The Promise and Realities of Biogas Produced from Landfills and Farm Waste

Abstract

ABSTRACT Full realization of the potential of converting landfill gas (LFG) and farm manure to biogas and LFG could, together, significantly supplement our national supply of natural gas. Another advantage of these sources is that they tend to be located near end users and may be considered analogous in some respects to distributed generation because the gas they provide does not have to be transported long distances. There are many ways to generate electricity and few ways to produce biogas. Unfortunately, factors such as constantly changing natural gas prices, the relatively small size of individual projects from a financing prospective, the fact that historic technology for converting animal waste did not always perform properly and the “comfort level” of gas sellers in remaining with existing natural gas supplies have seriously hindered the development of these sources. Federal and state tax benefits and incentive programs (such as the federal stimulus) offer the promise of increased development of these important domestic energy resources and available technology provides the possibility of realizing these domestic energy resources and contributing to gas price stability and domestic energy security.