Methane is classified as a type of biogas. The organic materials naturally produced by plants and animals are collected to be recycled for their methane content. An anaerobic digester is used to simulate the natural process that would break down those organic materials.
Reducing Methane Emissions Through Reciprocating Generator Sets
Martin Banks, Managing Editor | Modded
The key to fighting climate change is finding ways to reduce emissions as much as possible. Global leaders are faced with a challenge: lessening pollution while also meeting growing energy needs. Methane might hold a solution.
Methane is notorious even among greenhouse gases. While it only remains in the atmosphere for about nine to 15 years, it holds heat over 80 times better than carbon dioxide does. The growth of industries like agriculture, as well as landfills, is leading to ever-increasing methane emissions around the world. Fortunately, they can be used to bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy.
Methane and Reciprocating Engines
Methane has been eyed for electricity production for several years now. In fact, NASA was experimenting with methane-powered vehicles as early as the 1980s. The real challenge with using it as a fuel source is that it is a gas, not a liquid. A complex process is needed to tap into the power-generating capacity of methane. However, it is not impossible.
Methane is classified as a type of biogas. The organic materials naturally produced by plants and animals are collected to be recycled for their methane content. An anaerobic digester is used to simulate the natural process that would break down those organic materials. The biogas produced as a result can then be used to generate heat and electricity.
Why Reciprocating Engines?
Reciprocating internal engines are one of the most common types. Variations are found in many modern cars, except for electric vehicles. Interestingly, reciprocating engines are becoming more popular for power generation, as well. An environmentally friendly fuel would be instrumental in transitioning to a renewable energy grid.
These engines have a few key benefits that make them ideal companions to renewable energy. For example, reciprocating engine generators can start and stop quickly. They can even start up when the rest of the power grid is down. Experts have also praised their reliability and efficiency. These generators are resilient in the face of outages, even where severe weather poses a threat. They remain efficient in various conditions and are generally easy to maintain.
The Impact of Methane Emissions
The need for sustainable energy sources is urgent. Climate experts estimate that methane emissions have been responsible for at least 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution. Reducing methane emissions is expected to have a much more significant impact on climate change than lowering CO2 pollution. This is because methane is far more potent than CO2 and dissipates in a matter of decades rather than centuries.
As the global population grows, demand for energy and food will rise in parallel. Both of these produce methane, particularly agriculture and livestock. Waste in landfills also creates millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the form of methane each year. If a solution cannot be found soon, pollution from these sources will grow exponentially over the coming decades.
Cost and Convenience
There is a consensus that the world needs to switch to green energy sources. However, the transition from fossil fuels to renewables is challenging. The current power grid relies on fossil fuels, as do key aspects of the economy and daily life. Methane-powered generators may be the ideal solution.
One of the greatest benefits of utilizing biogas is its cost-saving potential. Since methane is naturally generated by numerous sources and is readily available, it is much less expensive than petroleum and other fossil fuels. A great example of this is the landfill method. Reciprocal generators have been designed that draw fuel from landfill gas using an extraction system of wells and vacuum pipes. Piping draws in gases using the applied vacuum pressure and is transported through the lines to be processed into fuel.
These biogas generators tap into one of the most abundant producers of methane. The world’s landfills pollute the atmosphere just as much as the ground and seas. These generators can help reduce that pollution while also providing a cheap and accessible power source.
Notably, since methane-powered reciprocal generator sets would largely draw power from sources in agriculture, they could help facilitate growth in the industry. Livestock, plants and crops produce methane in their own ways, and all of it can be harnessed for biogas to some extent. As demand for food grows worldwide, agricultural industries will naturally produce more methane as they work to meet demand. Biogas reciprocal generators could provide a green energy source rather than contributing to climate change.
Bridging Fossil Fuels and Renewables
One challenge of transitioning to renewable energy is the current dependence on fossil fuels. The power grid cannot be switched off while new, renewable infrastructure is installed. Part of the problem lies in supply and demand. Renewable energy production is simply not high enough yet to meet energy needs. Worldwide renewable energy production is expected to increase by 35 gigawatts from 2021 through 2022. At the same time, global energy demand is likely to rise by 100 gigawatts, leaving a 65-gigawatt deficit for fossil fuels.
Alternative fuel sources will need to be used until renewables can fill that deficit. However, it is possible to move through the transition to renewables without causing more damage to the environment than necessary. Biogas-fueled reciprocating generator sets may be the key to achieving this.
Interestingly, studies have found a correlation between power plants with large reciprocal generator capacity and states with significant renewable energy infrastructure. This is not a coincidence. The above-mentioned reliability and resilience of reciprocal generators make them a perfect companion to green power sources.
Sources like wind and solar depend entirely on the weather, so fluke patterns can leave a big dent in energy production. When this is the case, or when outages occur, reciprocating generators can be on stand-by to take over with clean biogas power. Additionally, on a large enough scale, these generators could be a regular power source in and of themselves.
Tomorrow’s Energy Resources
Fighting climate change is a process of shifting the way we view and utilize resources. In the past, methane has always been something that companies paid to dispose of. In reality, these emissions are a highly valuable energy source.
Reciprocating generators are an existing, accessible technology perfect for tapping into this clean energy potential. Biogas-fueled generators may even be the key to supporting and transitioning to a renewable power grid.
This innovative technology provides clean energy while reducing emissions and powering a greener future.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
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