Biogas: A Viable Resource

Loading the slurry into the digesters

With global energy consumption receiving eighty-eighty percent of its energy from fossil fuels, and consumption is only expected to increase, the need for renewable and clean energy is gaining tremendous attention (Weiland 2010).

One example of renewable energy is biogas. Because biogas is merely the product of any digesting animal waste, basic units can be installed and gas can be produced using a large variety of input wastes. Crawford County, Pennsylvania is one such area that could benefit from biogas. Despite its cold winters, the agricultural base of the area makes the region suitable for implementing biogas units, some of which are already in place. One operation that could potentially benefit from the production of biogas is Raup Fisheries, located in the north western portion of the county. With fish manure being their primary waste product, as well as a need to heat their indoor ponds in the regions cold winters, Raup is an example of an ideal candidate that could utilize this growing technology. With little known about the use of fish manure in biogas production, the goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of building a biogas digester using fish manure as the primary input. By building a unit that processes fish manure, the intent is to produce enough methane to heat one cup of tea, an effort which will ultimately exhibit the viability for biogas in the future for this industry.

Weiland, P. 2010. Biogas production: current state and perspectives. Applied Microbiological Technology, 85: 849-860.