scholarly journals Geospatial Analysis and Environmental Impact Assessment of a Holistic and Interdisciplinary Approach to the Biogas Sector

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 5374
Author(s):  
Robert Bedoić ◽  
Goran Smoljanić ◽  
Tomislav Pukšec ◽  
Lidija Čuček ◽  
Davor Ljubas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biogas Production ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Alternative Pathways ◽  
Agriculture Industry ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
The Impact

Crop-based biogas energy production, in combination with electricity generation under subsidy schemes, is no longer considered a favourable business model for biogas plants. Switching to low-cost or gate fee feedstocks and utilising biogas via alternative pathways could contribute to making existing plants fit for future operations and could open up new space for further expansion of the biogas sector. The aim of this study was to combine a holistic and interdisciplinary approach for both the biogas production side and the utilisation side to evaluate the impact of integrating the biogas sector with waste management systems and energy systems operating with a high share of renewable energy sources. The geospatial availability of residue materials from agriculture, industry and municipalities was assessed using QGIS software for the case of Northern Croatia with the goal of replacing maize silage in the operation of existing biogas plants. Furthermore, the analysis included positioning new biogas plants, which would produce renewable gas. The overall approach was evaluated through life cycle assessment using SimaPro software to quantify the environmental benefits and identify the bottlenecks of the implemented actions. The results showed that the given feedstocks could replace 212 GWh of biogas from maize silage in the relevant region and create an additional 191 GWh of biomethane in new plants. The LCA revealed that the proposed measures would contribute to the decarbonisation of natural gas by creating environmental benefits that are 36 times greater compared to a business-as-usual concept. The presented approach could be of interest to stakeholders in the biogas sector anywhere in the world to encourage further integration of biogas technologies into energy and environmental transitions.

scholarly journals Treatment of Biogas for Use as Energy

10.14311/1173 ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Koller
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Agriculture Industry ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
Near Future

The biogas generated in biogas plants offers significant potential for the production of energy from renewable energy sources. The number biogas plants in the Czech Republic is expected to exceed one hundred in the near future. Substrates from agriculture, industry and municipal wastes are used for biogas production. Biogas plants usually use co-generation units to generate electricity and heat. Increased effectiveness can be achieved by using heat as a source of energy for producing renewable natural gas.

scholarly journals Sorption, coagulation, and biodegradation for graywater treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (10) ◽  
pp. 2152-2162
Author(s):  
Kyle A. Thompson ◽  
Evan W. Valencia ◽  
R. Scott Summers ◽  
Sherri M. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Irrigation Treatment ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Potable Reuse ◽  
Treatment Targets ◽  
Chlorine Demand ◽  
Uv Transmittance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
High Treatment ◽  
Potential Use

Abstract Population growth and climate change are exacerbating water scarcity. Graywater recycling could reduce water demand but it is not commonly practiced because of high treatment costs. Biochar, an emerging low-cost alternative sorbent with potential environmental benefits for graywater treatment, was compared to activated carbon (AC) for removing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from graywater. The impact of pretreatments (coagulation, biodegradation) were also evaluated. Among five biochars tested, a wood-based biochar was the most effective for graywater treatment, but AC removed more DOC. Sorption resulted in a greater percent removal of ultraviolet (UV) absorbance than DOC or free chlorine demand. Graywater regulations could not be met by sorption alone but could be met with pretreatment before sorption. After biodegradation, irrigation and toilet flushing treatment targets could be achieved with AC doses less than 0.7 g/L, while a biochar dose of about 1 g/L was needed to achieve the irrigation treatment targets. For DOC removal, alum coagulation at a dose of 30 mg/L was a less effective pretreatment than biodegradation. Pretreatment and sorption to decrease turbidity and increase UV transmittance could be effective for the potential use of UV disinfection, thus creating an effective graywater non-potable reuse approach.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment of Maize-Germ Oil Production and The Use of Bioenergy to Mitigate Environmental Impacts: A Gate-To-Gate Case Study

Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattias Gaglio ◽  
Elena Tamburini ◽  
Francesco Lucchesi ◽  
Vassilis Aschonitis ◽  
Anna Atti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Industrial Processing ◽  
The Impact

The need to reduce the environmental impacts of the food industry is increasing together with the dramatic increment of global food demand. Circulation strategies such as the exploitation of self-produced renewable energy sources can improve ecological performances of industrial processes. However, evidence is needed to demonstrate and characterize such environmental benefits. This study assessed the environmental performances of industrial processing of maize edible oil, whose energy provision is guaranteed by residues biomasses. A gate-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was applied for a large-size factory of Northern Italy to describe: (i) the environmental impacts related to industrial processing and (ii) the contribution of residue-based bioenergy to their mitigation, through the comparison with a reference system based on conventional energy. The results showed that oil refinement is the most impacting phase for almost all the considered impact categories. The use of residue-based bioenergy was found to drastically reduce the emissions for all the impact categories. Moreover, Cumulative Energy Demand analysis revealed that the use of biomass residues increased energy efficiency through a reduction of the total energy demand of the industrial process. The study demonstrates that the exploitation of residue-based bioenergy can be a sustainable solution to improve environmental performances of the food industry, while supporting circular economy.

scholarly journals Elevated biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of farmhouse waste: Insight into the process performance and kinetics

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 1240-1249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyridon Achinas ◽  
Gerrit Jan Willem Euverink
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Ternary Mixtures ◽  
Batch Reactors ◽  
Process Performance ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Batch Tests ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

The biodegradable portion of solid waste generated in farmhouses can be treated for energy recovery with small portable biogas plants. This action can be done across the Netherlands and all around the planet. This study aims to appraise the performance of anaerobic digestion of different wastes (cow manure, food waste and garden waste) obtained from a regional farmhouse. Batch reactors were established under mesophilic conditions in order to investigate the impact of ternary mixtures on the anaerobic digestion process performance. Different mixing ratios were set in the batch tests. The upshots from the experiments connoted that ternary digestion with cow manure:food waste:garden waste mixing ratio of 40:50:10 yielded higher biogas amount. The kinetics’ results showed quite good congruence with the experimental study. The results from the kinetic analysis appeared to be in line with the experimental one.

The valuation of malnutrition in the mono-digestion of maize silage by anaerobic batch tests

2008 ◽  
Vol 58 (7) ◽  
pp. 1453-1459 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Hinken ◽  
I. Urban ◽  
E. Haun ◽  
I. Urban ◽  
D. Weichgrebe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Trace Element ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Trace Element Content ◽  
Energy Crops ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Batch Tests

Anaerobic digestion is a technology which is used to produce methane from organic solids and energy crops. Especially in recent years, the fermentation of energy crops has become more and more important because of increasing costs for energy and special benefits for renewable energy sources in Germany. Anaerobic bacteria require macro and micro nutrients to grow. Absence of these elements can inhibit the anaerobic process significantly. In particular mono-substrates like maize or certain industrial wastewater often cannot provide all required nutrients. For this reason this research investigates the influence of substrate and trace elements on anaerobic digestion in detail. Different agricultural anaerobic biomasses are analysed with special regard to their trace element content. Based on these results, the influence of three trace elements (iron, cobalt, and nickel) on anaerobic digestion was studied in anaerobic batch tests at different sludge loading rates and for different substrates (maize and acetate). Biogas production was found to be 35% for maize silage and up to 70% higher for acetate with trace element dosage than in the reference reactor.

scholarly journals The Impact Of Subsidy Policy On Biogas Plants In Slovakia

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ján Lajda ◽  
Zuzana Lajdová ◽  
Peter Bielik
Keyword(s):  
Energy Production ◽  
Anaerobic Fermentation ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Electric Energy ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Huge Amount ◽  
Subsidy Policy ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Recently, renewable energy sources (RES) have become very popular all over the EU. Subsidy policies have provided huge amount of money flowing into the sector which were necessary for its development. In Slovakia, favourable legislation was one of triggers for building biogas plants using anaerobic fermentation for biogas and further electric energy production. This paper examines how subsidy policy has stimulated biogas sector over the years and the consequences arising from the legislation.

scholarly journals Harnessing Renewable Energy at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education – A Role Model Case

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelakandan T.R. ◽  
Pandiyarajan V ◽  
Shasi Anand Sridharan ◽  
Nagaraj Ramrao
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Carbon Sink ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
The Impact

Global energy demand and environmental concerns are the driving force for the use of alternative sustainable and ecofriendly renewable energy sources. Solar energy is the inexhaustible and CO2 emission free energy source worldwide. It produces significant environmental benefits in comparison to the conventional energy sources, thus contributing to the sustainable development of human activities. It produces clean and renewable power from the sun and benefits the environment without causing air and water pollution. Alternatives to fossil fuels reduce carbon foot print across the globe reducing emission of greenhouse gases and become ecofriendly. Solar power has attracted the largest share of new investments in solar energy across the world. This research article shows light on the solar energy sources developed by Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE) for the effective utilization of solar energy in the campus and its impact on the reduction in carbon foot print and also the impact of green vegetation as a source of carbon sink for an ecofriendly campus.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Return on Investment in Solar Collectors on the Example of a Household: The Case of Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariusz Niekurzak ◽  
Ewa Kubińska-Jabcoń
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
The Impact

Background: The growing consumption is what drives the development of unsustainable energy and material-intensive production technologies that emit large quantities of pollutants into the atmosphere, water, and land. Obtaining green energy allows reduction of the interference with the environment and, consequently, fits into a sustainable energy development strategy. In order to achieve the emission targets set by the EU for Poland, it is necessary to prioritize the development of renewable energy sources (RES) technologies within the energy sector.Methods: The purpose of the study was to present the results of the research relating to the return on investment of solar collectors for single-family houses in Poland. The research was presented on the basis of the legal conditions applicable to micro installations in the light of the amendment of the RES Act, and the impact of these amendments on the aspects of such investment was determined.Results: On the basis of the constructed economic model used to assess the return on investment of increasing the area of solar collectors, it has been shown that an operating installation will bring measurable economic benefits in the form of reduction in the amount of energy purchased annually in the amount of 6,756 kWh and environmental benefits in the form of reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere 2.4–3.6 Mg per year. An installation subsidized under the “My Electricity” program can reach an NPV of EUR 6,000 over 20 years at a discount rate r = 0 and assuming that the electricity is EUR 0.15/kWh. If the price rises to 0.2 EUR/kWh, the NPV will be 10,000 EUR. For the analyzed installation, the investment consisting in increasing the collector area in accordance with NPV is economically effective for the absorber area in the range of 5.6–7.6 m2 and reaches the maximum value for the absorber area of 6.6 m2, while the absorber area above 7 m2 contributes to reduce the value of the economic return on investment. The obtained results have been generalized, which allows to use them in the process of selecting the size of collector area for similar installations.Conclusion: The return on investment analysis carried out in respect of a detached house allowed to demonstrate that this project is fully justified. Furthermore, pursuant to the Renewable Energy Sources Act in force in Poland, treating a small entrepreneur as a prosumer who may generally take advantage of favorable conditions for discounting the produced energy leads to very favorable possibilities of settling electricity. Considering an entrepreneur as a prosumer who may use one-off depreciation of a solar collectors installation as a fixed asset and request for VAT refund is what makes such an investment very attractive in financial terms and makes it difficult to find a safe investment alternative characterized by such a high rate of return.

scholarly journals Effects of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act and environmental, social and economic factors on biogas plant adoption and agricultural land use change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueqing Yang ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Daniela Thrän ◽  
Alberto Bezama ◽  
Mei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Silage Maize ◽  
Biogas Plants

Abstract Background: The German energy transition strategy calls for a reform of the German energy sector. As a result, the Germany Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) was passed in 2000 and is widely regarded as successful legislation for promoting bioenergy development. More than 1,000 biogas plants were constructed in Central Germany (CG) between 2000 and 2014. Despite this, few studies have been conducted for this period that systematically investigate how environmental, social and economic factors, as well as various EEG amendments have impacted biogas production and what the environmental consequence of biogas production development in CG have been. Methods: The impacts of environmental, social and economic factors and different EEG amendments on biogas production decisions in CG were quantified using multivariate linear regression model and the event study econometric technique. A GIS-based spatial analysis was also conducted to provide insight into the changes to agricultural land use that resulted from the development of biogas plants during the EEG period. Results: The main finding was that the income diversification effect resulting from biogas production was the most important factor in a farmer’s decision to adopt biogas production. In addition, all of the EEG amendments had a significant influence on the adoption of biogas production, however EEG III and IV, which tried to promote small-scale plants, were unable to reduce the average size of the plants constructed in these two amendment periods. From a landscape perspective, there was a striking increase in the cultivation of silage maize in CG from 2000 to 2014. Silage maize was intensively cultivated in regions with a high installed biogas plant capacity. Since the first EEG amendment, permanent grassland area slightly increased while arable land area declined in CG. Conclusions: The adoption of biogas production in CG was strongly driven by economic incentives for the farmers, more precisely, by the incentive to diversify their income sources. In addition to increase the subsidy, future EEG amendments should find new measures to encourage the adoption of small-scale biogas plants, which had been unsuccessful in EEG amendments III and IV.

scholarly journals Environmental-Economic Analysis of Integrated Organic Waste and Wastewater Management Systems: A Case Study from Aarhus City (Denmark)

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Thomsen ◽  
Daina Romeo ◽  
Dario Caro ◽  
Michele Seghetta ◽  
Rong-Gang Cong
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Anaerobic Sludge ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Biogas Plants

This study presents a comparative analysis of the environmental and economic performances of four integrated waste and wastewater management scenarios in the city of Aarhus in Denmark. The purpose of this analysis is to deliver decision support regarding whether (i) the installation of food waste disposers in private homes (AS1) or (ii) separate collection and transport of organic waste to biogas plants is a more viable environmental and economic solution (AS2). Higher environmental benefits, e.g., mitigation of human health impacts and climate change, are obtained by transforming the existing waste combustion system into scenario (ii). Trade-offs in terms of increased marine eutrophication and terrestrial ecotoxicity result from moving up the waste hierarchy; i.e., from waste incineration to biogas production at wastewater treatment plants with anaerobic sludge digestion. Scenario (i) performs with lower energy efficiency compared to scenario (ii). Furthermore, when considering the uncertainty in the extra damage cost to the sewer system that may be associated to the installation of food waste disposers, scenario (ii) is the most flexible, robust, and less risky economic solution. From an economic, environmental, and resource efficiency point of view, separate collection and transport of biowaste to biogas plants is the most sustainable solution.

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