Biogas Handbook

biogas
HANDBOOK

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biogas
HANDBOOK

Colophon
Authors
Teodorita Al Seadi, Dominik Rutz, Heinz Prassl, Michael Köttner, Tobias Finsterwalder,
Silke Volk, Rainer Janssen

Reviewers
Dominik Rutz, Teodorita Al Seadi, Konstantinos Sioulas, Biljana Kulisic

Editing
Teodorita Al Seadi

English proof reading and layout
Stud. MA Catrineda AlSeadi, Stud. MSc Iwona Cybulska
ISBN 978-87-992962-0-0
Published by University of Southern Denmark Esbjerg, Niels Bohrs Vej 9-10,
DK-6700 Esbjerg, Denmark
http://www.sdu.dk
Cover design by Catrineda Al Seadi
Cover photo: Copyright © 2008 www.lemvigbiogas.com

Typeset with Word
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, in
order to beused for commercial purposes, without permission in writing from the publisher
or the authors. The editor does not guarantee the correctness and/or the completeness of the
information and the data included or described in this handbook.

Acknowledgement
This handbook was elaborated through the joint efforts of a group of biogas experts from
Denmark, Germany, Austria and Greece, as part ofthe BiG>East project,
(EIE/07/214/SI2.467620), running during the period 09.2007-02.2010, with the overall aim
of promoting the development of biogas from anaerobic digestion in Eastern Europe. The
project was co-funded by the European Commission, in the framework of the “Intelligent
Energy for Europe” Programme. The English version of the handbook was subsequently
translated intoBulgarian, Croatian, Greek, Latvian, Romanian and Slovenian, which are the
languages of the countries targeted by the BiG>East project. These translated versions
contain also a supplementary chapter of country specific information.
The editor thanks all the authors, the reviewers and the two talented students for their
contribution to the handbook and for the great team work.

Teodorita AlSeadi
October 2008

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biogas
HANDBOOK

Table of contents
COLOPHON .................................................................................................................................................2
TABLE OF CONTENTS..............................................................................................................................3FOREWORD.................................................................................................................................................7
AIM AND HOW TO USE THE HANDBOOK ..........................................................................................9

WHAT IS BIOGAS AND WHY DO WE NEED IT?............................................................... 10
1

ADVANTAGES OF BIOGASTECHNOLOGIES .........................................................................10
1.1
BENEFITS FOR THE SOCIETY ......................................................................................................10
1.1.1
Renewable energy source........................................................................................................10
1.1.2
Reduced greenhouse gasemissions and mitigation of global warming........................................11
1.1.3
Reduced dependency on imported fossil fuels............................................................................11
1.1.4
Contribution to EU energy and environmental targets .............................................................11
1.1.5
Waste reduction....................................................................................................................11
1.1.6
Job creation ..........................................................................................................................12
1.1.7
Flexible and efficient end use of biogas ....................................................................................12
1.1.8
Low water inputs...