Biofuel trigeneration with energy storage for heating, cooling and power on farms. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tang, Zhaozhao; Ly, Sammi; Wang, Yaodong; Huang, Ye; Luo, Jingting; Fu, Chen
• Is Part Of: Energy reports. Volume 7(2021)
• Page Start: 5394
• Page End: 5405
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Trigeneration -- Energy storage -- Biofuel -- Arable farm -- Levelized cost of energy -- Payback period; Power resources -- Periodicals; Energy industries -- Periodicals; Power resources; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 621.04205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.egyr.2021.08.129
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-4847

Abstract

Abstract: The drive towards net-zero carbon emissions has prompted many industries to alter the way they operate. The agriculture industry is responsible for a large proportion of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the feasibility of implementing an anaerobic digestion (AD) system supplying biogas to a trigeneration system with energy storage for the provision of heating, cooling and power has been investigated in the context of a medium-scale arable farm. Two configurations – one supplied with wheat straw only, and the other supplied with wheat straw, barley straw and manure – were identified to meet the energy demands of the farm. Technical feasibility was investigated via simulations run in ECLIPSE, with the two configurations returning overall system efficiencies of 66.8% and 67.1%, respectively. Economic analyses indicated simple payback periods of 9.4 and 11 years, which fall within the expected 20-year lifetime of the project. Furthermore, the potential reduction in CO2 emissions for each scenario was determined to be 42, 764 kg and 43, 956 kg per year. Highlights: Biogas trigeneration with energy storage (BTES) for heating/cooling/power in a farm. Using bio-wastes in the farm can produce enough biogas to meet the energy demands. The overall system efficiencies of 66.8% and 67.1%, respectively. Simple payback periods of 9.4 and 11 years. The BTES can replace the original fossil fuel systems and reduce CO2 emissions.