Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas

22 Jul.,2024

 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas

Worldwide interest in renewable energy sources is gathering momentum. Biogas production is growing steadily, as more people are setting up biogas plants to produce biogas. To get a better picture of what biogas is good for, we have created this list explaining the advantages and disadvantages of biogas.

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If you want to learn more about what biogas is, have a look:

Advantages of Biogas

1. Biogas is Eco-Friendly

Biogas is a renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through biodigestion is Biogas is a renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through biodigestion is non-polluting; it actually reduces greenhouse emissions (i.e. reduces the greenhouse effect). No combustion takes place in the process, meaning there is zero emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere; therefore, using gas from waste as a form of energy is a great way to combat global warming.

Unsurprisingly, concern for the environment is a major reason why the use of biogas has become more widespread. Biogas plants significantly curb the greenhouse effect: the plants lower methane emissions by capturing this harmful gas and using it as fuel. Biogas generation helps cut reliance on the use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.

Another biogas advantage is that unlike other types of renewable energies, the process to create the gas is natural, not requiring energy for the generation process. In addition, the raw materials used in the production of biogas are renewable, as trees and crops will continue to grow. Manure, food scraps, and crop residue are raw materials that will always be available, which makes it a highly sustainable option.

2. Biogas Generation Reduces Soil and Water Pollution

Overflowing landfills don&#;t only spread foul smells- they also allow toxic liquids to drain into underground water sources.

Subsequently,  another advantage of biogas is that biogas generation may improve water quality. Moreover, anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and parasites; thus, it&#;s also quite effective in reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases. Similarly, waste collection and management significantly improve in areas with biogas plants. This in turn, leads to improvements in the environment, sanitation, and hygiene.

3. Biogas Generation Produces Organic Fertilizer

The by-product of the biogas generation process is enriched organic digestate, which is a perfect supplement to, or substitute for, chemical fertilizers. The fertilizer discharge from the digester can accelerate plant growth and resilience to diseases, whereas commercial fertilizers contain chemicals that have toxic effects and can cause food poisoning, among other things.

4. It&#;s A Simple and Low-Cost Technology That Encourages A Circular Economy

The technology used to produce biogas is quite cheap. It is easy to set up and needs little investment when used on a small scale. Small biodigesters can be used right at home, utilizing kitchen waste and animal manure. A household system pays for itself after a while and the materials used for generation are absolutely free. The gas produced can be used directly for cooking and generation of electricity. This is what allows the cost of biogas production to be relatively low.

Farms can make use of biogas plants and waste products produced by their livestock every day. The waste products of one cow can provide enough energy to power a lightbulb for an entire day.

In large plants, biogas can also be compressed to achieve the quality of natural gas and utilized to power automobiles. Building such plants requires relatively low capital investment and creates green jobs. For instance, in India, 10 million jobs were created, mostly in rural areas, in plants and in organic waste collection.

5. Healthy Cooking Alternative

Biogas generators save women and children from the daunting task of firewood collection. As a result, more time is left for cooking and cleaning. More importantly, cooking on a gas stove, instead of over an open fire, prevents the family from being exposed to smoke in the kitchen. This helps prevent deadly respiratory diseases. Sadly, 4.3 million people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributed to the household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels for cooking.

HomeBiogas &#; the perfect biogas solution for your home!

HomeBiogas systems allow you to enjoy all the advantages of biogas production and use from your home.  They are easy to install, require minimal effort to use and produce clean, renewable energy and fertilizer.  If you&#;re eager to reduce your fossil fuel dependency while safely and efficiently producing renewable energy for everyday use, find the HomeBiogas product that best fits your lifestyle! 

Disadvantages of Biogas

1. Few Technological Advancements

An unfortunate disadvantage of biogas today is that the systems used in the production of biogas are not efficient. There are no new technologies yet to simplify the process and make it accessible and low cost. This means large scale production to supply for a large population is still not possible. Although the biogas plants operating today are able to meet some energy needs, many governments are not willing to invest in the sector.

2. Contains Impurities

After refinement and compression, biogas still contains impurities. If the generated bio-fuel was used to power automobiles it could corrode the metal parts of the engine. This corrosion would lead to increased maintenance costs. The gaseous mix is much more suitable for kitchen stoves, water boilers, and lamps.

3. Effect of Temperature on Biogas Production

Like other renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind), biogas generation is also affected by the weather. The optimal temperature bacteria needed to digest waste is around 37°C. In cold climates, digesters require heat energy to maintain a constant biogas supply.

4. Less Suitable For Dense Metropolitan Areas

Another biogas disadvantage is that industrial biogas plants only make sense where raw materials (food waste, manure) are in plentiful supply . For this reason, biogas generation is much more suitable for rural and suburban areas.

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Ready to set up your own small biogas generation system?

Do you think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to biogas use for living a more sustainable life? Us too! 

If you&#;re ready to take an actionable step in reducing your carbon footprint by making and using renewable energy at home, then the HomeBiogas system is right for you. Check out our variety of products to see which HomeBiogas system will help you turn your waste into clean energy.

Thanks for reading our discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of biogas. We at HomeBiogas are here for any questions. You are also welcome to sign up for our newsletter, and get monthly updates about special deals, coupons, industry news, sustainability trends, recipe videos, and more!

Is Anaerobic Digestion Right for Your Farm? | US EPA

Anaerobic digesters can be installed for many reasons, including to treat waste, reduce odors, provide a revenue source and improve public image. While simple in concept, there are many sizes, styles and applications of digesters. Projects require detailed technical and financial planning to be successful.

To find out if your farm may be a good candidate for anaerobic digestion, consider the following questions:

Additionally, the Initial Project Checklist can help determine the potential for project viability.

EPA&#;s Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Screening Tool can also assist stakeholders in assessing the potential feasibility of an AD project. The AD Screening Tool enables users to conduct pre-feasibility analyses to evaluate AD opportunities for a variety of feedstocks, including organic municipal solid waste, livestock manure, agricultural residues, and wastewater.

1. What type of manure does your farm produce?

If your farm produces manure from cattle, hogs and/or poultry operations, anaerobic digesters are technically feasible for you.

2. What is the size of your farm?

For preliminary screening purposes, livestock farms with these characteristics are potential candidates for anaerobic digestion:

  • 500 head of cattle, 2,000 hogs with anaerobic lagoons or liquid slurry manure management systems, or 5,000 hogs with deep pit manure management systems, and 
  • 90 percent of the manure is regularly collected

Smaller confined facilities could also support successful recovery projects, given certain site-specific and market conditions. In addition, codigestion of other organic wastes generated nearby may make a smaller project feasible.

3. Is your manure management technique compatible with biogas recovery technology?

Biogas production is best suited for farms that regularly collect liquid, slurry or semi-solid manure with little or no bedding. This requires the farm to collect manure:

  • As a liquid, slurry or semi-solid (see definitions in table below)
  • At a single point
  • Every day or every other day
  • Free of large amounts of bedding or other materials (e.g., rocks, stones, straw, sand)

Types of Manure

Manure Type Definition Compatible with Anaerobic Digestion? Liquid Manure Has been diluted to a solids content of less than 5%. This manure is typically &#;flushed&#; from where it is generated, using fresh or recycled water. The manure and flush water can be pumped to treatment and storage tanks, ponds, lagoons or other suitable structures. Maybe. Can be adapted for biogas production and energy recovery in warm climates. In colder climates, it may be limited to gas flaring for odor control unless other organic materials are codigested. Slurry Manure Has been diluted to a solids content of 5-10% and is usually collected by a mechanical &#;scraper&#; system. It can be pumped and is often treated or stored in tanks, ponds or lagoons prior to land application. Yes. For biogas recovery and energy production, depending on climate and dilution factors. Semi-Solid Manure Is handled as a semi-solid, with a solids content of 10-20%, and is typically scraped. Water is not added to the manure and the manure is typically stored until it is spread on local fields. Yes. Fresh scraped manure (less than one week old) can be used for biogas and energy production in all climates, because it can be heated to promote bacterial growth. Solid Manure Has a solids content of greater than 20% and is handled as a solid by a scoop loader. Maybe. Aged solid manure or manure that is left &#;unmanaged&#; (i.e., is left in the pasture where it is deposited by the animals) or allowed to dry is not suitable for traditional digesters. However, regularly collected manure could be used in a digester.

Farms with different methods of housing animals and managing manure can use anaerobic digestion, although pretreatment or modifications may be needed. The animal housing and manure management techniques that are most compatible with anaerobic digestion include:

  • Cattle: flushed or scraped freestall barns and drylots
  • Hogs: houses with flush, pit recharge or pull-plug pit systems
  • Poultry: houses with flush systems

Anaerobic digesters can use single or multiple feedstocks. Digesters that codigest manure with other feedstocks (e.g. fats, oils & grease, food wastes, cheese or wine wastes, manure) can increase biogas production. Additional pre-processing equipment and holding tanks may be required for codigesting. Also, codigestion can increase the amount of nutrients in the effluent, so farms considering codigestion should ensure that they will still comply with their nutrient management plans.

4. Is there a use for the energy recovered?

Photo of a 120 kW engine generator set combusts recovered biogas, generating electricity for on-farm use

The use or sale of biogas energy can increase the cost effectiveness of a project. The value of the energy produced from the gas may offset the cost of collecting and processing the gas.

Biogas can:

  • Generate electricity to:
    • Fuel a reciprocating engine or gas turbine.
    • Operate equipment on-farm. For example, dairies operate vacuum pumps, chillers, feed mixers and fans. Hog farms typically operate heat lamps and ventilation equipment.
    • Sell to the local power grid.
  • Be used directly on-farm to:
    • Fuel boilers or heaters, and in most processes requiring heat, steam, or refrigeration. Dairies and hog farms generally require hot wash water for cleaning and other operations.
  • Be processed into higher quality fuels, including:
    • Pipeline quality renewable natural gas
    • Compressed natural gas (CNG) to fuel vehicles
  • Be flared to:
    • Control odor
    • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

5. Will you be able to manage the system efficiently?

Biogas systems require the owner/operator to:

  • Pay regular attention to system operations
  • Provide necessary repair and maintenance
  • Have the desire to see the system succeed

Contact us if you answer yes to one or more of these questions and want to learn more.

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