IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i6p2174-d772566.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ammonia and Biogas from Anaerobic and Sewage Digestion for Novel Heat, Power and Transport Applications—A Techno-Economic and GHG Emissions Study for the United Kingdom

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Grasham

    (School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Valerie Dupont

    (School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Timothy Cockerill

    (School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
    School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK)

  • Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero

    (BioResource Systems Research Group, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
    Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Campus La Nubia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales 170002, Colombia)

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD) and sewage sludge digestion (SD) plants generate significant quantities of ammoniacal nitrogen in their digestate liquor. This article assesses the economic viability and CO 2 abatement opportunity from the utilisation of this ammonia under three scenarios and proposes their potential for uptake in the United Kingdom. Each state-of-the-art process route recovers ammonia and uses it alongside AD-produced biomethane for three different end goals: (1) the production of H 2 as a bus transport fuel, (2) production of H 2 for injection to the gas grid and (3) generation of heat and power via solid oxide fuel cell technology. A rigorous assessment of UK anaerobic and sewage digestion facilities revealed the production of H 2 as a bus fleet transport fuel scenario as the most attractive option, with 19 SD and 42 AD existing plants of suitable scale for process implementation. This is compared to 3 SD/1 AD and 13 SD/23 AD existing plants applicable with the aim of grid injection and SOFC processing, respectively. GHG emission analysis found that new plants using the NWaste2H2 technology could enable GHG reductions of up to 4.3 and 3.6 kg CO 2 e for each kg bio-CH 4 supplied as feedstock for UK SD and AD plants, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Grasham & Valerie Dupont & Timothy Cockerill & Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero, 2022. "Ammonia and Biogas from Anaerobic and Sewage Digestion for Novel Heat, Power and Transport Applications—A Techno-Economic and GHG Emissions Study for the United Kingdom," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:6:p:2174-:d:772566
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/6/2174/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/6/2174/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aldersey-Williams, J. & Rubert, T., 2019. "Levelised cost of energy – A theoretical justification and critical assessment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 169-179.
    2. Watson, S.D. & Lomas, K.J. & Buswell, R.A., 2019. "Decarbonising domestic heating: What is the peak GB demand?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 533-544.
    3. S. H. A. Koop & C. J. Leeuwen, 2017. "The challenges of water, waste and climate change in cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 385-418, April.
    4. Quarton, Christopher J. & Samsatli, Sheila, 2018. "Power-to-gas for injection into the gas grid: What can we learn from real-life projects, economic assessments and systems modelling?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 302-316.
    5. Quarton, Christopher J. & Samsatli, Sheila, 2020. "Should we inject hydrogen into gas grids? Practicalities and whole-system value chain optimisation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    6. Grasham, Oliver & Dupont, Valerie & Camargo-Valero, Miller Alonso & García-Gutiérrez, Pelayo & Cockerill, Timothy, 2019. "Combined ammonia recovery and solid oxide fuel cell use at wastewater treatment plants for energy and greenhouse gas emission improvements," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 698-708.
    7. D'Adamo, Idiano & Falcone, Pasquale Marcello & Gastaldi, Massimo & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2020. "RES-T trajectories and an integrated SWOT-AHP analysis for biomethane. Policy implications to support a green revolution in European transport," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    8. Alessandra Perna & Mariagiovanna Minutillo & Simona Di Micco & Elio Jannelli, 2022. "Design and Costs Analysis of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations Based on Different Hydrogen Sources and Plant Configurations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    9. Rotunno, Paolo & Lanzini, Andrea & Leone, Pierluigi, 2017. "Energy and economic analysis of a water scrubbing based biogas upgrading process for biomethane injection into the gas grid or use as transportation fuel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(PB), pages 417-432.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pastore, Lorenzo Mario & Lo Basso, Gianluigi & Sforzini, Matteo & de Santoli, Livio, 2022. "Technical, economic and environmental issues related to electrolysers capacity targets according to the Italian Hydrogen Strategy: A critical analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Pastore, Lorenzo Mario & Lo Basso, Gianluigi & Ricciardi, Guido & de Santoli, Livio, 2022. "Synergies between Power-to-Heat and Power-to-Gas in renewable energy communities," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 1383-1397.
    3. Grzegorz Piechota & Bartłomiej Igliński, 2021. "Biomethane in Poland—Current Status, Potential, Perspective and Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-32, March.
    4. Noussan, Michel & Negro, Viviana & Prussi, Matteo & Chiaramonti, David, 2024. "The potential role of biomethane for the decarbonization of transport: An analysis of 2030 scenarios in Italy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 355(C).
    5. Gordon, Joel A. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Nabavi, Seyed Ali, 2023. "Socio-technical barriers to domestic hydrogen futures: Repurposing pipelines, policies, and public perceptions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    6. Davis, M. & Okunlola, A. & Di Lullo, G. & Giwa, T. & Kumar, A., 2023. "Greenhouse gas reduction potential and cost-effectiveness of economy-wide hydrogen-natural gas blending for energy end uses," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    7. Pastore, Lorenzo Mario & Lo Basso, Gianluigi & de Santoli, Livio, 2023. "How national decarbonisation scenarios can affect building refurbishment strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    8. Quarton, Christopher J. & Samsatli, Sheila, 2020. "Should we inject hydrogen into gas grids? Practicalities and whole-system value chain optimisation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    9. Idiano D’Adamo & Claudio Sassanelli, 2022. "Biomethane Community: A Research Agenda towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
    10. D’Adamo, Idiano & Falcone, Pasquale Marcello & Huisingh, Donald & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2021. "A circular economy model based on biomethane: What are the opportunities for the municipality of Rome and beyond?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1660-1672.
    11. Peacock, Malcolm & Fragaki, Aikaterini & Matuszewski, Bogdan J, 2023. "The impact of heat electrification on the seasonal and interannual electricity demand of Great Britain," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    12. Kolb, Sebastian & Plankenbühler, Thomas & Frank, Jonas & Dettelbacher, Johannes & Ludwig, Ralf & Karl, Jürgen & Dillig, Marius, 2021. "Scenarios for the integration of renewable gases into the German natural gas market – A simulation-based optimisation approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    13. Wuliyasu Bai & Liang Yan & Jingbo Liang & Long Zhang, 2022. "Mapping Knowledge Domain on Economic Growth and Water Sustainability: A Scientometric Analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(11), pages 4137-4159, September.
    14. Ju-Yeol Ryu & Sungho Park & Changhyeong Lee & Seonghyeon Hwang & Jongwoong Lim, 2023. "Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen–Natural Gas Blended Fuels for 400 MW Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPPs)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-19, September.
    15. Verástegui, Felipe & Lorca, Álvaro & Negrete-Pincetic, Matias & Olivares, Daniel, 2020. "Firewood heat electrification impacts in the Chilean power system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    16. Cesar Casiano Flores & Joep Crompvoets & Maria Eugenia Ibarraran Viniegra & Megan Farrelly, 2019. "Governance Assessment of the Flood’s Infrastructure Policy in San Pedro Cholula, Mexico: Potential for a Leapfrog to Water Sensitive," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-28, December.
    17. Tubagus Aryandi Gunawan & Alessandro Singlitico & Paul Blount & James Burchill & James G. Carton & Rory F. D. Monaghan, 2020. "At What Cost Can Renewable Hydrogen Offset Fossil Fuel Use in Ireland’s Gas Network?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-23, April.
    18. Mehar Ullah & Daniel Gutierrez-Rojas & Eero Inkeri & Tero Tynjälä & Pedro H. J. Nardelli, 2022. "Operation of Power-to-X-Related Processes Based on Advanced Data-Driven Methods: A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, October.
    19. Jeroen van der Heijden, 2021. "When opportunity backfires: exploring the implementation of urban climate governance alternatives in three major US cities [Are LEED-Certified Buildings Energy-Efficient in Practice?]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 40(1), pages 116-135.
    20. Paul Drummond, 2021. "Assessing City Governance for Low-Carbon Mobility in London," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:6:p:2174-:d:772566. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.