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Assessment of energy performance in the life-cycle of biogas production

Berglund, Maria LU and Börjesson, Pål LU (2006) In Biomass & Bioenergy 30(3). p.254-266
Abstract
Energy balances are analysed from a life-cycle perspective for biogas systems based on 8 different raw materials. The analysis is based on published data and relates to Swedish conditions. The results show that the energy input into biogas systems (i.e. large-scale biogas plants) overall corresponds to 20-40% (on average approximately 30%) of the energy content in the biogas produced. The net energy output turns negative when transport distances exceed approximately 200 kin (manure), or up to 700 km (slaughterhouse waste). Large variations exist in energy efficiency among the biogas systems studied. These variations depend both on the properties of the raw materials studied and on the system design and allocation methods chosen. The net... (More)
Energy balances are analysed from a life-cycle perspective for biogas systems based on 8 different raw materials. The analysis is based on published data and relates to Swedish conditions. The results show that the energy input into biogas systems (i.e. large-scale biogas plants) overall corresponds to 20-40% (on average approximately 30%) of the energy content in the biogas produced. The net energy output turns negative when transport distances exceed approximately 200 kin (manure), or up to 700 km (slaughterhouse waste). Large variations exist in energy efficiency among the biogas systems studied. These variations depend both on the properties of the raw materials studied and on the system design and allocation methods chosen. The net energy output from biogas systems based on raw materials that have high water content and low biogas yield (e.g. manure) is relatively low. When energy-demanding handling of the raw materials is required, the energy input increases significantly. For instance, in a ley crop-based biogas system, the ley cropping alone corresponds to approximately 40% of the energy input. Overall, operation of the biogas plant is the most energy-demanding process, corresponding to 40-80% of the energy input into the systems. Thus, the results are substantially affected by the assumptions made about the allocation of a plant's entire energy demand among raw materials, e.g. regarding biogas yield or need of additional water for dilution. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
energy input, energy balance, anaerobic digestion, biogas production system, energy analysis, biogas
in
Biomass & Bioenergy
volume
30
issue
3
pages
254 - 266
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000236101200009
  • scopus:32644442757
ISSN
1873-2909
DOI
10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.11.011
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
68e214ac-9f43-451c-abf4-ffd4f4f39de1 (old id 415824)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:19:56
date last changed
2022-04-13 17:33:30
@article{68e214ac-9f43-451c-abf4-ffd4f4f39de1,
  abstract     = {{Energy balances are analysed from a life-cycle perspective for biogas systems based on 8 different raw materials. The analysis is based on published data and relates to Swedish conditions. The results show that the energy input into biogas systems (i.e. large-scale biogas plants) overall corresponds to 20-40% (on average approximately 30%) of the energy content in the biogas produced. The net energy output turns negative when transport distances exceed approximately 200 kin (manure), or up to 700 km (slaughterhouse waste). Large variations exist in energy efficiency among the biogas systems studied. These variations depend both on the properties of the raw materials studied and on the system design and allocation methods chosen. The net energy output from biogas systems based on raw materials that have high water content and low biogas yield (e.g. manure) is relatively low. When energy-demanding handling of the raw materials is required, the energy input increases significantly. For instance, in a ley crop-based biogas system, the ley cropping alone corresponds to approximately 40% of the energy input. Overall, operation of the biogas plant is the most energy-demanding process, corresponding to 40-80% of the energy input into the systems. Thus, the results are substantially affected by the assumptions made about the allocation of a plant's entire energy demand among raw materials, e.g. regarding biogas yield or need of additional water for dilution. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Berglund, Maria and Börjesson, Pål}},
  issn         = {{1873-2909}},
  keywords     = {{energy input; energy balance; anaerobic digestion; biogas production system; energy analysis; biogas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{254--266}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Biomass & Bioenergy}},
  title        = {{Assessment of energy performance in the life-cycle of biogas production}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.11.011}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.11.011}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}