An experiment was conducted to produce hydrogen from biogas using dairy cow waste as the main material, and the results were used as the basis for simulation of a full scale plant (referred to here as a BTH plant) combining a biogas plant and a hydrogen production facility In this study BTH plant operation method to minimize greenhouse gas emissions was identified using linear programming and the available hydrogen supply capacity was estimated The results indicated that the optimal operation method involves supplying the electricity and heat necessary for the plant using self produced biogas as the fuel The hydrogen supply capacity in this case was estimated to be approximately 400 Nm(3)/day for a plant that can treat the cow waste from 1000 dairy cows per day This indicates the feasibility of using BTH plants as effective regional supply sources of hydrogen energy (C) 2010 Professor T Nejat Veziroglu Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved