Advantages of Biogas - The Developing Nation Benefits of Anaerobic Digestion

The Most Important Advantages of Biogas

Arguably, the most important benefit of the biogas produced through the anaerobic digestion process is energy generation. The most obvious benefit of anaerobic digestion is the production of methane-rich biogas which offers a renewable alternative to the consumption of fossil fuels.

Beyond that, the biogas advantage is one that there is a reduction of GHG emissions compared with those associated with traditional practices of storage and distribution of raw manure. Unlike other types of renewable energies, the process is natural, not requiring energy for the generation process.


An additional benefit is the digested slurry which can be dried and sold as high-quality manure. A variety of byproducts can be created from the digestate solid and liquid. They are great fertilisers, with added benefits from the active bacteria in the digestate which can make plants healthier and as a result not only produce more but also survive better when under stress such as heat and drought.


This all happens during the methanogenesis stage of the process results in the production of methane (biogas) which can be used as an energy source. There is also carbon dioxide in the gas, and usually also some rather nasty hydrogen sulphide (the source of any bad egg smell). The raw gas also contains a number of other contaminants at low concentrations which are called trace substances.


The University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene points out that the most important advantages of biogas are that one can retrofit easily the conventional combustion engines to be used for the new fuel.  It could be unsafe to burn this gas, but in terms of safety, the advantage is that it is generated mostly in the anaerobic environment at low pressure, so oxygen concentration is such that an explosive atmosphere does not arise. Nevertheless, some technologies utilize air for reduction of H2S in biogas. Care is needed to avoid explosive atmospheres developing.

In some countries, there is a possible distribution route available already via public power grid to enable efficient energy utilization. Otherwise, the most popular energy production is by the use of combustion engines to run electric generators and export the electricity to the local power distribution grid.


One advantage of biogas is that it can be produced anywhere that organic waste is stored (organic landfills, sewers, farms, etc. ). It can be produced in rural areas from readily available materials.


One main advantage of biogas is waste reduction potential. Efficient biogas production removes solid carbon and converts that to the carbon in the resulting methane atoms (CH4). This reduces the mass of that is left afterwards, and this is called waste reduction.

Couple that with the advantage that it is created from residues and wastes. It has the true "magic" ability to transform waste material into a valuable resource. That's not to be sneezed at in the conditions of today, in which many countries are facing enormous problems associated with overproduction of organic wastes. These come in ever larger quantities from industry, agriculture and households.

Finally, it can be produced from nearly all kinds of biological feedstocks. The range from sewage sludge to feathers, from manure to damaged flower market flowers, and of course waste food.


We hope that this has explained the advantages of biogas to you.


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