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Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops

Author

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  • Alessandro Agostini

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The Netherlands
    ENEA–Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment, Via Anguillarese 301, 00061 Rome, Italy)

  • Ferdinando Battini

    (Institute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy)

  • Jacopo Giuntoli

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The Netherlands)

  • Vincenzo Tabaglio

    (Institute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy)

  • Monica Padella

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The Netherlands)

  • David Baxter

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The Netherlands)

  • Luisa Marelli

    (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), Sustainable Transport Unit, Westerduinweg 3, 1755LE Petten, The Netherlands)

  • Stefano Amaducci

    (Institute of Agronomy, Genetics and Field crops, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza, Italy)

Abstract

We analysed the environmental impacts of three biogas systems based on dairy manure, sorghum and maize. The geographical scope of the analysis is the Po valley, in Italy. The anaerobic digestion of manure guarantees high GHG (Green House Gases) savings thanks to the avoided emissions from the traditional storage and management of raw manure as organic fertiliser. GHG emissions for maize and sorghum-based systems, on the other hand, are similar to those of the Italian electricity mix. In crop-based systems, the plants with open-tank storage of digestate emit 50% more GHG than those with gas-tight tanks. In all the environmental impact categories analysed (acidification, particulate matter emissions, and eutrophication), energy crops based systems have much higher impacts than the Italian electricity mix. Maize-based systems cause higher impacts than sorghum, due to more intensive cultivation. Manure-based pathways have always lower impacts than the energy crops based pathways, however, all biogas systems cause much higher impacts than the current Italian electricity mix. We conclude that manure digestion is the most efficient way to reduce GHG emissions; although there are trade-offs with other local environmental impacts. Biogas production from crops; although not providing environmental benefits per se ; may be regarded as an option to facilitate the deployment of manure digestion.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Agostini & Ferdinando Battini & Jacopo Giuntoli & Vincenzo Tabaglio & Monica Padella & David Baxter & Luisa Marelli & Stefano Amaducci, 2015. "Environmentally Sustainable Biogas? The Key Role of Manure Co-Digestion with Energy Crops," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-32, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:8:y:2015:i:6:p:5234-5265:d:50605
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. Vo, Truc T.Q. & Rajendran, Karthik & Murphy, Jerry D., 2018. "Can power to methane systems be sustainable and can they improve the carbon intensity of renewable methane when used to upgrade biogas produced from grass and slurry?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 1046-1056.
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    12. Renjun Ruan & Jiashun Cao & Chao Li & Di Zheng & Jingyang Luo, 2017. "The Influence of Micro-Oxygen Addition on Desulfurization Performance and Microbial Communities during Waste-Activated Sludge Digestion in a Rusty Scrap Iron-Loaded Anaerobic Digester," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Bidart, Christian & Wichert, Martin & Kolb, Gunther & Held, Michael, 2022. "Biogas catalytic methanation for biomethane production as fuel in freight transport - A carbon footprint assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    14. Sahoo, Kamalakanta & Mani, Sudhagar, 2019. "Economic and environmental impacts of an integrated-state anaerobic digestion system to produce compressed natural gas from organic wastes and energy crops," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
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