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What Could China Give to and Take from Other Countries in Terms of the Development of the Biogas Industry?

Author

Listed:
  • Lei Zheng

    (School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Jingang Chen

    (School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Mingyue Zhao

    (Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Shikun Cheng

    (School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Li-Pang Wang

    (Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, College of Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan)

  • Heinz-Peter Mang

    (School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
    German Society for Sustainable Biogas and Bioenergy Utilization (GERBIO), 74592 Kirchberg/Jagst, Germany)

  • Zifu Li

    (School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is one of the most sustainable and promising technologies for the management of organic residues. China plays an important role in the world’s biogas industry and has accumulated rich and valuable experience, both positive and negative. The country has established relatively complete laws, policies and a subsidy system; its world-renowned standard system guarantees the implementation of biogas projects. Its prefabricated biogas industry has been developed, and several biogas-linked agricultural models have been disseminated. Nonetheless, the subsidy system in China’s biogas industry is inflexible and cannot lead to marketization, unlike that of its European counterpart. Moreover, the equipment and technology levels of China’s biogas industry are still lagging and underdeveloped. Mono-digestion, rather than co-digestion, dominates the biogas industry. In addition, biogas upgrading technology is immature, and digestate lacks planning and management. China’s government subsidy is reconsidered in this work, resulting in the recommendation that subsidy should be based on products (i.e., output-oriented) instead of only input subsidy for construction. The policy could focus on the revival of abandoned biogas plants as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei Zheng & Jingang Chen & Mingyue Zhao & Shikun Cheng & Li-Pang Wang & Heinz-Peter Mang & Zifu Li, 2020. "What Could China Give to and Take from Other Countries in Terms of the Development of the Biogas Industry?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1490-:d:321592
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Wu, Lan & Wei, Wei & Song, Lan & Woźniak-Karczewska, Marta & Chrzanowski, Łukasz & Ni, Bing-Jie, 2021. "Upgrading biogas produced in anaerobic digestion: Biological removal and bioconversion of CO2 in biogas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    3. Atsushi Shimahata & Mohamed Farghali & Masahiko Fujii, 2020. "Factors Influencing the Willingness of Dairy Farmers to Adopt Biogas Plants: A Case Study in Hokkaido, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    4. Izabela Wolak & Sylwia Bajkacz & Monika Harnisz & Klaudia Stando & Magdalena Męcik & Ewa Korzeniewska, 2023. "Digestate from Agricultural Biogas Plants as a Reservoir of Antimicrobials and Antibiotic Resistance Genes—Implications for the Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, February.
    5. Zheng, Lei & Cheng, Shikun & Han, Yanzhao & Wang, Min & Xiang, Yue & Guo, Jiali & Cai, Di & Mang, Heinz-Peter & Dong, Taili & Li, Zifu & Yan, Zhengxu & Men, Yu, 2020. "Bio-natural gas industry in China: Current status and development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Rufis Fregue Tiegam Tagne & Xiaobin Dong & Solomon G. Anagho & Serena Kaiser & Sergio Ulgiati, 2021. "Technologies, challenges and perspectives of biogas production within an agricultural context. The case of China and Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(10), pages 14799-14826, October.
    7. Abbas, Yasir & Yun, Sining & Wang, Ziqi & Zhang, Yongwei & Zhang, Xianmei & Wang, Kaijun, 2021. "Recent advances in bio-based carbon materials for anaerobic digestion: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).

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