3.7 What is the biogas potential of various substrates?

Biogas Sanitation 3 Process Parameters 3.7 What is the biogas potential of various substrates?

The following table provides several examples of the biogas potential from various substrates:

Substrate	Value	Unit	Source
Faeces	0.02 – 0.03	m³ _biogas/person/day	(UN, 1984)
Excreta undigested (incl. water from pour flush) *	0.23	m³ _biogas/kg_VS	UPM 2019
Faecal sludge from pit latrines	0.04	m³ _biogas/kg_TS	(Parker A., 2015)
Faecal sludge from unlined pit latrines	0.063	m³ _biogas/kg_TS	(Tayler, 2018)
Faecal sludge from septic tank *	0.03	m³ _biogas/kg_VS	UPM 2019
Septage after solid-liquid separation	0.02	m³ _biogas/kg_TS	(Tayler, 2018)
Biowaste	0.3 – 1.0	m³ _biogas/kg_VS	(Deublein D., 2011)
Kitchen waste	0.6 – 1.2	m³ _biogas/kg_VS	(Vögeli Y., 2014)
Kitchen waste and human faeces	0.8	m³ _biogas/kg_VS	(Vögeli Y., 2014)
Theoretical value	0.35	m³ _CH4/kg_COD-removed	(UN, 1984)
* Median

Biogas Potential of Various Substrates

It is essential to note that the amount of biogas produced can vary depending on various factors, such as the organic content of the feedstock, the retention time inside the containment, temperature, loading rate, and system efficiency. The subsequent chapters will cover these factors in detail.

Because human waste is heterogeneous, and the characteristics are highly variable, a BMP test is recommended before designing the anaerobic digester.

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