A regional model for sustainable biogas electricity production: A case study from a Finnish province

A regional model for sustainable biogas electricity production was formulated and tested for a Finnish province, North-Savo. By using the model the aim was to support decision making for reducing green-house gas (GHG) emissions and increasing renewable energy (RE) production in the studied region in the biogas electricity production system. The system boundary of the model included transportation of waste, biogas production, heat and electricity production, as well as the delivery of heat and digestate to the end users. When electricity production was maximized in the studied region, the electricity production and GHG emissions were 20 GW h/year and 24 kt/year of CO2 equivalent, respectively. When GHG emissions were minimized, the electricity production and GHG emissions were 20 GW h/year and 23 kt/year of CO2 equivalent, respectively. By producing electricity of 20 GW h/year, the maximum GHG reductions were roughly 74% of the theoretical maximum GHG emissions of 90 kt/year of CO2 equivalent in both cases. The regional electricity production potential of 20 GW h/year was only 21% of the maximum electricity production potential of 94 GW h/year. The locations of biogas plants, regional relative GHG emissions, potential feedstocks and regional electricity production were optimized in both cases in the studied region. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.