Advantages and Disadvantages of Biogas - HomeBiogas

Worldwide interest in renewable energy sources is gathering momentum. Biogas production is growing steadily, as more people are setting up biogas plants to produce biogas. To get a better picture of what biogas is good for, we have created this list explaining the advantages and disadvantages of biogas.

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If you want to learn more about what biogas is, have a look:

Advantages of Biogas

1. Biogas is Eco-Friendly

Biogas is a renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through biodigestion is Biogas is a renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through biodigestion is non-polluting; it actually reduces greenhouse emissions (i.e. reduces the greenhouse effect). No combustion takes place in the process, meaning there is zero emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere; therefore, using gas from waste as a form of energy is a great way to combat global warming.

Unsurprisingly, concern for the environment is a major reason why the use of biogas has become more widespread. Biogas plants significantly curb the greenhouse effect: the plants lower methane emissions by capturing this harmful gas and using it as fuel. Biogas generation helps cut reliance on the use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.

Another biogas advantage is that unlike other types of renewable energies, the process to create the gas is natural, not requiring energy for the generation process. In addition, the raw materials used in the production of biogas are renewable, as trees and crops will continue to grow. Manure, food scraps, and crop residue are raw materials that will always be available, which makes it a highly sustainable option.

2. Biogas Generation Reduces Soil and Water Pollution

Overflowing landfills don’t only spread foul smells- they also allow toxic liquids to drain into underground water sources.

Subsequently,  another advantage of biogas is that biogas generation may improve water quality. Moreover, anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and parasites; thus, it’s also quite effective in reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases. Similarly, waste collection and management significantly improve in areas with biogas plants. This in turn, leads to improvements in the environment, sanitation, and hygiene.

3. Biogas Generation Produces Organic Fertilizer

The by-product of the biogas generation process is enriched organic digestate, which is a perfect supplement to, or substitute for, chemical fertilizers. The fertilizer discharge from the digester can accelerate plant growth and resilience to diseases, whereas commercial fertilizers contain chemicals that have toxic effects and can cause food poisoning, among other things.

4. It’s A Simple and Low-Cost Technology That Encourages A Circular Economy

The technology used to produce biogas is quite cheap. It is easy to set up and needs little investment when used on a small scale. Small biodigesters can be used right at home, utilizing kitchen waste and animal manure. A household system pays for itself after a while and the materials used for generation are absolutely free. The gas produced can be used directly for cooking and generation of electricity. This is what allows the cost of biogas production to be relatively low.

Farms can make use of biogas plants and waste products produced by their livestock every day. The waste products of one cow can provide enough energy to power a lightbulb for an entire day.

In large plants, biogas can also be compressed to achieve the quality of natural gas and utilized to power automobiles. Building such plants requires relatively low capital investment and creates green jobs. For instance, in India, 10 million jobs were created, mostly in rural areas, in plants and in organic waste collection.

5. Healthy Cooking Alternative

Biogas generators save women and children from the daunting task of firewood collection. As a result, more time is left for cooking and cleaning. More importantly, cooking on a gas stove, instead of over an open fire, prevents the family from being exposed to smoke in the kitchen. This helps prevent deadly respiratory diseases. Sadly, 4.3 million people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributed to the household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels for cooking.

HomeBiogas – the perfect biogas solution for your home!

HomeBiogas systems allow you to enjoy all the advantages of biogas production and use from your home.  They are easy to install, require minimal effort to use and produce clean, renewable energy and fertilizer.  If you’re eager to reduce your fossil fuel dependency while safely and efficiently producing renewable energy for everyday use, find the HomeBiogas product that best fits your lifestyle! 

Disadvantages of Biogas

1. Few Technological Advancements

An unfortunate disadvantage of biogas today is that the systems used in the production of biogas are not efficient. There are no new technologies yet to simplify the process and make it accessible and low cost. This means large scale production to supply for a large population is still not possible. Although the biogas plants operating today are able to meet some energy needs, many governments are not willing to invest in the sector.

2. Contains Impurities

After refinement and compression, biogas still contains impurities. If the generated bio-fuel was used to power automobiles it could corrode the metal parts of the engine. This corrosion would lead to increased maintenance costs. The gaseous mix is much more suitable for kitchen stoves, water boilers, and lamps.

3. Effect of Temperature on Biogas Production

Like other renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind), biogas generation is also affected by the weather. The optimal temperature bacteria needed to digest waste is around 37°C. In cold climates, digesters require heat energy to maintain a constant biogas supply.

4. Less Suitable For Dense Metropolitan Areas

Another biogas disadvantage is that industrial biogas plants only make sense where raw materials (food waste, manure) are in plentiful supply . For this reason, biogas generation is much more suitable for rural and suburban areas.

Ready to set up your own small biogas generation system?

Do you think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to biogas use for living a more sustainable life? Us too! 

If you’re ready to take an actionable step in reducing your carbon footprint by making and using renewable energy at home, then the HomeBiogas system is right for you. Check out our variety of products to see which HomeBiogas system will help you turn your waste into clean energy.

Thanks for reading our discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of biogas. We at HomeBiogas are here for any questions. You are also welcome to sign up for our newsletter, and get monthly updates about special deals, coupons, industry news, sustainability trends, recipe videos, and more!

Hey there! If you're considering setting up and using a home biogas system or you've just started using one, welcome to the club!

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After a few months of using our home biogas plant, we've learned a few things that I wish we had known from the beginning. It's been a great journey so far, but there are a few surprises we encountered along the way. Here are some tips that might help you avoid the same pitfalls we did.

1. Managing the Liquid Fertilizer Output

One of the first things you'll notice when you start using your home biogas system is the amount of liquid fertilizer it produces. We get about a litre a day. That might not sound like much, but trust me, it adds up quickly! Initially, we stored it in an open barrel, but that turned out to be a mistake. The barrel filled up fast, mosquitoes loved it, and it became too heavy to move around easily.

Tip: Use a container with a closed lid and a tap. ensure that the tap is high enough to allow the tap to drain into a watering can. This makes it super easy to manage. You can quickly fill up a watering can, and even the kids can help out! It also keeps mosquitoes at bay and allows you to see how much fertilizer you have at a glance.

2. Understand Your Food Waste Output

Before we set up our biogas system, we assumed we were generating 3–4 kilos of food waste a day. But in reality, it was far less—about one to one and a half litres a day. This means our system isn't producing as much gas as it could because it's underfed.

Tip: Before investing in a home biogas system, take a week to collect and weigh your food scraps. This will give you a realistic idea of how much biogas you can generate and help you choose the right size system. If you find that you're not generating enough food waste, consider other organic materials like manure. If you have large animals like horses or cattle, their manure can be easily scooped, mixed into a slurry, and added to the system to boost gas production while using a home biogas system.

3. Set Realistic Expectations for Gas Storage and Usage

We’ve been using the single burner that came with our biogas system for about four months. It has seven little burners inside the ring, and while it works well, there’s a catch—it only lasts about two and a half hours of continuous use before the gas runs out.

We expected it to store more gas for longer use, but the top bladder, no matter how full, only gives us a couple of hours of cooking time.

Tip: Before you start using a home biogas system, be clear about how you plan to use your system. If you’re only looking to use it for small tasks like boiling water once a day, it should work fine. However, if you’re hoping to use it for daily meal preparation for a family, you may need to feed the system more or consider a larger setup. The amount of food waste you can feed it will directly impact how much gas it produces.

4. Plan Ahead and Do Your Research

I’ll be the first to admit—I jumped into this project without doing as much research and planning as I should have. While everything is working fine, it’s a bit different from what I was expecting. The unit itself is great, but understanding how much gas it produces and how to manage the outputs better would have made the transition smoother.

Tip: Don’t make the same mistake I did! Take the time to research, plan, and understand what you need out of your biogas system. Consider your daily needs, how much waste you generate, and how you’ll use the gas and fertilizer. This will save you from surprises down the line.

Using a Home Biogas Plant: Final Thoughts

Using a home biogas system is a fantastic way to manage organic waste and produce renewable energy at home. But like any new venture, it comes with a learning curve.

I hope these tips help you get the most out of your system and avoid some of the bumps we encountered along the way. Happy biogas-ing!

Thanks for reading, and if you’re thinking about setting up a biogas plant at home, I hope this has been helpful. Remember, a little bit of planning goes a long way!

Free Home Biogas Expert Cheat Sheet

More General Home Biogas Plant Operating Tips

Here are some more tips for using a home biogas plant:

5. What to feed it: Home biogas plants can be fed a variety of organic waste, including fruit, dairy, eggs, meats, cooking oil, and more. You can also feed it rotten or mouldy food, but avoid feeding it large amounts of citrus fruit skin.

6. Water ratio: The recommended ratio of water to scraps is 1:1 unless the manufacturer provides different instructions.

7. Gas production: The biogas produced can be used for cooking, heating, or generating electricity.

8. Temperature: The biogas system needs to be kept warm to make gas.

9. pH levels: If the pH levels stray from the ideal neutral zone, the gas-producing organisms will go dormant until the pH levels are corrected.

10. Installation: Home biogas systems are easy to install, and should be outside for obvious reasons of gas safety in confined spaces, but especially important outside the tropics is to choose a warm sheltered location with plenty of sunlight to warm the digester.

11. Add in Other Wastes: While most just feed their kitchen waste into their digester there may be an opportunity to raise gas output by the regular addition of other organic waste types. So, if you have a smallholding with cows or other livestock, adding their manure can raise gas outputs.

12.Waste management: Home biogas plants are a sustainable way to manage waste and reduce the degree of climate-warming methane discharges from landfills.

Free Home Biogas Expert Cheat Sheet

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