Assessment of Biogas Potential in Eskisehir

Abstract

A development indicator of a country is its energy consumption. The exhaustion of fossil fuels causes environmental problems such as the release of significant amounts of CO2 and particulate matter into the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Biomass energy is an important energy alternative for reducing environmental problems. The province of Eskisehir in Turkey produces massive amounts of animal, herbal, and organic urban waste suitable to obtain biofuel. This study aimed to determine the amount of biogas that could be obtained from the animal waste in Eskisehir between 2010 and 2019 as well as the energy amount that such waste could represent and the ratio of the energy that could be converted into electricity for consumption. The results show that 2,050,383 tons/year of fertilizer could be collected in the study period. This amount of animal waste could satisfy approximately 8% of Eskisehir's annual electricity demand. Moreover, thanks to the electrical energy generated from methane gas, the release of a significant amount of CO2 into the atmosphere could have been prevented. In addition to energy, the manure generated as waste from biogas facilities could be used in agriculture, contributing to economic development and maintaining the environment clean.