Quantification of methane emissions from UK biogas plants

The rising number of operational biogas plants in the UK brings a new emissions category to consider for methane monitoring, quantification and reduction. Minimising losses from atmosphere is critical not only because their contribution global warming but also with respect sustainability renewable energy production. Mobile greenhouse gas surveys were conducted detect plumes southern England that varied size, waste feed input materials utilization. Gaussian plume modelling was used estimate total ten based on repeat passes through plumes. Methane emission rates ranged 0.1 58.7 kg CH4 hr-1, percentage relative calculated production rate between 0.02 8.1%. average 15.9 loss 3.7%. In general, smaller farm higher than larger food plants. We suggest may account 0.4 3.8%, an being 1.9% excluding sewage sludge