Energy and Business Synergy: Leveraging Biogenic Resources from Agriculture, Waste, and Wastewater in German Rural Areas

Moritz Pollack (), Andrea Lück, Mario Wolf, Eckhard Kraft and Conrad Völker
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Moritz Pollack: Department of Building Physics, Bauhaus-University Weimar, 99423 Weimar, Germany
Andrea Lück: Department of Biotechnology in Resource Management, Bauhaus-University Weimar, 99423 Weimar, Germany
Mario Wolf: Department of Biotechnology in Resource Management, Bauhaus-University Weimar, 99423 Weimar, Germany
Eckhard Kraft: Department of Biotechnology in Resource Management, Bauhaus-University Weimar, 99423 Weimar, Germany
Conrad Völker: Department of Building Physics, Bauhaus-University Weimar, 99423 Weimar, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-26

Abstract: The imperative to transform current energy provisions is widely acknowledged. However, scant attention has hitherto been directed toward rural municipalities and their innate resources, notably biogenic resources. In this paper, a methodological framework is developed to interconnect resources from waste, wastewater, and agricultural domains for energy utilization. This entails cataloging existing resources, delineating their potential via quantitative assessments utilizing diverse technologies, and encapsulating them in a conceptual model. The formulated models underwent iterative evaluation with engagement from diverse stakeholders. Consequently, 3 main concepts, complemented by 72 sub-concepts, were delineated, all fostering positive contributions to climate protection and providing heat supply in the rural study area. The outcomes’ replicability is underscored by the study area’s generic structure and the employed methodology. Through these inquiries, a framework for the requisite energy transition, with a pronounced emphasis on the coupling of waste, wastewater, and agriculture sectors in rural environments, is robustly analyzed.

Keywords: energy transition; energy concepts; energy systems; rural area; biogenic residues; biogenic waste materials; agriculture; waste management; wastewater management; regional development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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