3.6 What is the difference between biomethane potential, methane yield, and methane production?

Biomethane potential, methane yield, and methane production are essential concepts in anaerobic digestion. While they are related, they have distinct meanings.

It may not always be possible to measure the amount of methane in biogas, as it would require a biogas analyser. This means that the terms used for methane also apply to biogas mixtures.

Biomethane or biogas potential refers to the maximum amount of gas produced from a given substrate or organic material. It is typically measured regarding the gas volume produced per substrate unit.

Methane or biogas yield represents the actual gas produced during anaerobic digestion. It is also expressed in terms of the volume (cubic meters) of gas produced per substrate unit.

Methane or biogas production refers to the rate at which gas is generated during anaerobic digestion. It is usually expressed in terms of the volume produced per unit of time, such as cubic meters per day.