Biogas from Municiapal Organic Waste–Trondheim's Environmental Holy Grail?

Five scenarios for organic household waste treatment from the municipality of Trondheim were studied. Combustion and anaerobic digestion of the waste in three potential locations were considered.The results show a negligible climate benefit from biogas production in these scenarios, although the benefit is much more pronounced in other environmental impact categories such as photochemical oxidation (smog production) and fossil resource depletion. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates a strong dependence on assumed values for lower heating value (LHV) of the organic waste, methane yield in the anaerobic digestion process, and fuel efficiency of the buses.