Bioenergy plant – flexible and demand-oriented energy generation

Rising energy costs and general operating costs. In today's world, farmers have to consider many economic aspects in order to be able to work in a way that makes sense from a business point of view. Especially in the area of energy costs, an additional burden has developed over the last decades, which can significantly affect many an agriculture. The cost of the necessary electricity is rising, and in a consistent and noticeable way. So how to escape dependence on the large energy suppliers and thus make the energy requirements of one's own agriculture more cost-effective? Well, for many farmers, investing in a so-called bioenergy plant is the solution to exactly this cost-intensive problem.

What is a bioenergy plant?

In recent decades, the energy market has changed noticeably. Away from fossil fuels such as coal or oil, towards safe nuclear power alternatives. Renewable energies are the buzzword of our time and have long been available in the form of the aforementioned bio-electricity. But the change in energy production also brought with it a steady increase in energy costs. As attractive as ecologically friendly and clean energy generation may be, the very high costs associated with it are only justifiable for an agricultural business in the rarest of cases. But in order to be able to use a clean and environmentally friendly energy source, you don't necessarily need the expensive bioelectricity from the energy supplier. Renewable energies as well as bioenergy can also be generated independently and thus made usable.

How is energy generated in a biogas plant?

In order to be able to generate energy from organic waste such as liquid manure or food waste, the technical basis for this energy generation is first needed. The biogas plant. In principle, it is highly complex and only possible thanks to state-of-the-art technology, the biogas plant creates an opportunity to generate energy from organic waste through microbacterial fermentation. To put it simply, the energy in a biogas plant is generated as follows. The biogas plant generates energy by:

• Fermentation of natural materials.
• Extraction of various gases (e.g. methane)
• Transfer of the recovered gases to a combined heat and power plant
• Generation of energy through combined heat and power in the CHP plant (combined heat and power plant)

The base material (usually organic waste, agricultural products such as manure or plants in the form of maize, rapeseed, millet or gas silage) is fermented in the biogas plant in the so-called main district by special bacteria and in the absence of oxygen. In the course of this fermentation and the other phases of bioenergy production, various gases and substances such as methane, carbon dioxide or nitrogen are produced. The methane obtained in this way is extracted by a device at the biogas plant and converted into energy / heat. The maximum energy output to be generated depends on:

• The starting material
• The size of the biogas plant
• The range of functions / technical performance of the system

Depending on the biogas plant and the technical basis, the extent of maximum energy generation and its further usability is variable. There are simple biogas plants that can produce a flexible energy requirement, but do not make it possible to store it in the long term. Larger models or variants with a feed-in agreement with the energy supplier enable the production of large quantities of energy and their effective and economical usability.

Calculation example for the economic usability of a bioenergy plant

The question of the effective usability of a biogas plant for farmers has been the subject of lively discussion in many forums and communities, especially in recent years. However, a simple calculation example can be used to clarify the often heated pros and cons very easily. The effective usability of a biogas plant in agricultural use is explained and demonstrated very quickly thanks to simple calculation examples.

Let's assume that a farmer with livestock farming decides to purchase a biogas plant. After commissioning, the slurry from 40 cattle from a large livestock farm produced on his farm enables him to operate a 15 KW biogas plant.

The biogas plant therefore produces 15 KW per hour

with an average deployment time of 19 hours per day, this would result in a

average energy generation of 7,0000 operating hours times 15 KW.

This corresponds to a

Annual energy production of 105,000 kilowatt hours generated

. At a current energy price of around 16.5 cents per kilowatt of bioelectricity, this energy production would correspond to a

Equivalent value of around 17,300.00 euros

conform.

Of course, this calculation example is only one of many possible examples. However, in order to be able to make a concrete cost-benefit calculation, farmers should seek professional advice and have a calculation prepared that is adapted to their individual facts and needs. This is the only way to determine the actual benefit of your own biogas plant for your own business.

Bioenergy in direct comparison with other types of energy

In direct comparison with classic energy sources, the biogas plant impresses with its independent and flexible usability. While renewable energies such as solar or wind power depend on natural factors that cannot be influenced, the energy production of biogas depends solely on decision factors. Biogas can theoretically be produced and used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The energy generated can be used in the form of electricity and heat for the agricultural business, the energy requirements of the private household, but also for feeding into the regional power grid. In addition, the end products of the energy generation from the biogas plant can be used as effective and ecologically friendly fertilizer for further use in everyday agricultural life. This means that no non-recyclable waste materials are produced during the production of biogas energy. In direct comparison with renewable energies, there are therefore many advantages for the agricultural use of a biogas plant. Here is a direct comparison of the most important factors of private energy generation:

Biogas plant	Photovoltaics	Wind power
Weather-independent usability?	Yes	No	No
Is it possible to meet your needs flexibly?	Yes	No	No
Feeding into regional power grids possible in principle?	yes	yes	yes

Biogas as a flexible energy alternative for farmers?

In direct comparison with natural energy sources such as solar power and wind power, the use of a biogas plant results in many advantages in everyday use. For example, solar energy can only be generated when the sun is shining. An increased energy requirement can therefore only be covered by one's own photovoltaic system if sufficient sunlight is available. The biogas plant can be used regardless of the weather and can be flexibly adapted to personal and actual energy requirements at any time by controlling the system. A biogas plant enables:

• Flexible energy production adapted to the actual energy demand.
• Targeted control of energy production. (No waste of generated energy)
• The feeding of the generated energy into regional power grids. (Additional income)

If less energy is required, the production of the biogas plant can be reduced, if more energy is required, it can be increased. Flexibly adaptable to individual energy requirements, expensive energy is neither wasted nor is the expensive purchase of energy via classic energy suppliers calculable and controllable. In today's world, these advantages are only possible with the biogas plant, as it can be operated independently of external influences.

Bioenergy from our own production - The construction of a biogas plant

If a farmer wants to free himself from the often expensive dependence on energy suppliers and produce at least part of the required energy and heat output himself by building a biogas plant, there are many aspects to consider in order to be able to make this project possible in a way that makes economic sense and advantageous. In addition to the investment costs incurred if you want to build your own biogas plant, legal basics, requirements and requirements must of course also be met in the course of the biogas plant. As always with the planning of a construction project, it is important to first clarify important basic requirements and thus clarify the possible feasibility of the construction project. With regard to a biogas plant, not only relevant questions about the demand, the construction possibilities and feasibility of the construction project must be clarified, but also relevant aspects of building law and aspects relating to the operation and further use of the energy generated.

Planning of the construction project – legal aspects and building requirements

In order to plan the construction of a biogas plant in a targeted manner, it is important to seek professional advice at an early stage of construction planning. Renowned and experienced companies in the field of biogas plant installation can also offer important decision-making aids in the course of construction planning in addition to determining requirements. In addition, the building law aspect is taken into account in the course of compact, professional and comprehensive advice. The advantage of such comprehensive advice in advance is in any case the comprehensive and manageable planning phase, which enables fast, efficient and economical planning of the construction project. Aspects that must not be forgotten in the course of the preliminary construction planning are:

• The building law basics and requirements
• The determination of the actual energy demand.
• The determination of the actual possible energy production.
• The determination of a cost-benefit plan for the construction and use of the biogas plant.
• The determination of all financial aspects (construction costs, operating costs, capital requirements, financing options, funding opportunities)

Our advice for you:

Many renowned companies in the field of energy generation offer a comprehensive consulting service, but try to protect themselves from ineffective inquiries by charging a flat rate for the offer. Since the first company that comes along will not always be the right partner for your construction project, we advise you to obtain basic information from service points of the ministries and associations. Agricultural trade fairs or trade fairs on the subject of renewable energies also offer a great and, above all, free opportunity for information. In this way, you will find an experienced partner for the implementation of your construction project without burdening it with unnecessary costs in advance.

Financing and funding opportunities

Once all the preliminary planning has been completed, it is of course also important to sufficiently appreciate the financial aspect. Biogas plants are an efficient way to cover one's own energy needs flexibly and sustainably, but they also represent a considerable investment requirement, which is why the aspect of financing cannot usually be dealt with overnight. In principle, the financing requirement in the course of biogas plant construction does not relate solely to the necessary costs for the plant itself. Other important expenses must also be considered, which may include the following financial aspects:

• Structural requirements for the plant
• Costs for technology, installation and gas utilisation
• Expenses for construction planning and building permits.
• Purchase of the biogas plant including all construction measures.
• Costs for the technical basis of feeding into the regional power grid (optional)

There are therefore many financial aspects to consider before the construction of a biogas plant can have a lasting positive influence on the energy costs incurred. In view of all these costs incurred and their individual necessity, the costs for a biogas plant can hardly be described as a lump sum. However, an investment value of around 500,000 euros for average biogas plants in the agricultural sector can certainly be set as a realistic guideline. The biogas plant is therefore to be seen as a major investment in the future of one's own farm in any case. However, the enormous investment costs for a biogas plant can be put into perspective thanks to a wide variety of subsidies and government subsidies. In Austria, for example, there are various subsidies that are provided by the state of Austria but also the European Union and can thus account for a capital share of up to one third of the total investment amount. More detailed information on funding opportunities and state subsidies can be requested and obtained from the responsible ministries.

Sales opportunities - Feeding into the regional electricity grid of the electricity suppliers

Once the biogas plant has been built and is in operation, it not only enables the farm's own energy and heat requirements to be covered. In principle, it also offers the possibility of a second income by feeding it into the regional electricity and heating network and thus selling the energy and heat produced to the regional energy suppliers. Basically, the following applies:

• Not every energy supplier buys energy and heat from private generation.
• As a rule, the purchase is not made at the usual sales prices.
• The purchase is usually contractually fixed over fixed periods of time.

But in order to maintain this additional income, a comprehensive clarification of the basic possibility of transferring the self-produced energy is required in advance of the construction planning. Although bioenergy is supported by the majority of consumers today, this does not mean that all energy suppliers want to or can directly absorb the surplus of energy and heat from private producers. It can be advantageous:

• Mehrere Energieversorger als potenzielle Abnehmer der erzeugten Energie und Wärme auszuwählen.
• Have each supplier make you an offer of cooperation in order to find the best possible one.
• To give the surplus to agricultural cooperatives / the municipality / neighbours.

In order to enable the possibility of partial refinancing of the plant by selling surplus energy and heat to the energy suppliers, contact should be made with the relevant suppliers in the early planning phase and the basic possibility of this agreement should be discussed. If the suppliers are basically positive, the medium to long-term cooperation should also be defined in detail in order to form a calculable income basis from the transfer of surplus energy.

Then and Now – Bioenergy and its Significance through the Ages

If you look at the development in the area of energy demand in recent decades, it quickly becomes apparent that farmers in earlier times had to deal far less with the topic of energy and energy costs. In earlier times, agriculture was less mechanized and therefore far more energy-efficient than is the case today. Today, the operation of numerous buildings, machines and systems requires many times the energy that was necessary just a few decades ago, and so the issue of energy costs is an issue that no farmer can ignore anymore. Cheap alternatives, flexible coverage of energy requirements, all this and more is important in today's world in order to be able to operate in a economically sensible way. Biogas plants or similar forms of independent energy generation are thus increasing in importance for Austrian agriculture from year to year and in view of the comparatively constant trend in terms of energy development, this is unlikely to change in the future. So more and more farmers in Austria will start looking for a cost-efficient energy source and some of them will find the solution to many energy cost problems in a biogas plant. Related Links

• Website of the Biomass Association of Upper Austria (information and facts on the use of bioenergy)
• Dissertation of Di. Christoph Walla Topic: Profitability of biogas plants
• Information on the topic of biogas and grid feed-in