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Exploring the environmental and economic potential for biogas production from swine manure wastewater by life cycle assessment

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Abstract

The development of biofuels to replace fossil fuels with bioenergy systems has attracted attention as an environmental-friendly process. Dealing with biowaste by anaerobic digestion disposes of wastes and produces biogas during the treatment processes for providing the renewable energy source at a low cost while conserving fossil fuel. This study uses life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis to evaluate and compare environmental impacts and cost benefits before and after installing a rapid-build anaerobic fermentor module into the three-stage wastewater treatment system that the swine farm initially used. The module helps biogas production as energy recovery in swine farms. The results indicate that the module could help reduce carbon footprint by 22.6%, methane by 51.8%, sulfur oxides by 92.6%, nitrogen oxides by 74.2%, carbon monoxide by 54.7%, nitrous oxide by 28.6%, suspended particulate by 95.4%, and non-methane volatile organic compounds by 80%. Using this module made the reductions of damage impacts were human health 82%, ecosystem quality 59%, and resource scarcity 87%. The daily average biogas production was 46.38 m3, and its annual electricity generation income was 6091 USD. This study allows identifying the lowest environmental impact to support the adoption of sustainable waste treatment and the opportunity for converting waste to be energy and utilization with economic benefits for small-scale swine farms.

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Acknowledgements

The authors deeply appreciate the financial supports from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 108-2221-E-035-036-MY3 and MOST 109-2221-E-035-028). An appreciation of the swine manure, sewage feedstocks, and energy data in the swine husbandry provided by the pig farms in Dali, Taichung, Taiwan was also acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Science, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Meng-Fen Shih & Chiu-Yue Lin

  2. Green Energy and Biotechnology Industry Research Center, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Chyi-How Lay & Chiu-Yue Lin

  3. Master’s Program of Green Energy Science and Technology, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Chyi-How Lay & Chiu-Yue Lin

  4. Department of Accounting, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

    Shen-Ho Chang

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  1. Meng-Fen Shih
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Correspondence to Chyi-How Lay.

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Shih, MF., Lay, CH., Lin, CY. et al. Exploring the environmental and economic potential for biogas production from swine manure wastewater by life cycle assessment. Clean Techn Environ Policy 25, 451–464 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02157-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02157-1

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