal compressor.
In order to comply with the stringent Swiss emissions limits, and under the requirements of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Transitgas is planning to upgrade the PGT25 combustion system by the end of 2027.
To further improve the environmental performance of its plants, Transitgas has decided to install systems (so called Waste Heat Recovery Unit “WHRU”) which allow the recovery of energy (heat) contained in the exhaust gases of the gas turbines.
When operating one of TKA or TKB, the WHRU-Solar can be put into operation, producing hot water*1 mainly for own use (building heating and fuel gas pre-heating).
When operating one of TKC or TKD, the WHRU-NP can be put into operation and steam can be produced. The steam is then used to produce hot water*1 (building heating and fuel gas pre-heating) and electricity up to 7 MW/h. The produced electricity is used for the station own consumption (approx. 700 KW/h), the excess electricity produced is fed into the CKW electricity grid.
Note (*1) Till 2019 Transitgas supplied Hot water to a nearby Green-house.
Environmental Protection
Since the construction of the first gas pipeline through Switzerland, knowledge of ecological construction has increased enormously. When constructing the new pipeline, environmentally compatible technologies were utilized, as it was necessary to protect waters in general as well as plants and animals.
The carefully initiated re-cultivation measures carried out following laying of the pipeline, have restored the land to its original state.
The pipeline route was selected from various alternatives taking into account the aspects of environmental compatibility, transport safety and technical-economic feasibility.
During the course of the expansion of the transport system Transitgas AG encouraged the use of micro-tunneling technology (trenchless pipelay) which was instrumental in the crossing of numerous ecologically sensitive areas.