Advantages and Benefits of Biogas

1. Provides a non-polluting and renewable source of energy.
2. Efficient way of energy conversion (saves fuelwood).
3. Saves women and children from drudgery of collection and carrying of firewood, exposure to smoke in the kitchen, and time consumed for cooking and cleaning of utensils.
4. Produces enriched organic manure, which can supplement or even replace chemical fertilizers.
5. Leads to improvement in the environment, and sanitation and hygiene.
6. Provides a source for decentralized power generation.
7. Leads to employment generation in the rural areas.
8. Household wastes and bio-wastes can be disposed of usefully and in a healthy manner.
9. The technology is cheaper and much simpler than those for other bio-fuels, and it is ideal for small scale application.
10. Dilute waste materials (2-10% solids) can be used as in feed materials.
11. Any biodegradable matter can be used as substrate.
12. Anaerobic digestion inactivates pathogens and parasites, and is quite effective in reducing the incidence of water borne diseases.
13. Environmental benefits on a global scale: Biogas plants significantly lower the greenhouse effects on the earth’s atmosphere. The plants lower methane emissions by entrapping the harmful gas and using it as fuel.

Disadvantages of Biogas

1. The process is not very attractive economically (as compared to other biofuels) on a large industrial scale.
2. It is very difficult to enhance the efficiency of biogas systems.
3. Biogas contains some gases as impurities, which are corrosive to the metal parts of internal combustion engines.
4. Not feasible to locate at all the locations.