Biogas is the raw gas that comes out of a biogas digester/ Anaerobic digestion plant reactor, which is usually about 60% methane for large well-run AD facilities.
Biomethane is the almost completely pure methane that is produced after the biogas has been purified. The purification process is called "upgrading".
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Biogas is a renewable energy carrier formed during the decomposition of biomass by microorganisms. This process, called fermentation, takes place in biogas plants under the exclusion of light and oxygen. This energy store can be obtained both from energy crops such as corn and grain, and from organic residues and waste materials such as manure, sewage sludge, food waste, and slaughterhouse waste. By using organic residues and waste, no competition for food production is created.
Biogas production is a natural process whereby microorganisms convert the carbohydrates, proteins and fats contained in organic substances into the main products methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide. A prerequisite for this conversion is the absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions). Following this process, the biogas contains about 50% methane, which is why it is also called biomethane. The quantity and methane content obtained from a ton of biomass may vary depending on the composition of the substrate. After being cleaned at a gas-processing plant, the biogas – like natural gas – is composed almost entirely of methane and can be used to produce electrical energy, or as bio-CNG (compressed natural gas) to fuel vehicles. The higher the methane content of the end product, the more energy-rich the biogas. After further processing, biomethane can also be fed into the natural gas grid, through which it is forwarded to various points of consumption. via
biomassmagazine.com
Biomethane is a gaseous fuel that consists of mainly methane. Biomethane is normally produced by upgrading (purifying) biogas. Biogas is the raw gas formed by anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, food waste, manure etc. Before use in vehicles, biogas is always upgraded to biomethane. Biomethane can also be produced synthetically, e.g. by gasification of biomass followed by methanation; it is then called SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas or Substitute Natural Gas).
Biomethane can be used as a transport fuel, often as a mixture of biomethane and natural gas with fossil origin. Other areas of use are heat and power production, and as raw material for chemical products. The dominating use of biogas in many countries is for electricity production without prior upgrading to biomethane. via
www.aerzen.com
Biogas Production - Constituents and Its Conversion to Biomethane
In each case, the basic process of biogas production is the same. Organic matter, or biomass, breaks down in the absence of oxygen. The bacteria produce methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) as a natural byproduct of breaking down the organic matter. The raw biogas, which contains methane and other compounds, can be captured because the waste is concentrated in one location. Once collected, it can be purified (or upgraded) into pipeline-quality biomethane—producing renewable natural gas.
Composed primarily of methane, biogas also contains between 25 and 50 per cent CO2 and small quantities of other gases. These gases are removed in the upgrading process to improve their heating value and safety. The upgrading process may vary from project to project, but the goal is to ensure the gas introduced into the system meets the same quality standards as natural gas. via
www.seai.ie
European Biogas Association Biogas and Biomethane Report 2015
The European Biogas Association published its Biogas and Biomethane Report 2015, the fifth edition of this annual statistical report on the European anaerobic digestion industry and markets. The report reflects the record-high growth in the number of plants and production in Europe.
The report states that there were 17,240 biogas plants, with a total installed capacity of 8,293 MW, in Europe at the end of 2014. “This is a remarkable number, especially when realizing that it represents 18-percent growth,” said Dr. Jan Štambaský, EBA president. In the case of certain countries, growth has soared. The U.K. doubled the number of its biogas plants in one year. The 17,240 biogas plants reported at the end of 2014 is up from 10,433 reported in 2010. via
noo2.eu
The Distinction Biogas and Fresh Biomass vs Fossil Fuel Use
Biomass is one of the most versatile and most widely used energy sources on the planet. It is a biodegradable fraction of a product or residue from vegetal and animal substances from agriculture, forestry or the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. Compared with other forms of renewables such as wind, water or solar energy, biomass great advantage is that you can use it everywhere. The total mass of biomass on Earth, including moisture, is 2,000 billion tons, the weight of biomass for one person is 400 tons.
In professional circles (though clearly not the case) it is often spoken of both fossil and renewable, first, the so-called. fresh biomass. When fossil fuels that we use today (coal, oil, natural gas), there is negatively affecting the environment: when combusted because the atmosphere is receiving substances that have been stored for millions of years beneath the earth’s surface. Unlike the burning of fresh biomass in terms of greenhouse gas neutral. via
kuvoze.sk
Environmentally Friendly Alternative Energy
Biogas is gaining importance as an environmentally friendly alternative energy form. Especially interesting is the reprocessing into biomethane to be delivered to the natural gas grid or to be used for example by vehicle refueling.
In this reference example, our client is a biogas upgrading plant constructor in Switzerland. This is a pilot project for decentralized and independent gas supplies. The project is funded by the Federal Office of Energy and by the Natural Gas Industry. via
haug.ch
