XII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2020

Biogas technology, the production of combustible gas from anaerobic biomass, is a well-known technology. Millions of biogas plants are already operating worldwide. While the use of gas for direct combustion in domestic stoves or gas lamps is common, the production of electricity from biogas is still relatively rare in most developing countries. In Germany and other industrialized countries, power generation is the main goal of biogas plants; Converting biogas to electricity has become standard technology.

In this article, we will consider the potential opportunities, obstacles and necessary framework conditions for the use of biogas for the production of electricity on a small and medium scale in Germany and Russia. A review of the implementation, functioning and economics of biogas-based power plants in Russia shows that there are many technical, legal and economic problems. The main goals of using domestic alternative energy are the energy supply of own production and the disposal of biological waste on farms. The experience of Germany, on the contrary, shows the purpose of biogas power plants as energy production for the purpose of sales and profit. A significant role is played by government support measures, tariff regulation and the creation of a favorable legal field for alternative electricity.

Key words: biogas, biogas plant, electricity from biogas, alternative energy.

Introduction.

Studying the foreign experience of agricultural production in Russian and foreign languages is one of the components of the system of agrarian and technological higher education. To develop the professional competencies of specialists in the field of agricultural energy supply, it is necessary to turn to modern information sources of European leaders.

The purpose of the study is to consider the potential opportunities, obstacles and necessary framework conditions for the use of biogas for the production of electricity on a small and medium scale at agricultural enterprises in Germany and Russia.

Methods of comparative analysis and theoretical review of foreign language specialized literature are necessary for a full-fledged research work. [7; 8]. This article also uses the specified technology for working with domestic and foreign sources on the topic “Electricity production in biogas plants”.

Research results and discussion.

Biogas is the gas resulting from an anaerobic digestion process. A biogas plant can convert animal manure, green plants, waste from agro industry and slaughterhouses into combustible gas.

Biogas can be used in similar ways as natural gas in gas stoves, lamps or as fuel for engines. It consists of 50-75% methane, 25-45% carbon dioxide, 2-8% water vapour and traces of O2 N2, NH3 H2 H2S. Compare this with natural gas, which contains 80 to 90% methane. The energy content of the gas depends mainly on its methane content. High methane content is therefore desirable. A certain carbon dioxide and water vapour content is unavoidable, but sulphur content must be minimised - particularly for use in engines. [2;3].

The biogas yield of a plant depends not only on the type of feedstock, but also on the plant design, fermentation temperature and retention time. One of the objectives of our study is to consider these experimental facilities for generating electricity in Russia.

Experience in introducing biogas plants in Russia. The development of biogas in Russia requires the support of the state. In 2030, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation plans to reach the indicator of 10% of the energy received from alternative sources.

There are two ways to organize biogas production sites in Russia: the construction of industrial stations and the construction of modular plants of factory production. The first type of biogas plants is a cylindrical modular horizontal reactor with batch mixers. The second type has vertical reactors, which are usually mounted at the installation site. [5].

There is currently no large alternative energy production in Russia because the cost of building industrial biogas power plants is five to seven times higher per kW / h than traditional. The plants that operate now are not business projects that would pay off and generate profit, but pilot capacities demonstrating the possibilities of alternative energy. They are introduced near sources of raw materials (agricultural production) selling energy equipment companies.

However, despite all the difficulties faced by today's farmer, there is a certain interest of farmers in the construction of biogas plants. The constant jumps in the cost of energy purchased on the side, as well as the significant costs associated with the disposal of organic waste make us seriously think about generating our own energy using our own resources. But this interest is not stable and fragmented and rarely comes to serious business projects. The existing projects in Russia were built with the support and investments of foreign financial and industrial companies. Thus, the Luchki biogas station in the Belgorod Region (annual electricity production of 19.6 million kW / h), built by Alt-Energy production company, used Big Dutchman Agro equipment.

For example, the MosMedynAgroprom installation, which opened in 2009, was built by BioGazEnergoStroy with a loan of € 750 million from an equipment manufacturer Landesbank Berlin in installments for 18 years. The investment in the BioGazEnergoStroy installation does not justify. According to the calculations of market participants, they are at the level of € 100 million. Accordingly, the experience turned out to be inconsequential: the station is used at 50% of the capacity with which it ensures the operation of livestock buildings. The biogas plant is located in close proximity to the livestock complex and auxiliary devices, such as: screws, pumps, etc., The remaining 50% of the power is not used, because there is no way to connect to the network and realize excess energy.[4].

A more successful pilot project is in the Belgorod region, but its success directly depends on the support of the regional administration. Another example is the Baytsury biogas station. The station supplies energy to the network for 9 rubles. per kWh, with a 5% surcharge, but even at this rate, the project will become self-sustaining in 8–9 years. And if kilowatts were purchased at the market price, then the money would be returned at least 15 years later. The "Regional Biotechnology Center" predicts that after reaching self-sufficiency, the cost of producing a kilowatt will be 2 rubles, which is not much higher than the cost of traditional energy.

The group of companies "Agrobiotechnology" claims that the payback of projects directly depends on the processed raw materials. Plants processing high-fat products such as sugar pulp, slaughterhouse waste, etc., can cost up to € 2,000 per kWh of installed capacity. For waste with a lower fat content, such as cattle manure with a long fermentation time, high humidity and low (less than 20 cubic meters / ton) biogas output, the cost of a kilowatt will already be € 6-7 thousand. On average, investments in equipment for the production of a kilowatt of alternative electricity (“turnkey” and with a cogeneration plant, with construction and design) are at the level of € 3-5 thousand.[5].

Among the serious problems faced by biogas electricity producers there are also legislative and administrative obstacles. According to the owners of biogas electricity, they cannot supply resources to local electricity networks due to the lack of “established tariffs”. [4].According to Federal Law No. 35, electricity from a “renewable” source can be purchased “at a fixed rate” to compensate for losses in the power grid. ". [9]. But these tariffs to date in Russia, unlike Europe, have not been determined. Additional obstacles to the sale of renewable energy are the very complex and expensive technical conditions for connecting to the networks of the sales company, which make alternative projects completely unprofitable.

There are still positive examples of generating own electricity at Russian farms. As a rule, these are small autonomous alternative energy projects designed for own consumption, without connecting to traditional networks. For example, the Perm company EnergoRegim, under the leadership of Vladimir Rashin, is constructing small biogas plants with subsequent installation in farms in Udmurtia, the Orenburg, Rostov regions and in the Perm Territory. [4]. The purpose of these enterprises is not to profit from energy sales (the profitability of alternative energy is usually zero), but their own energy independence and the solution of the problem of waste disposal, production of bio-fertilizers.

Nevertheless, the experience of foreign countries shows that the production of electricity from biogas can be widespread and develop large capacities. For the purpose of comparative analysis, we turn to the European leader in alternative energy - Germany.

In Germany, cow manure and energy crops are the main forms of feedstock. The practice of German biogas plants showed, that Maize silage - a common feedstock in Germany - yields about 8 times more biogas per ton than cow manure. About 2 live-stock units (corresponding to about 2 cows or 12 rearing pigs) plus 1 ha of maize and grass are expected to yield a constant output of about 2 kWel (48kWhel per day.). [1; 6].

Theoretically, biogas can be converted directly into electricity by using a fuel cell. However, this process requires very clean gas and expensive fuel cells. Therefore, this option is still a matter for research and is not currently a practical option. The conversion of biogas to electric power by a generator set is much more practical. In most cases, biogas is used as fuel for combustion engines, which convert it to mechanical energy, powering an electric generator to produce electricity. The design of an electric generator is similar to the design of an electric motor. Most generators produce alternating AC electricity. Appropriate electric generators are available in virtually all countries and in all sizes. The technology is well known and maintenance is simple. In most cases, even universally available 3-phase electric motors can be converted into generators. Technologically far more challenging is the first stage of the generator set: the combustion engine using the biogas as fuel. In theory, biogas can be used as fuel in nearly all types of combustion engines, such as gas engines (Otto motor), diesel engines, gas turbines and Stirling motors etc. [2;3].

Next, we provide statistics on electricity generation from biofuels from Library of Agency for Renewable resources, Germany (fig. 1):

Fig. 1. Gross electricity production 2018. [1].

Fig. 2 Electricity production from biomass 2018. [1].

Fig. 3 Direct marketing of electricity from biomass. [1].

From the diagram we see that for 2018 the installed electric capacity was approximately 7,500 MW of the total biomass production, of which approximately 5,500 MW was used for direct marketing. Economically, electricity from biogas must compete with electricity generation from fossil fuels and other renewable energies such as hydro power.

At the same time, there are stimulating and restraining economic factors.

Supporting factors are:

-Rising prices of fossil fuels

-Low reliability of electricity provision from national grids with persistent risk of power cuts and vulnerability of hydro power to drought.

Inhibiting factors are:

-Relatively low prices of fossil fuels

-Need to buy high quality components from industrialised countries

-Unfavorable conditions for selling electricity

-Lack of awareness, capacity and experience preventing the economic operation of infrastructure components.

The economic feasibility of a biogas plant depends on the economic value of the entire range of plant outputs. These are:

-Electricity or mechanical power

-Biogas

-Heat, co-generated by the combustion engine

-The sanitation effect with COD and BOD (chemical and biological oxygen demand) reduction in the runoff of agro-industrial settings

-Slurry used as fertiliser. [1].

In Germany, power generation from biogas is only profitable due to grid connection and sup-porting feed-in tariffs. German experts are studying the introduction of technologies for the production of electricity from biogas and note that in countries such as Russia, the first signs of financial and legal support for the supply of electricity from biogas power plants should appear. [1].Output-oriented support schemes (such as the German EEG - renewable energy law) have proved to be more successful than investment-oriented financial support.

Direct subsidies and public financial contributions to installation costs have been crucial for the installation of some pilot plants. However, they have not provided incentives for proper and efficient operation. By contrast, the establishment of appropriate feed-in tariffs stimulates the construction of efficient plants and their continuous and efficient operation.

Through its projects and programmes, German technical cooperation therefore recommends the establishment of guaranteed feed-in price schemes similar to the one in Germany. However, besides price considerations, there remain many barriers to market penetration and development of the biogas sector.

As a result of studying domestic and foreign sources on the topic of the study, we conclude:

A review of the implementation, functioning and economics of biogas-based power plants in Russia shows that there are many technical problems, as well as of legal and economic nature.The main goals of using domestic alternative energy are the energy supply of own production and the disposal of biological waste on farms. The experience of Germany, on the contrary, shows the purpose of biogas power plants as energy production for the purpose of sales and profit. State support measures play here a significant role, giving tariff regulation and the creation of a favorable legal field for alternative electricity.

As a summary, we give the main framework barriers, overcoming of which will enable us to reverse the situation of sustainable energy for the better:

- Lack of awareness of biogas opportunities

- High upfront costs for potential assessments and feasibility studies

- Lack of access to finance

- Lack of local capacity for project design, construction, operation and maintenance

- Legal framework conditions that complicate alternative energy production and commercialisation: for example, the right to sell electricity at local level has to be in place.

As long as the national framework conditions are not favourable, electricity generation from biogas will remain limited to a few pilot applications.

References:

BASISDATEN BIOENERGIE DEUTSCHLAND 2019: Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR).URL: https://www.fnr.de/fileadmin/allgemein/pdf/broschueren/basisdaten_bioenergie_2019_web.pdf (accessed: 01.03.2020).

DIY Methane Generator: Small-Farm-Permaculture-and-Sustainable-Living. URL: https://small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/methane_generator/ (accessed:01.03.2020).

Electricity Generation from Biogas: Energypedia. 2020. URL: https://energypedia.info/wiki/Electricity_Generation_from_Biogas (accessed: 01.03.2020).

Biogas plants are being built in Russia, but cannot pay off (in Russian) : Agroinvestor. 2004-2020 ООО «Yasno Publishing ». URL: https://www.agroinvestor.ru/markets/article/12168/ (accessed: 01.03.2020).

Biogas plants in Russia (in Russian). - Lektsii.Org 2015-2020. - URL: https://lektsii.org/16-19171.html(accessed: 01.03.2019).

Biogas plants abroad (in Russian). – Lektsii.Org 2015-2020. URL: https://lektsii.org/16-19172.html(accessed: 01.03.2020).

Zhuravleva NN, Krasilshchik EA Foreign language in the research work of students of the Kostroma State Agricultural Academy (in Russian) // Educational activity of the university in modern conditions. - Materials of the international scientific-methodological conference - Karavaevo: Kostroma State Agricultural Academy, 2016. – P. 13. URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/download/elibrary_26060089_75290048.pdf(accessed: 01.03.2020).

Zhuravleva NN, Krasilshchik EA Foreign language as a resource for the development of professional competencies of students (in Russian) // UNESCO Values as the basis for the formation of cross-cultural space: a collection of articles of an international scientific conference (July 2-5, 2018). - Kostroma: Kostroma State Agricultural Academy, 2018.- P.127-135.

On the electric power industry: Federal Law of March 26, 2003 N 35-ФЗ(in Russian). URL: http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_41502/(accessed: 01.03.2020).

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