Biogas

“A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the bacterial decomposition of organic wastes and used as a fuel”. Biogas is a naturally produced environmentally friendly biofuel. It’s a renewable energy source that is produced from decomposed organic matter such as food or animal waste by breaking them down into microorganisms in the absence of oxygen through a process called anaerobic digestion.

In lame man terms, it’s just the process of fermenting wastes without oxygen to convert them into a source of energy that can be further used for different processes.

Why is biogas important?

• Alternate to fossil fuel: When compressed, biogas can replace automobile gasoline, and bio-methane can also replace cooking and heating by providing a non-polluting renewable energy source.
• Reduces wastes: wastes that can be utilized to create biogas include animal manure, municipal trash, plant matter, food waste, and sewage, among others.
• Fewer emissions: biogas is a green energy source that produces Fewer emissions than other energy sources because it is made from organic wastes. Utilizing trash and converting them into biogas both help to cut emissions.
• Protects environment: it encourages the use of biomass from agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, forestry, etc. in enhancing and recycling in addition to creating fuel.

How is biogas related to climate change?

Compared to solid biomass and fossil fuels, biogas energy has a reduced carbon footprint. In addition to being a renewable green source, it reduces the nitrogen and methane pollutants from agricultural and animal wastes that would eventually run off into water bodies or landfills.

Yes, using biogas fuel does produce carbon dioxide and methane which eventually are captured by plants are used again reused and converted into valuable and clean energy. Therefore biogas is carbon neutral energy.

How is biogas produced?

In compost piles or landfills, enteric fermentation naturally generates biogas.
It is created artificially in anaerobic digesters when animal and food wastes are decomposed without oxygen.

What is the environmental impact of biogas?

In contrast to biomass and fossil fuels, biogas produces less carbon dioxide while also reducing the nitrogen and methane emissions produced when wastes are stored.