Environmental Engineering Reference
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Biogas as an energy option: an overview
CLAUDIUS DA COSTAGOMEZ,
Fachverband Biogas, Germany
DOI: 10.1533/9780857097415.1
Abstract: This chapter describes the potential, requirements, risks,
required general conditions and the prospects of biogas production. The
necessity of effective government support is emphasized. The pressing
question of the ecological importance of biogas production is discussed
and it is made clear that state-of-the-art biogas plants are no risk either
to humans or the environment. One conclusion at which the author
arrives is that biogas has a special role to play in the scenario of the
fundamental change of today's energy supply patterns because electricity
and heat can be produced as and when needed.
Key words: biofuel, biogas, biomass, biomethane, electricity, energy
balance, fixed-price support system, transport biofuel, life cycle
assessment.
1.1 Introduction
Biogas is produced in biogas plants by the bacterial degradation of biomass
under anaerobic conditions. There are three categories of biomass: (1)
substrate of farm origin such as liquid manure, feed waste, harvest waste
and energy crops; (2) waste from private households and municipalities such
as separately collected organic waste (in organic waste containers), market
waste, expired food or food waste; (3) industrial by-products such as
glycerine, by-products of food processing or waste from fat separators. The
organic substance is converted to biogas by bacteria in several steps in
airtight digesters. The bacteria are similar to those found in the pre-
stomachs of ruminants.
As with fossil natural gas, the main component of biogas that determines
the energy content of the gas is flammable methane (CH 4 ). Depending on
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