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The global waste generation rate is increasing rapidly, making it imperative to find sustainable ways of managing waste and minimizing its environmental impact. Waste can be converted into energy through anaerobic digestion or biodigesters. Domestic uses like cooking and lighting can be powered by biogas produced by small-scale digesters [1].
Source: Home Biogas [2]
How it Works: Turning Waste into Biogas
Biogas is a type of renewable energy produced through a process called anaerobic digestion. During this process, microorganisms break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as animal manure, food waste, and sewage sludge are placed in a sealed container called a biodigester. The process of anaerobic digestion involves four steps: hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis.
Hydrogenotrophic bacteria and acidogenic bacteria break down the waste into simple compounds, which are then converted into acetate and hydrogen by acetogenic bacteria. Finally, methanogenic bacteria convert acetate and hydrogen into methane, which is the primary component of biogas.Biogas is mainly composed of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). For example, biogas generated by liquid manure contains about 65% methane. One cubic meter of biogas has an energy content of 9.97 kWh and the energy contained in biogas is approximately 5.56 kWh/m3 [3].
Benefits of Home Biodigesters
1. Save Money on Energy Bills
Despite the initial investment required to set up a biodigester, it can result in significant cost savings in the long run.
By utilizing biogas, homeowners can save money on their energy bills by replacing fossil fuels with biogas.
In agricultural areas, farmers can also benefit from biodigester by using the leftover organic matter from the digestion process as fertilizer for crops. This eliminates the need for expensive chemical fertilizers and helps maintain healthy soil.
2. Reduce Organic Waste and Its Impact
Home biodigesters also offer various environmental benefits. A major benefit of biogas is that it reduces organic waste in landfills. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas produced when organic waste decomposes in landfills.
Methane emissions can be significantly reduced when organic waste is diverted to biodigesters and used as biogas instead of being released into the atmosphere.
The burning of biogas can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels like coal and natural gas [1].
3. Promote Sustainable Energy
A home biodigester can produce biogas as a clean and renewable source of energy
that contains methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which can be used to generate electricity and heat. Methane has a high-energy content of 50–55 MJ/kg making it suitable for heat, electricity, and fuel applications [5]. The biodigester can also handle waste with high moisture content (up to 90%), making it an efficient solution for organic waste management.
Challenges of Home Biodigesters
While biogas is a promising source of renewable energy, it also presents some challenges. One issue faced by home biodigesters is the presence of hydrogen sulfide from the biogas produced. To mitigate this problem, biodigesters are usually equipped with a hydrogen sulfide filter to reduce sulfuric acid content in the biogas [2,4]. Additionally, biodigesters are costly to set up and maintain which may put off homeowners from adopting this technology.
In conclusion, home biodigesters present a viable solution for managing organic waste and producing clean, renewable energy. While they may face some challenges such as initial cost, their long-term benefits and positive environmental impact make them a worthwhile investment.
Source(s):
[1] Mahmudul, H.M. et al. (2021) ‘A comprehensive review of the recent development and challenges of a solar-assisted Biodigester System’, Science of The Total Environment, 753, p. 141920. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141920.
[2] https://www.homebiogas.com/blog/blog-biogas-plant-for-home-price/
[3] Hernández-Sarabia, M. et al. (2021) ‘The potential of the biodigester as a useful tool in coffee farms’, Applied Sciences, 11(15), p. 6884. doi:10.3390/app11156884.
[4] Rajendran, K. et al. (2013) ‘Experimental and economical evaluation of a novel biogas digester’, Energy Conversion and Management, 74, pp. 183–191. doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2013.05.020.
[5] Tabatabaei, M. et al. (2020) ‘A comprehensive review on recent biological innovations to improve biogas production, part 1: Upstream strategies’, Renewable Energy, 146, pp. 1204–1220. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.037.