Production costs and operative margins in electric energy generation from biogas. Full-scale case studies in Italy.
The purpose of this study was to observe the economic sustainability of three different biogas full scale plants, fed with different organic matrices: energy crops (EC), manure, agro-industrial (Plants B and C) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) (Plant A). The plants were observed for one year and total annual biomass feeding, biomass composition and biomass cost (€ Mg(-1)), initial investment cost and plant electric power production were registered. The unit costs of biogas and electric energy (€ Sm(-3)biogas, € kWh(-1)EE) were differently distributed, depending on the type of feed and plant. Plant A showed high management/maintenance cost for OFMSW treatment (0.155 € Sm(-3)biogas, 45% of total cost), Plant B suffered high cost for EC supply (0.130 € Sm(-3)biogas, 49% of total cost) and Plant C showed higher impact on the total costs because of the depreciation charge (0.146 € Sm(-3)biogas, 41% of total costs). The breakeven point for the tariff of electric energy, calculated for the different cases, resulted in the range 120-170 € MWh(-1)EE, depending on fed materials and plant scale. EC had great impact on biomass supply costs and should be reduced, in favor of organic waste and residues; plant scale still heavily influences the production costs. The EU States should drive incentives in dependence of these factors, to further develop this still promising sector.
Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
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Riva
Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Biomass and Bioenergy Lab., Parco Tecnologico Padano, Via Einstein, Località Cascina Codazza, 26900 Lodi, Italy. Electronic address: andrea.schievano@unimi.it.
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Schievano
Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Biomass and Bioenergy Lab., Parco Tecnologico Padano, Via Einstein, Località Cascina Codazza, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
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D'Imporzano
Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; Gruppo Ricicla, DiSAA, Biomass and Bioenergy Lab., Parco Tecnologico Padano, Via Einstein, Località Cascina Codazza, 26900 Lodi, Italy. Electronic address: fabrizio.adani@unimi.it.
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Adani
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D002138:Calibration; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004560:Electricity; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources / Q000191:economics*; D007558:Italy; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry*; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D062611:Solid Waste
D056804:Biofuels; D008372:Manure; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D062611:Solid Waste; D008697:Methane
Agriculture; Anaerobic digestion; Biogas; Energy crops; Organic waste; Renewable energy