Techno-economic analysis for a biogas plant based on agricultural and animal waste in Bilecik province

The energy sources used on Earth today are largely fossil-based, and these fossil resources are depleting day by day. With the increasing global population, energy demand is also rising accordingly, and in the near future, fossil fuels will no longer be able to directly meet this demand. Additionally, the emission values produced during the use of fossil fuels lead to various types of environmental pollution. Therefore, more environmentally friendly, and sustainable alternative energy sources are becoming popular nowadays. The aim of this study is to assess whether it is feasible to present biogas plants as an alternative to reduce the pollution burden caused by the use of fossil fuels, promote a sustainable energy source, and help our country reduce its dependence on foreign energy. During the preparation of this study, agricultural production quantities and animal numbers specific to Bilecik province were obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK). Based on this data, the biogas potential that could be obtained from these resources within the province was calculated. The amount of electricity that could be generated from the resulting biogas was provided. The installed capacity of the plant was calculated based on this electricity amount. A cost analysis was conducted according to the installed capacity, and the optimal location within the city was determined. The payback period for this cost was also determined. The results showed that the biogas potential from the animal and agricultural waste in Bilecik province is 54,290,955 m³/year. The electricity that can be generated from this biogas is 126,569,317 kWh/year. The total installed capacity of this electricity is 15.43 MW. The total city potential was divided into 8 separate plants. The payback period for each plant was calculated to be 6.4 years. The plant locations were determined with a preference for proximity to raw materials, with 5 in Osmaneli, 1 each in Merkez, Gölpazarı, and Yenipazar districts. It was concluded that Bilecik has the capacity to operate 8 biogas plants, and thus, establishing biogas plants would significantly contribute to the city's energy consumption.