Definition (extracted from ^1):

Biogas is a mixture of methane, CO2 and small quantities of other gases produced by anaerobic digestion of organic matter in an oxygen-free environment. The precise composition of biogas depends on the type of feedstock and the production pathway; these include the following main technologies:

• Biodigesters: These are airtight systems (e.g. containers or tanks) in which organic material, diluted in water, is broken down by naturally occurring micro‑organisms. Contaminants and moisture are usually removed prior to use of the biogas.

• Landfill gas recovery systems: The decomposition of municipal solid waste (MSW) under anaerobic conditions at landfill sites produces biogas. This can be captured using pipes and extraction wells along with compressors to induce flow to a central collection point.

• Wastewater treatment plants: These plants can be equipped to recover organic matter, solids, and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage sludge. With further treatment, the sewage sludge can be used as an input to produce biogas in an anaerobic digester.

The methane content of biogas typically ranges from 45% to 75% by volume, with most of the remainder being CO2. This variation means that the energy content of biogas can vary; the lower heating value (LHV) is between 16 megajoules per cubic metre (MJ/m3) and 28 MJ/m3. Biogas can be used directly to produce electricity and heat or as an energy source for cooking. Calorific value is 6 kWh/m^3.

(Image Credit: IEA ^1)

World Production:

Production comes essentially from crops and animal manure.

Price:[^3]

Typically the price of producing biogas ranges between USD 0.22 and USD 0.39 per cubic meter of methane for manure-based biogas production, and USD 0.11 to USD 0.50 per cubic meter of methane for industrial waste-based biogas production.

Significant datas for biogas [^2]:

• Chemical Formula : around 60% of CH4 and 40% of CO2
• Molecular Weight : 27.228 g/mol
• Density, 1.1862 kg/m^3

^1: IEA 2022; Outlook for biogas and biomethane: Prospects for organic growth, https://www.iea.org/reports/outlook-for-biogas-and-biomethane-prospects-for-organic-growth, License: CC BY 4.0. [^2]: Paolini, V., Petracchini, F., Segreto, M., Tomassetti, L., Naja, N. and Cecinato, A., 2018. Environmental impact of biogas: A short review of current knowledge. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 53(10), pp.899-906. [^3]: Biodiesel price, neste.com, https://www.neste.com/investors/market-data/biodiesel-prices-sme-fame