Land-Use Change and Bioenergy Production: Soil Consumption and Characterization of Anaerobic Digestion Plants

Abstract

The exploitation of bioenergy plays a key role in the process of decarbonising the economic system. Huge efforts have been made to develop bioenergy and other renewable energy systems, but it is necessary to investigate the costs and problems associated with these technologies. Soil consumption and, in particular, soil sealing are some of these aspects that should be carefully evaluated. Agricultural biogas plants (ABPs) often remove areas dedicated to agricultural activities and require broad paved areas for the associated facilities. This study aimed to (i) assess the surfaces destined to become facilities and buildings in ABPs, (ii) correlate these surfaces with each other and to the installed powers of the plants, and (iii) estimate the consumption of soil in bioenergy applications in Italy. Two hundred ABPs were sampled from an overall population of 1939, and the extents of the facilities were measured by aerial and satellite observations. An ABP with an installed power of 1000 kW covers an average surface area of up to 23,576 m2. Most of this surface, 97.9%, is obtained from previously cultivated areas. The ABP analysis proved that 24.7 m2 of surface area produces 1 kW of power by bioenergy. The obtained model estimated a total consumption of soil by ABPs in Italy of 31,761,235 m2. This research can support stakeholders in cost-benefit analyses to design energy systems based on renewable energy sources.