Examination of energy and environmental potentials of photovoltaic and biogas energy systems: The case of a dairy cattle farm

Energy gains from natural resources have become widespread around the world. Renewable energy systems such as wind, solar, biogas, geothermal, etc., which we often hear about today, also attract the attention of investors. Among the advantages of these resources, there are many benefits such as reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions by reducing the use of fossil fuels, reducing foreign dependence on energy since they are domestic resources, and providing environmentally friendly energy consumption. The establishment of these energy systems in the appropriate region with appropriate investments has led to great gains. It has also made energy more environmentally friendly and the investor more profitable. Renewable energy sources can be used in all sectors, as well as in the livestock and agriculture sectors, reducing energy dependence on foreign energy by meeting the sectors' own energy consumption. Climate and environmental conditions are extremely important for the use and economical use of energy resources in the agriculture and livestock sector. The main renewable energy systems used in the agriculture and livestock sector are biomass, solar and wind energy systems. In this study, the energy and environmental potentials for the installation of either solar or biogas energy systems on a dairy farm in Karacabey district of Bursa were examined and a comparison was made between the two energy systems. Using the RETScreen program for the solar energy system, it was determined that the system would generate a total of 1.030.419 kWh/year of electricity and reduce a total of 346 tCO2/year of greenhouse gas emissions. For the biogas system, it was determined that the total electricity generation potential to be produced from the farm at the end of 2023 is 1.012.158 kWh/year and a total of 692,316 tons/year of CO2 emissions can be prevented. It has been determined that the annual electricity consumption of the farm is 885.855 kWh/year. It was concluded that the annual electrical energy consumption of the farm will be met more with the solar energy system, but the biogas plant will prevent greenhouse gas emissions more. In addition to these comparisons in terms of economic and environmental disadvantages, it was decided to install a solar energy system on the dairy farm