An Environmental (LCA) and economic assessment (LCC) of on-farm and centralized alternatives for biogas production for two Swedish farms in Götene

Sammanfattning: Biogas production through anaerobic digestion is an important part towards the achievement of a bio-based and circular economy in Sweden. In fact, Swedish government proposed a strategy suggesting that biogas production should be increased from 2 TWh today to 7 TWh by 2030. Sweden has a large potential for biogas production from agricultural residues, not the least the Region Västra Götaland (RVG) where the stakeholders from the present study are located. The study explores the possibilities to use farm manure in co-digestion with deep bedding to produce biogas. The possibilities include two main alternatives for biogas production; mainly combined heat and power (CHP) to produce heat and electricity and biogas upgrading to produce bio-methane. The study took two existing organic farms in the municipality of Götene as a case study as well as an under-construction biogas plant by the company Gasum. The results of the present study also confirm that biogas could be a better option both economically and environmentally than fossil fuels. Additional results show that diesel consumption and energy prices are seen as hotspots that greatly influence both technical performance and economic profitability of biogas production. Another parameter is the geographical location of the studied system which could delimit or enhance the biogas production prospects depending on the proximity to gas grid or biogas unit. The aim of the study is to assess which of the studied alternatives is most profitable and has less environmental impacts; sending liquid manure to a biogas plant and receiving liquid fertilizer in exchange (centralized scenario) or invest in a biogas plant at the farm (on-farm scenario). A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to compare environmental impacts of producing the equivalent of 1 MWh of biogas through on-farm plant and a biogas unit operated by the Finnish company Gasum. While a life cycle costing (LCC) was carried out considering a 10 year period with a 3% interest rate to analyze which of the two aforementioned options is more profitable for both farmers. Further this study aims to spur the interest of other scholars to further explore the potential of biogas/biomethane production within the agriculture sector and provide a better understanding of the different dynamics that impact the balance between energy provisions and the farm production process, and thus assist farmers to take part in the transition to a more renewable energy source.