Biogas production is rapidly increasing across Europe, and it is widely seen as a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The gas is created from methane via anaerobic digestion – the process of organic matter breaking down in either landfills or digesters that are specifically made to convert animal and food waste into gas. With more and more plants being set up to create this greener fuel, many are pausing to ask the question, is biogas really that green and are there currently any issues with it?
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Currently, there are several positive environmental impacts that come with the production of biogas, including:
One of the benefits of biogas is that it is a much more sustainable solution than fracking for gas. Fracking is a process which involves forcing water, chemicals and sand deep into the ground to break up formations of rock. This method is incredibly harmful to the environment with considerable damage being done to ecosystems and landscapes. Interestingly, creating biogas from landfills and digesters creates a very similar fuel to natural gas, but with much less harm to the environment.
All the materials that go into biogas production such as trees, crops, food and animal waste are completely renewable, making it a highly sustainable option. As an added benefit, biogas production uses materials that would otherwise go to waste, so it could potentially reduce wastage too.
Biogas production significantly reduces harmful methane emissions which is one of the largest greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. When organic waste decomposes in landfill, it causes the gas to be released. By capturing the methane to be used as a fuel instead of allowing it to dissipate into the atmosphere, biogas production plays a part in drastically reducing the climate impact. Furthermore, the gas generated from bio-digestion is non-polluting since no combustion takes place, meaning no greenhouse gas emissions will be released into the atmosphere.
Biogas can be further processed in a biogas upgrading facility to become biomethane and serve as a suitable replacement for natural gas by removing carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, water and contaminants. When refined in this way, biogas can be used for electricity production and heating for industrial and residential buildings and can even be used as fuel for engines.
Creating biogas could potentially lead to less soil and water pollution surrounding landfill sites. When landfills overflow, contaminated liquid can drain out and leach into underground water sources. This contamination, or leachate, is very toxic to natural life. By collecting this waste and putting it into anaerobic digesters instead, we reduce the amount of organic waste in landfills which may, in turn, improve the water quality. Additionally, the process of anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and parasites, potentially reducing the risk of waterborne diseases.
Nothing is wasted when it comes to biogas production. Where the bulk of the organic waste becomes biogas, the leftovers or ‘digestate’ goes on to be made into nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer. This fertilizer is completely natural and may reduce the need for chemical options in the future. Using this natural fertilizer may improve plant growth and make crops much more resilient to certain diseases, resulting in better crops and less harm to the planet.
While biogas is a much more sustainable solution to natural gases, that does not mean it is completely free from problems. Some of the largest concerns with biogas production currently are as follows:
It has become popular for biogas plants to use ‘energy crops’ such as maize to produce a much higher energy yield from the decaying organic waste. However, cultivating plants such as these can cause soil erosion and these plants also produce much higher carbon emissions than other types of organic waste.
Where biogas can certainly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels such as oil and coal, there is not enough biomass to generate the amount we need to completely replace our gas supply. At present, biogas has the potential to replace just 20% of the world’s gas demand, so more focus needs to be put into harnessing wind and solar powers in order to reach net zero.
In many areas, biogas is being used to delay the transition to zero-emission energy systems. Those that rely heavily on gas are mixing only a small portion of biogas into their networks and are avoiding and delaying the complete elimination of fossil fuels.
One of the potential concerns with biogas production is that it may lead to more waste. As it relies on the decomposition of organic waste, biogas production may encourage those involved to waste purely for the purpose of creating biogas.
Biogas certainly has a part to play in reducing global warming and the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, but it is not a complete and perfect solution. However, when used in tandem with other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, biogas production can be a very worthwhile energy source and help with reaching net-zero targets.
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.
If you want to learn more about what biogas is, have a look:
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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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