France

A French study into the best use of methane generated from organic waste has concluded that using the fuel for transport, buses and refuse trucks in particular, is the best application, proving more efficient and productive than using it for heating or electricity. The study, ordered by Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Energie (French environmental and energy control agency) and Gaz de France, was carried out by RDC-Environnement according standards ISO 14040 and 14044, and was conducted to provide guidance to local governments one the issues of waste management and biogas recovery.

The LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) study was published in September and took four classes of impact (indicators: non renewable primary energy use, greenhouse effect within 100 years, atmosphere acidification, and waterways eutrophication. As well as considering the best use of methane recovered from organic waste, it also considered the best methods for methane capture.

The conclusions from the study indicate using the methane for buses or refuse trucks provided benefits against all four indicators, and that the benefits were greater than if the methane was used for electricity generation. Replacing diesel in buses and refuse trucks with biomethane fuelled also produced strong air quality benefits, producing reductions in emissions of oxides of nitrogen.

A report from BIOGASMAX can be viewed here and conclusions from the study (in French) can be downloaded at:

Presentation - Analyse du Cycle de Vie des modes de valorisation de biogaz - sept 2007                                         Synthèse - Analyse du Cycle de Vie des modes de valorisation de biogaz - sept 2007