13.4.1 Estimate of Energy Consumption by CNG Vehicles during Crop Production Activities at Model Farm

Based on the results obtained from onsite field testing, we selected Town A and established a regional utilization model that revolved around the BGUS. We evaluated the model’s energy and environment aspects. We used the calculation of the process potential in terms of GHG reduction per year for the environmental assessment.

For our model, we selected a farm in Town A that has a plot with an area of 75 ha. The crop activity was cultivation of pasture grass (cut twice yearly). In this farm’s system of cultivating mid-moisture grass silage, trucks are used for laying fertilizer, harvesting grass, and spreading soil improvement materials. The trucks’ distance of movement were measured and collected using a geographic information system (GIS). The total distance of 4-t trucks involved in the production of pasture grass at the farm was 3,513 km/yr. The amount of diesel fuel consumed was 462.2 L/yr, and the amount of refined biogas consumed was 462.2 Nm3/yr.

13.4.2 Players in Regional Utilization Model Revolving around BGUS

The players that are studied in the utilization model (subjects playing roles) are: (1) the farmer with the biogas plant installation, (2) the biogas vendor, and (3) con­sumers of the refined biogas. The farmer with biogas plant installation manages the biogas plant and is responsible for the refining of surplus gas and compression; that is, he is responsible up to the point of storing the refined gas in storage canisters. The biogas vendor is responsible for filling cylinders with refined biogas, deliver­ing, installing, and recovering the cylinders, as well as modifying residential gas equipment. Consumers consume the gas.

The utilization model is centered on equipment that can be easily modified and introduced; this equipment was tested by onsite field testing.

The areas of use were established as “inside the farm production system” and “adjacent area and residence of the farm production system”. The equipment “inside the farm production system” that consumed the refined biogas produced by the RCF facility included the farmer’s residence as well as the farm operations. Otherwise, the gas vendor delivered cylinders filled with refined gas to the customers. The routes utilized the existing infrastructure.