Title: Background of biogas technology and its recent developments in Iran

Authors: Mehrdad Adl, Ghasem-Ali Omrani

Addresses: Renewable Energy Department, Energy and Environment Research Center, Niroo Research Institute (NRI), P.O. Box 14665/517, Tehran, Iran. ' Faculty of Sanitation, Medical University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: Biogas activities have been initialised since the mid 1970s in Iran. Only a few of about 70 rural projects are still active. Other activities include four municipal landfill gas extraction projects through which, two projects are being ready for power generation and some anaerobic treatment plants in industrial food processing factories. A modern research plant for practical investigation on anaerobic process as well as two rural biogas units has recently been completed in Iran. The reasons why there is less development of biogas have been discussed in this paper. The considerable difference between the cost of biogas and fossil energies in Iran is a main barrier for development of biogas.

Keywords: Iran; biogas; digester; landfill gas; LFG extraction; energy costs; rural participation; anaerobic treatment; food processing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2008.018008

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2008 Vol.29 No.3, pp.273 - 283

Published online: 26 Apr 2008 *

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