Biogas Installations Research Articles

Sustainability of biogas production: using of Shelford’s law

The article is devoted to proposing a method of regulation of biogas installations dissemination using Shelford’s law. It is based on the hypothesis that there is some optimal amount, and on both sides around it, the sustainability of the process will decrease because of biogas production that can affect ecosystems both positively and negatively. It declared that in different countries Shelford’s law graph could be different due to differences in both natural and social conditions. It shows that nowadays some unsustainable experience is taking place (In the case of Germany, it is using useful recourses which have to be grown and in the case of Ukraine, these are low-efficiency technologies which can be harmful to the environment). It proposes approaches to provide more sustainable biogas production using modern technologies and strategic planning.

Design of structured reactor for biogas exhaust abatement

The post-combustion of methane from stationary sources such as powerplants at biogas installations is an important issue for scientists to address due to the quantities of methane released into the atmosphere. Methane is one of the greenhouse gases, thus its emission should be reduced. Here is shown a converter module designed for methane combustion for use independently or in a two-module reactor together with a deNOx module. The reactor unit is based on short-channel structures in the form of metallic wires immobilised with a mixed CoPd catalyst supported on gamma alumina. The structured reactor packing was characterised by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods in terms of qualitative and quantitative composition (UV–Vis, EDX, AAS), and the morphology by SEM microscopic techniques was determined. The reactor has been successfully investigated in the catalytic reaction of methane combustion from exhaust gas in the one-step methane removal and in the presence of NH3 used in the deNOx process. The results revealed high catalytic activity of methane combustion in both cases, with the catalyst’s mechanical resistance maintained. Therefore, the presented catalytic reactor is a good candidate for methane combustion in cogeneration with nitrogen oxide reduction in installations of stationary sources such as small powerplants.

PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT MELALUI PELATIHAN PENGOLAHAN LIMBAH TERNAK MENJADI ENERGI TERBARUKAN (BIOGAS) DI DESA LA’BO’

La'bo 'Village is one of the villages in North Toraja Regency. It is located about 8 km from the city of Rantepao. The people live as farmers. In addition, generally every household raises livestock in a pen at the back of the house. Manure from each livestock pen is disposed of freely, causing an unhealthy odor around the house. To solve the pollution problem, a training was conducted for the La'bo 'community to build a biogas installation as a tool to properly process livestock manure and provide added value to the community. To build a biogas installation, training is carried out using the on-job training method. The community is invited to work directly to build the installation together so that they can receive the knowledge and skills from this waste treatment technology. The training to build a biogas installation was carried out in collaboration with the Marante Tampang Allo Farmer Group and the Biang Farmer Group. From this training, the community has gained knowledge and skills to build and manage livestock waste into biogas. The result of this collaboration with farmer groups has succeeded in building 2 units of biogas installations with a capacity of 4 m3 of the fixed dome type. With the construction of the biogas installation, the air pollution around the house becomes healthier and the demand for LPG for each household has been replaced by biogas produced from the biogas installation

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Biogas Potential from Livestock in Rural Indonesia

The livestock sector is one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Jetak Village in Indonesia has a large livestock population, so it has the potential to be a reasonably high contributor to GHG emissions. Therefore, research is needed to calculate GHG from the livestock sector and calculate biogas potential. Besides, we also discuss data collection techniques that are important but often forgotten in GHG reduction studies in developing countries. This is useful as an effort and reference to reduce GHG emissions in rural areas, especially in Jetak Village. The GHG calculation uses the Tier-1 method, while the data on the potential for biogas utilization is obtained from manure production calculations and in-depth interviews. The calculation results show that the highest total GHG from livestock management in Jetak Village in 2017 was 1,106.69 tons CO2-eq/year, while the lowest total GHG emissions in 2015 were 1,018.41 CO2-eq Gg/year. Dairy cows are the biggest emitter in livestock management, with 4,919.61 tons of CO2-eq/year, and laying hens are the lowest emitters with 1.39 tons CO2-eq/year. Dairy cows are the largest contributor to GHG emissions in enteric fermentation with 9,680.52 tons CO2-eq/year, and the lowest number of contributors is horses with 20.79 tons CO2-eq/year. The potential of biogas in Jetak Village based on manure production is 137 installations. The positive community's perception supports this. It tends to be less valid regarding livestock population data used for GHG calculations, so we verified it during in-depth interviews. The in-depth interview process used local language to enhance the quality of responses. This research needs to be developed considering our findings that there are only 50 biogas installations, indicating the biogas potential is not being utilized to its full potential.

An optimization approach to increase the human development index through a biogas supply chain in a developing region

Currently, some regions have low access to electricity services, which prevents the affected population from having an adequate standard of living. The human development index (HDI) is an indicator that measures the degree of progress in a country according to the quality of life for the population and the access to electricity has been related to the increase in HDI. A mathematical optimization model is proposed to determine the feasibility of generating electric energy from biogas and provide the electric service to disenfranchised communities. In addition, it considers that biogas can be obtained through animal waste such as manure from cattle and pigs from the considered region. The proposed mathematical model considers the maximization of the annual profit considering the installation of biogas generating plants for the use of manure and power generation plants considering two types of systems, distributed or centralized. The case study of La Ciénega region from Mexico is considered to determine the HDI that can be achieved considering the energy produced from biogas. In a first scenario, the results show a considerable benefit for power generation since a profit of 6.9903 × 105 USD/year can be obtained and the energy generated allows increasing the HDI by 0.05–0.06%.

Community empowerment through development of biogas installation with fixed dome plant technology in Kenteng Village, Nogosari District, Boyolali Regency

Kenteng Village has the potential for beef development due to its high cattle population. However, cow dung waste produced by farmers has not been optimally used, hence its additional benefits have not contributed to the community’s economy. This has also led to environmental pollution due to improper waste management. Therefore, empowerment efforts are needed to improve farmers’ knowledge and skills in managing livestock manure to increase their income and create environmentally friendly conditions through training activities on the manufacture of organic bio-slurry fertilizer as well as maintenance and construction of biogas installations using fixed dome plant technology. Furthermore, the training was held from August 15-September 26, 2021, in Kenteng Village, Nogosari District, Boyolali Regency. The empowerment program is implemented through Focus Group Discussion (FGD), extension, training, demonstration plots on the production technology of organic fertilizer and biogas for fuel production. Materials used in producing the fertilizer include slurry obtained from biogas waste and agricultural lime/dolomite. The dome plant constructed contains a digester with 6 main parts, namely inlet, reactor, gas reservoir, outlet, gas transport system and compost pits for degassed animal manure/bio-slurry. The training result shows an increase in farmers’ knowledge and skills on the application of bio-slurry organic fertilizer production technology and the construction of biogas installations as a fuel producer. There was also an increase in their income, which improved their standard of living. Conclusively, the community in Kenteng Village was more empowered by the existence of a biogas installation development program.

Sustainable development of environment and energy aspects of methane fermentation on family farms in Poland

The goal of these study was to present results of investigation concerning possibilities of utilization of harmful wastes in countryside area to produce ecological energy. Biogas production can be important from the point of view of environment protection especially in case of overproduction of animal wastes. Production and utilization of energy from agriculture residues gives a great chance for diversification and grows of income for family farms. Besides energetic and environment gains, we can obtain very valuable fertilizer, which is easy absorbed by plants in field crop production. The experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect of mixing process on the parameters of methane fermentation process. Temperature inside fermentation chamber, pH of fermented material, redox potential and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) were investigated. Utilize wastes from pig and poultry houses were used for the study. Digestion in a chamber was provided at constant temperature of 37 °C. After adding fresh substrate to the digester, the temperature of the raw material decreased by 1,0-1.5 °C depending on the location in the tank. Also, it was observed that biogas production decreased. The mixing process had a positive effect on the homogeneity of the material throughout the digester volume. The best results for biogas production were obtained when the pH value was 7.0. Research results obtained from tested biogas installation show, that from two bio reactors at total capacity of 410 m3 we can get electrical energy at cost of 34,52 € MWh-1 and thermal energy at cost of 62,54 €×MWh-1. While the cost of producing electricity in a professional power plant based on lignite was 76.23 €MWh-1. The energy produced was used for the operational activities of the farm.

MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL POST-PRODUCTION RESIDUES FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION IN RURAL AREAS - A CASE STUDY

The paper shows - from the point of view of the need to increase the share of energy obtained from renewable sources, examples of "good energy practices" for four locations. This goal is primarily related to the reduction of climate changes caused by high GHG emissions - but also fits in the "zero waste" strategy in the case of using post-production biomass as an energy source. Examples are described showing four RES installations in operation - two at the farm level and two at the municipal level. The data for the individual installations are summarized. All the described installations are located in north-eastern Poland - in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Biogas installations in two farms are described - one micro installation and one large. A large installation has a power of 0.999 MWe and 1.1 MWt, and a small one – 11 kW of electric and thermal power. In the case of a large biogas plant, the investment cost for W is 21% of the investment cost for a micro biogas plant. Operating costs of biogas plant operation in relation to the installed capacity - micro-scale biogas plants are only 59% of costs for a large biogas plant. It was shown how a particularly large biogas plant can cooperate with the local community - by distributing heat from cogeneration to the municipal heat network. On the other hand, two municipalities that have invested in ecological heat sources are described. In one case, it is biomass-fired boilers - providing some of the residents of the commune and communal buildings with domestic hot water. and central heating - and in the second - installation of heat pumps to cover the needs of the municipal school. These examples show that it is possible to implement such solutions. At the same time - local communities, which are often opposed to investing in renewable energy source (RES) in their vicinity, should be made aware of what social, energy and general benefits are associated with such solutions. Due to the calculated factor of 0.2% of biogas installations in relation to the number of potential farms where such installations are possible and justified - the promotion of such "good energy practices" is absolutely necessary.

Energy and Economic Balance between Manure Stored and Used as a Substrate for Biogas Production

The aim of the study is to draw attention to the fact that reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions as a result of traditional manure storage for several months in a pile is not only a non-ecological solution, but also unprofitable. A solution that combines both aspects—environmental and financial—is the use of manure as a substrate for a biogas plant, but immediately—directly after its removal from the dairy barn. As part of the case study, the energy and economic balance of a model farm with dairy farming for the scenario without biogas plant and with a biogas plant using manure as the main substrate in methane fermentation processes was also performed. Research data on the average emission of ammonia and nitrous oxide from 1 Mg of stored manure as well as the results of laboratory tests on the yield of biogas from dairy cows manure were obtained on the basis of samples taken from the farm being a case study. The use of a biogas installation would allow the emission of carbon dioxide equivalent to be reduced by up to 100 Mg per year. In addition, it has been shown that the estimated payback period for biogas installations is less than 5 years, and with the current trend of increasing energy prices, it may be even shorter—up to 4 years.

БІОГАЗОВА УСТАНОВКА СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКОГО МАШИНОБУДУВАННЯ МЕТАНОВОГО БРОДІННЯ БУРЯКОВОГО ЖОМУ

The relevance of the study is due to the need to increase the productivity of biogas plants due to the expansion of the raw material base. In Ukraine in 2022, 23 sugar factories were operating, the waste from which is beet pulp. It would be possible to build a biogas plant near each of these factories, the raw material for which would be sugar beet processing waste. The purpose of the work is to determine the optimal volume of loading beet pulp into the methane tank to obtain the maximum yield of biogas. The research was carried out at a laboratory biogas installation consisting of a methane tank with a useful volume of 30 liters and a “wet” type gas holder. The methane tank operated with a periodic system of raw material loading. The temperature of the substrate was 38 °С. 2.1 kg, 1.5 kg, 1 kg, 0.5 kg and 0.25 kg of beet pulp with pH=3.69 was added to 20 liters of digestate. The content of beet pulp in the substrate was 10.5; 7.5; 5.0 and 2.5%, 1.25%. With all variants of pulp content in the substrate, the maximum biogas output was obtained the next day after loading the substrate into the methane tank. At the same time, the pH of the substrate decreased sharply. Subsequently, methane fermentation of the pulp occurs in accordance with the way it is carried out for other types of substrates: after reaching the stationary phase on the first day of methane fermentation, a die-off phase is observed, during which the population of methanogens decreases due to depletion of substrate nutrients. At this time, the pH of the substrate gradually increased and reached its initial value at the end of methane fermentation. As a result of the study, it was established that beet pulp is successfully subjected to methane fermentation without the addition of cattle manure when loading up to 10% of the volume of the substrate. However, the increase in the loading volume of beet pulp leads to a decrease in the yield of biogas.The maximum yield of biogas during the fermentation of beet pulp with a periodic system of loading the methane tank is observed already on the next day, and after two days the yield of biogas decreases sharply. The optimal content of beet pulp when loading it into a methane tank, at which the biogas output will be maximum (1.762 l/(h. kg of CO)) is 2.3%.

Economic Feasibility of Agricultural Biogas Production by Farms in Ukraine

Renewable energy generation in Ukraine is developing slower than state strategies and expectations, with the installations for energy generation based on biogas currently being among the lowest in terms of installed capacity. Most of those involved in energy generation from agricultural biogas are large enterprises, while the small and medium-sized farms are far less involved. Thus the article aims to assess the economic feasibility of biogas production from agricultural waste by specific farm types and sizes, with a special focus on small and medium-sized farms. The research results present findings in two dimensions, first defining the economic feasibility of biogas installations in Ukraine based on investment costs and the rate of return at both the current and potential feed-in tariff, and second, analyzing the influence of state regulation and support on the economic feasibility of agricultural biogas production in Ukraine. The results emphasize that the construction of small generation capacities does not provide sufficient funds under the current feed-in tariff to meet the simple return period expected by the domestic financing institutions. Except for the general support programs for agricultural activities, there are no support funds specifically for biogas producers, while there is tight competition with wind and solar energy due to diversified feed-in tariffs.

Energy generation from palm oil mill effluent: A life cycle cost-benefit analysis and policy insights

Malaysia's renewable energy policies do not cover production from waste, including the generation of biogas from palm oil mill effluent. This paper combines life cycle cost-benefit analysis (LCCBA) and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to provide new insights into costs and benefits of technologies over the life cycles, and on the basis of this information, asks experts to rank different options to enhance policy. The results show that the continuous stirred tank reactor has a higher LCC of 0.63 Million USD/year, compared to a LCC value of 0.55 Million USD/year for the covered lagoon bio-digester. In terms of cost-benefit, the continuous stirred tank reactor has a higher net present value of 0.46 Million USD/year, higher return on investment of 10.11% and a shorter payback period of 9.9 years compared to the covered lagoon bio-digester system, which has a net present value of 0.22 Million USD/year, return on investment of 7.79% and a payback period of 12.8 years. The continuous stirred tank reactor system therefore emerges as more economically feasible compared to the covered lagoon bio-digester system. On providing this information to experts using AHP, the three top ranked policy options emerged as: i) providing detailed environmental guidelines, ii) standardising technical guidelines for biogas installation and iii) covering the open pond wall using lining. Economic insights and policy opportunities based on this research can be used to inform policy decision making in multiple contexts where biogas plant projects are under consideration, in both Malaysia and globally.

State and development of anaerobic technology for biogas production in Syria

The last few decades have seen an increase in the use of Biogas technology around the world. As a result, the advantages of domestic biogas digesters has become more tangible. In the developing world, however, its use has not been yet utilized on a large scale. In this study, we evaluate the productivity of different small-scale biogas installations in Syria in terms of different factors, including temperature, pH, different values of adding cow's manure and hydraulic retention time. We find that these factors can provide a useful adviser for specialists engaged in spreading of household biogas. Consequently, we highlight the need to disseminate biogas technology as a renewable energy source in the countryside, which form a big challenge for the application of biogas technology in the country. We believe that dissemination will solve the problem of rural supply of biogas and reduce the dependence on timber, thus contributing to better environmental protection in Syria. • Biogas technology has led to the adoption of many household biogas reactors. • In the developing world, biogas has only been slightly utilized, due to its effectiveness uncertainty. • We evaluate the productivity of small biogas installations in Syria based on many factors. • These factors provide a useful source for specialists in spreading of household biogas. • Disseminating biogas technology in Syria can help improve environmental protection.

Study of the significance of the ph of the substrate of the biogas installation during treating it with a low-frequency electromagnetic field

The article considers the issue of studying the value of pH, substrate in the process of methane fermentation in the mesophilic regime and the influence of the electromagnetic field of industrial frequency. The aim is to investigate the influence of electromagnetic fields on the pH value of the substrate during fermentation. Different types of microorganisms are involved in the process of methanogenesis, and the decisive role in it is played by methane-forming archaea, which are most sensitive to pH and should be in the range of 6.5 - 8. Therefore, it is necessary to check the effect of low frequency electromagnetic field on substrate pH. The study was performed for 25 days on two substrates, one of which was exposed to a low-frequency electromagnetic field with an electromagnetic induction of 3.5 mT. The research results show that the pH value of the substrate exposed to the electromagnetic field during the methane fermentation process was within acceptable limits, and the second substrate decreased, that is, it was acidified. Key words: methane fermentation, substrate, pH value, electromagnetic field

Degree of Biomass Conversion in the Integrated Production of Bioethanol and Biogas

The integrated production of bioethanol and biogas makes it possible to optimise the production of carriers from renewable raw materials. The installation analysed in this experimental paper was a hybrid system, in which waste from the production of bioethanol was used in a biogas plant with a capacity of 1 MWe. The main objective of this study was to determine the energy potential of biomass used for the production of bioethanol and biogas. Based on the results obtained, the conversion rate of the biomass—maize, in this case—into bioethanol was determined as the efficiency of the process of bioethanol production. A biomass conversion study was conducted for 12 months, during which both maize grains and stillage were sampled once per quarter (QU-I, QU-II, QU-III, QU-IV; QU—quarter) for testing. Between 342 L (QU-II) and 370 L (QU-I) of ethanol was obtained from the organic matter subjected to alcoholic fermentation. The mass that did not undergo conversion to bioethanol ranged from 269.04 kg to 309.50 kg, which represented 32.07% to 36.95% of the organic matter that was subjected to the process of bioethanol production. On that basis, it was concluded that only two-thirds of the organic matter was converted into bioethanol. The remaining part—post-production waste in the form of stillage—became a valuable raw material for the production of biogas, containing one-third of the biodegradable fraction. Under laboratory conditions, between 30.5 m3 (QU-I) and 35.6 m3 (QU-II) of biogas per 1 Mg of FM (FM—fresh matter) was obtained, while under operating conditions, between 29.2 m3 (QU-I) and 33.2 m3 (QU-II) of biogas was acquired from 1 Mg of FM. The Biochemical Methane Potential Correction Coefficient (BMPCC), which was calculated based on the authors’ formula, ranged from 3.2% to 7.4% in the analysed biogas installation.

The Impact of Biogas Utilization on Poverty in Indonesia

The provision of reliable, adequate, and sustainable energy services has been a global challenge until today. Without the availability of energy, particularly for cooking and lighting, leads to difficulties in achieving the expected quality of life, mainly for underprivileged people who have not met the minimum standard of living. In order to fulfill the necessity of energy, new renewable energy sources are needed, one of which is through biogas installations. The purpose of this study was to find empirical evidence related to the impact of biogas utilization on poverty, especially in rural areas, by transforming the number of underprivileged people in an area. Through Village Potential (Potensi Desa/Podes) data 2008 – 2018, Biogas development from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in 2011-2017, and using the difference-in-differences (DID) method, it is expected that this study might contribute to the literature, especially related to energy, with comprehensive results. This study detected that after the implementation of biogas installation program, the number of beneficiaries of health insurance programs in villages with biogas installations decreased by 136 people compared to villages without biogas.

Evaluation of prospects and barriers of biogas produced from livestock waste towards sustainable developmentand adaptation to climate change in Nghe An province, Viet Nam

The livestock sector is one of the fastest growing agricultural subsectors in Viet Nam, resulting in growing demand to sustainably dispose or re-use livestock waste. This research examined the current adoption of biogas digestion of livestock waste treatment at household farms in order to provide insights for policy towards effective implementation. A questionnaire survey was conducted in September 2019, with the participation of 120 livestock owners in Nghe An province, which focussed on accessing their perspectives on biogas and examination of factors impacting their decisions to utilize this technology. Most respondents determined biogas to be an attractive solution for improving the environment. However, several factors limited the development of biogas installation, including technical and financial barriers, awareness and capacity limitations, and financial support as the most significant of these. Government support and policies that encourage household biogas utilization as a sustainable energy source to combat climate change is recommended.

Influence of Selected Substrate Dosage on the Process of Biogas Installation Start-Up in Real Conditions

This paper presents an analysis of selected parameters of biogas, formed as a result of methane fermentation, during the start-up of a biogas installation, using water, liquid manure, corn silage and inoculated sludge as substrates. Moreover, the dependencies between the type and amount of the supplied substrate and the obtained parameters of biogas and fermentation mass are presented and explained. During 59 days after the start of the biogas plant operation, the methane content increased to a maximum of about 62%. Finally, after about 80 days, the methane content stabilized at a constant level of about 55%. CO2 content increased from about 6% (day 32) to about 46% (day 84), with a clear linear correlation between carbon dioxide and methane content. Oxygen content decreased from about 18% (day 32) to about 0.3% (day 84) as the resulting gases displaced air from the reactor, and there was also a linear correlation between oxygen and methane content. The hydrogen sulfide content decreased from about 76 ppm (day 32) to about 0 ppm (day 47), after which, in a clear power correlation to the methane content, it maximally increased to 890 ppm (day 61). However, for the sake of safe engine operation, the desulfurization plant was started on day 63, which resulted in a H2S concentration below 50 ppm on day 74 of the experiment. The final hydrogen sulfide content was 9 ppm on day 84 of the biogas plant start-up.

Potential for anaerobic digestion by incubation and anaerobic fermentation of landfill waste: A case of the city of Lom (Togo)

The objective of this work is to determine the methanogenic potential of landfill waste. To do this, two types of tests were carried out. The first one is the pre-test of anaerobic digestion by incubation carried out in a 500 mL flask in which 50 g of waste is placed in contact with 350 mL of water and the second one is the pre-test of the anaerobic digestion by fermentation also carried out under the same conditions as the test for anaerobic digestion by incubation with the difference that in the latter case, inoculum (cow dung) is added up to 21.54 g, that is, 19.23 g of MV in order to respect an I/S ratio of 2. The production of biogas is measured by displacement of an acidified water solution to pH = 2 using an inverted test tube. The results showed that the waste is more favorable for anaerobic digestion by fermentation than for anaerobic digestion by incubation and that all the digesters operated at mesophilic temperature. Indeed, at the end of the experiment, a mass of 20 g produced; with the digester by fermentation 83.895 mL of biogas or 77.75 mL of methane for the waste and 34.307 mL of biogas or 30.25 mL of methane for the sand. With the digester by incubation 4.6 mL of biogas or 2.1 mL of methane for the waste and 4.35 mL of biogas or 2.05 mL of methane for the sand. These results clearly show that landfill waste can be recovered by anaerobic digestion and therefore the establishment of a biogas installation on site and will not only reduce GHGs but also recover the biogas in the form of electricity. Key words: Anaerobic digestion, methanogenic potential, biogas, landfill.

Development of biogas and biorafinery systems in Polish rural communities

The article reviews selected systems and technological variants of biogas production. Biogas installations and methods of biogas production were characterized in terms of control and measurement. The required technical and technological criteria for biogas production and treatment were indicated. The conditions of biorefining in the context of the generation of new products were analysed. Based on the amount of manure produced in pig production, the potential of biogas production in Poland was indicated based on the visualization of the biogas production potential by poviats in Poland. The substrate in the form of slurry, manure and other agricultural waste for the production of agricultural biogas in Poland was analysed quantitatively. The economic aspects in the agricultural biogas plant sector were revealed, indicating the operation of the economies of scale for this industry sector. An example of a pilot biogas production for anaerobic digestion using pig slurry is presented. The paper presents pre-liminary results of experimental studies on the course of changes in the biogas volume flow for the average daily production of agricultural biogas and the qualitative composition of agricultural biogas produced from pig slurry. The results of the measurements show a clear influence of the hydrodynamic mixing system of the substrate for the evaluation of the biogas flow through the adhesive bed in the context of agricultural biogas production in the range (1–14) m3 d–1.