AD Optimization: An Integrated Systems Model for Sustainably Managing Dairy and Food Waste

Abstract

With the potential increases in the value of biogas used for renewable natural gas (RNG) for transportation fuel and other uses as low carbon fuel, compared to the value for use for electricity production, there is a potential economic opportunity to increase dairy farm biogas production. These increases in biogas value and of digester economic viability and sustainability would alter the strategies from operating AD from subsistence biogas production to maximizing the biogas production in order to enhance economic viability. The increase in food waste options for co-digestion may also provide an economic incentive to produce and utilize more dairy farm biogas.