Biogas energy is the energy that is made from the fermentation of organic matter and from anaerobic digestion.
This type of energy is made from sewage sludge, manure, solid waste, biodegradable waste, and other biodegradable feedstock.
Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is when microorganisms help to break down organic matter without using oxygen. This type of process can be a natural process but there is also a manmade system that is used to help to make biogas.
Biogas from anaerobic digestion can be used to make generators run and to make electricity. Using anaerobic digestion can make the soil to have better materials.
When using anaerobic digestion, it causes waste to be cleaned and when the waste is treated, it produces fuel.
When the methane is burned, it can clean things such as coal and this can help coal to be better for the environment.
Fermentation of Organic Matter
Fermentation happens when a cell uses sugar to make energy and there is no oxygen that is being used. This also can mean that microorganisms are grown to make ethanol.
Ethanol always makes ethanol and carbon dioxide when it uses fermentation.
What is Another Name for Biogas?
Other names for biogas are digester gas, landfill gas, swamp gas, and marsh gas.
What Does Biogas Do?
Biogas is used to help vehicles to be able to run. This type of gas can be used for fuel and it can be burned so that people can use it to heat things, to cook, and for electricity.
Why is Biogas Good?
Biogas is good because when it uses anaerobic digestion, this can cause there to be less carbon dioxide and methane that is released. When these types of gases are released, they can cause global warming.
With biogas, most of the bad stuff that is released goes back into the atmosphere by plants and this causes less pollution.
How is Biogas Made?
There are three stages in making biogas. These include hydrolysis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis.
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is when molecules are broken down to sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids by using a bacterium to break them down.
Acetogenesis
Acetogenesis happens when the bacteria then change the sugars into acids.
Methanogenesis
Methanogenesis happens when the bacteria are converted into methane.
Biogas and Digestors
A digestor is important to make biogas. Digestion of manure, which is animal waste, happens and when this happens there is a pressure that is formed. In the pressure is a bacterium and the bacteria produce pressure and this makes a gas.
Most of the digestors are made of carbohydrates and when digestion happens, it breaks it down to a gas.
Why is Biogas Good?
Biogas is good because it is a renewable energy source which means it will never run out. Many people are making biogas plants so that they can create energy.
Biogas is also good for the environment and it is a clean source of energy which means that uses less pollution.
Since there is no combustion or burning, this means that there is less gas that is released into the atmosphere.
Another great part of biogas is that it does not use any energy to produce it and only uses raw materials that are found such as manure, food scraps, and residue from plants and crops.
Biogas also helps to reduce water and soil pollution because it gets rid of the bad things that are found in waste.
Facts About Biogas:
- Biogas can be used to make organic fertilizers.
- Biogas can help plants to grow.
- Creating biogas technology is not very expensive.
- Farms can benefit from biogas because it gets rid of waste products.
- Biogas generators can help people to not have to use firewood and gas stoves.
- One problem with biogas is that does contain impurities.
What Did You Learn?
- What is biogas? Biogas is the energy that comes from waste such as dead plants, animals and manure, or animal waste.
- Why is biogas good? Biogas is good because it does not need to use energy to make energy, it causes less pollution and it gets rid of the bad stuff that waste brings.
- What are the two ways to make biogas? Biogas is created through fermentation and through anaerobic digestion.
- How does biogas work? Biogas works by taking waste products and using a bacterium to break them down.
- What can biogas be used for? Biogas can be used for heating things, cooking, and making vehicles run.
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