Biogas is basically a combination of different gases, mostly carbon dioxide and methane, produced by certain kind of microorganisms, usually in the absence of air or oxygen.
This absence of oxygen is called anaerobic condition. Animals that eat more of plant material, especially grazing animals such as cattle, produce large amounts of biogas.
However, it is important to note that the cows themselves do not produce this biogas. In fact, this gas is produced by millions of microorganisms that live in their digestive systems. Biogas can also develop in bogs and at the bottom of lakes, where there is a lot of decaying organic matter, built up under wet and anaerobic conditions.
Methane-producing microorganisms have another special feature as well besides being able to live without oxygen. They are among the very few creatures that can digest cellulose, which makes up most of the plant fibers.
These organisms are also very sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature, acidity, the amount of water, etc.
Biogas as a Form of Renewable Energy
It is possible to collect flammable biogas in a simple tank, by storing the animal manure in a closed tank and letting the gas accumulate. The gas makes an excellent alternative fuel for cook stoves and furnaces, and can be used in place of regular natural gas, which is a fossil fuel.
Biogas is considered to be a renewable source of energy due to the fact that its production depends upon the supply of grass, which usually grows back each year.
In contrast to this, the natural gas used in most of our homes is formed from the fossilized remains of plants and animals, a process that takes millions of years, using the resources that cannot grow back in a time scale that is meaningful for humans.
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