Biogas

Production of biogas through anaerobic digestion (AD) of animal manure and slurries as well as of a wide range of digestible organic wastes, converts these substrates into renewable energy and offers a natural fertiliser for agriculture. At the same time, it removes the organic fraction from the overall waste streams, increasing this way the efficiency of energy conversion by incineration of the remaining wastes and the biochemical stability of landfill sites.

AD is a microbiological process of decomposition of organic matter, in the absence of oxygen, common to many natural environments and largely applied today to produce biogas in airproof reactor tanks, commonly named digesters. A wide range of micro-organisms are involved in the anaerobic process which has two main end products: biogas and digestate. Biogas is a combustible gas consisting of methane, carbon dioxide and small amounts of other gases and trace elements. Digestate is the decomposed substrate, rich in macro- and micro nutrients and therefore suitable to be used as plant fertiliser.

Biomass (the source of biogas) is an inexhaustible and friendly environment resource of energy, which could contribute the next years in covering our increased energy requirements. The energy production via biomass could replace in a significant percentage the use of the traditional fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, etc.

Biomass is a renewable energy material from a natural organic resource. Some common examples of biomass are: 
- Wood chips
- Sawdust
- Straw
- Energy crops such as cardoons
- Organic waste
- Livestock waste
- Industry and urban waste