Biogas is a renewable energy source produced from the breakdown of organic matter by bacteria. It is composed mainly of methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas forms during the decomposition of organic wastes from sources like livestock manure, food scraps, and plant materials. It has advantages as a clean and renewable fuel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. However, challenges remain in simplifying and lowering the cost of biogas production technologies. The government of Pakistan is promoting biogas use, especially in rural agricultural areas, by providing biogas plants to villages to help overcome electricity problems and develop renewable sources.

1. Biogas
By: Jawaria Salman

2. Energy Sources
• When it comes to energy sources there are two main types:
1. Non-renewable energy sources
2. Renewable energy sources
• Non-renewable energy sources are precisely the energy sources that
cannot be renewed and will run out in a shorter period of time. E.g.
coal, oil, natural gas etc.
• Renewable energy sources include those forms of producing energy
that will last for a very long period of time. E.g. wind, water, biogas etc.

3. 29%
28%
4%
12%
4%
1%
22%
Sources of Energy Production in Pakistan
Natural Gas Hydel
Nuclear Coal
Wind Solar
Thermal

4. What is Biogas?
• Biogas is a renewable form of energy as well as green and clean.
• Biogas is naturally produced gas generated from the breakdown of
organic matter by anaerobic bacteria.
• Biogas is composed mainly of methane gas, carbon dioxide with few
traces of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
• It forms in compost heaps, as a result of enteric fermentation in
ruminants, anaerobic digesters from plant or animal waste or collected
from landfills.

6. Is Biogas all clean and green?
Advantages Disadvantages
Biogas reduces greenhouse emissions because
the production of energy from biogas is non-
polluting.
There are no new technologies yet to simplify
the process of making biogas and make it
abundant and low cost.
Manure, food scraps, and crop residue are raw
materials to produce biogas that will always be
available especially in rural areas.
It leads to deforestation as firewood is also used
as a biofuel.
Biogas generation leads to improvements in the
environment, sanitation, and hygiene because
the waste is collected.
A temperature of 37°C is needed by bacteria to
produce biogas.
The technology used to produce biogas is quite
cheap. It is easy to set up and needs little
investment.
As animal waste is a natural fertilizer in village,
its usage as a biogas will decrease its usage in
agriculture will reduce causing crop output to
decrease.

7. Biogas in Pakistan
• The government of Pakistan is focusing on promoting
the use of biogas.
• Since more than 60% of the exports come from the
agricultural sector, biotechnology is of utmost
importance.
• The government has handed biogas plants to many
villages especially in Punjab to overcome electricity
problems.
• Pakistan should work on developing renewable energy
sources to fulfil the needs of people and to put less
stress on the non-renewable energy sources.