Work

Techno-economic optimization of agrivoltaic-powered anaerobic digestion plant for biomethane production

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Decarbonizing biomethane facilities demands integrated electricity–heat strategies respecting land constraints. This study presents the first optimization framework integrating bifacial agrivoltaic (APV) systems with anaerobic digestion plants for biomethane production, addressing a critical gap in renewable energy system design. A multi-objective genetic algorithm coupled with TOPSIS ranking methodology was developed to simultaneously optimize economic performance and land utilization across three distinct APV configurations including fixed vertical, 1-axis, and 2-axis tracking systems. The framework evaluates eight scenarios encompassing on-grid APV systems with various heating technologies (biogas boilers, groundwater heat pumps (GWHP), and biogas CHP units), alongside benchmark alternatives including standalone CHP unit (baseline), grid-dependent systems (without APVs), and off-grid APV configurations. Results demonstrate that the on-grid 1-axis APV system integrated with GWHP achieves superior techno-economic performance, delivering a net present value (NPV) of 237.6 M€, representing a 20.7% improvement over conventional CHP-only baseline systems. This configuration maximizes biomethane sales by electrifying thermal demands, avoiding biogas combustion and capitalizing on favorable biomethane-to-electricity price ratios. Heat pump electrification strategies consistently outperform biogas-combustion strategies (boiler/CHP) by 12.6% in NPV through strategic biogas preservation for upgrading. Comparative analysis reveals that optimized on-grid APV systems require 18.5 times less land than off-grid alternatives while maintaining 60% lower lifecycle costs, despite marginally lower absolute returns. Sensitivity analysis confirms the consistent superiority of on-grid 1-axis APV systems, reflecting robust trade-offs between energy yield, cost, and land priorities. The developed framework provides transferable methodology for renewable energy integration in agricultural contexts, supporting sustainable energy transition while preserving agricultural productivity.

Source: Energy Conversion and Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2025.120791