Electric energy micro-production in a rural property using biogas as primary source

The generation of electric energy distributed throughout Brazil′s rural area contributes in the supply and logistics of energy production all over the country. This work aimed to analyze biogas production from swine waste and the generation of electric energy using biogas as primary source. Biogas was produced in São Miguel do Iguaçu - Paraná, Brazil, in a rural property which uses two biodigesters to produce biogas, whose electric conversion is performed in an engine-generator set of 100 kVA. With an average of 4672 housed animals, 554 Nm3 day−1 of biogas were used in the generation of 847 kWh day−1 of electricity and the rest was incinerated in a flare. The average specific consumption of biogas in the engine-generator set was 0.68 m3 kW h−1 and its efficiency was 22.21%. The cost of electric energy production using biogas was 0.12 R$ kW h−1 and the cost of the supplier′s electricity was 0.14 R$.kWh−1. One can observe the economical feasibility of electricity production from biogas, even without receiving carbon credits.