Methane emission from Danish biogas plants

The aim of biogas production is to convert organic materials like livestock manure, energy crops and organic residues into methane (biogas), which subsequently is converted into green electricity and heat. Biogas production therefore substitutes energy produced by fossil energy sources, which reduces the emission of the greenhouse gas CO2. However, previous studies have shown that methane (CH4) is lost from the biogas plant during the biogas production and storage. The methane emitted acts as a detrimental greenhouse gas as the climatic effect of methane is 21 times higher than the climatic effect of CO2. Leak of methane from biogas plants therefore counteracts the positive climatic effects of the biogas production. Besides, loss of methane reduces the production efficiency of the biogas process and thereby the economic output. The aim of the project is therefore to reduce the methane emission from biogas plants by developing an operational method for identification and quantification of methane emissions/losses from biogas plants. The developed method is expected to be applied as a part of periodical maintenance routines in order to reduce methane leakage and emission from biogas plants.