Financial assessment of integrating anaerobic digestion with cattle farming for biomethane production – Implications for farm economics and the supply chain

IF 5.8 2区生物学 Q1 AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING Biomass & Bioenergy Pub Date : 2025-02-13 DOI:10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.107702

Sofia Tisocco , James J. Lenehan , Xinmin Zhan , Paul Crosson

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Abstract

Integrating anaerobic digestion (AD) into agriculture can support carbon neutrality and circular bioeconomy. However, economic benefits for stakeholders are crucial for implementing full-scale AD. This study assessed the financial implications of producing grass silage for AD on beef farms. It also assessed the financial viability of full-scale AD plants co-digesting grass silage and cattle slurry for biomethane, focusing on competitive grass silage pricing and support schemes. Results indicate that a grass silage price of €245/t dry matter (DM) is needed for competitiveness with beef production; this requires a biomethane certificate price of €0.12/kWh for the AD plant. At current prices (€0.098/kWh), the AD plant could afford €164/t DM for silage, requiring farm subsidies of €893/ha to cover price gaps. Methane yield of AD silage, along with biomethane certificate and silage prices, are key variables affecting the 20-year net present value of the AD plant. This study underscores the government's critical role in fostering a low-carbon livestock sector.

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来源期刊

Biomass & Bioenergy 工程技术-能源与燃料

CiteScore

11.50

自引率

3.30%

发文量

258

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Biomass & Bioenergy is an international journal publishing original research papers and short communications, review articles and case studies on biological resources, chemical and biological processes, and biomass products for new renewable sources of energy and materials. The scope of the journal extends to the environmental, management and economic aspects of biomass and bioenergy. Key areas covered by the journal: • Biomass: sources, energy crop production processes, genetic improvements, composition. Please note that research on these biomass subjects must be linked directly to bioenergy generation. • Biological Residues: residues/rests from agricultural production, forestry and plantations (palm, sugar etc), processing industries, and municipal sources (MSW). Papers on the use of biomass residues through innovative processes/technological novelty and/or consideration of feedstock/system sustainability (or unsustainability) are welcomed. However waste treatment processes and pollution control or mitigation which are only tangentially related to bioenergy are not in the scope of the journal, as they are more suited to publications in the environmental arena. Papers that describe conventional waste streams (ie well described in existing literature) that do not empirically address ''new'' added value from the process are not suitable for submission to the journal. • Bioenergy Processes: fermentations, thermochemical conversions, liquid and gaseous fuels, and petrochemical substitutes • Bioenergy Utilization: direct combustion, gasification, electricity production, chemical processes, and by-product remediation • Biomass and the Environment: carbon cycle, the net energy efficiency of bioenergy systems, assessment of sustainability, and biodiversity issues.