Biogas and fertilizer in a new age
The use of biogas as a fuel in Sweden suggests that there is a replacement for fuel oil that is derived from wastes buried -- often deep in earth -- by ecological processes of decomposition and storage. Before learning that burning oil and coal would lead to severe planetary problems, we proceeded with ignorance of the consequences: witness damage to oceans, atmosphere, incidence of severe storms, imminent threat to slippage of Greenland's ice mass and similar problems with Antarctic ice masses.
Imagine a world in which most nations could be self-sufficient by distilling their own fuels. Imagine the benefits of eliminating fuel oil spills in the oceans. Imagine small producers making fuel affordable for transportation, heating homes, or production of electricity.
In sustainability-conscious Sweden, the city of Stockholm has converted its 1,600 vehicles to running on biogas . The private market for
biogas -fuelled cars is increasing. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge has been carried on for decades and the resulting biogas is used for heating, electricity production, and is processed for car fuel. The biogas is manufactured from organic wastes from restaurants and commercial kitchens as well as from manure and sewage. The waste product from the biogas production is better as fertilizer than ordinary manure because it makes nitrogen is more available.
In Linkoping, a city of 140,000, a plant was started in 1997 to treat organic agricultural waste in southeastern Sweden. It provides biogas for urban city buses and reduces emissions from urban transport. The plant treats 100,000 tonnes annually and produces 4.7 million cubic metres of upgraded biogas (97 per cent CH4 ) that is used in 64 buses and a number of heavy and light duty vehicles.
The first biogas train ran between Linkoping and Vastervik in June 2005. The biogas run train has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions to zero.
