INTERVIEW 19
Biogas offers a sustainable energy future for Thailand Dr. Stephen P. Etheridge, Chief Executive Officer of Biotrix Asia Thailand is rapidly developing the use of biogas in agriculture and industry, and has become the South-East Asian region’s leading biogas expert. PlanET together with its local partner in Asia, Biotrix Asia, have been developing biogas technology to help create a sustainable future for Thailand and other parts of Asia. This exclusive interview with Dr. Stephen P. Etheridge, Chief Executive Officer of Biotrix Asia, highlights the great opportunities and advantages offered by the biogas sector in Thailand.
Can you please explain briefly what biogas is and what are the benefits of its use? Biogas is a naturally occurring mixture of mostly methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) that occurs as a result of the natural microbial breakdown of organic matter. Examples include marsh gas as well as cow and human flatulence. We can harness the process to breakdown or ganic matter, known as “Anaerobic Digestion”, to produce gas from industrial effluents and animal wastes, sludge from sewage works as well as crop materials. Then we can use the gas as a boiler fuel or to generate electricity. In many cases, if we don’t produce biogas from wastes, they will not only
pollute the environment, but biogas will occur naturally as a result of microbial breakdown in rivers and ponds. The result is the release of harmful greenhouse gases. Therefore, biogas technology is a win-win process. It reduces pollution as well as generating renewable energy. Biogas is considered as a form of sustainable energy. Is the transportation of organic matter taken into account? Most of the digester s in the wor ld are located at sewage treatment plants, farms and factories. Generally, no transpor tation is involved. The waste flows to the digester from the source by gravity, or through pumps and pipes. In centralised purpose-built biogas plants used to treat organic materials such as crop residue, grass and animal wastes, the feedstock has to be delivered to the site, so all transport costs and environmental impacts from the transpor t need to be taken into account. Critically, digestate – the product from the digester – will still be rich in nitrogen and
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