In this study, a techno-economic assessment of an on-farm biogas system using an anaerobic biofilm reactor utilizing cow manure as a fermentation substrate was evaluated. A projection model was developed using Microsoft Excel software with three outputs, the size and dimension of a bioreactor, experimental microbial kinetic studies, and the economic studies based on the experimental results. Characterization analysis of cow manure wastewater showed the total solid (TS), total volatile solid (TVS), total carbohydrate (TC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and pH values which were 10.95 g/L, 8.65 g/L, 6.65 g/L, 57.80 g/L, and 7, respectively. Using the modified Gompertz equation for the microbial studies, it was found that, at 37 °C and 20 days hydraulic retention time (HRT), the biogas yield was 934.54 mL/gVS, the volume of biogas produced was 11.28 m3/d, and 22.56 kWh of electricity was generated. The Gompertz prediction helps to determine the optimal HRT for the system so that the microorganisms are at their optimum stage to produce biogas. The economic analysis was done, and the results illustrated that, when the rate of cow manure produced was at 55 L/day.cow, the net present value (NPV) was RM 611,936.09, with a 13% internal rate of return (IRR), 0.14 return on investment (ROI), and 7.02 years of payback period (PP). By developing a techno-economic assessment that included all the necessary parameters such as sizing of the bioreactor, microbial kinetic studies, and economics of the plant, farmers could easily implement the system into their farms. This model showed that the anaerobic digestion system utilizing an attached biofilm with cow manure as a fermentation inoculum and substrate was applicable on an industrial scale to generate electricity and reutilize to the farm, at the same time generating additional income from the production of fertilizer.
Clean electricity is generated by the anaerobic digestion of biomass waste. The environmental impacts of various biomass waste feedstocks vary, while co-digestion has been reported to improve anaerobic digestion performance. A consequential life-cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) are carried out for cow manure waste management for a cow farm. Three scenarios are considered in this study: (S1) mono-digestion of cow manure, (S2) co-digestion of cow manure and maize silage, and (S3) co-digestion of cow manure with cow feed waste, sewage sludge, and returned dairy products. The LCA aims to quantify the environmental impact of each MWh of electricity generated, assuming the plant is located in Malaysia, using OpenLCA software. The TEA economic parameters are quantified and compared between the three scenarios. Net present value (NPV), Internal Return Rate (IRR), and Return of Investment (ROI) are examined. Among the three scenarios, S2 with maize cultivation has a higher environmental impact due to its higher energy requirements. With the integration of closed digestate storage and renewable energy-powered electricity, S3 has the best environmental performance in global warming, eutrophication and acidification. S3 is found to be most economically viable, with MYR 1.28 million NPV, 14% IRR, and 15% ROI, and a Payback Period of 6.56 years with an OPEX of MYR 3491.82/MWh.
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