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Environmental Sustainability and Economic Benefits of Dairy Farm Biogas Energy Production: A Case Study in Umbria

Author

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  • Biancamaria Torquati

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy)

  • Sonia Venanzi

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy)

  • Adriano Ciani

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy)

  • Francesco Diotallevi

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy)

  • Vincenzo Tamburi

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy)

Abstract

Accelerating demand to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels has been driving widespread attention to renewable fuels, such as biogas. In fact, in the last decade numerous policy guidelines and laws regarding energy, the environment and agriculture have been issued to encourage the use of animal sewage as a raw material for the production of biogas. The production of energy from biogas in a dairy farm can provide a good opportunity for sustainable rural development, augmenting the farm’s income from traditional sources and helping to reduce the overall environmental impact of the energy sector. This paper investigates the trade-off between the environmental and economic benefits of an agro-energy farm in the Umbria region of Italy that employs livestock sewage and manure, dedicated energy crops (corn and triticale silage) and olive waste. The environmental analysis was performed using the LCA methodology, while the economic investigation was carried out by reconstructing the economic balance of the agro-energetic supply chain based on the budgets of each activity performed. The LCA results show, on the one hand, the predominant weight of producing dedicated crops compared to all other processes in the supply chain and, on the other hand, a significant reduction in environmental impact compared to that caused by energy production from fossil fuels. Economic analysis revealed that the results depend significantly on what rate per kWh the government incentives guarantee to agricultural producers of renewable energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Biancamaria Torquati & Sonia Venanzi & Adriano Ciani & Francesco Diotallevi & Vincenzo Tamburi, 2014. "Environmental Sustainability and Economic Benefits of Dairy Farm Biogas Energy Production: A Case Study in Umbria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:10:p:6696-6713:d:40761
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Gava, Oriana & Bartolini, Fabio & Brunori, Gianluca, 2015. "Spatial impacts and sustainability of farm biogas diffusion in Italy," 150th Seminar, October 22-23, 2015, Edinburgh, Scotland 212676, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    5. Marta Gandiglio & Fabrizio De Sario & Andrea Lanzini & Silvia Bobba & Massimo Santarelli & Gian Andrea Blengini, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment of a Biogas-Fed Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Integrated in a Wastewater Treatment Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-31, April.
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    9. Teymoori Hamzehkolaei, Fatemeh & Amjady, Nima, 2018. "A techno-economic assessment for replacement of conventional fossil fuel based technologies in animal farms with biogas fueled CHP units," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 602-614.
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    11. Zuzana Juríčková & Zuzana Lušňáková & Marcela Hallová & Elena Horská & Monika Hudáková, 2020. "Environmental Impacts and Attitudes of Agricultural Enterprises for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-19, September.
    12. de Castro e Silva, Hellen Luisa & Huamán Córdova, Maxi Estefany & Barros, Regina Mambeli & Tiago Filho, Geraldo Lucio & Silva Lora, Electo Eduardo & Moreira Santos, Afonso Henriques & dos Santos, Ivan, 2022. "Lab-scale and economic analysis of biogas production from swine manure," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 350-365.
    13. Gabriel Cucui & Constantin Aurelian Ionescu & Ioana Raluca Goldbach & Mihaela Denisa Coman & Elena Liliana Moiceanu Marin, 2018. "Quantifying the Economic Effects of Biogas Installations for Organic Waste from Agro-Industrial Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-16, July.
    14. Lerato Molieleng & Pieter Fourie & Ifeoma Nwafor, 2021. "Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture by Communal Livestock Farmers in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-18, September.

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