Renewable energy from biogas with reduced carbon dioxide footprint: Implications of applying different plant configurations and operating pressures

Budzianowski, Wojciech M.; Postawa, Karol

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2016.05.076

Cited by 96 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 100 publications

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“…One possibility to reduce these emissions could be the upgrading of biogas to biomethane, because sulfur dioxide is almost completely removed during this process. In addition, new techniques for biomethane production (e.g., pressurized anaerobic digestion) could help reduce the carbon footprint of biomethane production in the near future, because the demand for energy-intensive compression is reduced in such approaches [52]. Lijó et al [53] reported production of nitrogen fertilizer, fertilizer-induced emissions and emissions of agricultural management as important factors for the environmental performance of energy crops.…”

Section: Overall Impact Of Process Steps In Impact Categoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Performance of Miscanthus, Switchgrass and Maize: Can C4 Perennials Increase the Sustainability of Biogas Production?

2016

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Abstract:Biogas is considered a promising option for complementing the fluctuating energy supply from other renewable sources. Maize is currently the dominant biogas crop, but its environmental performance is questionable. Through its replacement with high-yielding and nutrient-efficient perennial C4 grasses, the environmental impact of biogas could be considerably improved. The objective of this paper is to assess and compare the environmental performance of the biogas production and utilization of perennial miscanthus and switchgrass and annual maize. An LCA was performed using data from field trials, assessing the impact in the five categories: climate change (CC), fossil fuel depletion (FFD), terrestrial acidification (TA), freshwater eutrophication (FE) and marine eutrophication (ME). A system expansion approach was adopted to include a fossil reference. All three crops showed significantly lower CC and FFD potentials than the fossil reference, but higher TA and FE potentials, with nitrogen fertilizer production and fertilizer-induced emissions identified as hot spots. Miscanthus performed best and changing the input substrate from maize to miscanthus led to average reductions of −66% CC; −74% FFD; −63% FE; −60% ME and −21% TA. These results show that perennial C4 grasses and miscanthus in particular have the potential to improve the sustainability of the biogas sector.

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Section: Overall Impact Of Process Steps In Impact Categoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Performance of Miscanthus, Switchgrass and Maize: Can C4 Perennials Increase the Sustainability of Biogas Production?

2016

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“…According to new research in [64] biogas can utilise the potential to decarbonise energy systems 'only if its lifecycle carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) footprint is lower than that of displaced conventional technologies, which is sometimes uncertain.' This research on biogas also noted that the typical life cycle CO 2 footprint of biogas ranges from 50 to 450 kgCO 2 /MWh el based on an in-depth review of the published academic literature and found that pressurised anaerobic digestion (PAD) based biogas plants produce higher purity biomethane with a much lower direct CO 2 footprint of 13kg/MWh f (where f means footprint of biomethane) based on a case study involving six plant configurations compared to conventional combined heat and power (CHP) systems with a direct CO 2 footprint of 700kgCO 2 /MWh el (where el means footprint of electricity).…”

Section: Renewable Energy Resources and Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of developments in technologies and research that have had a direct measurable impact on sustainability considering the Paris agreement on climate change

Foley

Smyth

Pukšec

et al. 2017

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

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“…As such, Pfenninger et al [30] consider 'resolving time and space' to be the main challenge for energy system optimization models. For such long term modelling analyses it is also critical from an operational perspective to capture the current state of play and development of technologies so as to ensure a realistic trajectory of future technology development is considered [31][32][33][34][35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating short term variations of the power system into integrated energy system models: A methodological review

Collins

Deane

Poncelet

et al. 2017

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

231

145

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It is anticipated that the decarbonisation of the entire energy system will require the introduction of large shares of variable renewable electricity generation into the power system. Long term integrated energy systems models are useful in improving our understanding of decarbonisation but they struggle to take account of short term variations in the power system associated with increased variable renewable energy penetration. This can oversimplify the ability of power systems to accommodate variable renewables and result in mistaken signals regarding the levels of flexibility required in power systems. Capturing power system impacts of variability within integrated energy system models is challenging due to temporal and technical simplifying assumptions needed to make such models computationally manageable. This paper addresses a gap in the literature by reviewing prominent methodologies that have been applied to address this challenge and the advantages & limitations of each. The methods include soft linking between integrated energy systems models and power systems models and improving the temporal and technical representation of power systems within integrated energy systems models. Each methodology covered approaches the integration of short term variations and assesses the flexibility of the system differently. The strengths, limitations, and applicability of these different methodologies are analysed. This review allows users of integrated energy systems models to select a methodology (or combination of methodologies) to suit their needs. In addition, the analysis identifies remaining gaps and shortcomings.

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Renewable energy from biogas with reduced carbon dioxide footprint: Implications of applying different plant configurations and operating pressures

Cited by 96 publications

References 100 publications

Environmental Performance of Miscanthus, Switchgrass and Maize: Can C4 Perennials Increase the Sustainability of Biogas Production?

Environmental Performance of Miscanthus, Switchgrass and Maize: Can C4 Perennials Increase the Sustainability of Biogas Production?

A review of developments in technologies and research that have had a direct measurable impact on sustainability considering the Paris agreement on climate change

Integrating short term variations of the power system into integrated energy system models: A methodological review

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