Abstract

VELASQUEZ-PINAS, Jean Agustín; CALLE-ROALCABA, Orly Denisse; MIRAMONTES-MARTINEZ, Luis Ramiro  and  ALONSO-GOMEZ, Leonardo Alexis. Economic and environmental evaluation of biogas technologies use and perspectives of multi-criteria análisis. Rev. ion [online]. 2023, vol.36, n.1, pp.29-47.  Epub Feb 28, 2023. ISSN 0120-100X.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revion.v36n1-2023003.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology is a process implemented to produce biogas and digestate by managing organic waste. The biogas produced can be converted into electricity of renewable feedstock and the liquid fraction into biofertilizer. The proper commercialization of this electricity allows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) by the substitution of electricity of fossil origin and the biofertilizer can reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers based on urea. In Latin America, the AD presents operational challenges, which limit the commercialization of these products and compromise the sustainability of these projects on an industrial scale. This paper presents a critical analysis of the main methodologies used to quantify the economic and environmental profitability of AD, complemented by practical and theoretical experiences in Latin America. The economic tools analyzed were the net present value (NPV), the internal rate of return (IRR) and the payback period (PP), which through an analysis of operating and capital costs, and the possible income from the reduction of GGE, allow quantifying the financial viability of these projects. As an environmental performance criterion, the Life Cycle Assessment methodology was analyzed, which allows quantifying all the environmental loads avoided by AD. The information that this work brings together significantly helps to enrich the database on the treatment of organic waste and in the future, it will help decision-making regarding environmental problems.

Keywords : Anaerobic digestion; Organic waste; Life cycle assessment; Net present value.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )