On-Site Power Generation Using Biogas in Sewage Treatment Plants: A Techno-Economic Assessment of a Brazilian UASB Facility

Abstract

Small sewage treatment plants (STPs) in developing regions often flare the biogas produced in their upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, giving away a cost-effective energy source. This study tests whether on-site biogas-to-energy can pay for itself in approximately 2 years, even in plants treating less than 30 l s−1. A small-scale STP in Angra dos Reis, Brazil (25 L/s), was studied, with an average biogas flow of 9.7 m3/h; electricity generation was modeled for an engine generator unit with an efficiency of 30%. The techno-economic results show that the actual system would generate 125 MWh/year at a levelized cost of 0.017–0.023 USD/kWh, covering 47% of the plant’s electricity demand. At a discount rate of 8%, the net present value was + 9.3 k US$, and the simple payback period was 2 years for the initial investment. Additionally, extrapolating the results to account for future expansion of the sewage treatment plant based on the total population in the region served by the system reveals even more promising results, with a suggested payback period of 1 year and 1 month of operation, covering approximately 57% of electricity demand. Scaling this retrofit to the approximately 18,000 comparable UASB-based STPs worldwide at low capital cost could reduce electricity bills by approximately 40% and avoid ~ 450 tons of CO₂-eq. per plant per year through methane capture and displacement of electricity from the grid. These results confirm that decentralized biogas power generation on a small scale is not only technically feasible, but also financially attractive and ecologically beneficial for operators of sewage and wastewater treatment plants and municipalities.