Energy self-sufficiency through hybridization of biogas and photovoltaic solar energy: an application for an Iberian pig slaughterhouse

The Iberian pig slaughterhouses constitute one of the most important economic activities of Extremadura (Spain), these industries generate large quantities of wet highly pollutant organic waste that need to be managed in an environmentally correct way. On the other hand, the tendency for the constant increase in the price of energy (electricity and fossil fuels) is progressively reducing the economic returns of these companies. aper presents an integrated solution to an environmental and an energy problem of the companies that generate wet waste biomass. This solution consists in the hybridization of biogas (generated by anaerobic digestion of these wastes) with photovoltaic solar energy. specific case of this Iberian pig slaughterhouse the results show that the most profitable option involves the installation of an anaerobic digestion plant with an electrical power of 79 kWe and a solar photovoltaic installation of 225 kWe. The total cost of both systems is 737,000 € and the project presents a Payback period (PBP) of 9 years, an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 9% and a Net Present Value (NPV) of 0.70 millions €.