Biogas Technologies And Benefits

BiogasSA specialises in the design, specification and implementation biogas plants. Biogas plants employs anaerobic digestion of organic waste in order to produce biogas, a flexible fuel which may be used for numerous applications.

  • BiogasSA offers the following technologies
  • Domestic digesters - cast, in-situ type (Puxin) and the DIY Biobag
  • Small to Medium scale digesters - Biobag or an engineered solution.
  • Dairies - Our plugflow digester has a small footprint, is easy to install and requires very little maintenance.
  • Medium to Large scale digesters - We offer conventional CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor) type digesters and all associated equipment for treatment of organic waste.
  • High Rate digesters - UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket) technology for wineries, cheeseries and any other effluent where organic matter is mostly in dissolved form.

As a source of alternative, sustainable energy it fulfills all the criteria relating to environmental sustainability, requires relative low technological input and, under certain conditions, may be cost effective to implement.

Primary Benefits

  •  Production of gas suitable for lighting, cooking and heating
  •  Production of electricity- Waste heat may be employed for the production of low pressure steam and/or hot water
  •  Additional possibilities include use of waste heat for refridgeration
  •  In certain instances, electricity, heat and refridgeration is possible - Tri-generation

Additional Benefits

  •  Digester effluent may be used as high quality fertiliser and soil amendment substrate
  •  Reduction of odors in the output material from the digester
  •  CO2 in exhaust gas may be employed in greenhouses to increase yield of crops

Biogas is one of the most untapped sources of natural and sustainable energy available. Although biogas is used all over the world (India for instance has more than 12 million digesters), biogas in South Africa is practically unknown. In comparison a very a small number of small scale digesters (less than 100) have successfully been built and commissioned to date here in South Africa. Most of these were small scale domestic digester, with only a handfull of larger commercial size plants.