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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
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    References listed on IDEAS

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