Photovoltaic/Biomass Systems: Critical Factors and the Environmental Profiles of Certain Feedstock Materials for Biogas Production

Photovoltaic (PV)/biomass systems offer stable/continuous power by overcoming solar-energy intermittency with biomass dispatchable energy. Considering gaps in the scientific literature, this article sets out to present information on PV/biomass installations and the eco-profiles of different feedstocks for biogas generation. To this end, this article is split into two parts. The first one outlines some key elements of the literature on PV/biomass systems, highlighting factors that determine feasibility and performance. The second one presents the eco-profiles of three feedstocks. The methodology is based on literature review and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA). Regarding the first part, the results show that the majority of the prior research placed emphasis on techno-economic analysis and the design/modelling of PV/biomass systems, and there is a dearth of LCA studies on PV/biomass installations. As for the second part, the findings demonstrate that, among the feedstocks examined (manure; waste cooking oil; grass), in most categories, animal waste shows the highest environmental impacts. For instance, considering the total impact of these three feedstocks and based on Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), the results indicate that, in many categories, manure surpasses the percentage values of 40%. Grass exhibits minor percentage shares, with the exception of the “Eutrophication” (54%) and “Acidification” (33%) categories.