The operating economy of communal biogas plants by mid-1992

The aim was to describe the status of the operational economy of Danish communal biogas systems one year after the Coordinating Committee for Communal Biogas Systems (Koordineringsudvalget for Biogasfaellesanlaeg) had published its main report. Initiatives aimed at the improvement of the systems' economy are also described. The economic analysis is based on actual current earnings. Tables also compare actual and expected earnings in the case of nine communal systems. It is concluded that methane production is generally high and stable as a result of adding organic wastes to the animal manures, yet maintenance and running costs are too high, and capital gains must be raised in order to achieve economical balance. It is recommended that prices and supply of organic wastes be regulated. The quality of used manures must be improved, also by reducing the moisture content. Process control must be initiated as a means of further increasing methane production. Transport systems should be analyzed in an attempt to reduce maintenance costs and the technology should be developed to obtain a stable operation. More personnel are required to ensure operational reliability. The overall administration should be stream-lined, and personnel training should be given higher priority - also implemented by means of manuals and servicing programmes. Personnel should be more familiar with aspects of the general related economy and cost control. (AB)