by Henrique

Created on: April 06, 2009   Last Updated: April 07, 2009

Biogas and renewable energies in general are very popular due to the potential it has as a long turn, reliable source of energy; and also due to economic and environmental issues regarding conventional energy sources. In particular, we can state the possible shortage of world fuel reserves, and the negative effects that those conventional sources have on the ozone layer.

Although not fully tested to be used on a daily basis in the present time, biogas has a long history. In fact, it is thought that Shirley, in 1667, discovered biogas, or "swamp gas", but only one century later did the scientific community recognize the existence of gas in certain swamps. In the 19th century, Ulysse Gayon - as a Louis Pasteur pupil - managed to produce methane, through the anaerobic fermentation of a mixture of manure and water at 35C. In 1894, Louis Pasteur, during the presentation of the work of Gayon, considered that this fermentation could be explored com the goal of having a source of light and heating It was only in 1895 that some streets in Exeter, England, were lighted with resource to biogas formed in a septic tank designed for this effect.

Still, biogas didn't have the same success as an alternative to fossil combustibles. Only the energetic gap that happened following the second World War that motivated a rising demand for biogas, in order to supply heating and fuel for internal combustion engines. From the 1950s to the 1960s, the abundance of energy sources made, in general, diminish the importance of biogas as a credible energy provider. Still from the 1970s on, biogas has once again been seen as an alternative. Nowadays, biogas has gained popularity for being a clean, renewable source of energy with a wide range of potential utility. It is being gradually used in the total composition of fuel, and promises to be a credible alternative to fully substitute fuel and other pollutant sources of energy. However, due to habit of consuming non-renewable energy sources, and also due to the lack of interest that major companies involved in these issues such as the automotive and the petrol industries it is not probable that biogas can assume a major role among.

Probably, until world resources are extinguished or until there is an environmental disaster due to disorder use of such resources, little to nothing will be made. At least, we can rely on the fact that scientists will have something to lean on, when the time is right...

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