Feasibility study of biogas in CHP plant for a pig farm

Abstract

Cogeneration, or the Combined production of Heat and Power (CHP), is being promoted at EU level as a way of reducing green house gas (GHG) emissions from traditional power plants. For a long time, CHP systems have been used successfully in industry but it can be developed across numerous market sectors, including zootechnics farms. Currently with the rapid global economic change and the increasing needs for environmental sustainability it is timely to review pig farm heat and electrical power options to reduce costs and optimize environmental outcomes. This paper describes a feasibility study of biogas CHP plant in a medium pig farm in Italy. Biogas, produced by pig manure, is burned in CHP system to satisfy the demand of electricity and heat. Results illustrate how the utilization of gaseous product from pig farm effluent (biogas) as fuel for heat and power generation can reduce both energy cost and CO2 equivalent GHG emission in the environment.