Biogas Development Research Articles

Small-scale biogas technology and clean cooking fuel: Assessing the potential and links with SDGs in low-income countries – A case study of Nepal

Small-scale biogas technology has been instrumental in providing clean cooking fuel in several low-income countries. This study investigates the role of domestic biogas technologies in meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.1, i.e., the share of the population using modern cooking solutions, considering a case study in Nepal. The country has an over 60 years’ successful history in the development of household biogas technologies with more than 431,000 biogas plants installation in close co-operation with different stakeholders including government, international development agencies, and private companies. There has not been an appreciable technological development over several decades of biogas promotion in Nepal, nonetheless, there is a need for indigenous technologies that can cope with multi-feedstock and fluctuating ambient temperature. Household bio-digester is one of viable options for simultaneously producing clean energy source (i.e. biogas) and nutrient-rich digestate (i.e. bio-fertilizer). In Nepal, less than one percent of the total biogas potential has been harnessed despite the government’s support and financing schemes. The total potential of biogas production from livestock manure is estimated to be about 3043.58 million m3/year when the full potential will be utilized. The corresponding avoided emissions would be 4.35 million tonnes CO2eq/year. Clean cooking fuel from domestic biogas technology could help in achieving SDGs in low-income countries when plans and policies for promoting robust small-scale biogas technology are in place. This study also explores the complementarity and synergies of biogas development and their interlinkages with other SDGs.

Implementation and Status of Biogas Technology in Ethiopia- Case of Tigray Region

In Ethiopia, like most developing countries, the majority of households depend on wood and charcoal as their cooking energy resources. This energy has a direct impact on the forest coverage and its emissions have significant health issues. Biogas technology has introduced to address these problems and reduce energy poverty in developing countries. However, the success of this technology depends on many factors such as technology appropriateness, available skill, proper introduction, and government support to create favorable financial incentives. The objective of this paper is to make an overview assessment of biogas development programs in Ethiopia, identify development barriers and provide suggestions to mitigate these barriers. The national and regional biogas program of Ethiopia has implemented to give energy for cooking and to some extent for lighting. However, it has shown limited success over the years. The National Biogas Programme of Ethiopia has shown an overall 50% achievement while the Tigray region registered 55% achievement. In addition, the owner of the biogas facility in Tigray reported a 57% functionality rate but the lowest satisfaction level of 15%. Generally, the region has shown relatively better performance in terms of dissemination and functionality but a low satisfaction rate due to technical limitation, unsteady input, and financial factors.

Modeling the ecosystem service of agricultural residues provision for bioenergy production: A potential application in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy)

Agro-ecosystems have large potentials for supporting human well-being and local development, also by providing large amounts of organic matter for bioenergy generation. The use of agricultural residues was proposed as a possible solution to support energy transition, while avoiding conflicts for the use of agricultural land destined to food production.The present work uses an Ecosystem Services (ES) approach to map and estimate the potential availability of agricultural residues (potential ES supply) in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), where high productive croplands are present. The map was overlapped with the bioenergy plants currently present in the region (ES demand) that could be sustained by residues, considering a buffer area of 10 km radius for a sustainable supply chain and under the assumption of using only the 25% of total residues. Additionally, suitable areas for bioenergy development were mapped by means of a hotspot analysis.The results showed that the Emilia-Romagna region has a large availability of agricultural residues to be potentially used for bioenergy generation. The 82.4% of the total installed power of biogas plants and the whole installed power of those using woody biomasses may be supported by using agricultural residues. When considering buffer areas for sustainable supply chains, agricultural residues could meet the 95% and 50% of total demand from biogas and solid biomasses plants, respectively. However, competition for agricultural residues among bioenergy plants could arise because of the overlap of their buffer zones. Moreover, hotspot analysis revealed large suitable areas for the development of environmental and cost-effective biogas plants.Contrasting ES supply and demand may unveil unexplored forms of sustainable development in agro-ecosystems, thus contributing to a more rational use of agricultural production which supports renewable energies without competing for the agricultural land.

Biogas as a Transport Fuel—A System Analysis of Value Chain Development in a Swedish Context

Biofuels policy instruments are important in the development and diffusion of biogas as a transport fuel in Sweden. Their effectiveness with links to geodemographic conditions has not been analysed systematically in studying biogas development in a less urbanised regions, with high potential and primitive gas infrastructure. One such region identified is Gävleborg in Sweden. By using value chain statistics, interviews with related actors, and studying biofuels policy instruments and implications for biogas development, it is found that the policy measures have not been as effective in the region as in the rest of Sweden due to different geodemographic characteristics of the region, which has resulted in impeded biogas development. In addition to factors found in previous studies, the less-developed biogas value chain in this region can be attributed particularly to undefined rules of the game, which is lack of consensus on trade-off of resources and services, unnecessary competition among several fuel alternatives, as well as the ambiguity of municipalities’ prioritization, and regional cultural differences. To strengthen the regional biogas sector, system actors need a strategy to eliminate blocking effects of identified local factors, and national policy instruments should provide mechanisms to process geographical conditions in regulatory, economic support, and market formation.

Pemanfaatan Kotoran Ternak sebagai Energi Terbarukan Melalui Pembangunan Biodigester Komunal

The potentials of energy from manure waste was calculated in this study aiming to develop biogas utilization in a rural area. The calculation was conducted based on the result from clustering the non-biogas farmer households which cannot afford individual anaerobic digester (AD). Spatial cluster analysis (SCA) and superimposed technique were used to determine the size of the groups and the location of ADs respectively. Value from SCA showed that the village’s settlement pattern is clustered feasible to apply communal AD for rural biogas development. Meanwhile, a superimposed technique using 3 parameters which are land availability, cow ownership, and topography, generates 43 clusters of farmer households that can supply biogas for cooking. The energy production is estimated at 8.96-39.68 m3/day/household, while the energy demand is approximately 0.65-3.48 m3/day/household. The calculation shows that there is remaining biogas that can be distributed to non-biogas farmer households. Using SCA, 75 non-biogas farmer households were identified to be potentially supplied by biogas. The total energy demand for both biogas and non-biogas farmers households is 2,147.34 MJ/day, while the total potential energy generation from all ADs is 24,560.64 MJ/day indicating a low biogas utilization rate which is only 8.7%. The percentage shows that biogas utilization for an energy source in Dusun Dresel can be more developed by enhancing the distribution network or by converting it into electricity to support rural energy security.

Spatial Economic Modeling of the Waste-driven Agricultural Biogas in Lubelskie Region, Poland

Abstract In this study, we aim to support the evidence-based policy in agricultural biogas production at regional level in Poland. To do so, we set up a decentralized decision framework, simultaneously taking into account the agricultural sector heterogeneity, the biogas technology state-of-the-art and the Polish institutional setting related to renewable energy production. A partial equilibrium model simulates the agricultural and the biogas sector interactions, estimating market clearing prices and quantities at the intersection of supply and demand. The optimal number, size and location of biogas plants are derived at the equilibrium. Considering the case study of Lubelskie region, we tested alternative incentive schemes for agricultural biogas development. Results indicate that limiting the use of energy crops in favour of other substrates, such as livestock, manure and agro-industrial waste, is decisive to preserve biogas profitability under all policy scenarios tested. However, it seems that only with the implementation of the current policy scheme there is a concrete perspective for the biogas industry take-off.

Economics of Rural Domestic Biogas Development: Applying Spatial Analysis to Evaluate Profitability

The aim of this paper is to calculate the profitability of communal anaerobic digester (AD) development in rural area. For that purpose, spatial cluster analysis is used to determine the cluster size and location for low affordability of non-biogas farmers to construct individual anaerobic digester. Cluster size is characterized by the number of households and the spatial proximity among the cluster member, while cluster location is determined by the land suitability. The potential energy production for each cluster is calculated afterwards as it may be distributed to non-farmer households. Meanwhile, the economics of communal (AD) is estimated using the Net Present Value, the Internal Return Rate, the Payback, and the Profitability as Return/Investment Ratio. As a result of the study, we have attained energy values ranging between 193,026.6 (MJ/yr) and 649,510.2 (MJ/yr). The BCR varies for both communal and individual AD which is 1.57 – 1.61 and 1.28 – 1.46, respectively. Furthermore, the calculation shows that Net Present Value, Internal Return Ratio, Payback, and profitability is US$ 12,112, 18%, 4.3 years and 110% respectively.

Assessment of electricity generation from biogas in Benin from energy and economic viability perspectives

Energy and sanitation are key factors to ensure economic development and quality of life for any nation’s population. These are challenges for less developed nations such as Benin, located in West Africa. Sewage treatment plants with biogas energy recovery present an opportunity for this country to overcome both problems. The present study aims to foster biogas development and the sanitation sector in Benin. More specifically, the goal is to evaluate energy potential and economic viability for anaerobic biogas energy generation in generators located in ten Beninese cities. In order to do so, a population projection was carried out for each city, followed by estimates for biogas production and, subsequently, calculating energy potential and economic viability. Reactor implementation costs were weighed separately in order to see the impact when included. In addition to developing sanitation in the country, the studied projects could supply up to 2% of the energy imported during 2016. In economic terms, the projects were unfeasible when considering the reactor implementation costs. A mandatory energy rate would have to be paid by the population to ensure enterprises a return on their investment. The results obtained furthered discussions on alternatives for Benin’s energy and sanitation sectors and can be used for future research and decision making.

Understanding upscaling and stagnation of farm-based biogas production in Sweden through transitional and farming logics

Biogas has recently attracted increased attention as an energy carrier in the Swedish agricultural sector. After a few years of growth, the agricultural biogas sector has now plateaued and few new plants have been established in recent years. This paper aims to understand the upscaling and stagnation of farm-based biogas in Sweden using interviews with key stakeholders and document studies. Through a combination of concepts used in socio-technical transition and large technical systems literature, the paper takes stock of national developments with a particular focus on three case regions. With an appreciation of regional contexts and different actor logics driving biogas development, the results present different growth patterns, stagnation factors and possible pathways for future upscaling. The paper concludes with a discussion on the future of the Swedish agricultural biogas sector.

Factors Influencing the Biogas Acceptance in Rural Area

This study addresses how utilization of information such as livestock population, village maps and geographic information system (GIS) can be utilized to evaluate biogas production from livestock manure in rural areas. Cluster analysis was used to identify the appropriate locations for construction of anaerobic digester. The factors influencing the acceptance of biogas development were also analysed using regression analysis. The logistic regression model was employed for data analysis. The model was used furthermore to calculate the probability of acceptance of biogas development in the area of study. Calculation of potential biogas production is approximately about 24,560.64 MJ/day of energy can be produced. The determinants for biogas development acceptance ranges between 10% and 74.6%. The study was based on primary data that were elicited using open and closed-ended questionnaires. Empirically, the result indicated that number of cattle owned, age of household head, family size, land availability and knowledge are factors that have statistical significance (p < 0.05). Family size, land availability, knowledge positively influence the acceptance of utilization of biogas technology, while age of farmer and cattle ownership is inversely proportional to the acceptance. The model shows that if all factors drive, the probability can be increased up to 74.6% indicating that the use of livestock manure can be successfully developed in the area.

Community attitudes towards biogas as an alternative energy and environmental quality improvement

This study aims to find out and explore information on cattle farmers in utilizing their dung as alternative energy-biogas in their daily activities. By using quantitative descriptive research methods and Likert scale for data analysis on 50 respondents, resulting that as many as 46% of respondents agreed that biogas as an alternative energy and want to have it as much as 54%. However, in the statement that they will build biogas, most of them answered doubtfully, which is 70%. Doubts in building biogas are caused by, among others: the lack of sufficient information related to biogas, the high investment costs at the beginning of the biogas reactor construction, the are several biogas digesters do not work, the useful life and function of the biogas reactor, and the availability of land as a biogas reactor. As a solution to these problems, IEC program (Information, Education and Communication) can be done to the community, especially farmers about biogas as a whole; program synergies among the government, academics and biogas builders to encourage biogas development as an alternative energy while enhancing environmental quality.

Review of biogas models and key challenges in the further development in China

This paper provides an overview of biogas models and key challenges of further biogas development in China. A review of the biogas models aim to highlight the complexity of biogas development in China, and thereby draw attention to some easily neglected issues in China’s biogas development. China’s biogas development had stagnated in recent years, and while household biogas projects have always been the leading force of biogas production in China, their proportion declines year on year. “3 in 1”, “4 in 1” and “5 in 1” models are the most common models used in China, but Medium and Large-scale Biogas Projects (MLBPs) increasingly play a significant role. By comparison, MLBPs perform better than household biogas projects in some aspects. On the other hand, household projects have their advantages and are essential aspects of energy system development, particularly in more remote rural areas. This paper strongly recommends paying more attention to the practical application of household biogas models and providing the necessary support to skill development and digester maintenance. Moreover, this paper argues that biogas policies need to be based on scientific evidence.

The role of a local authority as a stakeholder encouraging the development of biogas: A study on territorial intermediation

In a context where anaerobic digestion is a controversial subject, it is not surprising to see that between 20% and 30% of anaerobic digestion projects are abandoned, mainly for reasons of local opposition, problems of coordination between stakeholders and the implementation of real territorial governance capable of facing the challenges encountered during the setting up of the project. We can consequently question the role that local territorial authorities could play to encourage the development of biogas in France. We used semi-structured interviews conducted with anaerobic digestion stakeholders to identify the main functions of territorial intermediation (and their specific elements) that local authorities could have to encourage the deployment and success of these projects. Local authorities play the role of intermediation by (i) ensuring spatial and cognitive proximities between actors, (ii) mobilizing territorial resources and favoring local anchorage (iii) installing trust among the local stakeholders and (iv) having a role of instigator by participating in the supply (inputs) of biogas plants and the purchase of the energy produced (outputs).

关于生物质能源综合发展前景探讨

For the development of domestic livestock husbandry, how to recycle livestock and poultry manure is the most key problem. With the progress of science and technology, with agricultural organic fertilizer and rural energy as the main utilization direction, comprehensively promote the resource utilization of breeding waste, combined with the breeding scale and breeding waste treatment to give certain subsidies and rewards, set the tone for the development of biogas and biomass energy, to provide strong support for building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.

Lessons from Bali for small-scale biogas development in Indonesia

Being dependent on fossil fuels, Indonesia faces challenges in incorporating renewables into its energy supply, which hampers to achieve the NDC target of 26% emission reduction. We investigate how biogas could contribute to a low-carbon transition pathway as cooking fuel, especially through the national mid-term development planning. Using mixed-methods and stakeholder engagement, we conducted transdisciplinary research to advance knowledge on biogas in Indonesia. We used Q-methodology to explore the ambiguity around biogas developments leading us to identify three “perspectives” regarding value on biogas: technology, co-benefits, and independence. Quantitative research using the E3ME model identified economic benefits of biogas, but also an increase in LPG use due to unstable feedstock availability (hence intermittent biogas production), which could cause a potential increase of national CO2 emissions. Those and other barriers including ill-adapted technology to local conditions and barriers to financing installations require sound policies to be overcome, focusing on co-benefits of biogas.

An Approach to Economic Growth and Environment Effects in Northeast Asia

Global achievement of urbanization and farming revitalization in the past few years has taken significant environmental impacts linked to the relative industry sectors, including Northeast Asia and China-Russia Economic Corridor. The environmental degradation-energy shortage-farmland reduction-food security nexus need be urgently explored to improve the sustainability and environmental management, as significance of rural revitalization policies. Consequently, assessing agricultural emissions, livestock waste and the related biogas development is the crux in the nexus treatment. This paper focuses on a Northeast Asia context and analyse the environment-economy relationship applying panel cointegration and panel estimation methods, considering the features of agricultural emissions and animal wastes in Northeast Asia national economies from 1992 to 2016, and explore an open and international farming perspective for rural context. It is indicated a long-run co-integrated curve like Environmental Kuznets Curve between the agricultural environment and economy index. It could be one of the most significant cooperation issues around the region to improve this agriculture related ecology level and the corresponding trade and fund.

Household biogas digesters or medium-large-scale biogas plants: a conflicting issue in rural China.

There has been a conflicting issue in rural China that whether or not encouraging the development of medium-large-scale biogas plants (MLBPs) to reduce household biogas digesters (HBDs) will be better for China in the long run. In this study, we investigate the difference between HBD users and MLBP users and the factors that affect the biogas use of these two user types on the basis of a survey of 1125 households in four provinces in China. The results indicate that compared to HBD users, MLBP users have a higher ratio (29%) of biogas use, obtain a higher subsidy-to-cost ratio (25%), and present a more positive evaluation of biogas service (3%). For HBD users, installation years and service evaluation are significant predictors of biogas use. For MLBP users, in addition to installation years and service, the subsidy-to-cost ratio affects biogas use negatively, and the biogas price is a key constraint for biogas use. These results provide valuable insights into the future development of biogas energy in rural China and guidance for the development of biogas in similar countries worldwide.

The implications of economic instruments on biogas value chains: a case study comparison between Norway and Denmark

This paper studies biogas value chains and the effect from various economic support instruments on these value chains. This is done by comparing two European countries that are quite similar in size, income levels and environmental ambitions, but which are using very different instruments to support biogas development. Norway provides investment support combined with support for inputs, while Danish support is focused on the biogas output side. The aim of the comparison is to clarify whether the policies in use have affected the design of biogas value chains such that they are determined by national support and are not viable under alternative support structures. Based on the findings, possible modifications of national support and other biogas regulation policy are suggested. The comparative study assesses the costs and income of an exemplary Norwegian value chain and a Danish value chain. The cases are evaluated by assessing the economic consequences of implementing the Danish instruments for a Norwegian value chain and vice versa. We find that structural and regulatory conditions have a large impact on the configuration of the value chains. The Danish value chain in Norwegian settings results in a large deficit (− 12.7€/tonne), while it was profitable in Denmark (+ 4.9€/tonne). The same is observed for the Norwegian value chain, but to a lesser extent. The policy implication of end-use support in Denmark is large-scale plants, maximising the output through co-digestion of manure and high-yield substrates, while avoiding losses. Investment support in Norway has increased biogas production from organic waste with less emphasis on efficient gas usage, while input support regarding manure has led to an increase in the usage of manure as substrate.

Estimation of livestock excrement and its biogas production potential in China

The constant growth of livestock husbandry in China in recent years has raised grave concerns about severe environmental pollution. A countrywide, comprehensive assessment of the quantity and distribution of livestock excrement (LE) production could significantly promote contamination control methods and biogas development in China. Previous researchers have reported an excessively wide range of LE quantities and have failed to reach a consensus conclusion. By using the latest updated LE definitions and calculation coefficients, LE and its biogas potential were assessed for 14 types of livestock in this study according to China’s husbandry statistics data. LE increased by 10.9% from 1563.2 Mt in 2007 to 1755.0 Mt in 2015 at a rate of 12.3% in fresh weight and increased by 12.8% from 367.1 Mt to 414.5 Mt in dry weight. The mean annual LE from 2013 to 2015 was estimated on a dry weight basis as 414.9 Mt. Most of the LE produced from 2013 to 2015 was by cattle (including draft cattle, beef cattle, and dairy cows), followed by sheep (including goats), poultry (including broiler chickens, egg chickens, ducks, and geese), pigs, and other livestock (including horses, donkeys, mules, camels, and rabbits). Among the six regions, from 2013 to 2015, the LE was distributed in ascending order in the Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, North, Central-south, and East regions on a dry weight basis. The average LE produced among the 31 provinces in China ranged widely from just 0.8 Mt (Shanghai) up to 42.4 Mt (Shandong), with the latter having the highest LE density distribution (275.7 t km-2) on a dry weight basis. The east-middle provinces, Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Tianjin, Jiangsu, and Anhui, exhibited relatively higher levels of LE density distribution (111.2–275.7 t km-2) than those of other regions. The yearly total LE generated from commercial scale husbandry feedlots (CSHF) for 2015 was estimated at 141.5 Mt, which amounts to a biogas potential of 60.6 billion m3 (Billion refers 1 × 109). Scenario analysis predicts that by 2030, the annual LE from CSHF could range from 201.1 to 258.9 Mt, corresponding to biogas potential of 86–111 billion m3. The results of this countrywide study suggest that there are significant opportunities to improve LE management and to achieve ecological livestock husbandry in China.

Biogas development: Dissemination and barriers

Biogas as alternative energy has long been developed in Indonesia since 1970, however, the utilization of biogas as fuel has not been optimum even can be said is still low compared to the potential. Biogas can be produced from wastes (agriculture, household, farm, etc.), but from various studies and experiments, the best biogas is produced from livestock manure. Initially, the biogas produced from livestock manure was not approved by the community because of the public’s perception that cow dung/manure is dirty and inappropriate to be used for lighting and cooking. Over time these perceptions have changed and biogas is more accepted, but the utilization of biogas is still not optimal, various obstacles arise. This paper provides an overview of the barriers in biogas dissemination in West Java-Indonesia, among others, the investment is expensive, the process is considered complicated, the reluctance to manage the digester like filling cow dung, etc. Knowledge of these barriers can be used for designing the method in disseminating also the pattern/model of biogas development and application in a community to be accepted and sustainable. Information was extracted by observation and survey, interview and learning from various studies and reports. In addition, action research was also conducted in Subang, Sumedang, Bandung of West Java. Results from the studies and action research, show that biogas is actually needed by society, especially in rural areas, if its price is affordable and its operation is easy or not complicated, and also supported by policy.