What is Biogas?
'''Biogas''' is a [[gas]] produced by the digestion in an oxygen free ([[anaerobic digestion]]) or [[fermentation]] of [[organic matter]]. The organic matter can be [[manure]], [[sewage]], municipal [[waste]], compost, food waste or any other [[biodegradable]] [[raw material]]. Biogas is mainly [[methane]] and [[carbon dioxide]]. Depending on where it is produced, biogas is also called: * '''[[swamp]] gas''' * '''[[marsh]] gas''' * '''[[landfill]] gas''' * '''[[anaerobic digester|digester]] gas''' Biogas can be used as a vehicle [[fuel]] or to generate electricity. It can also be burned directly for cooking, heating, lighting, process heat and absorption refrigeration. == Biogas and anaerobic digestion == {{main|anaerobic digestion}} Anaerobic digestion is much used to make biogas from biodegradable waste because valuable fuel can be produced while destroying disease-causing [[pathogen]]s and reducing the volume of disposed waste products. The methane in bio gas burns more cleanly than [[coal]], and produces more energy with less [[emission]]s of [[carbon dioxide]]. The harvesting of bio gas is an important role of [[waste management]] because methane is a [[greenhouse gas]] with a greater [[global warming]] potential than carbon dioxide. The carbon in bio gas was generally recently extracted from the atmosphere by [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic]] plants, so releasing it back into the atmosphere adds less total atmospheric carbon than the burning of [[fossil fuels]]. === Biogas typical composition range === The composition of biogas varies depending on how it is made. Landfill gas typically has methane concentrations around 50%. Advanced waste treatment technologies can produce biogas with 55-75%CH<sub>4</sub>.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oaktech-environmental.com/Juniper.htm |title=Juniper Biogas Yield Comparison |access-date=2007-03-26 |archive-date=2015-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150430064354/http://www.oaktech-environmental.com/Juniper.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> {|bord