Determining factors in the technical and economic feasibility of electricity generation through biogas

Abstract

This work demonstrates the need of taking into consideration the technical and economic factors that allow to generate electricity with a fuel different from the one for which the engine was designed. This has been the result of studies carried out on projects which have failed because these factors were forgotten. The physical and chemical properties of the fuel determine the changes to be made in the feeding system, the ignition advance, the lubricant used and others. It is also shown that the amount of raw biomass consumed is a function of the conversion ratio kg biogas/ton biomass, which must be taken into account to determine the availability of the resource and its cost. The sensitivity variables that must be controlled to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the use of biogas and to guarantee the economic sustainability of the projects are specified.