What is biomethane?

Biomethane - The green gas with a lot of potential

What is biomethane? Biomethane, also known as renewable natural gas or green gas, is a sustainable energy source produced by processing biological waste and organic materials. It is widely used as a high-quality substitute for fossil natural gas and offers a variety of environmentally and climate-friendly applications.

Biomethane - sustainable energy for a greener future

Biomethane is a major player in the energy sector and is playing an increasingly important role in the fight against climate change. As a renewable green gas, it is obtained from various biological sources, including agricultural waste, organic residues and even sewage sludge. Biomethane is produced through a process called anaerobic digestion, in which microorganisms decompose the biological materials and produce methane.

The advantages of biomethane are numerous. For one, it is an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil natural gas. The biomethane is produced from renewable raw materials, which leads to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, biomethane can be fed directly into the existing natural gas network and used for various purposes.

One of the main applications of biomethane is in distributed power generation. Biomethane can be used to generate heat and electricity in households, commercial areas and even industrial plants. It can also serve as a fuel for vehicles, reducing the carbon footprint of the transportation sector. The use of biomethane also offers the possibility of energy storage and supply, which is particularly advantageous in times of peak loads.

In addition, biomethane is an important component of a sustainable circular economy. By recycling biological waste and residual materials, resources are used efficiently and landfills are relieved at the same time. It also promotes regional development, as biomethane plants are often operated locally and create local jobs.

Overall, biomethane offers a promising solution for the energy transition. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promotes a sustainable circular economy. With the increasing demand for renewable energy, biomethane is becoming an important part of our greener future.

Explanations about biomethane

Biomethane, along with carbon dioxide and other gases, is a product of upgraded biogas.

Biomethane and biogas are two different energy sources that can be obtained from organic materials. Simplified, it can be said that biomethane is obtained from biogas, through a purification process. Therefore, biomethane is often equated with biogas. It has the advantage that it has a higher energy density than biogas and can therefore be used more efficiently. In addition, biomethane can be fed into the existing natural gas network. Thus, it can be used in another region and even stored in existing natural gas storage facilities.

In summary, biomethane is the methane extracted from biogas through additional upgrading and can be used as a renewable fuel and for energy production of electricity and heat. The methane content in biogas is between 50-60%.

Biomethane is a good energy source for several reasons:

Renewable: Biomethane is produced from organic waste and renewable raw materials that come from agricultural, urban or industrial sources. Since these materials are constantly growing back or are produced anyway and, unlike fossil fuels, cannot be exhausted, biomethane is a renewable energy source.
Climate protection: When biomethane is burned, it only produces as much CO2 as the feedstocks absorbed during their growth. This means that biomethane is much more climate-friendly than fossil fuels such as crude oil or natural gas. Thus, biomethane is a low-carbon energy source that releases fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs) when burned than fossil fuels. In addition, the use of biomethane from organic waste prevents methane emission into the atmosphere, which is much more harmful to the climate than carbon dioxide.
Flexibility: Biomethane can be used in various areas, e.g. as a fuel in transport, for electricity and heat generation. Like natural gas, it can be transported and used in existing gas networks. As a result, it can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Independence: Biomethane can be produced regardless of the weather. Solar as well as wind energy can only be produced in appropriate weather conditions.
Circular Economy: Biomethane is often produced from organic waste that would otherwise have to be disposed of. Through biomethane production, this waste can be put to good use and a closed loop is created.
Regionality: Biomethane plants can be operated on a decentralized basis, i.e. they can be built close to the source materials. This saves transport routes and costs and creates regional added value.
Job creation: Biomethane production creates jobs in agriculture, transportation and logistics, and the biogas and gas industries.
Local energy supply: Biomethane can be produced locally, reducing dependence on domestic and foreign energy suppliers.
Economic efficiency: Biomethane can be economically interesting if it is obtained from organic waste and residual materials that are available nearby anyway. In addition, there are government subsidy programs that support the use of biomethane.

Overall, biomethane offers a promising alternative to fossil fuels and can help drive the energy transition.

Biomethane, also known as renewable methane or bio natural gas, is a sustainable energy source derived from organic materials. It is created through a process called biomethanation, in which biological feedstocks are broken down under controlled conditions to produce methane. This article will give you an in-depth look at how biomethane is created and the steps involved in its production.

Selection of organic raw materials:

The production of biomethane requires biological feedstocks that serve as substrates. Typically, organic materials such as plant biomass, organic waste from agriculture, industry or households are used. These feedstocks can take various forms, including energy crops such as corn, grass, canola or slurry, manure, and wastes such as food scraps, sewage sludge, or biowaste.

Pretreatment of raw materials:

Before the feedstocks can be introduced into the biomethanation process, they must be partially pretreated to optimize their composition. This can include shredding, drying, or fermentation to make the biomass more easily degradable and maximize the yield of methane.

Anaerobic fermentation:

The next step is to subject the pretreated raw materials to anaerobic fermentation. This process takes place in special containers called fermenters or bioreactors. These containers provide optimal conditions for the activity of microorganisms that break down the organic materials and produce methane. Anaerobic digestion takes place in an oxygen-free environment, as the microorganisms involved work under anaerobic conditions.

Biogas production:

During anaerobic digestion, organic materials are decomposed by microorganisms. This produces various gases, mainly methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as small amounts of trace gases such as hydrogen (H2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This gas mixture is called biogas and contains about 50-75% of methane.

Processing of the biogas:

The biogas produced must be cleaned and upgraded before it can be used as biomethane. In this step, the carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other impurities are removed from the biogas to achieve a higher methane content. The upgrading can be done by different technologies like absorption, adsorption or membrane separation.

Methane purification:

To further improve the quality of the biomethane, it is often subjected to methane purification. This removes the remaining impurities such as sulfur compounds, moisture and other trace gases