Biogas upgrading is an exciting development opportunity in the bioenergy field. This system allows to fully exploit the energy produced in anaerobic digestion plants because the gas produced, biomethane, can be used directly as biofuel or be fed into the grid. Biogas upgrading avoids energy losses due to conversion to electricity, the traditional use of biogas. However, high plant costs and the need for a constant supply of biogas are holding back the large-scale deployment of this technology. District plants are a possible solution, which allow biogas produced in several plants to be collected and operate the subsequent upgrading process. This paper presents a model of the optimal location of upgrading plants in one Italy region. The proposed model is based on the current site of biogas plants, their installed capacity, and natural gas distribution network pattern. This model aims to develop biomethane production even in smaller anaerobic digestion plants, where installing stand-alone upgrading systems would not be profitable. The results demonstrated the possibility of installing 24 upgrading systems to serve the existing 224 biogas plants. It would be possible to produce up to 910.8·106 m3 of biomethane equal to 6.2% of the regional methane demand for civilian use.
SPATIAL ANALYSIS FOR BIOGAS UPGRADING PLANTS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BIOMETHANE DEVELOPMENT
Pezzuolo A.
2023
Abstract
Biogas upgrading is an exciting development opportunity in the bioenergy field. This system allows to fully exploit the energy produced in anaerobic digestion plants because the gas produced, biomethane, can be used directly as biofuel or be fed into the grid. Biogas upgrading avoids energy losses due to conversion to electricity, the traditional use of biogas. However, high plant costs and the need for a constant supply of biogas are holding back the large-scale deployment of this technology. District plants are a possible solution, which allow biogas produced in several plants to be collected and operate the subsequent upgrading process. This paper presents a model of the optimal location of upgrading plants in one Italy region. The proposed model is based on the current site of biogas plants, their installed capacity, and natural gas distribution network pattern. This model aims to develop biomethane production even in smaller anaerobic digestion plants, where installing stand-alone upgrading systems would not be profitable. The results demonstrated the possibility of installing 24 upgrading systems to serve the existing 224 biogas plants. It would be possible to produce up to 910.8·106 m3 of biomethane equal to 6.2% of the regional methane demand for civilian use.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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