Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of the possibilities of using biogas in energy management of the cities and communities, including the purification of biogas excess to balance the unevenness in demand and supply side of biogas market (operating agricultural biogas plant). The case study describes the four technical acceptable scenarios of using agricultural biogas: variant I – combined heat and power production, variant II – supply of the local heat source, variant III – supply of the local heat source and the use of treated biogas (biomethane) in the local urban transport and variant IV – combined heat and power production and injection of conditioned biogas (biomethane) into the gas distribution grid. The identified variants were evaluated using the analytic hierarchy process multicriteria decision aid method in which the main evaluation criteria were technical, economic, social and environmental, as well as risk criterion. The results of the analysis indicate the possibility of rational use of excess biogas production by: treatment and use of liquefied biomethane for energy production or transport, or combined heat and power production, or use of biomethane injected into the distribution gas network, which can be the basis for the implementation of smart city and community strategy.