Biogas as a sustainable energy source in China: Regional development strategy application and decision making

Biogas technology has brought benefits to health, the environment, the economy and energy conservation. Vast biomass resources, including organic waste, have the potential for use as feedstock for biogas production in China. This paper presents the development status of biogas application in China. The goal was to provide quantitative information about biogas use, from villages to large cities, to assess the major characteristics of biogas application. Analysis of the opportunities and constraints of the different biogas applications provided the basis for policies for the development of biogas plants and for the adjustment of the scale of biogas development to match local requirements. Based on the characteristics of different biogas plants and geographic regions, a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process model was used to provide a suitability evaluation for development of the regional biogas industry. Results from this model could provide decision support for development strategies for regional distribution plans and the scale of biogas system construction. The findings can also aid further research on balancing energy supply and demand, energy policy formation, and the regional eco-environment development in China. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.