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Biogas and syngas as biofuels[]

Biogas is gas created by the biological decomposition of organic waste in an oxygen deprived environment, such as the methane released from decomposing food waste in a landfill. It is usually composed of carbon dioxide and methane. Syngas, or synthetic gas, is a gas composed of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen that is created when coal or biomass is gasified (gasification is a thermo-chemical process). Both substances are flammable.

Biogas pipes
Syngas-jj-001

Gasification


How can we use biogas and syngas?[]

Biogas and syngas could be burned in gas stoves, though syngas has 50% the energy as natural gas. They could also be used in motors and power plants, or turned into other substances.

Biogas plant Kerala

Domsetic biogas maker


How they're used today[]

Biogas is used for lighting and cooking as well as being burned in combustion engines and power plants. Syngas is rarely burned exept in the production of transportation fuels. Instead, it is mostly made into other substances. The hydrogen inside is often extracted and put into hydrogen fuel cells. The gas is also put in during the production of methanol and DME.


Disadvantages[]

Syngas only has 50% the energy of natural gas, and it costs money to extract hydrogen and put it in DME and methanol. Biogas requires a special environment to be created, which is difficult to produce.

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