Biogas Production Calculator

Biogas is produced when organic materials break down without oxygen — and the Biogas Production Calculator estimates how much gas, electricity, and revenue a biogas plant can generate from your waste inputs. Enter your feedstock type (food waste, animal manure, sewage sludge, and more), quantity, Total Solids, Volatile Solids, and Biochemical Methane Potential for up to two feedstocks, along with your electricity price, heat price, and plant efficiency. The calculator returns Annual Biogas Production, methane content, electricity generation potential, and projected annual revenue from both electricity and heat.

tons/year
%
%
m³ CH4/ton VS
tons/year
%
%
m³ CH4/ton VS
cents/kWh
cents/kWh
%

Results

Annual Biogas Production

--

Methane Content

--

Electricity Generation Potential

--

Annual Electricity Revenue

--

Annual Heat Revenue

--

Total Annual Revenue

--

More Biology Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

What is biochemical methane potential (BMP)?

BMP is the maximum amount of methane that can be produced from a specific organic material under anaerobic conditions. It's measured in cubic meters of methane per ton of volatile solids (m³ CH4/ton VS).

How do total solids (%TS) and volatile solids (%VS) affect biogas production?

Total solids represent the dry matter content of feedstock, while volatile solids are the organic portion that can be digested. Higher VS content generally means more biogas potential, but the optimal TS content varies by feedstock type.

What types of feedstock produce the most biogas?

Energy crops like corn silage typically have the highest biogas yield, followed by food waste and animal manure. The actual production depends on the specific composition, freshness, and processing of the material.

How efficient are biogas plants at converting methane to electricity?

Modern biogas plants typically achieve 35-45% electrical efficiency when converting methane to electricity. Combined heat and power (CHP) systems can reach overall efficiencies of 80-90% when both electricity and heat are utilized.

What factors affect the economic viability of a biogas project?

Key factors include feedstock availability and cost, local electricity and heat prices, government incentives, plant size and efficiency, and the ability to utilize both electricity and heat output.

How much feedstock is needed for a viable biogas plant?

Generally, a minimum of 10,000-30,000 tons per year of organic feedstock is needed for commercial viability, though smaller plants can work for specific applications or with high-value feedstocks.

What are the environmental benefits of biogas production?

Biogas production reduces greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane that would otherwise be released, provides renewable energy, and creates digestate that can be used as organic fertilizer.

How long does the anaerobic digestion process take?

The retention time in a biogas digester typically ranges from 20-40 days depending on temperature, feedstock type, and desired gas production efficiency. Thermophilic processes (50-60°C) are faster than mesophilic (35-40°C).