Biogas is a natural gas, completely renewable, made from 50-70% methane, generated from human and animal waste. It is generated when bacteria degrade biological material in the absence of oxygen, in a process known as anaerobic digestion.
Since biogas is a mixture of methane (also known as natural gas) and carbon dioxide, it is a renewable fuel. Anaerobic digestion is basically a simple process carried out in a number of steps that can use almost any organic material as a substrate - it occurs in digestive systems, marshes, rubbish dumps, septic tanks and the Arctic Tundra. Humans tend to make the process as complicated as possible by trying to improve on nature in complex machines but a simple approach is still possible.
Biogas is made up largely of methane, and coal dioxide. There is also up to 10% of water steam, and extra, small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia and sulphur hydrogen.
There are many advantages of using Biogas in the process anaerobic digestion:
- destroy methane, the highly destructive greenhouse gas, so it does not go into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming;
- It is a completely natural process.
- Uses less land than aerobic composting or land filling.
- Generates a high quality renewable fuel.
- Produces a sanitized compost, and nutrient-rich fertilizer.
- Maximizes recycling benefits.
- It is more cost effective than other treatment options from a life cycle perspective.
. This method of energy saving is a very useful one and could help save our fossil fuels. The more informed people are about processes such as Anaerobic digestion, the more widespread it will be used and the bigger effect it will make.
So we hope you are now slightly more informed about Biogas and how it helps everyone, giving us energy, and helping in keeping our planet clean. Thank you
