The biogas is then burnt in a “cogeneration” system, producing combined heat and power.
Silage maize has excellent methane-producing power.
Biogas has developed well in Germany (with 240 000 hectares of silage maize and figures for 2009 estimated at 300 000 hectares)
– by 2020 it will produce 9 500 MW (17% of German electricity)
– by 2006, 90% of facilities were using maize feedstock
–1 hectare of maize covers the electricity needs of 5 households
– breeding work developing varieties has doubled the volume of dry matter per hectare (30 tonnes DM/ha or 10 000m3 methane/ha).
In France in 2006, methanation for agricultural purposes was done at 5 plants and there were 3 co-digestion plans for using animal farm effluents. To date, the rate charged for biogas-generated electricity has not been attractive; it was reviewed in 2006.
| 
