Sustainable design of a biogas‐SOFC power production system

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a systematic framework for sustainable electricity generation using biogas feedstock, with an emphasis on evaluating both the economic viability and sustainability of the resulting integrated process. The integrated system has two main stages: Hydrogen is first produced from biogas through reforming processes, such as partial oxidation or steam methane reforming, and subsequently converted to electricity via a solid oxide fuel cell. A superstructure optimization approach is used to determine the optimal process configuration that minimizes the total annualized cost. The proposed superstructure incorporates a comprehensive set of process alternatives. Simultaneous process and energy integration using a rigorous optimization framework enables systematic comparison of process alternatives, explicitly assessing the trade‐offs among operating cost, capital expenditure, and carbon capture. Sensitivity studies are included to capture the impact of input parameters and identify scenarios to improve economic viability and environmental sustainability of the integrated process.