Journal of Energy Bioscience 2024, Vol.15, No.2, 118-131 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 118 Feature Review Open Access Enhancing the Efficiency of Converting Agricultural Waste into Biomethane Using Anaerobic Digestion Technology Kaiwen Liang Agri-Products Application Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resouces, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: kaiwen.liang@hitar.org Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2024, Vol.15, No.2 doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0012 Received: 22 Feb., 2024 Accepted: 30 Mar., 2024 Published: 14 Apr., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Liang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Liang K.W., 2024, Enhancing the efficiency of converting agricultural waste into biomethane using anaerobic digestion technology, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 15(2): 118-131 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2024.15.0012) Abstract This study’s focus is on integrating various innovative techniques and process optimizations to improve biomethane yield and overall system performance. The study highlights several key advancements in anaerobic digestion technology. Integrating pyrolysis with anaerobic digestion has shown a significant increase in biomethane production, achieving an overall efficiency of 67% compared to 52% for stand-alone systems. The use of biochar as an additive has been found to enhance hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis, thereby stabilizing the microbial community and increasing methane yield. Co-digestion of food waste with other substrates has also been identified as an effective method to boost biogas production, with yields ranging from 0.272 to 0.859 m³ CH4/kg VS. Additionally, emerging technologies such as membrane separation and chemical looping for biogas upgrading have been discussed, showing potential for further enhancing biomethane quality and production rates. The integration of advanced techniques such as pyrolysis, biochar addition, and co-digestion, along with innovative biogas upgrading methods, significantly enhances the efficiency of converting agricultural waste into biomethane. These advancements not only improve biomethane yield but also contribute to the sustainability and economic viability of anaerobic digestion technology. Keywords Anaerobic digestion; Biomethane; Agricultural waste; Pyrolysis; Biochar 1 Introduction The global energy landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the urgent need to mitigate climate change and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and bioenergy, are increasingly recognized for their potential to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional energy sources. Among these, bioenergy stands out due to its ability to convert organic waste into valuable energy, thereby addressing both energy production and waste management challenges simultaneously (Salman et al., 2017; Verbeeck et al., 2018; Nguyen et al., 2020). Biomethane, a renewable form of natural gas, is produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic materials, including agricultural waste. Agricultural waste, such as crop residues, animal manure, and food waste, represents a significant and underutilized resource for biomethane production. The anaerobic digestion process involves the microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen, resulting in the production of biogas, which primarily consists of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This biogas can be upgraded to biomethane by removing CO2 and other impurities, making it suitable for use as a fuel or for injection into the natural gas grid (Meng et al., 2015; Beegle and Borole, 2018; Bong et al., 2018). Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology plays a crucial role in sustainable waste management by converting organic waste into renewable energy and valuable by-products. The process not only reduces the volume of waste destined for landfills but also mitigates greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Additionally, the digestate produced during anaerobic digestion can be used as a nutrient-rich fertilizer, contributing to a circular economy and enhancing soil health (Lin et al., 2017; Antoniou et al., 2019; Neri et al., 2023). Innovations in AD technology, such as the integration of pyrolysis and the use of conductive materials like graphene, have shown promise in further enhancing biomethane yields and process efficiency (Lin et al., 2017; Salman et al., 2017).
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