biogas essay

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Core - Biogas and Energy Production by Utilization of Different Agricultural Wastes
Environmental and Energy Study Institute - Biogas: Converting Waste to Energy
International Energy Agency - An introduction to biogas and biomethane
Frontiers - Biogas Management: Advanced Utilization for Production of Renewable Energy and Added-value Chemicals
Engineering LibreTexts - Biogas Energy from organic wastes
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Biogas
Academia - Biogas Production
U.S. Energy Information Administration - Landfill gas and biogas

biogas , naturally occurring gas that is generated by the breakdown of organic matter by anaerobic bacteria and is used in energy production. Biogas differs from natural gas in that it is a renewable energy source produced biologically through anaerobic digestion rather than a fossil fuel produced by geological processes. Biogas is primarily composed of methane gas, carbon dioxide , and trace amounts of nitrogen , hydrogen , and carbon monoxide . It occurs naturally in compost heaps, as swamp gas, and as a result of enteric fermentation in cattle and other ruminants . Biogas can also be produced in anaerobic digesters from plant or animal waste or collected from landfills. It is burned to generate heat or used in combustion engines to produce electricity .

The use of biogas is a green technology with environmental benefits. Biogas technology enables the effective use of accumulated animal waste from food production and of municipal solid waste from urbanization. The conversion of organic waste into biogas reduces production of the greenhouse gas methane, as efficient combustion replaces methane with carbon dioxide. Given that methane is nearly 21 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, biogas combustion results in a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, biogas production on farms can reduce the odours, insects , and pathogens associated with traditional manure stockpiles.

Animal and plant wastes can be used to produce biogas. They are processed in anaerobic digesters as a liquid or as a slurry mixed with water . Anaerobic digesters are generally composed of a feedstock source holder, a digestion tank, a biogas recovery unit, and heat exchangers to maintain the temperature necessary for bacterial digestion. Small-scale household digesters containing as little as 757 litres (200 gallons) can be used to provide cooking fuel or electric lighting in rural homes. Millions of homes in less-developed regions, including China and parts of Africa, are estimated to use household digesters as a renewable energy source.

Large-scale farm digesters store liquid or slurried manure from farm animals. The primary types of farm digesters are covered lagoon digesters, complete mix digesters for slurry manure, plug-flow digesters for dairy manure, and dry digesters for slurry manure and crop residues. Heat is usually required in digesters to maintain a constant temperature of about 35 °C (95 °F) for bacteria to decompose the organic material into gas. An efficient digester may produce 200–400 cubic metres (7,000–14,000 cubic feet) of biogas containing 50–75 percent methane per dry ton of input waste.

The natural decomposition of organic matter in a landfill occurs over many years, and the biogas produced (also known as landfill gas) can be collected from a series of interconnected pipes located at various depths across the landfill. The composition of this gas changes over the life span of the landfill. Generally, after one year, the gas is composed of about 60 percent methane and 40 percent carbon dioxide. Landfill collection varies according to the percentage of organic waste and the age of the facility, the average energy potential being about 2 gigajoules (1,895,634 BTU) per ton of waste.

Landfill gas collection systems are increasingly being implemented to prevent explosions from methane accumulation inside the landfill or to prevent the loss of methane, a greenhouse gas , into the atmosphere. The collected gas can be burned at or near the site in furnaces or boilers, but it is instead often used in internal combustion engines or gas turbines to create electricity, given the limited need for heat production at most remote landfill locations.

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Essay on Biogas (1199 Words)

February 17, 2018 by Manasi Shewale Leave a Comment

We talk a lot about waste management and waste disposal techniques, about how waste treatment is very important to reduce the environmental pollution but has it ever occurred to us that what exactly is done in the waste management or treatment procedure?

A waste management treatment basically consists of recycling the waste product and reusing it. This basically is done for the major purpose of reducing the use of natural resources, generating energy from the waste products, etc.

The use of each and every type of waste product will vary, for example, biodegradable waste will be treated differently and the recycled matter will have different uses from that of a non-biodegradable waste.

There is a well-known recycling technique for biodegradable waste which is known as production of biogas. Biogas is produced by treatment of the waste matter under some synthetically set up environment.

The biogas can be produced from biodegradable waste which is a very broad term and involves mainly agricultural waste, food waste, excreted matter of the cattle, etc. Biodegradable waste basically consists of organic waste.

Table of Contents

What is a Biogas Plant?

A biogas plant is basically a plant or a big container where the biogas is produced. It consists of two major components.

The first one is the anaerobic digester and the second one is the gas holding chamber. There can be one or more gas holding chambers. This is where the biogas is manufactured.

Image Credit: Source

The biodegradable waste can be considered as the raw material to produce this biogas. Along with these waste products some anaerobic bacteria or micro-organisms are also put into this biogas plant.

These anaerobic organisms can survive without oxygen, and they digest the organic waste material.

This is a naturally occurring procedure in every soil but is synthetically done by adding the anaerobic organisms in the biogas plant. This anaerobic digestion is considered as the primary principle of how the manufacturing of biogas is done.

Biogas Manufacturing Procedure

The basic setup of a biogas plant will involve 3 main things. The first part will be the inlet part of the biogas plant from which the organic waste matter and anaerobic microorganisms will enter the chamber.

Then comes the chamber itself where the anaerobic digestion takes place. The third part is the outlet portion in which the biogas is collected.

The major step of biogas production after putting all the materials together in the biogas plant is the anaerobic digestion. In this process, the anaerobic bacteria will breakdown all the carbohydrates present in the organic waste material.

Here, all the complex organic waste is broken down into amino acids, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen.

This procedure generates a lot of Methane (CH 4 ) gas and Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ). Hydrogen Sulphide gas (H 2 S) is also present in a small amount.

This biogas which is produced can be heated to produce energy therefore, can be called as a fuel.

This gas can be used for different purposes like cooking, in industrial areas, etc. This biogas fuel can convert the gaseous energy into electric energy therefore, adding to its uses and applications.

After the biogas is produced and its uses are defined, it leaves behind the organic waste i.e. the leftover material after the production of biogas.

This leftover material is often called as the residue slurry. This material is considered as a very good organic manure that is the organic fertilizer for the agricultural purpose.

Different types of Biogas Plants and their Applications

In rural areas.

There are different types of biogas plants depending upon the use of the biogas being produced. For example, there are biogas plants for domestic or agricultural use.

In this type, the agricultural waste at a household or individual level is used to produce biogas.

This biogas will be used as a fuel for cooking and hence, replace the primitive techniques for cooking which generally consist of a gas stove and used of dried wood logs to create fire.

The use of biogas replaces the use of these primitive techniques. This will in turn reduce the use of the natural and non-renewable resources like wood which is depleting at a very fast rate due to deforestation.

Usually this domestic biogas plant is used in rural areas where the agricultural work is done at a very large scale. This will generate large amount of biogas and hence, such a domestic biogas plant will be very useful in this field.

In the Industrial Field

The other type of biogas plant is commercial biogas plant which will contain a big biogas plant. This might be set up by a government organization or any environment protection organization.

It will collect all the biodegradable waste from a large area and then treat it in this biogas plant.

The commercial biogas plant can also be used by an industry to produce biogas and then use this biogas to produce electrical energy from the gaseous energy.

Some other types of biogas plants include portable biogas plant and a constructed at site type of a biogas plant.

Usually the constructed biogas plant is used by the commercial industries as they require a biogas plant of higher biogas producing capacity.

In the Urban Areas

Recently the use of a biogas plant was also promoted in the urban areas specifically at a household level.

Here it was advised to the active participants to use domestic small-scale biogas plants to produce biogas from the kitchen waste as well as any garden waste if available.

This will produce biogas which can be used to replace the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) which is provided by the municipal corporation.

Other Applications

This application of the biogas is generally considered to be an indirect application as it is the application of the biogas residue and not the biogas itself. This biogas residue can be used to make a Vermicompost or Vermiconversion of the manure.

As we all know vermicompost will consist of earthworms that will produce a nutrient rich manure for the plants.

Therefore, using the vermicompost technique for the already nutrient rich manure is recommended if possible. But this concept is still under observation and research.

The next application is of the liquid slurry formed along with the solid manure. Whenever a biogas residue is formed it is generally the mixture of liquid as well as solid waste material.

This mixture is separated and the liquid portion of the waste is used as a replacement of water for the irrigation purpose.

The liquid waste is also very nutrient rich and is considered as a medicine for proper growth of the plants. This waste basically contributes the water content as well as the nutrient content thus, being very useful for the agricultural occupation.

Biogas and its manure are so far considered as a very useful and successful recycling technique which allows all sections of the society to attain its benefits may it be rural or the urban section.

About Manasi Shewale

Manasi Shewale loves to read novels and review them inturn. She is an avid reader of various topics of scientific interest in Chemistry and Biology.

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Fact Sheet | Biogas: Converting Waste to Energy

October 3, 2017

The United States produces more than 70 million tons of organic waste each year. While source reduction and feeding the hungry are necessary priorities for reducing needless food waste, organic wastes are numerous and extend to non-edible sources, including livestock manure, agriculture wastes, waste water, and inedible food wastes. When these wastes are improperly managed, they pose a significant risk to the environment and public health. Pathogens, chemicals, antibiotics, and nutrients present in wastes can contaminate surface and ground waters through runoff or by leaching into soils. Excess nutrients cause algal blooms, harm wildlife, and infect drinking water. Drinking water with high levels of nitrates is linked to hyperthyroidism and blue-baby syndrome. Municipal water utilities treat drinking water to remove nitrates, but it is costly to do so.

Organic wastes also generate large amounts of methane as they decompose. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere more efficiently than carbon dioxide. Given equal amounts of methane and carbon dioxide, methane will absorb 86 times more heat in 20 years than carbon dioxide. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the risk of pollution to waterways, organic waste can be removed and used to produce biogas, a renewable source of energy. When displacing fossil fuels, biogas creates further emission reductions, sometimes resulting in carbon negative systems. Despite the numerous potential benefits of organic waste utilization, including environmental protection, investment and job creation, the United States currently only has 2,200 operating biogas systems, representing less than 20 percent of the total potential.

Introduction

What is biogas.

Biogas is produced after organic materials (plant and animal products) are broken down by bacteria in an oxygen-free environment, a process called anaerobic digestion. Biogas systems use anaerobic digestion to recycle these organic materials, turning them into biogas, which contains both energy (gas), and valuable soil products (liquids and solids).

Anaerobic digestion already occurs in nature, landfills, and some livestock manure management systems, but can be optimized, controlled, and contained using an anaerobic digester. Biogas contains roughly 50-70 percent methane, 30-40 percent carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. The liquid and solid digested material, called digestate, is frequently used as a soil amendment.

(Courtesy: American Biogas Council)

Some organic wastes are more difficult to break down in a digester than others. Food waste, fats, oils, and greases are the easiest organic wastes to break down, while livestock waste tends to be the most difficult. Mixing multiple wastes in the same digester, referred to as co-digestion, can help increase biogas yields. Warmer digesters, typically kept between 30 to 38 degrees Celsius (86-100 Fahrenheit), can also help wastes break down more quickly.

After biogas is captured, it can produce heat and electricity for use in engines, microturbines, and fuel cells. Biogas can also be upgraded into biomethane, also called renewable natural gas or RNG, and injected into natural gas pipelines or used as a vehicle fuel.

The United States currently has 2,200 operating biogas systems across all 50 states, and has the potential to add over 13,500 new systems.

The Benefits of Biogas

Stored biogas can provide a clean, renewable, and reliable source of baseload power in place of coal or natural gas. Baseload power is consistently produced to meet minimum power demands; renewable baseload power can complement more intermittent renewables. Similar to natural gas, biogas can also be used as a source of peak power that can be rapidly ramped up. Using stored biogas limits the amount of methane released into the atmosphere and reduces dependence on fossil fuels. The reduction of methane emissions derived from tapping all the potential biogas in the United States would be equal to the annual emissions of 800,000 to 11 million passenger vehicles. Based on a waste-to-wheels assessment, compressed natural gas derived from biogas reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 91 percent relative to petroleum gasoline.

, June 2, 2017

In addition to climate benefits, anaerobic digestion can lower costs associated with waste remediation as well as benefit local economies. Building the 13,500 potential biogas systems in the United States could add over 335,000 temporary construction jobs and 23,000 permanent jobs. Anaerobic digestion also reduces odors, pathogens, and the risk of water pollution from livestock waste. Digestate, the material remaining after the digestion process, can be used or sold as fertilizer, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Digestate also can provide additional revenue when sold as livestock bedding or soil amendments.

Biogas Feedstocks

Around 30 percent of the global food supply is lost or wasted each year. In 2010 alone, the United States produced roughly 133 billion pounds (66.5 million tons) of food waste, primarily from the residential and commercial food sectors. To address this waste, EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy prioritizes source reduction first, then using extra food to address hunger; animal feed or energy production are a lower priority. Food should be sent to landfills as a last resort. Unfortunately, food waste makes up 21 percent of U.S. landfills, with only 5 percent of food waste being recycled into soil improver or fertilizer. Most of this waste is sent to landfills, where it produces methane as it breaks down. While landfills may capture the resultant biogas, landfilling organic wastes provides no opportunity to recycle the nutrients from the source organic material. In 2015, the EPA and USDA set goals to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills by 50 percent by 2030. But even if this goal is met, there will be excess food that will need to be recycled. The energy potential is significant. As just one example, with 100 tons of food waste per day, anaerobic digestion can generate enough energy to power 800 to 1,400 homes each year. Fat, oil, and grease collected from the food service industry can also be added to an anaerobic digester to increase biogas production.

Landfill Gas

Landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States. Landfills contain the same anaerobic bacteria present in a digester that break down organic materials to produce biogas, in this case landfill gas (LFG). Instead of allowing LFG to escape into the atmosphere, it can be collected and used as energy. Currently, LFG projects throughout the United States generate about 17 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and deliver 98 billion cubic feet of LFG to natural gas pipelines or directly to end-users each year. For reference, the average U.S. home in 2015 used about 10,812 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

Livestock Waste

A 1,000-pound dairy cow produces an average of 80 pounds of manure each day. This manure is often stored in holding tanks before being applied to fields. Not only does the manure produce methane as it decomposes, it may contribute to excess nutrients in waterways. In 2015, livestock manure management contributed about 10 percent of all methane emissions in the United States, yet only 3 percent of livestock waste is recycled by anaerobic digesters. When livestock manure is used to produce biogas, anaerobic digestion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce odors, and reduce up to 99 percent of manure pathogens. The EPA estimates there is the potential for 8,241 livestock biogas systems, which could together generate over 13 million megawatt-hours of energy each year.

Wastewater Treatment

Many wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) already have on-site anaerobic digesters to treat sewage sludge, the solids separated during the treatment process. However, many WWTP do not have the equipment to use the biogas they produce, and flare it instead. Of the 1,269 wastewater treatment plants using an anaerobic digester, only around 860 use their biogas. If all the facilities that currently use anaerobic digestion—treating over 5 million gallons each day—were to install an energy recovery facility, the United States could reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 2.3 million metric tons—equal to the annual emissions from 430,000 passenger vehicles.

Crop Residues

Crop residues can include stalks, straw, and plant trimmings. Some residues are left on the field to retain soil organic content and moisture as well as prevent erosion. However, higher crop yields have increased amounts of residues and removing a portion of these can be sustainable. Sustainable harvest rates vary depending on the crop grown, soil type, and climate factors. Taking into account sustainable harvest rates, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates there are currently around 104 million tons of crop residues available at a price of $60 per dry ton. Crop residues are usually co-digested with other organic waste because their high lignin content makes them difficult to break down.

Biogas End Uses

Raw biogas and digestate.

With little to no processing, biogas can be burned on-site to heat buildings and power boilers or even the digester itself. Biogas can be used for combined heat and power (CHP) operations, or biogas can simply be turned into electricity using a combustion engine, fuel cell, or gas turbine, with the resulting electricity being used on-site or sold onto the electric grid.

Digestate is the nutrient-rich solid or liquid material remaining after the digestion process; it contains all the recycled nutrients that were present in the original organic material but in a form more readily available for plants and soil building. The composition and nutrient content of the digestate will depend on the feedstock added to the digester. Liquid digestate can be easily spray-applied to farms as fertilizer, reducing the need to purchase synthetic fertilizers. Solid digestate can be used as livestock bedding or composted with minimal processing. Recently, the biogas industry has taken steps to create a digestate certification program, to assure safety and quality control of digestate.

Renewable Natural Gas

Renewable natural gas (RNG), or biomethane, is biogas that has been refined to remove carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other trace gases so that it meets natural gas industry standards. RNG can be injected into the existing natural gas grid (including pipelines) and used interchangeably with conventional natural gas. Natural gas (conventional and renewable) provides 26 percent of U.S. electricity, and 40 percent of natural gas is used to produce electricity. The remainder of natural gas is used for commercial purposes (heating and cooking) and for industrial ones. RNG has the potential to replace up to 10 percent of the natural gas used in the United States.

Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas

Like conventional natural gas, RNG can be used as a vehicle fuel after it is converted to compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG). The fuel economy of CNG-powered vehicles is comparable to that of conventional gasoline vehicles and can be used in light- to heavy-duty vehicles. LNG is not as widely used as CNG because it is expensive to both produce and store, though its higher density makes LNG a better fuel for heavy-duty vehicles that travel long distances. To make the most of investments in fueling infrastructure, CNG and LNG are best suited for fleet vehicles that return to a base for refueling. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates RNG could replace five percent of the natural gas used to produce electricity and 56 percent of the natural gas used to produce vehicle fuel.

Federal Policies Supporting the Biogas Industry

The renewable fuel standard.



2,181,096	81,490,266	58,368,879
3,805,246	116,582,508	71,974,041
3,536,721	56,916,606	34,224,820

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was created by Congress as part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act. The RFS requires the blending of renewable fuels into the U.S. transportation fuel supply. Currently about 10 percent of the gasoline supply is provided by renewable fuel, primarily ethanol. The RFS sets fuel volumes for a variety of fuel categories: biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, cellulosic biofuel, and renewable fuel as a whole. Each category has a required minimum reduction in greenhouse gases.

EPA approved biogas as a qualifying cellulosic feedstock under the RFS in 2014. Cellulosic biofuels must be 60 percent less greenhouse gas-intensive than gasoline. Currently, most of the cellulosic fuel volumes are being met through the use of RNG as a vehicle fuel. Compliance with the RFS is tracked through renewable identification numbers (RINs) that can be traded, and RINs for cellulosic biofuels can earn RNG producers $40/MMBtu (as of September 2017). According to biogas producers, the RFS has become an important driver of investment in the industry.

As part of the approval of biogas, the EPA updated the RFS to allow biogas-derived electricity used as vehicle fuel to qualify for RINs, or “e-RINs.” However, as of 2017, the EPA has not approved any producer requests to start generating e-RINs, despite biogas production already exceeding current transportation electricity demand.

The Farm Bill

Programs under the Farm Bill’s Energy Title (IX) have been crucial for growth in the biogas industry. Under the 2014 Farm Bill, the USDA’s Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels provides payments to producers to promote the production of advanced biofuels refined from sources other than corn starch. The program currently receives $15 million per year in mandatory funding with $20 million available per year in discretionary funding through 2018.

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to promote renewable energy production and energy efficiency improvements. The program has mandatory funding of $50 million per year through 2018, and $100 million available in discretionary funds.

The Biomass Research and Development Initiative is a joint program between the USDA and DOE. With $3 million in mandatory funding through fiscal year 2017 and $20 million in discretionary funding through fiscal year 2018, the Biomass Research and Development Board awards grants, contracts, and financial assistance to projects that stimulate research and development of biofuels and bio-based products. However, these programs have consistently seen reductions in funding through the appropriations process.

Other Agency Programs

AgSTAR is a joint program between the EPA, USDA, and DOE. The program promotes the use of anaerobic digesters on livestock farms to reduce methane emissions from animal waste. The AgSTAR program supports the planning and implementation of anaerobic digester projects, and includes state and non-governmental partners.

The EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) encourages the waste industry to recover and use biogas generated from organic waste in landfills. LMOP forms partnerships with communities, utilities, landfill owners, and other stakeholders to provide technical assistance and seek financing for landfill biogas projects.

Conclusion

Biogas systems turn the cost of waste management into a revenue opportunity for America’s farms, dairies, and industries. Converting waste into electricity, heat, or vehicle fuel provides a renewable source of energy that can reduce dependence on foreign oil imports, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve environmental quality, and increase local jobs. Biogas systems also provide an opportunity to recycle nutrients in the food supply, reducing the need for both petrochemical and mined fertilizers.

Biogas systems are a waste management solution that solve multiple problems and create multiple benefits, including revenue streams. The United States currently has the potential to add 13,500 new biogas systems, providing over 335,000 construction jobs and 23,000 permanent jobs. However, to reach its full potential, the industry needs consistent policy support. Reliable funding of Farm Bill energy title programs and a strong Renewable Fuel Standard encourage investment and innovation in the biogas industry. If the United States intends to diversify its fuel supply and take action against climate change, it should strongly consider the many benefits of biogas.

Author: Sara Tanigawa

Editor: Jessie Stolark

Overview of Biogas Production

Chiamaka agali december 13, 2018, submitted as coursework for ph240 , stanford university, fall 2018.

Biogas System. (Source: )

As fossil fuels and greenhouse gases cause damage to our atmosphere and climate, other sources of energy are being sought out. One such example is biogas production. Biogas is the natural biofuel produced from the decay of organic waste. [1] This process occurs in anaerobic environments and leads to the release of gases, chiefly methane and carbon dioxide. [1]

Technology Involved

One of the benefits of biogas production is the use of waste from livestock, making it accessible in rural areas and developing nations. The production is made possible through AD (anaerobic digestion) technology. [2] The two primary biogas technologies are centralized plants and decentralized plants. While centralized plants allow for large-scale production, the disadvantage is that it requires that plants store large quantities of waste from feedstock. This specification can cost a financial burden as a long-term contract may need to be signed to guarantee a continuous flow of waste. [3] For instance, fat produces the highest electricity production per ton fresh matter (kWh) at 1687.4 kWh, which is not nearly enough provide enough electricity for a whole house for a day. [2] Fig. 1 is a demonstration of how this process would look. On the other hand, decentralized biogas plants are smaller, and thus may be more advantageous for rural areas, small farms, and relatively isolated areas. [3]

The amount of biogas produced depends on the substrates used. Furthermore, co-substrates are added to the waste of feedstocks to supplement the primary source and produce more biogas.

There is potential in using biogas, though certain economic factors may weigh down the accessibility of this process. Furthermore, the low biogas density in biowaste poses another limitation in implementing such technology. However, cases such as Germany, which is the highest producer of biogas worldwide, give hope that it is possible for biogas to replace the fossil fuels that are destroying our world. [3]

© Ogochukwu Chiamaka Agali. The author warrants that the work is the author's own and that Stanford University provided no input other than typesetting and referencing guidelines. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.

[1] S. R. de Motta Pires et al. , "Study on the Feasibility of Waste-Based Biogas for Electricity Generation in the Irish Grid for a High Renewables Penetration Scenario," IEEE 8003721 , 2017.

[2] S. Achinas, V. Achinas, and G. J. W. Euverink, "A Technological Overview of Biogas Production from Biowaste," Engineering 3 , 299, (2017).

[3] J. Wang, " Decentralized Biogas Technology of Anaerobic Digestion and Farm Ecosystem: Opportunities and Challenges ," Front. Energy Res. 2 , 10, (2014).

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An Overview of Biogas Production: Fundamentals, Applications and Future Research

2019, International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy

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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Esteban Amon

Anaerobic digestion of energy crops, residues, and wastes is of increasing interest in order to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and to facilitate a sustainable development of energy supply. Production of biogas provides a versatile carrier of renewable energy, as methane can be used for replacement of fossil fuels in both heat and power generation and as a vehicle fuel. For biogas production, various process types are applied which can be classified in wet and dry fermentation systems. Most often applied are wet digester systems using vertical stirred tank digester with different stirrer types dependent on the origin of the feedstock. Biogas is mainly utilized in engine-based combined heat and power plants, whereas microgas turbines and fuel cells are expensive alternatives which need further development work for reducing the costs and increasing their reliability. Gas upgrading and utilization as renewable vehicle fuel or injection into the natural gas grid is of increasing interest because the gas can be used in a more efficient way. The digestate from anaerobic fermentation is a valuable fertilizer due to the increased availability of nitrogen and the better short-term fertilization effect. Anaerobic treatment minimizes the survival of pathogens which is important for using the digested residue as fertilizer. This paper reviews the current state and perspectives of biogas production, including the biochemical parameters and feedstocks which influence the efficiency and reliability of the microbial conversion and gas yield.

Applied Sciences

Fabio Napolitano

The production of biogas from anaerobic digestion (AD) of residual agro-food biomasses represents an opportunity for alternative production of energy from renewable sources, according to the European Union legislation on renewable energy. This review provides an overview of the various aspects involved in this process with a focus on the best process conditions to be used for AD-based biogas production from residual agro-food biomasses. After a schematic description of the AD phases, the biogas plants with advanced technologies were described, pointing out the strengths and the weaknesses of the different digester technologies and indicating the main parameters and operating conditions to be monitored. Subsequently, a brief analysis of the factors affecting methane yield from manure AD was conducted and the AD of fruit and vegetables waste was examined. Particular attention was given to studies on co-digestion and pre-treatments as strategies to improve biogas yield. Finally, the se...

Antonio Comparetti , Santo Orlando

Kiros Hagos

A B S T R A C T Globally, there is increasing awareness that renewable energy and energy efficiency are vital for both creating new economic opportunities and controlling the environmental pollution. AD technology is the biochemical process of biogas production which can change the complex organic materials into a clean and renewable source of energy. AcoD process is a reliable alternative option to resolve the disadvantages of single substrate digestion system related to substrate characteristics and system optimization. This paper reviewed the research progress and challenges of AcoD technology, and the contribution of different techniques in biogas production engineering. As the applicability and demand of the AcoD technology increases, the complexity of the system becomes increased, and the characterization of organic materials becomes volatile which requires advanced methods for investigation. Numerous publications have been noted that ADM1 model and its modified version becomes the most powerful tool to optimize the AcoD process of biogas production, and indicating that the disintegration and hydrolysis steps are the limiting factors of co-digestion process. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) test is promising method to determine the biodegradability and decomposition rate of organic materials. The addition of different environmentally friendly nanoparticles can improve the stability and performance of the AcoD system. The process optimization and improvement of biogas production still seek further investigations. Furthermore, using advanced simulation approaches and characterization methods of organic wastes can accelerate the transformation to industrializations, and realize the significant improvement of biogas production as a renewable source and economically feasible energy in developing countries, like China. Finally, the review reveals, designing and developing a framework, including various aspects to improve the biogas production is essential.

Bioresource Technology Reports

Fatihah Suja

Elsevier eBooks

Gerasimos Lyberatos

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)

Himanshu Rajput

Results in Chemistry

Hamidreza Sayadi

Biogas is obtained from the breakdown of biomass by microorganisms and bacteria in the absence of oxygen. Biogas is considered a renewable source of energy, similar to solar energy and wind energy. Biogas can be produced from biomass or bio-waste; thus, it is environmentally friendly. Biogas is obtained in a suspended monoxide decomposition process by anaerobic bacteria or in a fermentation process of decomposable materials such as agricultural manure, sewage, municipal waste, green waste (gardens and parks), plant material and agricultural products. Biogas is a renewable natural energy source that leaves effective effects on nature and industries. This gas is produced from the decomposition of organic materials, including animal manure, food waste and sewage. Fertilizers and waste produce biogas through anaerobic digestion (ie without the presence of oxygen). Biogas is a mixture of gases generated by decaying biodegradable material without the presence of oxygen. Its main contents are 50–70 % of methane (CH4) by volume, 30–50 % of carbon dioxide (CO2), and traces of other gases, like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and water vapor (H2O). CO2, H2S, and water vapor content in biogas may affect the performance and life of the energy conversion devices; consequently, their removal before end-use is essential for improving the quality of biogas. This combination is an ideal option for making renewable energy. The most important advantages of biogas (production of energy, reduction of the amount of discarded waste, reduction of pathogens, conversion of waste containing organic matter into high quality fertilizer, protection of vegetation, soil, water, increasing productivity in the field of livestock and agriculture) and It is also one of the disadvantages of biogas (incomplete and small technologies, containing impurities, the effect of temperature on biogas production, unsuitable for urban and dense areas, not affordable). For economical use of biogas, the fermentation process can be carried out under controlled conditions in a relatively simple device called a digestion reservoir. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art and presents future perspectives related to the anaerobic digestion process for biogas production. Moreover, a historical retrospective of biogas sector from the early years of its development till its recent advancements give an outlook of the opportunities that are opening up for process optimization.

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Biogas: Compilation of Essays on Biogas | Energy Management

Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Biogas’ for class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Biogas’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Biogas

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Land Fill Gas Production

1. Essay on the Introduction to Biogas:

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Most organic materials undergo a natural anaerobic digestion in the presence of moisture and absence of oxygen. 60 – 80% of carbon of biomass is converted to a gas called biogas. This contains CH 4 , CO 2 , N 2 and traces of H 2 S. The biogas has a heating value of 18.8 to 26.4 MJ/m 3 . The biogas can be upgraded to a synthetic natural gas (SNG) by removing CO 2 and H 2 S. The heating value of SNG is 37 MJ/m 3 . One kilogram of dry organic material produces 0.12 to 0.18m 3 of methane with energy content of 4.5 to 7 MJ/kg raw materials. A biogas plant is schematically shown in Fig. 6.10.

The various types of biomass can be vegetable waste, animal dung, silt from sewage plant of municipal and industrial effluent water, garbage and vegetable residues, waste from food processing industry. The rate of production of biogas is 0.3 to 0.7 m 3 per kg of organic dried mass of animal and vegetable waste. The water vapour and sulphur can be removed from the biogas and cleaned biogas can be used to drive engine for cogeneration plant.

2. Essay on the Gobar Gas Plant:

Cow-dung is a wonderful waste to meet the fuel and fertilizer requirements in rural areas. With the help of modern technology of anaerobic digestion, the biogas obtained from cow-dung can be effectively used to meet the energy requirements for cooking and heating by direct burning of biogas. This gas can be fed to engines to generate power for lighting, pumping of water, agriculture and small village industries. Of course, spent slurry is a useful by-product with nitrogen content of 1.5 to 2% to be used as good manure.

The cattle population in India is 235 million heads with a dry dung yield of about 170 × 10 6 tonnes/year. Livestock and indeed human waste have much potential as an energy source via anaerobic digestion. The wastes are treated with the simultaneous generation of methane fuel and retention of nitrogen and other vital plant nutrients in the remaining sludge which can be recycled as a fertilizer.

Biogas generation is a versatile process ranging from small domestic Gobar gas plants catered by a few catties to a much bigger community type plant where relatively large volume of cow-dung is continuously available. These depend greatly on a hot climate and manual labour for its functioning.

Rural Energy Balance :

In India, more than one lakh biogas plants developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission are already operating. There is a potential of producing about 22,000 × 10 6 cubic metres of biogas. The biogas has approximately 65% CH4 and has a heating value of 21 MJ/m 3 . For a typical village of population 500, the number of cattle would be around 250. The amount of dry dung collected from them is 180 tonnes/year.

This would be sufficient to meet the complete energy requirements of the village population except for two or three months of winter when there will be a shortfall of 20- 40%. However, with further optimization of the anaerobic digestion process this shortage could conceivably be reduced to zero. Given the appropriate innovative technology, and equally important, the willingness to use it, the present quantity of cow-dung can be used to fully meet the energy requirements of rural India.

3. Essay on the Biogas Engines :

The requirement of Indian farmers for engines varies from 3.7 kW to 7.5 kW in vertical high speed and vertical slow speed types all over the country. Normally, the engine runs on an average for 5 hours a day. The biogas engines are essentially diesel engines where air intake is connected to biogas supply. The diesel is required for starting the engine and about 20 percent diesel and 80 per cent biogas are mixed automatically to produce power for running the pump-set.

The biogas consumption is about 0.46m 3 /kWh which can be obtained from 13.5 kg of cattle dung, i.e., daily produce of one cattle. The price of a typical 3.7 kW, 1500 rpm biogas engine with centrifugal pump of 100 × 100 mm including, accessories and trolley is about Rs. 6000. It is subsidised by the Government and can be financed by the State Agro Industries, Land Development Banks and all nationalized banks. The cost of a typical gobar gas plant of 85m 3 capacity is about one lakh rupees.

4. Essay on the Biogas Digesters :

Biogas is produced by digestion in the presence of anaerobic organisms in the absence of oxygen at ambient pressure and temperatures of 35 – 70°C. The container in which digestion takes place is known as the digester. The anaerobic digestion consists of enzymatic hydrolysis to breakdown cellulosic biomass into simple compounds, these organic compounds are then broken down into organic acids, and these organic acids are then converted into methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).

The efficiency of biogas (CH 4 + CO 2 ) generation depends upon the following factors:

i. Acid formers and methane fermenters must remain in a state of dynamic equilibrium which can be achieved by proper design of digester.

ii. A pH value between 6.5 to 8 must be maintained for best fermentation and normal gas production.

iii. For anaerobic digestion, temperature variation should not be more than 2 to 3°C. Methane bacteria work best at 35 – 38°C.

iv. A specific ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N ratio) must be maintained between 25:1 and 30:1 depending upon the raw material used.

v. The water content should be around 90% of the weight of the total contents.

vi. The slurry should be agitated to improve the gas yield.

vii . Loading rate should be optimum. If digester is loaded with too much raw material, acids will accumulate and fermentation will be affected.

Digester Design :

1. There are many shapes of digester tanks used in practice.

2. Two types of covers are used. Fixed cover has low cost and more resistance to corrosion.

Floating type cover has the following advantages:

(i) The danger of mixing oxygen with the gas is less. Therefore, danger of explosive mixture formation is reduced,

(ii) Fresh waste can be added to the tank and slurry can be withdrawn without difficulty while digester is in operation. No special pressure equalising device is required.

(iii) The solids are continuously submerged and there is less problem of floating matter.

Capacity of the Digester :

The capacity of the digester tank can be estimated as follows:

Volume of digester = (Q 1 + Q 2 /2)t

Where Q 1 = Daily rate of waste added

Q 2 = Daily volume of waste after digestion

t = Digestion time in days.

Digestion time to produce good sludge depends upon the temperature in the tank. In winters, the sewage sludge digestion tanks are heated to 35°C.

The following guidelines may be used to fix optimum size of a biogas plant:

i. Daily rate of waste to be digested,

ii. Type of waste,

iii. Period of digestion,

iv. Method of stirring, if any

v. Arrangement for raw waste feeding and discharge of digested slurry,

vi. Climatic conditions,

vii. Mix of raw waste,

viii. Water table and sub-soil conditions,

ix. Type of dome, and

No separate heating and stirring may be used for agriculture waste.

Types of Digesters :

There are numerous types and designs of biogas digesters.

Mainly two types of digesters are used for community biogas generation:

1. KVIC Community-Type Gobar Gas Plant:

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission of India has designed and patented a “Grah Luxmi” Gobar Gas plant. It has been adopted in Indian villages on a large scale.

The digester is pit made of masonry. It has a diameter of 1.2 to 6m and well depth of 3.5 to 6 m. A vertical wall divides the well into two semi-cylindrical compartments.

The partition wall is submerged in the slurry. Cement pipes of 10 cm diameter serve as inlet and outlet pipes. The dung and water are mixed in the ratio of 4:5 in the feed tank and fed to the well.

The digester can hold the raw material for 60 days. When gobar slurry is added, fermented slurry flows out in the outlet tank and collected in a composed pit.

A floating type mild steel drum fits the digester at the top and sinks into the slurry. When gas is generated, the float cover rises and floats freely on the surface of the slurry. A central guide pipe prevents its tilting. The floating drum also acts as gas seal and ensures a gas pressure of 10-15 cm of water gauge. The biogas is tapped from the drum top.

The cost of steel drum is 40% of total plant cost and corrosion of drum demands regular maintenance.

2. Chinese Digester:

In KVIC gobar gas plant, biogas is the main product and manure is a byproduct. Chinese use the digester for manure and biogas as by-product.

It is a fixed dome design and gas is available at variable pressure. It is totally made of masonry. The construction cost may be 40% of KVIC design and it has very little maintenance requirements.

5. Essay on the Raw Materials for Biogas Generation :

Forestary and agricultural residues can be best utilized to generate, electricity or process heat by fluidised bed combustion. These can also be dried and used for gasification. Cow-dung is a wonderful waste for generation of biogas by anaerobic digestion.

Other raw materials are:

1. Water Hyacinth:

It grows as floating water plant in the rivers and canals. It contains 95 percent water and 5 percent cellulose, lignin, etc. It grows in waste waters thereby cleaning the ponds. It gives about 350-420 litres of biogas per kg of dry weight. It is one of the important sources of biogas production next to animal wastes.

Algae plants grow in lakes, tanks, etc. The best place for their cultivation is in shallow land ponds. It can be anaerobically fermented to produce methane with a lower calorific value of 15000 kJ/kg of dry algae.

3. Ocean Kelp:

It is a kind of sea weed which grows in the coastal areas and also in the high seas. Yield rates range from 300-500 wet tonnes/acre/year.

4. Grasses:

Some fast growing grasses can also be used for biogas generation. Napier grass, Sudan grass and Bangola grass give the best yield. The cut grass is mixed with water and fed to bio-gas digesters.

6. Essay on the Bio-Gas Applications :

Biogas is a flammable fuel gas with 60 percent methane and rest CO 2 . Its heating value is about 18 kJ/m 3 . The gas can be upgraded by removal of CO 2 with water scrubbing and the gas with high heating value can be used in I.C. engine.

The main applications of biogas are:

1. Cooking:

There are thousands of homes in rural areas using biogas as fuel for cooking. Low cost burners have been designed for the hot plate.

2. Domestic Lighting and Heating:

The biogas supply from the digester is sent through a rubber hose where a nozzle is used for the lamp and stove. The gas sprays out from the nozzle at a very high velocity and mixes with air drawn into the mixing chamber due to low pressure after the nozzle. The brightness and force of combustion of stove and lamp depend on the biogas pressure. A biogas lamp with a mantle can run for six hours per m 3 biogas and give a luminosity of 60 W equivalent of electrical light.

3. I.C. Engines:

Biogas can be directly used in SI engines with suitable modification in the carburetor. However, bio-gas engines are essentially diesel engines.

4. Fuel Cell:

Electricity can be produced by using bio-gas in a fuel cell with air as oxidant. The electrolyte is usually potassium hydroxide.

7. Essay on the Advantages of Biogas :

i. The initial investment is low due to simple plant.

ii. The raw materials for digester can be grown and cultivated like conventional agriculture.

iii. The technology is very suitable for rural areas.

iv. Biogas is locally generated and can be easily distributed for domestic use.

v. The raw material utilization also helps to keep the villages clean.

vi. The by-products like nitrogen rich manure can be used with advantage.

The main disadvantages are requirement of large land areas for cultivation of biomass and difficulties in the distribution of bio-gas as the same cannot be liquefied.

8. Essay on the Land Fill Gas Production:

Solid wastes, or refuse are generated by industrial and domestic processes (garbage). Industrial wastes include paper, wood, metal scraps, and agricultural waste products. Domestic waste products include paper, containers, tin, aluminium, food scraps and sewage. In developed countries the solid waste production can be as high as 1 metric ton per person per year. A typical sample of municipal waste can be as given in table. 6.2.

Some wastes like paper, metals and woods can be recycled for reuse. Much of it can be burned for heating and generating steam for electric power plants. Refuse burning in incinerators has been a wide practice in many parts of the world. The energy potential of refuse is not too great by burning. But refuse has low Sulphur content.

The main problems are the wide assortment of constituents, high moisture content, dangers of explosions due to careless volatile fuel dumping and metal sparks during processing and wide variations in heat content. Therefore, a mixture of solid waste and fossil fuel, with refuse supplying 10 to 20 percent of the heat input to the boilers is being used for power plants. The costs of collection, transportation and processing (removal of ferrous metals and non-combustibles, shredding and hammer milling) have to be considered against its use for land filling.

The land filling yields gas @ 8m 3 /annum. The approximate composition of landfill gas is:

HC + H 2 S : Traces

The lower heating value is only 5MJ/m 3 . In case of large-scale land-fill gas, it can be processed to be used as a substitute for natural gas. In an absorption or membrane separation process, CO 2 is removed and the methane content can reach 98%. A gas turbine power plant working on landfill gas is operating on the suburbs of India’s capital. Fig 6.13 shows the layout of a landfill gas plant.

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Biogas Energy

All of us are aware that we use wood as fuel but the truth remains the wood comprises a very less amount of carbon. In addition, it contains a major amount of impurities like sulphur, chlorine, silicon and water which decreases its efficiency as a fuel. Moreover, it also produces a large amount of smoke and ash. When the wood converts into charcoal by removal of volatile impurities and water, we gain an exceptional fuel with higher efficiency and low production of smoke. We note similar observations in biomass. When we use cow dung as fuel , a large amount of smoke and ash produces. Through this article, we will learn about biogas energy which generates from biomass by the method of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter.

Introduction to Biogas Energy

Biogas is a mixture of gases which the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter produces, for example, agricultural waste, plant residue, municipal waste, food waste and more. It comprises methane, carbon dioxide in conjunction with the small amount of hydrogen sulphide, and moisture.

Biogas Plant

The biogas plant comprises a dome-like structure. In this, the organic material like discarded food residue, fats, sludge, cow dung etc. mix with water and then fed into the digester through the inlet.

The digester is basically a sealed chamber where anaerobic decomposition of organic matter occurs. After a few days, the organic matter completely decomposes to produce gases like methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide.

After that, we draw these gases through pipes from the storage tank above the digester and distribute through decentralization channels to neighbouring centres for use.

Biomass refers to any organic matter which we obtain from living or recently living organisms. For instance, crop residue, forest debris, animal waste, municipal solid waste and more. Further, it comprises 75% of carbon together with other molecules like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. In addition, it also has a small number of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and heavy metals.

Advantages of Biogas

Biogas is very advantageous which we will study below:

1)Non-polluting: Biogas burns without smoke; therefore, it evolves no harmful gas such as CO 2 , CO, NO 2 , and SO2.

2)Reduces Landfills: The slurry which produces after the production of biogas, we can use it as manure in fields. The technique of disposal is safe and effective and henceforth, no space gets wasted in the form of landfills.

3)Inexpensive technology: A Biogas plant does not require an expensive installation cost and become self-sufficient within a time span of 3-4 months.

4)Creates employment: It also creates work opportunity for thousands of people, especially in rural areas.

5)Renewable source of energy: We consider it to be a renewable source of energy as the production depends on the production of waste which is an endless process.

Disadvantages of Biogas

In addition to having many advantages, there are also some disadvantages of biogas. They are as follows:

1)Inefficient on a large scale: As it is difficult to boost the efficiency of biogas, it is not economically feasible to use biogas on a large scale.

2)Contains impurities: It comprises a lot of impurities which are difficult to control even after putting it through many rounds of purification. When we compress biogas to use as fuel, it proves to be extremely corrosive to the container.

3)Unstable and hazardous: When methane comes in contact with oxygen it reacts violently to create carbon dioxide. As a result, the highly inflammable nature of methane makes it susceptible to explosions.

FAQ on Biogas Energy

Question 1: How does biogas energy work?

Answer 1: Biogas plants depend on anaerobic digestion. It is a fermentation process in which the microbes digest the waste for producing methane gas (biogas). We can convert the waste into bio-fertiliser and spread directly onto fields. Or we can use the biogas itself interchangeably with natural gas as fuel

Question 2: Is the biogas plant profitable?

Answer 2: Biogas plants are advantageous for agriculture, environment and consumers of heat and electricity. Undoubtedly, the biogas plant itself does not need the employment of a lot of staff. Nonetheless, the method of energy crops production can be a long-term source of income for numerous farms.

Question 3: What is the energy content of biogas?

Answer 3: A cubic metre of biogas contains on average a methane content of approximately 55% and consequently a calorific value of around 5.5 kWh.

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Biogas: Industry Analysis Essay

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Introduction

Industry analysis, cost analysis, works cited.

Biogas can be described as the gas produced through the breakdown of organic matter. This breakdown of organic matter is normally done in the absence of oxygen. According to Deublein et al, (2011), biogas is a gaseous fuel which is obtained from the breakdown of various organic matters, which includes, but not limited to, the following; dead animal and plant materials, kitchen wastes, and animal feaces.

Biogas can be used as a cooking gas, and also used in heating applications. It is to power generators that are used to produce electricity. It can also be compressed like any other natural gases in order to power motor vehicles (Nijaguna, 2006).

This essay is going to evaluate the industry analysis of biogas as a renewable energy source.

Our business idea of biogas falls under the energy industry sector. The energy sector is considered one of the most important economic sectors. It constitutes a 50% contribution to the development of the world economy. The energy sector is also considered one of the most expensive sectors to invest in.

This is attributed to the limited sources of energy in the industry. Currently, the most widely used forms of energy include hydroelectric power, nuclear power and the solar power (Junginger, 2010).

Recent developments and researches indicate that there is an alarming increase in the energy demand. The demand for energy is projected to increase by 40% in the next six years. With such an alarming increase, there is need to have some sustainable, and cheap sources of energy (Junginger, 2010).

Also, according to some researchers the most widely sources of energy like fossils fuels are being depleted, and if less is done to cub this situation, then, the world is going to be plunged into an energy crisis. Biogas represents a cheaper and a viable alternative solution to solving the energy crisis that is imminent (Junginger, 2010).

Variable costs are those changing costs that are incurred by a business while fixed costs are those costs incurred by a business which are static and do not change. Our business idea of biogas like any other business will incur some variable costs as well as fixed costs (Horngren et al, 2002).

The following table indicates a summary of the projected variable and fixed costs the business is likely to encounter

Fixed costs	Variable costs
Building costs	Costs of raw materials
Equipment cost	Labor costs

The cost of equipment and building cost are almost fixed because they have a very low degree of variance. On the other hand, labor costs, and cost of raw materials are going to vary considerably (Junginger, 2010).

It is evident that, the business idea of a biogas is quite viable because it is an area that is emerging, and has not been exhaustively explored. Biogas presents a cheaper and affordable means and source of energy, hence, our business idea of biogas will boom due to its flexibility, and wide range of applications.

The cost of setting up a biogas unit is quite cheap because of the fixed and variable costs associated with the set up. Also, the cost of labor involved in setting up a biogas unit is cheap, hence underpinning the fact that, biogas is a cheap, and affordable source of energy which can be used as an alternative to other expensive sources of energy.

Deublein, Dieter, and S. Angelika. Biogas from Waste and Renewable Resources: An Introduction , Weinheim: Wiley-VCH-Verl, 2011. Print.

Horngren, Charles., S. Foster, and D Srikant. Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis , Upper Saddle River, N. J: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.

Junginger, Martin. Technological Learning in the Energy Sector: Lessons for Policy, Industry and Science, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2010. Print.

Nijaguna, Tom. Biogas Technology , New Delhi: New Age International, 2006. Print.

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Essay on biogas: sources, technology and programmes.

After reading this essay you will learn about:- 1. Sources of Biogas 2. Biogas Technology 3. Programmes in Developing Countries 3. Experience 4. Uses 5. Financial Assistance from Government.

Sources of Biogas:

Fuel can also be produced from organic waste products viz., sewage, garbage, manure or crop residues. These wastes decompose in the absence of air—methane gas released. This methane gas acts as a biogas.

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This is an alternative source of energy, which has immense utility in waste disposal and energy generation in environmentally sound manner. Domestic or community bases biogas plants are now effectively operated in various countries over past couple of decades.

Biogas Technology:

A biogas plant supplies energy and fertilizer. It improves hygiene and protects the environment. ‘Biogas’ is produced by putrefactive bacteria which break down organic material under airless conditions. The process is called “ anerobic digestion “.

All feed materials consist of organic solids, inorganic solids and water. The waste of much feed materials can be used for biogas generation.

A biogas plant is simple so that it can be operated by housewife also. Biogas consists of about 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. It is somewhat lighter than air and has an ignition temperature of approximately 700°C (diesel oil 350°C; petrol and propane about 500°C). The temperature of the flame is 870°C.

Biogas digester can decompose a number of organic wastes. Usually, for better gas production the following percentage of organic wastes are mixed together.

Cattle manure (65%), Poultry manure (55%), Straw (59%), Grass (70%), Leaves (58%), Kitchen waste (50%), Algae (63%), Water hyacinth (52%). The first gas from a newly filled biogas plant contains too little methane. The gas formed in the first 3 to 5 days must, therefore, be discharged unused.

During the digestion process, gaseous nitrogen (N 2 ) is converted to ammonia (NH 3 ). In this waste soluble form the nitrogen is available to the plant as a nutrient.

Three types of biogas plants are known:

Balloon plant, Fixed-drum plant and Floating drum plant. Fixed-dome plants are considered to be less expensive and easily operable, though there is scope for gas leakage and fluctuation of gas pressure.

Biogas Programmes in Developing Countries:

Most countries became aware of biogas technology by the middle of the twentieth century.

However, real interest in biogas was aroused from 1973 onwards, with the onset of the energy crisis, which drew general attention to the depletion of fossil fuel, energy resources and the need to develop renewable sources of energy, such as biogas. The importance of biogas as an efficient, non-polluting energy source is now well- organised.

International organisation like ESCAP, FAO, UNBIDO, WHO, UNEP have done considerable work in disseminating and development of biogas technology in developing countries in particular Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines, Cuba, Chile, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Africa, Panama etc.

India has a total population of about 1.2 billion (1210.2 crores) people of whom 80% live in rural areas in some 576,000 villages. About 70% of them are landless. There are about 237 million head cattle, under the ownership of approximately 52 million households: of these 57% own 1-3 head of cattle, 27% own 4-6 head, 8.7% own 7-9 head and 6% own above this number.

According to rough estimates, 50% of India’s total energy comes from non-commercial sources, upon which the majority of the rural population survives.

These include:

Firewood (§5%), Dungcakes (15%) and agricultural wastes (20%). On average, these items cover 84% of rural household energy requirements. Between 1/3 and 1/2 of all recoverable cattle dung is burned as fuel. The annual requirement for firewood has been estimated as 133 tonnes. Total annual production is 49 million tonnes, leaving an annual deficit of 84 million tonnes.

Latest estimates by the Advisory Board on Energy give a figure of 16 – 22 million small biogas units in the country, on the assumption that 75% of all manure is available.

Experience with Biogas in India:

Activities have gained momentum since NPBD was launched in 1981 and DNES in 1982. Today, it is generally accepted among richer farmers that a biogas plant is desirable. The earlier period was taken up with problems, such as convincing bankers to give loans and setting up the organisational structure, subsidy system etc.

Problems which arose can be classified as:

(a) Design faults;

(b) Construction faults (unskilled builders or poor materials);

(d) Operational problems due to incorrect feeding (often the result of over-sized digesters, a status symbol) or poor maintenance;

(e) Organisational problems arising from the difference of approach and lack of coordination at the three levels of agency.

Lack of monitoring and surveys may lead to problems in the future. Alternative fuels to cattle dung must be found. The tendency to buy oversized digesters as a status symbol reduces the gain to the user. It is clear that benefits derived from the effluent are 2-3 times higher than the direct benefits of biogas, though this and other points are assumptions that are not backed by proper research.

Biogas Plants:

Up to 1986, a total of 642,900 digesters had been built: in 1985/6 alone, the total was 185,800. In view of the huge potential, targets have been gradually increased. Construction capacity almost doubles each year. At the current capacity, it would still take 50 years to saturate the market.

However, this biogas programme, together with others (e.g., wood-saving stoves), has to compete with the pace of deforestation and other environmental hazards. Community and Institutional Biogas Plants (IBP) are being constructed in India. Poor farmers and dalits are supposed to be involved and to participate in operation of community biogas plants (CBP).

Use of Biogas:

The gas is commonly used for cooking and lighting. There are number of enterprises in each state that produce stoves and lamps. At some CPBs and IBPs, biogas operates engines or agricultural equipment. A number of enterprises in India manufacture or adapt diesel engines.

i. Utilisation of Effluent:

The effluent is usually dried in the sun, either separately or in combination with agricultural wastes. Partial composing is performed, after which it is applied to the fields in a solid state. There is no information on how widespread the use of effluent is, how it is applied or in what quantities.

A study was made comparing its use with that of fresh dung, for various purposes as of October 1985. It was found that the sale value of digested spent slurry, scientifically composted, is 8 times higher than that of fresh manure sold to the owner of a digester.

ii. Cost of Installation:

Cost of installation varies according to the type and size of the plant, increasing by about 65% between 1981 and 1986 or about 13% per year. There are also variations from state to state and district to district. There is an effect of economy of scale in both digester types.

A comparison of cost may be made on the basis of cost per m 3 of digester volume. For the same hydraulic retention time (HRT), the Janata plants are cheaper by 33% or more than KVIC digesters.

iii. Annual Costs and Savings:

Annual costs through depreciation, interest on loans, maintenance, repairs, overheads, and labour costs have been calculated comparatively for digesters of 2 m 3 gas/day for KVIC and Janata models. In the first 5 years, annual costs amount to Rs. 2,480 for a KVIC model at 40 days HRT, and Rs. 1,770 for a Janata plant at the same HRT, the latter model costing Rs. 1,920 for the 55 days HRT type.

On the other hand, annual savings through replacement of kerosene by biogas and fertiliser by composted effluent yield a marginal annual gain in the first 5 years.

Thereafter income and profit are dubious: first, calculations are made on the assumption that kerosene is used as fuel, when wood is more common, and secondly, there is a tendency to buy digesters larger than necessary. Furthermore, figures on income and profit are based on the subsidy given to the farmers.

Financial Assistance from Government:

In 2000, DNES provides financial assistance to:

(a) Purchaser’s subsidy;

(b) Service charge to State Governments and the KVIC;

(d) Incentives to promoters;

(e) Training programmes;

(f) Repair of plants with structural problems.

i. Organisation of the Biogas Sector:

India’s “ National Project on Biogas Development ” (NPBD) for mass diffusion of digesters was launched at the end of 1981, using a “multi-agency, multi-model” approach. The programme is centrally administered by the Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (DNES), within the Ministry of Energy. DNES is responsible for the coordination of implementation and R & D of family-sized and community biogas digesters.

It has to approve designs and to allocate budgets for training and subsidies. At State, District, Block and Village levels, staff is provided for the biogas scheme as shown in Table 24.25, though not in all cases is the scheme fully staffed.

ii. Potential for Biogas Generation and Digester Construction:

The only fuel available for family-sized digesters is cattle dung. This facilitates the assessment of potential, but, on the other hand, it restricts the use of biogas to cattle-owners.

On the assumption that 4 head of cattle are required to generate 2m 3 gas (the cooking needs of a rural family of 8), there is a potential for 22 million digesters, though when cost to the family is taken into consideration, the maximum potential is 10 million plants, representing 19% of cattle-owning families.

Given an average capacity of 4 m 3 gas per day, 40 million m 3 could be generated daily. This would involve about 71 million head of cattle (10 kg dung per day, 20% or 0.28 m 3 gas per kg total solids, about 30% of India’s total cattle population).

Up to at state level, the organisation is called “ Biogas Cell “. 14 States, with a target of 10,000 digesters, are supposed to have a staff of 6, the remaining states a staff of 2.25 central departments in as many states have been set up, and others in a selected 100 Districts.

In other Districts, State Governments have either set up such cells under the State Plan Sector or involved staff of allied schemes, e.g., minor irrigation programmes.

The broad terms of reference of the Biogas cell attached to the central department in each State Government includes:

(a) Overall planning of the execution of the programme in the state;

(b) State-level coordination of different departments/agencies;

(d) Arrangements for raw materials;

(e) Monitoring of programme and the submission of progress reports to the Government of India;

(f) Maintenance of subsidy accounts and the submission of expenditure reports to the Central Government.

Agencies vary at State level: they may be State Department of Agriculture, Agro-Industries Corporation or State Department of Non-Conventional Energy, etc. They have varying levels of involvement in extending technology.

At District level, the executive agencies are governmental: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Action for Food Production (AFPRO). This multi-agency approach is necessary if targets are to be met. The construction of 20,000 digesters annually is channelled through KVIC (1985-1986 target).

Since starting in 1974, they have constructed 161,000 floating drum digesters. KVIC has a technical staff of 300 (1 Director, 2 Assistant Directors, 40 Development Officers, 100 Assistant Development Officers and 160 Supervisors). In addition,-many individual workshops have been recognised by KVIC.

AFPRO coordinates a network of NGOs at grassroots level, using the fixed dome digester (the Janata Model) exclusively (Janata = people). AFPRO concerns itself with institution building, placing emphasis on the organisation of many training courses in rural area, by competent NGOs. AFPRO has planned and initiated action to develop 80-100 Biogas Extension Centres (BEC), involving 60-100 NGOs.

Up to 1985, 60 NGOs, with 90 such centres have been developed and are involved in construction activity. Their total construction capacity is about 9,000 digesters per year.

Most of these NGOs, like AFPRO, promote several rural technologies, biogas among them. Each BEC is capable of constructing 100 biogas plants per year, as well as providing regular after-construction services to plant owners. Each BEC would have a staff of one supervisor and a master-builder.

The former has the task of education and motivation of farmers, collection and processing of applications, levying cement and other materials, supervision and coordination.

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Biology Article

Biogas is a renewable energy source produced by the breakdown of organic matter by certain bacteria under anaerobic conditions. It is a mixture of methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. It can be produced by agricultural waste, food waste, animal dung, manure, and sewage. The process of biogas production is also known as anaerobic digestion.

Biogas recycles the waste products naturally and converts them into useful energy, thereby, preventing any pollution caused by the waste in the landfills, and cutting down the effect of the toxic chemicals released from the sewage treatment plants.

Biogas converts the harmful methane gas produced during decomposition, into less harmful carbon dioxide gas.

The organic material decomposes only in a wet environment. The organic matter or the waste dissolves in water and forms a sludge which is rich in nutrients and used as a fertilizer.

Biogas Plant

The biogas production is carried out in anaerobic digesters known as Biogas plant. These have five components:

An inlet to feed the slurry
The fermentation chamber where the biogas is produced with the activity of microorganisms,
The gas storage tank to store the gas produced,
The outlet for the used slurry,
The exit pipe for removing the gas produced.

The organic matter if fed into the digesters which are completely submerged in water to provide it with an anaerobic environment. These digesters are hence called anaerobic digesters. The microorganisms breakdown the organic matter and convert it into biogas.

The biogas thus produced is supplied to the respective places through the exit pipes.

Breakdown of Organic matter

The first stage involves the breakdown of organic polymers, such as carbohydrates, making it available to the next stage of bacteria known as the acidogenic bacteria.
The acidogenic bacteria then convert the sugar and amino acids into carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen, and organic acids.
The organic acids are now converted into acetic acid, hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon dioxide.
These are finally converted into methane and carbon dioxide by the action of methanogens.

Methane is a combustible gas, i.e., it can be burnt. This gas is supplied to various places and is used in cooking and lighting. It is an eco-friendly gas and reduces various environmental problems like, it reduces the reliance on fossil fuels.

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Essay on Biogas (Gobar Gas)

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Essay on Biogas!

Biogas is a methane rich fuel gas produced by anaerobic breakdown or digestion of biomass with the help of methanogenic bacteria.

Biogas is made up of methane (50-70%), carbon dixide (30-40%) with traces of nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen. 50% of the combustible energy present in the organic waste can be changed into methane gas.

The energy realised from biogas depends upon the proportion of methane present in it.

The calorific value of biogas is 23-28 MJ/m 3 . The effluent and residue left after the fermentative generation of biogas is rich in minerals, lignin and a part of cellulose. It is an ideal manure. Biogas or gobar gas generation has been taken up in India on a large scale.

Already, there are over a million individual and several thousand community biogas plants operating in the country. The technology was developed by the collaboration of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

Biogas generation is a three-stage anaerobic digestion of animal and other organic wastes. The latter consist of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, lipids and proteins. Lignin cannot be broken down under anaerobic conditions. Cellulose digestion is slower than that of other substances.

In the first stage of anaerobic digestion, facultative anaerobic decomposer microbes bring about enzymatic breakdown of complex organic compounds into simpler and soluble compounds often called ‘monomers’. For this, the decomposer microbes secrete celluloses, proteases and lipases (cellulolytic, proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes).

In the second stage, the simple soluble compounds of microbial digestion or monomers are acted upon by fermentation causing microbes. The latter change the monomers into organic acids. Organic acids, especially acetic acid, are acted upon by methanogenic bacteria in the third or final stage. The methane bacteria convert organic acids as well as carbon dioxide into methane. The biogas thus formed is stored in tanks for supply.

Advantages:

Using organic wastes first for biogas generation has several advantages over their direct use as fuel or fertilizer (Fig. 10.8).

(1) It provides both energy and manure.

(2) Biogas is a storable form of energy which can be used more efficiently and economically.

(3) Biogas has wider applications than the direct burning of organic wastes.

(4) The energy value of biogas is lower than that of organic matter but due to more efficient handling, the net energy output is roughly equal to the output in direct burning of organic wastes.

(5) It minimises the chances of spread of faecal pathogens. Sanitation and health are, therefore, improved. This is not possible in other cases.

(6) The fertilizer value of the manure produced in biogas plants is similar to that of manure formed directly from organic wastes.

(7) Spread of plant pathogens with the help of crop residue is checked.

(8) Biogas use does not add to pollution.

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What is Biogas?

Biogas is a renewable energy source. It is produced under anaerobic conditions by breaking down organic matters such as agricultural waste, food waste and animal dung by a specific bacteria. Biogas is produced in a bio gas plant. The major components of biogas are primarily methane (CH 4 ), hydrogen (H) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). As the decomposition of these organic matters happens in an anaerobic environment, the process is also termed as anaerobic digestion. One of the major components of biogas is methane, which constitutes about 50-75% of the biogas. Thus, it is highly flammable, and produces a deep blue flame. Biogas is also used to power various types of vehicles.

Bio Gas Plant

The anaerobic digesters we have mentioned earlier are called biogas plants. In this section, we will have an introduction of a biogas plant. A working bio gas plant has about five components- an inlet, a fermentation chamber, storage, an outlet and finally one exit pipe. The inlet is a path through which the slurry is fed to the consequent chamber, where the biogas reactors are at work which is otherwise known as the fermentation chamber. In this chamber, many biogas reactors or microorganisms play the role of a chef; they break down the organic matter to produce the biogas. Then the produced gas is stored in the storage tank from where the gas is channelled through the exit pipe. The outlet is used to clear out the fermentation chamber. A biogas plant diagram looks like this -

(image will be uploaded soon)

Breakdown of Organic Waste

The polymers of the organic waste are broken down in the first step, to make it more susceptible to the acidogenic bacteria present in the next step.

In this step carbon-di-oxide, ammonia, hydrogen and other organic acids are produced as the acidogenic bacteria convert the sugar and amino acid from the broken down organic waste.

These organic acids are further converted into hydrogen, ammonia and carbon-di-oxide.

All these are ultimately converted into methane and carbon-di-oxide, by methanogens.

Methane is a highly combustible gas and can also be oxidized with oxygen. The energy produced by the combustion of these gases can be used in various ways and can be used as fuel.

The Ecology of Biogas

Biogas is one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources. It takes care of the two harmful effects of fossil-fueled energy sources. We have been relying on fossil fuels for energy sources since the dawn of modern civilization. But it won't be easy to make ends meet if we keep on welling fossil fuel as our only energy source. Along with water pollution, air pollution, fossil fuel energy sources are a curse to mankind and the environment as well. By converting organic waste which is mass-produced in every household, in a reliable energy supply, we can alleviate both harmful effects at one. On the one hand, keep the fossil fuel depletion at bay and also cleanse the environment. Biogas takes harmful gases like methane and carbon-di-oxide and converts them into a much safer form.

Solved Examples

1. What is Biogas?

2. Fill in the blanks the main component of biogas is______?

3. Name the components of biogas.

The components of biogas are- methane, carbon-di-oxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and other gases.

Did You Know?

The major components of biogas are methane and carbon-di-oxide. A bio gas plant has five components, an inlet, a fermentation chamber, storage, an outlet and finally one exit pipe. Biogas is a renewable energy source; it is also environment - friendly. In 2016, the amount of biogas obtained from households in the UK provided for 2 million families. 36% of the renewables collected throughout the world come from biogas.

FAQs on Biogas

1. How is Biogas Produced?

Organic wastes such as agricultural waste, food waste or animal dung are first processed as a liquid or as slurry, which is mixed with water, and then they are fed to the bio gas plant. The polymers of the organic waste are broken down in the first step, to make it more susceptible to the acidogenic bacteria present in the next step. In this step carbon-di-oxide, ammonia, hydrogen and other organic acids are produced as the acidogenic bacteria convert the sugar and amino acid from the broken down organic waste. These organic acids are further converted into hydrogen, ammonia and carbon-di-oxide. All these are ultimately converted into methane and carbon-di-oxide, by methanogens. Methane is a highly combustible gas and can also be oxidized with oxygen. The energy produced by the combustion of these gases can be used in various ways and can be used as fuel.

2. Explain Biogas.

Biogas is a renewable energy source. It is produced under anaerobic conditions by breaking down organic matters such as agricultural waste, food waste, and animal dung by a certain bacteria. Biogas is produced in a bio gas plant. The major components of biogas are primarily methane (CH 4 ), hydrogen (H) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). As the decomposition of these organic matters happens in an anaerobic environment, the process is also termed as anaerobic digestion. One of the major components of biogas is methane, which constitutes about 50-75% of biogas. Thus it is highly flammable, and it produces a deep blue flame. Needless to say, it is an environment-friendly energy source. To effectively channel biogas as an energy source biogas digesters are used as methane is poisonous if released directly into the atmosphere.

Biology • Class 12

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Essay on biomass: top 7 essays | india | bio energy | energy management.

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Essay on Biomass

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Scenario of Biomass Energy in India

Essay # 1. Introduction to Biomass:

Biomass a renewable energy source is biological material from living or recently living organisms, such as wood, waste, (hydrogen) gas and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce heat. In this sense, living biomass can also be included, as plants can also generate electricity while still alive.

The most conventional way in which biomass is used however, still relies on direct incineration. Forest residues for example (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard dipping, wood chips and garbage are often used for this.

However, biomass also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers or chemicals. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. It excludes organic materials such as fossil fuels which have been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum.

Industrial biomass can be grown from numerous types of plants, including miscanthus, switch-grass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow, sorghum, sugarcane and a variety of tree species, ranging from eucalyptus to oil palm (palm oil). The particular plant used is usually not important to the end products, but it does affect the processing of the raw material.

Although fossil fuels have their origin in ancient biomass, they are not considered biomass by the generally accepted definition because they contain carbon that has been ‘out’ of the carbon cycle for a very long time. Their combustion therefore disturbs the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere.

Biomass is carbon, hydrogen and oxygen based. Nitrogen and small quantities of other atoms, including alkali, alkaline earth and heavy metals can be found as well. Metals are often found in functional molecules such as the porphyrins which include chlorophyll which contains magnesium.

Plants in particular combine water and carbon dioxide to sugar building blocks. The required energy is produced from light via photosynthesis based on chlorophyll. On average, between 0.1 and 1% of the available light is stored as chemical energy in plants. The sugar building blocks are the starting point for the major fractions found in all terrestrial plants, lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose.

Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel. Its advantage is that it can be used to generate electricity with the same equipment that is now being used for burning fossil fuels.

Biomass is an important source of energy and the most important fuel worldwide after coal, oil and natural gas. Bio-energy, in the form of biogas, which is derived from biomass, is expected to become one of the key energy resources for global sustainable development. Biomass offers higher energy efficiency through form of Biogas than by direct burning.

Application:

Bio energy is being used for- Cooking, mechanical applications, pumping, power generation.

Some of the devices- Biogas plant/gasifier/burner, gasifier engine pump sets, Stirling engine pump sets, producer gas/biogas based engine generator sets.

Essay # 2. Sources of Biomass:

Biomass energy is derived from five distinct energy sources:

(i) Garbage,

(iii) Waste,

(iv) Landfill Gases, and

(v) Alcohol Fuel.

Wood energy is derived both from direct use of harvested wood as a fuel and from wood waste streams. The largest source of energy from wood is pulping liquor or ‘black liquor’, a waste product from processes of the pulp, paper and paperboard industry.

Waste energy is the second-largest source of biomass energy. The main contributors of waste energy are municipal solid waste (MSW), manufacturing waste and landfill gas. Biomass alcohol fuel or ethanol is derived primarily from sugarcane and corn. It can be used directly as a fuel or as an additive to gasoline.

Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy like methane gas or transportation fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Methane gas is the main ingredient of natural gas. Smelly stuff, like rotting garbage and agricultural and human waste, release methane gas – also called ‘landfill gas’ or ‘biogas’.

Crops like corn and sugar cane can be fermented to produce the transportation fuel, ethanol. Biodiesel, another transportation fuel, can be produced from left-over food products like vegetable oils and animal fats. Also, biomass to liquids (BTLs) and cellulosic ethanol are still under research.

Essay # 3. Energy Conversion Process for Biomass:

There are a number of technological options available to make use of a wide variety of biomass types as a renewable energy source. Conversion technologies may release the energy directly, in the form of heat or electricity, or may convert it to another form, such as liquid biofuel or combustible biogas. While for some classes of biomass resource there may be a number of usage options, for others there may be only one appropriate technology.

(i) Thermal Conversion:

These are processes in which heat is the dominant mechanism to convert the biomass into another chemical form. The basic alternatives are separated principally by the extent to which the chemical reactions involved are allowed to proceed (mainly controlled by the availability of oxygen and conversion temperature): Combustion, Torre faction, Pyrolysis, Gasification.

There are a number of other less common, more experimental or proprietary thermal processes that may offer benefits such as hydrothermal upgrading (HTU) and hydro processing. Some have been developed for use on high moisture content biomass, including aqueous slurries and allow them to be converted into more convenient forms.

Some of the applications of thermal conversion are combined heat and power (CHP) and co-firing. In a typical biomass power plant, efficiencies range from 20-27 %.

(ii) Chemical Conversion:

A range of chemical processes may be used to convert biomass into other forms, such as to produce a fuel that is more conveniently used, transported or stored or to exploit some property of the process itself.

(iii) Biochemical Conversion:

A microbial electrolysis cell can be used to directly make hydrogen gas from plant matter. As biomass is a natural material, many highly efficient biochemical processes have developed in nature to break down the molecules of which biomass is composed and many of these biochemical conversion processes can be harnessed.

Biochemical conversion makes use of the enzymes of bacteria and other micro-organisms to break down biomass. In most cases micro-organisms are used to perform the conversion process: anaerobic digestion, fermentation and composting.

Other chemical processes such as converting straight and waste vegetable oils into biodiesel is trans-esterification. Another way of breaking down biomass is by breaking down the carbon-hydrates and simple sugars to make alcohol. However, this process has not been perfected yet. Scientists are still researching the effects of converting biomass.

Essay # 4. Applications of Biomass Energy:

The practical application of biomass energy includes:

(i) Bio-Gas Plants,

(ii) Biomass Briquetting,

(iii) Electricity Generation, and

(v) Bio Fuel etc.

(i) Biogas Plants:

Biogas is a clean and efficient fuel, generated from cow-dung, human waste or any kind of biological materials derived through anaerobic fermentation process. The biogas consists of 60% methane with rest mainly carbon-di-oxide. Biogas is a safe fuel for cooking and lighting. By-product is usable as high-grade manure.

A typical biogas plant has the following components:

A digester in which the slurry (dung mixed with water) is fermented, an inlet tank – for mixing the feed and letting it into the digester, gas holder/dome in which the generated gas is collected, outlet tank to remove the spent slurry, distribution pipeline(s) to transport the gas into the kitchen and a manure pit, where the spent slurry is stored.

Biomass fuels account for about one-third of the total fuel used in the country. It is the most important fuel used in over 90% of the rural households and about 15% of the urban households. Using only local resources, namely cattle waste and other organic wastes, energy and manure are derived. Thus, the biogas plants are the cheap sources of energy in rural areas. The types of biogas plant designs popular are floating drum type, fixed dome-type and bag-type portable digester.

(ii) Biomass Briquetting:

The process of densifying loose agro-waste into a solidified biomass of high density, which can be conveniently used as a fuel, is called biomass briquetting. Briquette is also termed as “bio-coal”. It is pollution free and eco-friendly. Some of the agricultural and forestry residues can be briquetted after suitable pre-treatment.

A list of commonly used biomass materials that can be briquetted are given below:

CornCob, JuteStick, Sawdust, PineNeedle, Bagasse, CoffeeSpent, Tamarind, CoffeeHusk, AlmondShell, Groundnutshells, CoirPith, BagaseePith, Barleystraw, Tobaccodust, RiceHusk, Deoiled Bran.

Advantages:

Some of advantages of biomass briquetting are high calorific value with low ash content, absence of polluting gases like sulphur, phosphorus fumes and fly ash – which eliminate the need for pollution control equipment, complete combustion, ease of handling, transportation and storage because of uniform size and convenient lengths.

Biomass briquettes can replace almost all conventional fuels like coal, firewood and lignite in almost all general applications like heating, steam generation, etc. It can be used directly as fuel instead of total in the traditional chulhas and furnaces or in the gasifier. Gasifier converts solid fuel into a more convenient-to-use gaseous form of fuel called producer gas.

(iii) Electricity Generation using Biomass:

From the ancient time to the present, the most common way to capture the energy from biomass was to burn it to make heat. Since the industrial revolution this biomass fired heat has produced steam power and more recently this biomass fired steam power has been used to generate electricity. Burning biomass in conventional boilers can have numerous environmental and air-quality and advantages over burning fossil fuels.

Advances in recent years have shown that there are even more efficient and cleaner ways to use biomass. It can be converted into liquid fuels, for example or “cooked” in a process called “gasification” to produce combustible gases, which reduces various kinds of emissions from biomass combustion, especially particulates.

Electricity Generation using Biomass Gassifier:

Biomass gasifiers convert the solid biomass (basically wood waste, agricultural residues, etc.) into a combustible gas mixture normally called as producer gas. The conversion efficiency of the gasification process is in the range of 60-70%. The producer gas consists of mainly carbon-monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen gas and methane and has a lower calorific value (1000-1200 kCal/Nm 3 ).

The ‘Biomass Gasification – Electricity Generation’ system is a technology which converts any kind of biomass energy with low heat value (such as waste from agriculture and forest and organic waste) into combustible gas and then feeds this gas to a generator for electricity generation.

Discovering the method of biomass gasification for electricity generation, can solve both problems of effective use of renewable energy and environmental pollution from organic waste. For this reason, the technology of biomass gasification for electricity generation attracts more and more research as well as applications. Thereby, this technology is being continuously optimised.

The model of biomass gasification for electricity generation can be realized as follows:

As shown, biomass gasification for electricity generation can be realized in 3 ways:

i. Fuel gas produced in a biomass gasifier enters directly into a boiler to produce steam, which then drives a steam turbine to generate electricity.

ii. The clean gas drives a gas turbine to generate electricity.

iii. The clean gas drives a gas engine to generate electricity.

Above pathways correspond to large-scale, medium-scale generation, respectively.

Today, commercially successful technologies for biomass generation using gas engines get wide application because of their small system capacity, nimble arrangement, low investment, compact structure, reliable technique, low running cost, simple operation and maintenance and their low demand for gas quality.

Main Composition of Biomass Gasification — Electricity Generation Systems Equipped with a Gas Engine:

The system is mainly composed of gasifier, gas cleaner and gas engine:

A gasifier is a system which converts solid biomass energy into combustible gas. Biomass is combusted imperfectly by way of controlling the flow of air into the gasifier to convert solid state into gas state, generating a combustible gas which mainly consists of H 2 , CO, CH 4 and C n H m .

The gas temperature in the outlet of the gasifier is in the range 350°C ~ 650°C, depending on the type of gasifier. The gas contains impurities such as dust and uncracked tar. In order to meet the demand of reliable gas engine operation over a long period of time, it is necessary to clean the gas at temperatures below 40°C as well as to reduce the content of dust plus tar below 50 mg/Nm. After cleaning, the gas is fed into the gas engine to generate electricity.

In the gas engine, the gas is mixed with air, burns and drives the main shaft to rotate at a high speed. The latter then drives the generator to generate electricity. Through above procedure, any waste can be converted into electrical energy, thereby solving pollution problems from wastes.

Biomass Gasification Electricity Generation Systems Equipped with a Gas Engine:

Specifications of the set contain power outputs of 60 kW, 160 kW, 200 kW, 400 kW, 600 kW, 800 kW and 1000 kW with the largest power output of about 1.4 MW. For power outputs below 200 kW, down-draft fixed bed gasifier are commonly used.

A typical down-draft fixed bed gasification set for the generation of electricity is shown in the following figure:

This down-draft fixed bed gasifier, can feed in raw material continually. The inlet of raw material is located at the top of the gasifier, raw material falls into the gasifier from the silo or it is transferred to the gasifier by a screw conveyer. In the lower part, the gasifer is equipped with a rotatory grid driven by a gearcase. The grid rotates continuously to extract ashes, the latter then being removed from the gasifier.

For cooling and cleaning of the gas use, a multistep water-washing is used. It is a reliable and cheap system meeting the demand of the engine. The gas engine is designed on the basis of the ‘6250 diesel engine’ so that it meets the low pressure ratio required by the produced bio-gas. In addition, a mixer structure outside of the machine and a simple reliable electric ignition system is used.

In case of electricity generation with larger capacity, fluidized bed gasifiers are used. As the greatest power output of a single gas engine is up to 200 kW, a fluidized bed gasifier is used to drive several gas engines at the same time.

A diagram of a fluidized bed gasification electricity generation system is shown below:

The gasifier uses a cyclical fluidized bed and it has high gasification efficiency and a powerful output. Raw material is formed grain or broken biomass and impurities such as ash or particles are removed from above by a cyclone.

The temperature at the outlet of the gasifier is about 600°C ~ 650°C. Removal of dust from the gas and gas cooling is realised by means of multistep water-washing. Several gas engines with an output of 200 kW generate electricity in parallel.

Applications of Gasifier:

Water Pumping and Electricity Generation:

Using biomass gas, it possible to operate a diesel engine on dual fuel mode-part diesel and part biomass gas. Diesel substitution of the order of 75 to 80% can be obtained at nominal loads. The mechanical energy thus derived can be used either for energizing a water pump set for irrigational purpose or for coupling with an alternator for electrical power generation – 3.5 kW -10 MW.

Heat Generation:

A few of the devices, to which gasifier could be retrofitted, are dryers for drying tea, flower, spices, kilns for baking tiles or potteries, furnaces for melting non-ferrous metals, boilers for process steam, etc.

Direct combustion of biomass has been recognized as an important route for generation of power by utilization of vast amounts of agricultural residues, agro-industrial residues and forest wastes. Gasifiers can be used for power generation and available up to a capacity 500 kW. The Government of India through MNES and IREDA is implementing power-generating system based on biomass combustion as well as biomass gasification.

(iv) Bio Fuels:

Unlike other renewable energy sources, biomass can be converted directly into liquid fuels — biofuels — for our transportation needs (cars, trucks, buses, airplanes and trains). The two most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. See Fig. 1.51.

Ethanol is an alcohol, similar to that used in beer and wine. It is made by fermenting any biomass high in carbohydrates (starches, sugars or celluloses) through a process similar to brewing beer. Ethanol is mostly used as a fuel additive to cut down a vehicle’s carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. Flexible-fuel vehicles, which run on mixtures of gasoline and up to 85% ethanol, are now available.

Biodiesel, produced by plants such as rapeseed (canola), sunflowers and soyabeans can be extracted and refined into fuel, which can be burned in diesel engines and buses. Biodiesel can also made by combining alcohol with vegetable oil, or recycled cooking greases. It can be used as an additive to reduce vehicles emissions (typically 20%) or in its pure form as a renewable alternative fuel for diesel engines.

Essay # 5. Environmental Impact Due to Biomass Energy Conversion:

Using biomass as a fuel produces air pollution in the form of carbon monoxide, NOx (nitrogen oxides). VOCs (volatile organic compounds), particulates and other pollutants, in some cases at levels above those from traditional fuel sources such as coal or natural gas. Black carbon – a pollutant created by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, bio fuels and biomass – is possibly the second largest contributor to global warming.

On combustion, the carbon from biomass is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The amount of carbon stored in dry wood is approximately 50% by weight. When from agricultural sources, plant matter used as a fuel can be replaced by planting for new growth. When the biomass is from forests, the time to recapture the carbon stored is generally longer and the carbon storage capacity of the forest may be reduced overall if destructive forestry techniques are employed.

Despite harvesting, biomass crops may sequester carbon. So for example soil organic carbon has been observed to be greater in switch-grass stands than in cultivated cropland soil, especially at depths below 12 inches.

The grass sequesters the carbon in its increased root biomass. Typically, perennial crops sequester much more carbon than annual crops due to much greater non-harvested living biomass, both living and dead, built up over years and much less soil disruption in cultivation.

Sustainability:

Biomass energy production involves annual harvests or periodic removals of crops, residues, trees or other resources from the land. These harvests and removals need to be at levels that are sustainable, i.e., ensure that current use does not deplete the land’s ability to meet future needs and also be done in ways that don’t degrade other important indicators of sustainability.

Because biomass markets may involve new or additional removals of residues, crops or trees, we should be careful to minimize impacts from whatever additional demands biomass growth or harvesting makes on the land.

Essay # 6. Benefits of Biomass:

When done well, biomass energy brings numerous environmental benefits—particularly reducing many kinds of air pollution and net carbon emissions. Biomass can be grown and harvested in ways that protect soil quality, avoid erosion and maintain wildlife habitat. However, the environmental benefits of biomass depend on developing beneficial biomass resources and avoiding harmful resources, which having policies that can distinguish between them.

In addition to its many environmental benefits, beneficial biomass offers economic and energy security benefits. By growing our fuels at home, we reduce the need to import fossil fuels from other states and nations and reduce our expenses and exposure to disruptions in that supply. Many states that import coal from other states or countries could instead use local biomass resources.

With increasing biomass development, farmers and forest owners gain valuable new markets for their crop residues, new energy crops and forest residues— and we could substantially reduce our global warming emissions.

Essay # 7. Scenario of Biomass Energy in India:

India being an agrarian country there is easy availability of agricultural based mass which can be used to generate energy. Burning the biomass is the easiest and oldest method of generating energy and also the least efficient.

Over 70% of the population of India is in villages. Their electricity and steady supply of water are crucial for survival and for economic growth and social development.

Biomass exists in these villages and needs to be tapped intelligently to provide not only electricity but also water to irrigate and cultivate fields to further increase production of biomass (either as a main product or as a by-product), ensuring steady generation of electricity. An added bonus is the availability of waste biomass from the biomass gasified plant to be used as fertilizer.

Most common source of biomass is wood waste and agricultural wastes. In India development of biomass gasification has received serious attention with establishment of biomass research centers and gasifier action research centres at various locations spread all over the country.

These institutions have played a key role in up gradation and adaption of suitable technologies, testing, monitoring and development of biomass gasification systems. Studies reveal that the low grade of land suitable only for scrub vegetation can be turned to advantage and form an excellent source of biomass – fast growing trees and shrubs.

In India more than 2000 gasifiers are estimated to have been established with a capacity in excess of 22 MW and a number of villages have been electrified with biomass gasifier based generators. MNES has actively promoted research and development programmes for efficient utilization of biomass and agro-wastes and further efforts are on.

Biomass gasification offers immense scope and potential for:

i. Water pumping.

ii. Electricity generation: 3 to 1 MW power plants.

iii. Heat generation: for cooking gas – smokeless environment.

iv. Rural electrification means better healthcare, better education and improved quality of life.

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White House Announces Strategy to Keep Edible Food Out of Landfills

The government will look at ways to extend the shelf life of foods and to create more composting and other facilities, as well as urge companies to donate more food.

A truck dumps a huge container of garbage onto a sprawling pile of trash.

By Somini Sengupta

The Biden administration on Wednesday issued, for the first time, a national strategy to combat a major national problem: food waste.

Roughly 30 percent of the country’s food supply isn’t eaten, but thrown away or otherwise wasted. In fact, food is the single largest volume of material sent to landfills and incinerators in the United States. When uneaten food goes into landfills, it breaks down and produces as much greenhouse gas emissions annually as dozens of coal-burning power plants, according to the federal government.

The White House strategy involves efforts to change the behavior of both businesses and individuals to reduce waste, as well as to fund research into extending the shelf life of perishable foods, expand food donations and turn food waste into usable commodities like compost, gas or animal feed.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing food loss and waste, and I hope that these federal commitments will inspire and catalyze action in the private sector and communities around the U.S.,” the secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, said in a statement.

The strategy falls short of food-waste laws in other countries and even those of some American states. It contains no new regulations. Dana Gunders, head of ReFED, a research and advocacy group that works on food waste, called the strategy “a good first step.”

The United States set out in 2015 to cut food waste by half by 2030. In reality, per capita food waste actually grew between that announcement and 2019, the most recent data available, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Fact Sheet | Biogas: Converting Waste to Energy

Introduction

The Benefits of Biogas

Biogas Feedstocks

Landfill Gas

Livestock Waste

Wastewater Treatment

Crop Residues

Biogas End Uses

Renewable Natural Gas

Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas

Federal Policies Supporting the Biogas Industry

The Farm Bill

Other Agency Programs

Conclusion

Overview of Biogas Production

Technology Involved

An Overview of Biogas Production: Fundamentals, Applications and Future Research

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