Question

Give the advantages of biogas.

Answer 1

Hint:Biogas is a renewable energy source produced by microorganisms, such as methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria, by anaerobic respiration. In India, it is also called "Gobar Gas".

Complete answer:
Biogas is the mixture of gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter anaerobically, and it mainly consists of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste, food waste, etc.
Advantages of biogas-
>Biogas is a renewable and clean source of energy. The gas generated is non-polluting.
>No combustion takes place in this process i.e. there is no emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Biogas plants lower the methane emissions by capturing this harmful gas and using it as fuel.
>The use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal can be decreased by utilizing biogas.
>Unlike other renewable energies, it does not require any energy for its generation.
>Biogas is a highly sustainable method as the raw materials used are renewable too. Manure, food scraps, and crop residue, etc. are raw materials that will always be available.
>Biogas generation decreases soil and water pollution. The anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and helps in reducing the chances of occurrence of waterborne diseases. The slurry produced after the production of biogas is used as manure in fields and hence no space is wasted in the form of landfills.
>The installation for biogas is cheap. The gas produced can be used directly for cooking and generation of electricity.
>The liquid by-product of the biogas is organic, which can be used as a supplement to plants. The discharge from the digester can accelerate plant growth and disease resilience. It also reduces the costs of artificial fertilizer.

Note:The biogas plant is a dome-like structure where the organic matter is mixed with water and fed to the digester through the inlet. The digester is a closed chamber where anaerobic decomposition of organic matter takes place. When the organic matter decomposes, gases like methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide are generated. These gases go out through pipes from the storage tank above the digester and are distributed through channels to places for use.