Economics of biogas space heating systems in rural Turkey

Abstract

Biogas systems are considered to be strong alternatives to the traditional space heating systems (stoves) in rural Turkey. The economics of biogas systems are compared with traditional heating systems fuelled by wood, coal and wood mixture, and dried animal waste in three different climatic regions in the country. The technical data used in the analysis are based on the experimental results. Seven different comparisons are made between the biogas and traditional systems. The payback periods, cumulated life-cycle savings and the cost of biogas are calculated for a wide range using two unstable economic parameters, discount and inflation rates. The quality of the model and the assumptions are discussed. The results provide evidence of the economic viability of biogas systems over the traditional space heating systems of rural Turkey in many instances.