Technical/economic/environmental analysis of biogas utilisation

• Published in: Applied energy 2004-04, Vol.77 (4), p.407-427
• Main Authors: Murphy, J.D, McKeogh, E, Kiely, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biogas; Biogas CHP CH4-enriched biogas OFMSW Pig slurry Gate fee Greenhouse-gas Sustainable; Biomass; CH 4-enriched biogas; CHP; Combined power plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Gate fee; Greenhouse-gas; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Natural energy; OFMSW; Pig slurry; Sustainable
• ISSN: 0306-2619; 1872-9118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2003.07.005

Biogas may be utilised for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) production or for transport fuel production (CH 4-enriched biogas). When used to produce transport fuel either electricity is imported to power the plant or some of the biogas is used in a small CHP unit to meet electricity demand on site. The potential revenue from CH 4-enriched biogas when replacing petrol is higher than that for replacing diesel (Irish prices). Transport fuel production when replacing petrol requires the least gate fee. The production of greenhouse-gas is generated with cognisance of greenhouse-gas production with the scheme not in place; landfill of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) (20% of biomass) with and without combustion of landfill gas is investigated. The transport scenario with importation of brown electricity generates more greenhouse-gas than petrol or diesel, when the ‘do-nothing’ case involves combustion of landfill gas. The preferred solution involves transport fuel production with the production of CHP to meet electricity demand on site. A shortfall of this solution is that only 53% of biogas is available for export.