Analysis tool for techno-economic assessment of biogas microgrid configurations

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Declining viability of biogas production followed by a stagnation of dissemination of biogas plants calls for new repowering measures as increased amounts of storable energy sources from biomass are required for providing a smooth integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources in the electricity market in future. The implementation of biogas microgrid concepts as a repowering measure allows for a combination of organizational and technological efficiency increase as a result of decoupling of biogas production from utilization. The first objective of the present work is the development of a tool for techno-economic assessment of biogas microgrid configurations .The second objective of the work is the application of the tool for assessing the concepts' potential for efficiency increase based on its unique features: gas storage and gas transport. These features were assessed for the two most promising biogas utilization pathways being bio-methane production and flexible electricity generation from biogas. The tool is an Excel© based model where biogas microgrid relevant processes such as drying, desulphurization, compression but also the upward and downward processes of biogas production such as biomass transport and electricity generation/methanization are described with mathematical-physical equations. Based on the latter, calculations related to energetic performance and storage capacity are preformed. The economic assessment is based on the annuity method .The fixed costs of the biogas microgrid components are expressed as functions of scale (capacity). The techno-economic calculations are preformed in three modules. The modularity of the tool allows for flexible adjustment of selected biogas microgrid configurations to various local conditions. Consequently the configuration can vary in following parameters: (a) length, (b) substrate type, (c) number and (d) capacity of connected biogas plants, (e) grid structure and (f) biogas utilization pathway.