Advantages And Disadvantages Of Biogas: In today’s world, non-conventional and renewable energy sources have gained extreme importance due to the rapid exhaustion of non-renewable and conventional sources for the production of energy. The production of biogas is an important step in this regard. Biogas is a type of fuel produced by the decomposition of organic matter called biomass.
The biomass includes wastes from agricultural, municipal, and industrial sectors as well as domestic wastes and animal manure which are subjected to fermentation and decomposition by various bacteria and result in the production of gasses. It consists mainly of methane and carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gasses. The gasses can be used as fuel to produce energy so biogas is considered as a biofuel. The production of biogas is a biochemical process that uses the action of different microorganisms present in nature, on the organic substance to decompose it into acetic acid, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and then finally produces methane gas. This process needs an optimal environment to function properly.
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What is Biogas? Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas 2022
Biogas is a fuel derived from natural sources through the process of anaerobic decomposition, which means it happens in the absence of oxygen. By the process of decomposition of organic matter like food wastes, animal manure, wastewater, and plant residue a blend of gasses is released that is appropriately used to generate energy in the form of heat and electricity. Biogas production requires a temperature of 37 degrees celsius to facilitate the decomposition of wastes by microorganisms for about three-week time to produce the mix of gasses. After removing the impurities, the resultant gas is obtained which can produce energy on combustion like other fuels.
- Advantages of Biogas
- Disadvantages of Biogas
- Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas
- FAQ’s on Advantages And Disadvantages Of Biogas
Advantages of Biogas
- Renewable source of energy: Organic materials that are derived from plants, animals, and humans are the basic raw materials for producing biogas which is plentiful and not going to be exhausted. This makes biogas a renewable energy source. Biogas generation also helps to reduce the use of non-renewable fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.
- Utilization of waste: The production of biogas is an advantageous method to utilize waste and turn them into an energy source. It also lessens the damaging impact of waste on landfills and the problem of improper wastes disposal. Wastes are turned into energy to utilize for electricity, heating, as well as fertilizers through this process.
- Eco-friendly: Biogas is a green and clean source of energy. Biogas combustion doesn’t cause any harmful emission of greenhouse gasses and helps to reduce pollution.
- Economically viable: The biogas production process is cost-effective. It needs little investment and is easy to set up on a small scale. The household biogas plants can use raw material from the waste products produced from their daily activities and are free. The gas produced can be used directly for cooking and generation of electricity thereby reducing the cost of biogas production.
- Generation of organic fertilizer: Biogas production generates by-products that are enriched in organic substances and can be used as a substitute for chemical fertilizers. The fertilizer discharge from the process can accelerate plant growth without any toxic effects.
- Alternative source of energy: The areas which have limited access to electricity or fuel due to infrastructure or cost constraints, biogas can be a very effective and reliable source to generate electricity and fuel for cooking, etc. It allows energy diversification by reducing dependence on conventional energy sources.
Disadvantages of Biogas
- Little technological advancement: In absence of new technological advancements, the systems used in the production of biogas are not efficient. It is difficult for production on a large scale to supply for a large population.
- Effect of Temperature: Biogas generation requires an optimal temperature for bacteria to digest the waste which is around 37°C. So, in cold climates, biogas production requires external heat to function properly in maintaining a consistent supply of biogas.
- Biogas contains impurities: Biogas may contain certain impurities even after the refinement process. If biofuel was used in automobiles it could damage the metal parts of the engine and would lead to increased maintenance costs.
- Less suitable for metropolitan areas: One of the biggest disadvantages of industrial biogas production is that it requires a plentiful supply of raw materials (food waste, manure, etc.). This is the reason why biogas generation is much more suitable for rural and suburban areas rather than urban areas. Biogas plant also sometimes emits foul odor from the wastes they process so they can’t be built in a location close to residential and other industrial areas.
- Flammability: Biogas contains about 50% to 70% of methane, which is extremely flammable. Due to the high content of methane, biogas is unstable and is prone to explosions in mixture with air so needs to be handled very carefully.
- Requires large areas: Large land areas are needed for the establishment of bigger biogas plants suitable for more production.
Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Biogas is environmentally friendly and does not contribute to pollution through the emission of harmful gasses. It is one of the best resources for clean and sustainable energy. | Traces of impurities may remain in biogas even after multiple levels of purification that may result in corrosion of machine parts in the long run if used in giving power to engines. |
| Biogas is a renewable source of energy since waste supply for production of biogas is consistent and abundant. | It is difficult to set up large-scale production units due to the absence of technical support and advanced method of production |
| Biogas production reduces land fillings and avoids impacts of wastes by significantly utilizing the wastes in energy production through decomposition. | Presence of methane and oxygen in biogas can make it hazardous and prone to explosion and inflammation. |
| Biogas production is a cost-effective option of getting access to the required amount of energy with less investment and infrastructure requirement. The raw material availability is also easy and cheap. | Biogas production is generally restricted in areas away from urban areas because it requires a steady and abundant supply of waste materials that are much more easily available in rural areas. |
| Biogas can be used in generating electricity and also producing heat. | Biogas production requires an optimal environment for production with high temperature so during cold climates external heat is to be applied to facilitate the decomposition process. |
FAQ’s on Advantages And Disadvantages Of Biogas
Question 1.
What are the raw materials used for the production of biogas?
Answer:
The raw materials used for biogas include domestic, agricultural, industrial, and municipal wastes along with animal manures and wastewater.
Question 2.
Why is high temperature required in biogas production?
Answer:
The process of biogas production is based on the decomposition of wastes by bacteria that requires an optimum temperature (around 37 degrees Celsius).
Question 3.
What is the application of biogas in large-scale production?
Answer:
In large plants, biogas produced can be compressed to fill in cylinders that can be used as a substitute of LPG or CNG in running vehicles. It is also safer to use biogas in domestic activities as compared to LPG.