Technology overview of biogas production in anaerobic digestion plants : a European evaluation of research and development
Grando, Rafaela Lora (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Escola de Química)
De Souza Antune, Adelaide Maria (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Escola de Química)
Da Fonseca, Fabiana Valéria (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Escola de Química)
Barrena Gómez, Raquel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Sanchez, Antoni (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Font i Segura, Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Barrena Gómez, Raquel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2017
Abstract:	Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology is used commercially around the world, especially in Europe, which has set some challenging targets to diversify its energy mix with more renewable energy. This study intends to demonstrate, through technology prospecting, the relation between academic research (published articles) and technology development (patent applications) evolved from 1990 to 2015. Published articles were classified under the topics and wastes they cover, which include manure, agricultural and food waste, wastewater, sewage sludge and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, with the last of these often being associated with co-digestion processes. Meanwhile, the patents in the area are mostly for equipment of the AD process and new methods or means of purifying the biogas obtained. It was found that the patents filed in Europe tend to protect their innovations only occasionally in countries outside the EU. Germany is the clear leader in all the areas of research and the commercial applications of the technologies, followed by Italy, Spain and Sweden. This study also demonstrates the immense potential of biogas throughout Europe, not just for energy generation, but also as a fuel and a by-product of the treatment of different kinds of waste.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTM2015-69513-R Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca TECSPR15-1-0051
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió sotmesa a revisió
Subject:	Biogas ; Technology prospection ; Anaerobic digestion ; Organic waste ; Renewable energy
Published in:	Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, Vol. 80 (Dec. 2017) , p. 44-53, ISSN 1364-0321

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.079

Preprint 24 p, 375.8 KB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Engineering > Composting Research Group (GICOM)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles