Design of a Centralized Bioenergy Unit at Comarca Lagunera, Mexico: Modeling Strategy to Optimize Bioenergy Production and Reduce Methane Emissions

José Alberto Silva-González,Berenice Juárez-López,Grace Aileen Ruiz-Santoyo,Nagamani Balagurusamy,Inty Omar Hernández-De Lira,Antonio Rodríguez-Martínez

doi:10.3390/pr9081350

José Alberto Silva-González, Berenice Juárez-López + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9081350

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Abstract

A centralized bioenergy unit was simulated, focusing on optimizing the manure transport chain, installing a centralized biogas plant, operation costs of the process, biogas upgrading, organic fertilizer production, and economic analyses. Comarca Lagunera from northeast Mexico was chosen as a study zone due to the existing number of dairy farms and livestock population (64,000 cattle heads). Two scenarios were analyzed: The first centralized scenario consisted of selecting one unique location for the anaerobic digesters for the 16 farms; the second decentralized scenario consisted of distributing the anaerobic digesters in three locations. Optimal locations were determined using mathematical modeling. The bioenergy unit was designed to process 1600 t/day of dairy manure. Results indicated that biomethane production was a more profitable option than generating electricity with non-purified methane. The amount of biomethane production was 58,756 m3/day. Economic analysis for centralized bioenergy unit scenario showed a net production cost of USD $0.80 per kg of biomethane with a profit margin of 14.4% within 10.7 years. The decentralized bioenergy unit scenario showed a net production cost of USD $0.80 per kg of biomethane with a profit of 12.9% within 11.4 years. This study demonstrated the techno-economical and environmental feasibility for centralized and decentralized bioenergy units.

Highlights

Mexico is a country with particular concern about greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and energy generation
This total emission value was used as a baseline to calculate GHG emission reduction in the bioenergy unit scenarios
The most identifiable contributions from biogas energy are energy production and avoided energy input and cost derived from waste treatment; our research suggests that biogas-based energy units’ most interesting contribution is the potential for value-added products and GHG emission reduction

Summary

Introduction

Mexico is a country with particular concern about greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and energy generation. Anaerobic digestion is considered one of the most bioenergy-efficient technologies for reducing GHG emissions [2] Under this context, biogas production from agricultural wastes such as animal manure offers a sustainable means to generate renewable energy and achieve GHG mitigation from the agriculture sector. In order to exploit the full potential of renewable energies, a well-suited framework is necessary to attract investment and a legal setting to consider social, environmental, and economic aspects [6] To harvest this energy, it is necessary to install bioenergy plants based on biogas, which in the Mexican context are not cost-effective without subsidies [7]. This study endeavors to use simulation software and field measurements to design a cost-effective centralized bioenergy biogas-based unit in a specific area of the region, known as Comarca Lagunera in Mexico

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Conclusion