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Biogas: A Growing Niche for Distributed Generation
E SOURCE, May 2003, Pages: 31
Biogas is a cost-effective application for distributed generation (DG) that has a likelihood for continued growth. Globally, the level of interest among utilities, independent power producers, energy service companies, waste-management companies, and even end users is on the rise. Here, we review the status of biogas-fueled distributed generation, including biogas from small-scale gasification, and assess technology developments that are helping these markets to grow.
Biogas is available from landfills, wastewater treatment plants, agriculture and livestock operations, organic industrial wastes, separated municipal solid wastes, and gasification of biomass residues. For any of these sources, there are good reasons to use the waste gas to generate electricity and heat. Among the primary motivations are low-cost fuel, available grants and incentives, and the ability to supply renewable portfolio standards and green pricing programs. For each of the different biogas sources, we examine how projects are developed; whats driving markets; what innovative approaches exist for increasing the profit margins; whether these markets are likely to grow or shrink in North America, Europe, and Japan; and how companies can have a stake.
DG manufacturers are taking note and modifying their systems to be able to better handle the unique qualities of biogas and the impurities it contains. In this report we examine each of the generating technologies in turn, comparing their capability to run on biogas, how operating characteristics compare with those technologies running on natural gas, what gas pretreatment they require, and in which market and site conditions the technologies are most appropriate. We also share advice from manufacturers, project developers, and end users regarding what theyve learned about using the different prime movers and how they choose among them.
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