Biogas is a renewable energy source that is produced from various gases generated by the decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas facilitates the production of electrical and thermal energy in an environmentally friendly manner, and represents one of the most efficient alternatives to fossil fuels.
Indeed, this type of renewable energy has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases, oil dependency, and pollution. Below we present the most important advantages and disadvantages of biogas.
Advantages of biogas
Is renewable
All raw materials used in the biogas production process are renewable. Why? crops and trees they grow continuously, while food waste, crop residues and manure will maintain their availability over time. The only way biogas can be used up is when waste production stops.
It’s ecological
By nature, biogas it is a non-polluting resource. The fact that biogas production occurs in the absence of oxygen means that does not consume additional fuel. As there is no combustion, no greenhouse gas emissions are produced towards the atmosphere.
Reduces the amount of waste in landfills
Landfills generate a significant environmental impact through toxic substances that pollute the air, water and soil. Instead of directing all organic waste to landfills, it can be used in the biogas production process to generate clean energy.
It is a reliable source of energy
Because biogas is a renewable energy, it is a reliable alternative. For example, solar energy and wind energy depend on certain climatic factors to generate energy continuously, something that does not happen with biogas. Biogas production can occur uninterrupted.
Does not require large investments
Biogas production is economical, since even plants can grow at home with everyday materials. In addition, the raw materials required by the production process, such as organic food or crop residues, are free of charge.
Create green jobs
During the last years, biogas production plants have created millions of jobs in many countries, especially in those regions with strict regulations on waste collection.
Production technology is cheaper
The technological tools used for biogas generation are becoming more efficient, which has increased the applications of this type of energy, including heaters and electricity production. In all cases, the technology is much cheaper than that used to generate other types of energy, such as wind power.
Reduces dependence on fossil fuels
In countries that consume large amounts of energy, such as China and India, governments have invested significant resources in the biogas industry in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. In the case of China, this strategy has allowed reduce the use of coal, gas and oil.
Reduces greenhouse gases
Because biogas production starts from the gases generated by landfills, the greenhouse effect is reduced. During this process, almost all organic and biodegradable waste is recycled that produce polluting gases.
Allows to produce organic fertilizer
Biogas production generates digestate, an enriched material that serves as organic fertilizer and represents an excellent substitute or alternative to toxic fertilizers. While conventional fertilizers contain environmentally polluting chemicals, digestate can promote plant growth and prevent disease produced by toxic materials.
Disadvantages of biogas
Production requires large amounts of land
To drive a 1 megawatt (MW) electric power plant, a minimum area of approximately 300 hectares is needed. This represents a clear disadvantage of biogas compared to other types of renewable energy.
Limited technological advances
The efficiency of current biogas production systems is limited, and there are no new technological proposals that allow to increase the production and simplify the process. For this reason, large-scale production has not yet been achieved of this type of energy to meet the demands of large populations.
Energy with impurities
Since the biogas industry has not reached an acceptable point of development, the biogas produced retains impurities after compression and refining. As a result, when fuel for automobiles is created from this energy, engines can experience corrosion and maintenance costs are simply daunting.
It is not possible to produce biogas anywhere
The production of this type of energy can only be achieved effectively in locations where organic waste and landfills abound such as rural regions.
Not economically viable
Unlike other sources of biofuels, biogas does not represent an attractive option from a financial perspective. Increasing the efficiency of biogas systems is complicated, so it makes sense that most of the world’s governments have not yet been interested in investing in this industry.
Production is affected by weather
As in the process of producing energy from other sustainable sources, the climate affects the production of biogas. The bacteria involved in this process require a minimum temperature of 37 °C to perform its function optimally. A climate below said temperature implies the intervention of external heat systems.
Special transportation is required
If the biogas production plant is located in a foreign region, the final process will require special means of transport to transport the organic waste and the necessary materials. This translates into higher emissions generated by vehicles.
Presence of flammable materials
During the biogas production process, flammable gases (oxygen and methane) are involved that increase the risk within the plant and make it prone to explosions.
Production is flawed
Using biomass residues and other materials to generate biogas is not always a simple process. High levels of fiber concentration tend to limit the activity of microorganisms, which translates into drawbacks associated with the crusting on surfaces and to the mixture of the components.
Cities cannot have biogas plants
The fact that the raw materials used to produce biogas give off bad smells makes it impossible to install a plant in cities or other regions with high population density.