Multi-Indicator Assessment of Innovative Small-Scale Biomethane Technologies in Europe

Kathrin Bienert, Britt Schumacher, Martín Rojas Arboleda, Eric Billig, Samiksha Shakya, Gustav Rogstrand, Marcin Zieliński and Marcin Dębowski
Additional contact information
Kathrin Bienert: DBFZ—Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum Gemeinnützige GmbH, Torgauer Strasse 116, 04347 Leipzig, Germany
Britt Schumacher: DBFZ—Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum Gemeinnützige GmbH, Torgauer Strasse 116, 04347 Leipzig, Germany
Martín Rojas Arboleda: DBFZ—Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum Gemeinnützige GmbH, Torgauer Strasse 116, 04347 Leipzig, Germany
Eric Billig: Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
Samiksha Shakya: DBFZ—Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum Gemeinnützige GmbH, Torgauer Strasse 116, 04347 Leipzig, Germany
Gustav Rogstrand: RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Box 7033, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Marcin Zieliński: Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Warszawska 117a, 10-720 Olsztyn, Poland
Marcin Dębowski: Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Warszawska 117a, 10-720 Olsztyn, Poland

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-32

Abstract: Innovative small-scale biogas plants, including upgrading solutions to affordable biomethane, are necessary to tap into the spatially distributed potentials of organic waste. This research identified and assessed novel small-scale technologies before market-entry maturity in the key process steps of the biomethane chain. We assessed technical, economic, and ecological indicators, and compared them to larger-scale references. The assessment included 7 pre-treatment, 13 digester, and 11 upgrading systems all at the small scale. We collected recently available data for Europe (2016–2018) for small-scale technologies (<200 m 3 ; raw biogas per hour). In the literature we did not find such a comprehensive assessment of actual European small-scale innovative non-market-ready technologies for the production of biomethane. Several conclusions were drawn for each of the individual process steps in the biomethane chain, e.g., the economic indicator calculated for the upgrading technologies shows that the upgrading costs, for some of them, are already close to the larger-scale reference (about 1.5 €ct/kWh raw biogas). Furthermore, biomethane production is absolutely context-specific, which dramatically limits the traditional way to evaluate technologies. Hence, new ways of integration of the technologies plays a major role on their future R&D.

Keywords: biomethane; pre-treatment; anaerobic digestion; biogas upgrading; greenhouse gas emissions; costs for biogas upgrading (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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