The utilization of biogas after compression has many advantages, which are mainly reflected in energy utilization efficiency, storage and transportation, application scope and environmental protection, as follows:
Improve energy utilization efficiency
Increase energy density: Compression reduces the volume of biogas and greatly increases energy density. Taking compressed natural gas (CNG) as an example, the gas can usually be compressed to about 20MPa. At this time, the energy density of biogas is greatly increased compared with normal pressure biogas, which can store and release energy more efficiently, providing stronger power support for various applications. For example, when used as automobile fuel, it can significantly increase the mileage of automobiles.
More complete combustion: The compressed biogas is more evenly mixed with air during the combustion process, and can achieve more complete combustion. This means that the chemical energy in biogas can be more effectively converted into other forms of energy such as heat energy, reducing energy waste and improving energy utilization efficiency. For example, the use of compressed biogas in gas boilers can significantly improve thermal efficiency.
Easy to store and transport
Storage advantages: Compressed biogas can store a large amount of energy in a relatively small space. By compressing and storing biogas in containers such as high-pressure gas storage tanks, biogas can be stably stored, solving the time mismatch between biogas production and use, making it easy to use whenever needed, and improving the availability of biogas.
Convenient transportation: Compressed biogas is easy to transport over long distances through pipelines, compressed gas transport vehicles, etc. Compared with uncompressed biogas, compressed biogas has less loss during transportation and relatively lower transportation costs. It can achieve efficient distribution of biogas from the production site to the use site, expand the application scope of biogas, and enable biogas to be used in a wider area.
Expand the scope of application
Transportation: Compressed biogas can be used as fuel for vehicles such as cars and buses, replacing traditional fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Compared with gasoline and diesel, compressed biogas produces fewer pollutants after combustion, which is conducive to reducing tail gas emissions and reducing pollution to the environment. At the same time, it can also alleviate the problem of tight oil resources to a certain extent.
Distributed energy: In some remote areas or places where energy demand is relatively dispersed, compressed biogas can be used as an important source of distributed energy. By establishing a small compressed biogas power station or energy supply station, we can provide electricity, heat and other energy services to local residents and enterprises, improve the flexibility and reliability of energy supply, and promote the diversified development of energy.
Significant environmental benefits
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: The main component of biogas is methane. In the process of compression and utilization, the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide produced by combustion is significantly lower than that of traditional energy sources such as coal and oil. Moreover, biogas is usually produced by fermentation of organic waste. Its utilization process actually collects and utilizes methane that may have been directly emitted into the atmosphere, thereby reducing the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which has positive significance for alleviating global climate change.
Promote resource recycling: The raw materials for compressed biogas production mainly come from organic substances such as agricultural waste, industrial organic wastewater, and urban garbage. By fermenting these organic wastes to produce biogas and compressing them for utilization, the harmless treatment and resource recycling of organic wastes are achieved, the pollution of waste to the environment is reduced, and new energy resources are created, which meets the requirements of sustainable development.
The market prospect of biogas compression utilization is relatively broad. The following is an analysis from the aspects of policy, demand, technology, etc.:
Strong policy support
Internationally: At international conferences such as the COP29 summit, countries have paid great attention to renewable energy and carbon emission reduction. As an important part of biomass energy, biogas is in line with the trend of global green and low-carbon transformation. There is a policy support environment in the international community, which is conducive to its market expansion.
Domestically: China has issued policies such as the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Resource Utilization of Agricultural Waste" and the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for Rural Clean Energy Development", which have created a good development environment for biogas utilization, including biogas compression utilization, from the aspects of financial support, technology research and development, and market promotion.
Market demand is growing rapidly
Energy supply: In rural areas, with economic development and improved living standards, the demand for clean and efficient energy has increased. Compressed biogas can replace traditional biomass energy and some fossil fuels. In cities, the gas market demand is huge, and compressed biogas can be used as a supplement or substitute for natural gas for residents' lives, industrial production and commercial purposes.
Transportation: The demand for clean energy in the transportation industry continues to grow. Compressed biogas can be used as vehicle fuel for buses, taxis, etc., reducing environmental pollution and dependence on traditional fuels. Some cities have begun to pilot the promotion of biogas vehicles, and the future market potential is huge.
Technology development has support
Gas production efficiency improvement: In recent years, high-efficiency anaerobic fermentation technology has made continuous breakthroughs, which can improve the output efficiency of biogas and provide more sufficient gas sources for biogas compression and utilization. At the same time, the research and development of new fermentation reactors such as fixed beds and fluidized beds will help improve fermentation efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
Compression technology progress: Biogas compression technology continues to develop, and the performance and efficiency of equipment have been significantly improved, making the compression process more efficient, stable and safe, reducing compression costs, and improving the quality and market competitiveness of compressed biogas.
Environmental protection is of great significance
Greenhouse gas emission reduction: In the context of responding to climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial. If methane, the main component of biogas, is directly discharged into the atmosphere, its greenhouse effect is stronger than carbon dioxide. By compressing and utilizing biogas, methane that may have been emitted can be converted into energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, meeting environmental protection requirements, and is favored by policymakers and society.
Waste utilization: Biogas production mainly uses agricultural waste, livestock and poultry manure, industrial organic wastewater, etc. as raw materials. The development of compressed biogas can promote the resource utilization of these organic wastes, reduce the pollution of waste to the environment, realize resource recycling, and bring good environmental and social benefits.
However, the biogas compression utilization market also faces some challenges, such as the high initial investment cost of the project, which makes it difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to raise funds; the carbon sink market is irregular, which affects the transaction and income of the project in the carbon sink market. But overall, with the continuous advancement of technology, the continuous strengthening of policy support and the growth of market demand for clean energy, the market prospects for biogas compression utilization are good.
