Energy Outputs and Financial Returns of On-Farm Biodigester Systems in the United States: A Case Study in Vermont
Qingbin Wang,
Ethan Thompson,
Laurel Valchuis,
Robert Parsons
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 2, March 2017
Pages:
10-18
Received:
20 February 2017
Accepted:
14 March 2017
Published:
11 April 2017
Abstract: This study assesses the investments, energy outputs, and financial returns of on-farm anaerobic digester systems (ADS) by farm size through a case study in Vermont and discusses the potential policy implications. Detailed data on the initial investments, production of electricity and other marketable products, operational expenses, and income, collected through surveys of eight operating ADS on dairy farms in Vermont, are used to estimate the return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), and other financial indicators for small, medium, and large farms. The primary survey data indicate that the average investment was $1.35 million for small and medium farms (75-500 cows) and $2.44 million for large farms (>500 cows). Financial analysis indicates that the ROE and ROA were 12.54% and 13.50% for large farms but only 0.73% and 1.07% for small and medium dairy farms, respectively. Whereas the technology of ADS developed in the United States seems to favor large farms in terms of both energy production and financial returns, the centralized ADS developed in Europe and low-cost mini digesters developed in China may have potentials for small and medium farms to develop more economically viable ADS in the United States.
Abstract: This study assesses the investments, energy outputs, and financial returns of on-farm anaerobic digester systems (ADS) by farm size through a case study in Vermont and discusses the potential policy implications. Detailed data on the initial investments, production of electricity and other marketable products, operational expenses, and income, coll...
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Ocean Wave Energy Hydrogen System for Electrification
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 2, March 2017
Pages:
19-27
Received:
1 June 2017
Accepted:
15 June 2017
Published:
20 July 2017
Abstract: Human population growth and development activities, growing at a rapid pace today, have increased the energy demands. Global concerns over above facts linked to fossil fuel consumption have increased the pressure to generate power from renewable sources. Owing to present day’s energy crisis, growing environmental concern and escalating cost of fossil fuels, we ought to take every effort to supplement our energy base with renewable sources. Without any doubt, renewable energy, especially solar, wind and wave energy will play an important role in 21st century. Main disadvantage of wave power is its largely random variability in several time-scales, from wave to wave, with sea state, and from season to season. Present situation shows a wide variety of wave energy systems, at several stages of development, competing against each other, without it being clear which types will be final winners. In last few years, interest in wave energy utilization has been growing rapidly in all over the world. High costs of constructing, deploying, maintaining and testing large prototypes under harsh environmental conditions, has hindered the development of wave energy systems. In this paper, some wave parameters have been discussed that are related to transport, generation and variability of wave energy in the sea. Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are classified into different groups. In order to develop a commercial WEC is not a straightforward task. Many inventions still have to be made, and many challenging problems need to be solved.
Abstract: Human population growth and development activities, growing at a rapid pace today, have increased the energy demands. Global concerns over above facts linked to fossil fuel consumption have increased the pressure to generate power from renewable sources. Owing to present day’s energy crisis, growing environmental concern and escalating cost of foss...
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