Framework to benchmark sustainability of biomethane supply chains : Facilitating sustainability decision making in adopting biomethane as a public transportation fuel in Western Europe

This article presents a framework from a systems’ perspective to benchmark biomethane supply chains consisting of biogas upgrading, biomethane distribution, and refilling in the context of Western Europe. Compressed biomethane is already widely adopted as a vehicle fuel, whereas liquefied biomethane is also a vialble alternative. Distribution in gas grids is a feasible option only in short distances and large scale, whereas trucks with composite swap bodies is the preferable alternative otherwise. As a whole, liquefied biomethane supply chains manifests better attributes from both climate and cost perspectives, whereas compressed biomethane supply chains imply better energy intensity