Benefits of Biogas
Waste Treatment Benefits
- nature waste treatment process
- mature technology
- smaller physical footprint (vs. composting)
- reduces volume of waste for transport, land application, (vs. not using digestion)
- very efficient decomposition
- Complete biogas capture
- nutrient recovery and recycling
Energy Benefits
- net-energy producing process
- multiple existing biogas end-use applications, including:
- heat-only
- electric-only
- combined heat and power
- pipeline quality biomethane
- transportation fuel
- baseload/dispatchable energy source (vs. intermittent wind and solar)
- distributed generation (which means lower transmission/transportation costs and higher reliability)
- direct replacement for non-renewable fossil fuels
Environmental Benefits
- dramatic odor reduction
- reduced pathogen levels
- reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- platform for reducing nutrient runoff
- increased crop yield
Economic Benefits
- jobs (temporary/construction and permanent)
- turns cost item (i.e., waste treatment) into revenue-generating opportunity
- can operate in conjunction with composting operations
- improves rural infrastructure and diversifies rural income streams