Electrical efficiency
This analysis assumed that the efficiency of converting biogas to
electricity is 35%. Changes in this parameter have the second
biggest effect on the profitability criteria, after biogas production
rate fluctuations. Larger scale biogas engines claim efficiencies in
the range of 45%, and, therefore, this value was used as the upper
bound. Although these efficiencies are possible, the cost of these
dedicated biogas gen-sets is significantly more than regular gensets.
The higher cost is suggested to be attributed to the hardened
engine parts required to handle H2S in the engine and the lower