Anaerobic co-digestion plants for the revaluation of agricultural waste: Sustainable location sites from a GIS analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish sustainably feasible areas for the implementation of anaerobic co-digestion plants for agricultural wastes (cattle/swine slurries and cereal crop wastes). The methodology was based on the use of geographic information systems (GIS), the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and map algebra generated from hedges related to environmental, social and economic constraints. The GIS model obtained was applied to a region of Chile (Bío Bío Region) as a case study showing the energy potential (205 MW-h) of agricultural wastes (swine/cattle manures and cereal crop wastes) and thereby assessing its energy contribution (3.5%) at country level (Chile). From this model, it was possible to spatially identify the influence of each factor (environmental, economic and social) when defining suitable areas for the siting of anaerobic co-digestion plants. In conclusion, GIS-based models establish appropriate areas for the location of anaerobic co-digestion plants in the revaluation of agricultural waste from the production of energy through biogas production.

Nutrients Cycle within Swine Production: Generation, Characteristics, Treatment and Revaluation

“…Thus, centralized plants of anaerobic co-digestion are the current trend within European agricultural sector. Successful experiences have been reported in Germany and Denmark, where more than 32 plants have been built with a capacity between 16,000 and 200,000 tons/year of waste and with a production between 0.7 and 5.7 million m 3 biogas/year [90,91]. Preliminary Chilean studies have allowed to establish the potential generation of bioenergy (biogas) from anaerobic co-digestion (livestock/crop wastes) at regional level [92].…”

“…Worldwide, anaerobic technology based on conventional anaerobic mesophilic reactors (4935 plants) and thermophilic reactors (321 plants) treat around 49 million ton/year slurries, which have been built in Europe, mainly in Germany (more than 70%) [87]. State subsides, innovation technologic and centralization of biogas plants using agricultural wastes (livestock, crop) have favored their implementation [90,91]. Meanwhile, more than 7000 technologies based on anaerobic lagoon have been built, but with only 60% operationally actives in the United States [63].…”

Selection of Optimal Localization for a Biomass Energy Plant that Uses Residual Biomass as a Raw Material in the Araucanía Region of Chile

“…Various studies have determined the optimal location of a biomass-based energy production plant using geographic information systems (GIS) [21][22][23][24][25]. With GIS, evaluation using different attributes and maps to determine the optimal energy production plant location is feasible, [23,25]. A multi-criteria analysis (MCA) evaluates, using different criteria or factors, a group of opposed real alternatives, considering different development visions and objectives [25].…”

“…A multi-criteria analysis (MCA) evaluates, using different criteria or factors, a group of opposed real alternatives, considering different development visions and objectives [25]. Therefore, an evaluation considering economic, social, and environmental criteria is possible, optimizing the decision-making process [23].…”

“…In Chile, Villamar et al [23] evaluated the possibility of installing an anaerobic co-digestion plant using discarded agribusiness materials (animal dung and agricultural residues) in the Biobío Region. Using a hierarchical analysis process, they considered factors that were social (distances to residential areas and roads) and economic (residue production, distance to residue production sites, proximity between residue production sites, and closeness of the production plant to roads) [23]. This is the only evaluation of the installation of a residual biomass-based bioenergy plant in the country.…”