The prices for natural gas have reached their record minimum, nonetheless it does not signify that bioenergy has already exhausted its potentialities.
Researches conducted by the scientists from the University of Minnesota revealed an economic expedience to develop the projects aimed at the production of biogas in combination with the use of solar energy. In the traditional plants producing biogas from 20 to 30 per cent of utilized biomass is incinerated in order to provide the plant functioning. But if to succeed to obtain the required thermal energy with the help of the sun, then it is possible to use the total amount of biomass for the production of gas.
In the issue of this work, a lower level of prices for natural gas at which the production of syngas will not entail loss has been determined. According to the calculations basic set-ups using solar energy will be competitive even at a price for natural gas constituting 4.04 – 10.90 dollars per giga- joule depending on a set-up configuration.
Tom Nickerson, co-author of the project and the graduate from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Minnesota explained that the use of solar energy can save one third of capital expenses spent on a set-up functioning. Besides, the amount of biogas produced from one tonne of biomass will increase.
"At the price of 4, 8 dollars per giga-joule registered in the USA in 2014, two out of four models designed by our group will be economically profitable", adds Timothy Smith, the co-author and supervisor of the NISE project (NorthStar Initiative for Sustainable Enterprise).
Owing to the absence of active commercial enterprises, this technology has been developed and designed in the Solar Energy Laboratory at the University of Minnesota under the direction of Jane Davidson and Brandon Hathaway.
"Our innovative approach to the question of gas production demonstrated its advantages in vitro and presently we are carrying out the tests of a set-up prototype having the capacity of 3 kW. We hope to find business partners capable of joining us in the process of a further technology development", Mrs. Davidson added.
