Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of Electricity from Biogas Produced by Anaerobic Digestion.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate life cycle environmental impacts associated with the generation of electricity from biogas produced by the anaerobic digestion (AD) of agricultural products and waste. Five real plants in Italy were considered, using maize silage, slurry, and tomato waste as feedstocks and cogenerating electricity and heat; the latter is not utilized. The results suggest that maize silage and the operation of anaerobic digesters, including open storage of digestate, are the main contributors to the impacts of biogas electricity. The system that uses animal slurry is the best option, except for the marine and terrestrial ecotoxicity. The results also suggest that it is environmentally better to have smaller plants using slurry and waste rather than bigger installations,

SUBMITTER: Fusi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4786543 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature