Title: Influence of technological improvement and adoption rate of biogas industry on greenhouse gas footprint of the energy system of Poland between 2000 and 2100

Authors: Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Addresses: Wojciech Budzianowski Consulting Services, Wrocław, Poland; Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland; Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development (RESD) Group, Wrocław, Poland

Abstract: Biogas industry has complex value chain which increases its life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and reduces energy return on invested (ERoI). Therefore, the effect of biogas industry on GHG footprint of energy systems needs to be well understood. This paper investigates the influence of technological improvement and adoption rate of biogas industry on GHG footprint of the Polish energy system by using a scenario analysis from 2000 to 2100. The main findings reveal that today the size of the biogas industry is too small to affect Poland's GHG emissions. However, in the next few decades, along with growing biogas production capacity, this influence might become more pronounced if GHG footprint of biogas industry is successfully reduced.

Keywords: biogas; greenhouse gas; GHG; life cycle analysis; LCA; energy system; Poland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2018.090721

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2018 Vol.14 No.2/3, pp.348 - 368

Received: 08 Sep 2016
Accepted: 22 May 2017

Published online: 27 Mar 2018 *

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