Middelburg, Tim (2020) Achieving energy self-sufficiency and circularity in the Dutch agricultural sector, using anaerobic digestion. Master's Research Project 1, Energy and Environmental Sciences.
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Abstract
The agricultural sector is responsible of 6.7% of the total Dutch energy consumption and 12% of the total GHG emissions. Currently, the largest share of the electricity production in the Netherlands is generated energy companies using fossil-fuels, emitting 48 million tons of CO2 per year [97]. Since, the European Union (EU) is shifting its focus towards a more circular economy, in order to create a more sustainable economy and thereby reducing CO2-emissions. The EU is boosting the use of renewable energy sources, even low-grade energy sources, like manure, might play a role in the transition to a more circular economy. Therefore, in this study we focus on supplying dairy farmers with energy produced from their onsite manure production, using anaerobic digestion (AD), thereby improving sustainability and self-sufficiency. In this research the level of sustainability is expressed with the use of three indicators (sustainable impact indicators); carbon footprint, environmental impact and costs. This study focusses on matching the electricity demand of an average Dutch dairy farm with the biogas supply patterns of an AD system. Two different milking methods with very different demand patterns are used within this research. A model is developed in order to match these demand and supply patterns and several scenarios were composed and compared to the reference scenarios in order to determine the most optimal scenario for increasing sustainability.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master's Research Project 1) |
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| Supervisor name: | Pierie, F. |
| Degree programme: | Energy and Environmental Sciences |
| Thesis type: | Master's Research Project 1 |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Jun 2020 10:48 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Jun 2020 10:48 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/21971 |
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