As an alternative to grain production, agricultural enterprises can grow corn specifically for the production of biomethane and electric power. And inspite of costs for growing maize and even imspite of subsidies for waste, maize based biogas projects are more feasible than projects using waste.
As an alternative to grain production, agricultural enterprises can cultivate maize specifically for the production of biomethane and electricity. Despite the costs associated with growing maize and even with subsidies for waste, maize-based biogas projects are often more financially viable than those relying on waste as a feedstock
Approximately half of the existing biogas plants operate on maize silage or a mixture of silage and waste. Maize is specifically grown for the purpose of generating electricity or converting biogas into methane.
Some critics argue that using maize silage for energy production takes up land that could be used for food crops. However, for farmers, producing energy is often a more economically viable option than growing food, and food security is not an issue in this context.
Growing maize for silage and energy production is often a better financial choice. In contrast, farmers in regions facing food shortages are generally focused on growing grain for consumption.
In CSTR reactors, the dry matter (DM) content typically ranges from 5-8%. This limit is primarily determined by the capacity of the mixers. The organic load is typically 2-5 kg of organic dry matter (ODM) per cubic meter of reactor per day. As a result, both the reactor volume and the number of reactors required are large, which leads to high capital costs.
For a 1.2 MW biogas plant, approximately 21,000 tons of silage are needed annually. With a yield of 40 tons per hectare, this translates to a required land area of around 525 hectares.
In high-load reactor (HLR) technology, the dry matter (DM) content in the reactor is typically 16%. HLRs are designed to handle 3-5 times the organic load of CSTR reactors, making them smaller and highly productive. The organic load in HLR reactors ranges from 8-15 kg of organic dry matter (ODM) per cubic meter of reactor per day.
The capital cost of HLRs is significantly lower—about 1/3 to 1/2 that of CSTRs. This makes HLR technology particularly well-suited for large-scale projects, especially those involving silage and generating electric power above 2.5 MW.
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