What is Bio gas ?

Biogas is a gas whose primary elements are about 65% of methane (CH4) and about 35% of carbon dioxide (CO2). It is a product of the natural decomposition of any organic substance of animal or plant origin due to the activity of anaerobic (functioning in a non-oxygen environment) bacteria. Major sources of methane are all animal excrements, waste landfills, and any other organic material which is left untreated. The most common substrates, used to produce biogas are:

green cuttings; maize- /grass- and whole-plant silage; corn; hay/ straw; slops; grain tailings; glycerin; pomace; dry poultry droppings; poultry/turkey manure; cattle and pig manure; food waste; floating sludge; rumen/stomach content; slaughter wastes and blood

The bacteria involved in the process are methanogenic bacteria, which are subdivided into psychrophilic, mesophilic and thermophilic strains according to their optimum temperature range. The optimum temperature for mesophilic bacteria lies in the range 38C 40C, while the thermophilic group prefers 50C 60C. The pH value of the fermentation substrate lies between weakly acidic (ca. pH 6) and weakly alkaline (ca. pH 8). Antibiotics, disinfectants and other chemicals present in the substrate can seriously inhibit or even stop completely the fermentation process.

The main product from this fermentation is biogas, an energy source for the generation of renewable energy. The components of biogas methane and carbon dioxide - act as greenhouse gases that harm the environment if released unburned into the atmosphere. The production of biogas in biogas plants prevents uncontrolled emission of methane into the atmosphere and, by generating renewable energy in the form of biogas, reduces the use of fossil fuel.

What is a bio gas plant?

Substrates in the form of organic material such as animal excrements, remnants of food processing, silage from plants, slaughterhouse leftovers and almost any other organic material are ground and fed into large (2.500 to 5.000 cubic meters) hermetically-closed containers known as digesters. In the digesters these substrates are heated to an optimal temperature and agitated so as to produce biogas, which bubbles to the top of the substrate and is collected in a biogas container. This biogas is fed into an electric generator which produces electricity and heat. The whole process is electronically monitored; the remaining substrate can be used as a high quality ecological fertilizer.

What are biofuels?

Bio fuels are any liquid, solid or gaseous fuels produced from organic matter. The extensive range of organic materials used for biofuel production includes starch and sugary plants such as corn, wheat or sugar cane; oily plants such as rape seed, soya beans or jatropha; vegetable oils and animal fats; wood and straw; algae and organic waste and others. Bio fuels are commonly referred to as first generation, mainly bio ethanol and biodiesel, or second generation, which cover a variety of technologies currently in the pipeline. In the wake of environmental concerns and volatility of oil supply the development of alternative fuels is crucial to the future of the transport sector. This need has been widely recognized by policy makers and resulted in the introduction of European Biofuel Directive in 2003 and UK Road Transport Fuel Obligation in 2008. Both documents call for 5% biofuel blends with fossil fuels by 2010. Currently biofuels substitute around 2.6% of all transport fuels sold in the UK.

Not a new technology

Bio fuels are not a recent invention and have a long history in the motor industry, stretching right back to the development of the internal combustion engines of the 1800s. Rudolf Diesel designed his compression engine to run on peanut oil, while Nicolaus Ottos pioneering spark-ignition engine was developed to run on ethanol. The case for bio ethanol was in particular championed by Henry Ford who had a vision to build a vehicle affordable to the working family and powered by a fuel that would boost the rural farm economy. He himself also owned an ethanol plant and his famous mass produced Model T Ford first ran on bio ethanol. First generation biofuels The two most common 1st generation bio fuels are bio ethanol from starch or sugar crops and biodiesel from oil-rich plants. As these fuels are primarily derived from crops which may also be used as food for animals and humans, these type of fuels have been criticised for diverting food away from the human food chain to the engine. Bio fuels impact on the environment and food prices and sustainability of production are often scrutinized in mass media. Research in the field suggests however, that whilst still depending on method of production, the overall green house gas emission savings are positive and in some cases zero carbon production is possible as carbon emitted during the burning of bio fuels is compensated by the carbon absorbed by the plants as they grow. Impact on biodiversity may be negative; however, in many cases the cultivation of bio fuels may enhance biodiversity, especially if underutilized agricultural land is used for production. Bio fuels will only negatively impact food markets if they compete for land with the agricultural sector.

Second generation bio fuels Second generation bio fuels are broadly speaking the bio fuel technologies still in the pipeline. It is these sustainable bio fuels that will provide the source for the future. Some of the new technologies focus on increasing yields from plant-derived fuels; others look at the application of microbiological research to improve energy efficiency and range of renewable feed stocks for bio fuel production. The Bio fuel Research Centre focuses on 2nd Generation bio fuels produced by microbial fermentation of non-food crops. These carbon-rich lingo cellulosic materials are renewable and widely available. Sources include agricultural waste such as corn stover, straw and bagasse; industrial waste such as sawdust and paper pulp; woody biomass from forestry; municipal solid waste including household food and garden waste and paper products; and specific non-food energy crops such as switch grass. Conversion of lingo cellulosic biomass is attractive and even more so if biomass which is otherwise regarded as waste can be used as the substrate. In this case, the overall energy yield and carbon footprint will be improved compared to first generation bio fuels as there is no need to cultivate and harvest the crops. How we best harness this energy stored within lignocelluloses may provide the solution for bio fuels in the future.

Bio fuels or biodiesels are fuels that are, in essence, biodegradable and non-toxic. They are manufactured from vegetable oils, waste cooking oils, animal fats or tall oil (a by-product of the pulp and paper industry). (NBEP, 2007). These oils undergo a process called transesterification whereby they are subjected to a reaction with an alcohol (usually methanol or ethanol) using a catalyst such as sodium hydroxide. The resulting chemical reaction produces an ester called biodiesel and a by-product called glycerin. (Canada, 2007) Pure biodiesel fuel is significantly less flammable than petroleum diesel which burns at 50 degrees Celsius. Biodiesels flashpoint (the temperature at which it will ignite if it is exposed to a spark) is about 150 degrees Celsius. Pure biodiesel tends to lose its viscosity or to gel at lower temperatures when compared to petroleum. (Canada, 2007). This can be a concern for its use in colder climates. Biodiesels are often used in combination with petroleum diesel and are referred to as biodiesel blends. These blends will have a flashpoint and a gel point somewhere between the two pure fuels depending on the mixture. Biodiesel can be blended with diesel in any concentration but that which is used in Canada at the present time is usually a 5% or a 20% blend. (Canada, 2007). In France, however, where biodiesels are more commonly used, even for heating fuels, blends of up to 50% are employed. France is currently the worlds largest producer of biodiesel. (Fuels, 2007).