Can Animal Manure Produce Biogas At Home?

“I’ve been using a small home biogas system for a few months now to help manage waste and reduce my energy bills. I live on a small farm in a rural area, and we’ve got a few goats and chickens. I was wondering, can I use the manure from my animals to produce biogas? If so, what types of manure work best for biogas production, and are there any specific challenges unlike using food scraps or other materials?” Thanks, John, Otago, New Zealand.

Can Animal Manure Produce Biogas At Home?

Absolutely, John! Animal manure is actually one of the most common sources used to generate biogas. Not only does it help reduce waste on your farm, but it also takes something you’d need to dispose of anyway and turns it into a renewable source of energy for cooking, heating, or generating electricity. Let’s break everything down so you can get the most from your goats, chickens, and any other animals you may have.

How Does Biogas Production Work?

In simple terms, biogas is produced when organic material (like manure) decomposes in an oxygen-free environment (anaerobic digestion). Microorganisms break down the material, ultimately producing methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and a few other gases. Methane is the key player here since it’s what burns to create energy. The process also results in byproducts like liquid fertilizer, which is packed with nutrients and great for your farm.

The main “ingredient” in biogas production is organic material rich in carbon and nitrogen. Animal manure fits the bill perfectly, and different types of manure can have different effects on your biogas system.

The Best Animal Manure for Biogas Production

Not all manure is created equal when it comes to biogas, John. Here’s a quick overview of some common ones you may come across, including the ones from your goats and chickens:

• Cow Manure: One of the most efficient manures for producing biogas. It has a high fiber content and good digestion properties. However, it can take a slightly longer time to break down due to its bulk.
• Goat Manure: Since you’ve got goats, this is great news! Goat manure is rich in nitrogen and tends to work well in biogas systems. It also doesn’t have the bulky fiber that cow manure has, meaning it can break down a bit faster.
• Chicken Manure: Chicken poop is high in nitrogen but can be ‘hot’ or acidic compared to other manures. You’ll want to mix it with other materials (like food waste or cow manure) to balance out its composition. It can produce a good amount of gas, but in smaller systems, you’ll want to keep an eye on the pH of your digester.
• Pig Manure: While pig manure is excellent for biogas production, it’s pretty smelly. You’ll get good yields, though, making it viable if you don’t mind the odor.
• Horse Manure: Horses produce a lot of manure, but it tends to be drier than cow or pig manure, providing less of the gas-producing bacteria’s favorite environment. It’s still useful if mixed with wetter or higher nitrogen materials.

Since you’ve got goats and chickens, I’d suggest giving a mix of both manures a try. Goat manure on its own should work just fine, but if you’re also adding in chicken manure, blend it with food scraps or yard clippings to keep everything balanced.

Balancing Carbon and Nitrogen (C/N Ratio)

The carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio is an important piece to consider when using animal manure in a biogas system. Most animal manure is high in nitrogen, and if the ratio is off, the digester can become too acidic, or the bacteria might not be able to do their job efficiently. Ideally, the C/N ratio in your system should be around 25 to 30:1.

Manure tends to be nitrogen-rich (especially chicken manure), so balancing it with carbon-rich materials like straw, dried leaves, or food scraps is a good idea. This mixture is key to maintaining healthy digestion inside your biogas chamber, ensuring you get the most out of your setup without any hiccups.

The Advantages of Using Animal Manure for Biogas

There are several reasons why using manure for biogas is a pretty great idea, especially on a farm like yours:

• Waste Management: You’re effectively disposing of animal waste and converting it into something useful — energy!
• Less Greenhouse Gases: When manure is left to decompose naturally, it releases methane into the atmosphere. Capturing that methane in a biogas system means you’re reducing your farm’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.
• Rich Byproduct: The output you’re left with after the digestion process is an excellent organic fertilizer. So in addition to energy, you’re improving the quality of your soil.
• Energy Self-Sufficiency: Even on a small scale, you can generate enough biogas to supplement your farm’s energy needs, whether for heating, cooking, or running small equipment.

Manure-based digesters can be especially efficient with larger animals like cows or pigs, but your goats and chickens should provide a steady supply. Every little bit of waste adds up!

Challenges of Using Animal Manure vs. Food Scraps

You’ve mentioned you’ve been using a small system for a few months with food scraps — that’s great! But, as you shift gears towards incorporating animal manure, it’s useful to know that the material composition and your output might look a little different.

• Odor Control: Manure tends to produce stronger smells compared to food scraps. Proper sealing of the biogas unit will help, but you may also want to place the system downwind from your living or gardening areas.
• Moisture Balance: Unlike food scraps, animal manure can be drier. You may need to add water or other liquid waste (such as runoff from cleaning animal pens) to maintain a consistent, slurry-like mixture in your system.
• pH Levels: The decomposition process can shift pH levels, especially with nitrogen-heavy materials like chicken manure. You might need to adjust with lime or ash occasionally to keep things stable.
• Digestion Time: Food scraps generally break down more quickly than solid manure. Animal waste can linger longer in your biogas chamber, meaning gas production might come more slowly. But once it gets going, it’s stable!

Incorporating manure might require some adjustments to your system, but it doesn’t take long to get dialed in. You’ll learn as you go!

Increasing Biogas Output: Tips and Tricks

As you start working with your animal manure, here’s how you can optimize and even increase your biogas production:

1. Pre-treat your materials: Breaking down manure into smaller pieces before putting it into the digester will help the bacteria break it down more quickly and produce gas faster.
2. Keep Your Temperature Steady: Biogas-producing bacteria like a consistent temperature around 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (95-104°F). If you’re in a cooler climate, consider insulating your biogas system or using heat from other farm activities to regulate temperature.
3. Avoid Overloading: Start slowly! Too much manure all at once can overwhelm your system and cause it to shut down. Gradually add waste over time so the bacteria can keep up with the workload.
4. Aerate the Digester: Occasionally stir the mix in your system. This helps distribute the bacteria evenly and prevents build-up that could clog the system.

Manure Digester Maintenance: Common Issues & Solutions

Even the best systems run into some issues from time to time. Here are a few common ones to watch out for, especially when working with animal waste:

• Scum Layer Formation: A scum layer can form on top of the slurry, trapping gas. Adding water and stirring the digester can fix this, or loading your system with smaller, more liquid waste scraps alongside the manure.
• Acidic Digestion: Sometimes, your mix may become too acidic, which interferes with the digestion process. This is more likely when using nitrogen-heavy manure like chicken manure. Adding a small amount of neutralizer like lime or wood ash can help return the balance.
• Leaks in the System: If you notice a drop in gas production, ensure there are no leaks in your system’s gas storage and delivery components. Manure tends to produce gas more slowly than food scraps in some cases, so understanding your baseline production will keep you ahead of sudden changes.

Regular monitoring of the temperature, pH, and overall output will keep things on track and ensure you’re getting the best results from your manure digester setup.

Final Thoughts…

John, using the manure from your goats and chickens is a fantastic way to maximize your home biogas system! It’s sustainable, practical, and helps you convert waste into something genuinely useful for your farm. The mix of nitrogen-rich manure and carbon-balanced materials will give you high-quality gas while keeping your system efficient and productive. Start small, monitor the process, and tweak things along the way.

Thanks again for reaching out, and best of luck with your biogas adventure!