Biogas in Indonesia

Last few years of energy is a crucial issue in the world. Increased energy demand caused by population growth and resource depletion of world oil reserves and the issue of emissions from fossil fuels put pressure on every country to be producing and using renewable energy. In addition, the increase in world oil prices to reach U $ 100 per barrel is also a serious reason that hit many countries in the world, especially Indonesia.

World oil price hikes will give a great impact for the development of the Indonesian nation. Fuel consumption reaching 1.3 million barrels of production is not balanced with a value of about 1 million barrels, so there is a deficit that must be met through imports. According to the Energy and Mineral Resources data (2006) Indonesia's oil reserves left only about 9 billion barrels. If continued consumed without finding new oil reserves, estimated oil reserves will be exhausted within two decades.


To reduce dependence on fossil fuels the government has issued a presidential republic of Indonesia regulation number 5 of 2006 on national energy policy to develop alternative energy sources to replace fossil fuels. The policy emphasis on resources as a renewable alternative fuel substitute for oil.


One of the alternative energy sources is biogas. This gas comes from a variety of organic wastes such as biomass waste, human waste, animal waste into energy can be utilized through Anaerobic Digestion process. It is a great opportunity to generate alternative energy so akanmengurangi impact of fossil fuel use.


Biogas is a process of bio gas production from organic materials with the help of bacteria. The process of degradation of organic materials without involving oxygen is called anaerobic Digestion gases produced largely (over 50%) of methane. organic material accumulated in the digester (reactor) going diuraiakan into two stages with the help of two types of bacteria. The first phase will orgranik material degraded to acid weak acid with the aid of acid-forming bacteria. These bacteria will describe the level of waste and asidifikasi hydrolysis. Hydrolysis of complex compounds decomposition or long chain compounds such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates into simple compounds. While the formation of acid asifdifikasi of simple compounds.


After the organic material into acid acid, then the second stage of Anaerobic Digestion is the process of formation of methane gas with the aid of methane-forming bacteria such as methanococus, methanosarcina, methano bacterium.


Development of Anaerobic Digestion process has been successful in many applications. This process has the ability to process the garbage / waste overflow exists and is not useful to more valuable products. Anaerobic Digestion application has been successful in processing industrial waste, agricultural waste and livestock waste municipal solid waste (MSW).


History of Anaerobic Digestion discovery process to produce biogas spread in continental Europe. The discovery of gas Volta scientists issued in the swamps occurred in 1770, several decades later, Avogadro identified about methane gas. After the year 1875 confirmed that biogas is a product of Anaerobic Digestion process. 1884 Pasteour doing research on animal waste biogas use. Era of research form the basis for Pasteour biogas research to date.


Biogas is mostly contain gas methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and some contain a small amount of hydrogen sulfide include (H2S) and ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen and (H2), nitrogen contents are very small.


The energy contained in biogas depends on the concentration of methane (CH4). The higher the methane content, the greater the energy content (calorific value) of biogas, and conversely the smaller the smaller the content of methane calorific value. Quality of biogas can be improved by treating some parameters as follows: Mute hydrogen sulfur, water content and carbon dioxide (CO2). Hydrogen and sulfur containing toxic substances that cause corrosion, if the biogas containing these compounds, it will cause a dangerous gas concentrations that are allowed a maximum of 5 ppm. If the gas burned sulfur hydrogen would be more dangerous because it will form a new compound together oxygen, the sulfur dioxide / sulfur trioxide (SO2 / SO3). is more toxic compounds. At the same time will form a sulfur acid (H2SO3) a compound which is more corrosive. The second parameter is to eliminate carbon dioxide that has the purpose to improve the quality, so the gas can be used to fuel vehicles. The water content in the biogas will decrease the ignition point can menimbukan biogas and corrosive. The following is a brief scheme of biogas production from cow dung or human waste:

Conversion of waste through anaerobic processes to produce biogas Digestion has several advantages, namely:

• Biogas is energy without the use of materials that still has benefits including biomass so that biogas does not destroy the balance of carbon dioxide caused by deforestation (deforestation) and the destruction of the land. 
• Biogas energy can serve as an energy substitute for fossil fuels that will reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and other emissions. 
• Methane is one of the greenhouse gases that their presence will increase the temperature duatmosfer, by using biogas as a fuel it will reduce methane gas in the air. 
• Animal waste and human waste is material that is not bermanfaaat, even menngakibatkan a very dangerous poison. Anaerobic Digestion application will minimize these effects and increase the value of the benefits of waste. 
• In addition to energy benefits obtained from Anaerobic Digestion process to produce bio gas, side products such as sludge. Meterial is obtained from the rest of Anaerobic Digestion is the process of solid and liquid form. Each can be used as fertilizer in the form of liquid fertilizer and solid fertilizer. 

Fuel oil prices increased and the diminishing availability and problems of greenhouse gas emissions is a problem faced by the global community. Search efforts will fuel more environmentally friendly and a renewable energy solution of the problem. For that Indonesia is a vast potential for such a large area, is expected to immediately apply biogas fuels.