The rapid expansion of biogas plants requires implementing effective measures to control air pollution, especially odors and greenhouse gas emissions.
Advanced technologies and pre-operational studies are essential to monitor, minimize, and prevent environmental impacts before the facilities become operational.
A. Amo
Parque científico de Alicante, Zona ampliación del Campus Nave 6, 03690 Sant Vicent del Raspeig (Alicante) – Spain
Competing interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.
Academic editor: Carlos N. Díaz.
Content quality: This paper has not been peer-reviewed.
Citation: A. Amo, 2024, Environmental Impact Control for Odor and Greenhouse Gases in Anaerobic Digestion Plants, ODORA24 Conference, Barakaldo, Spain, www.olores.org.
Copyright: 2025 Olores.org. Open Content Creative Commons licence. It is allowed to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy articles in Olores.org website, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.
ISBN: pending.
Keywords: biogas, GHG, EN 13725, advanced biofiltration, biotrickling, activated carbon.
Abstract
The relentless growth in the construction of biogas plants makes it necessary for projects to be equipped with sufficient measures to control and minimize the resulting environmental impact. Without a doubt, air pollution is one of the most important impacts to consider, both from the perspective of odor nuisance and the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Existing technology provides highly effective tools capable of measuring, controlling, and minimizing this type of pollution. Olfactometric studies based on the UNE-EN 13725 standard, in effect since the approval of the European norm in 2004, are a valuable tool capable of quantifying odor emissions by source, as well as evaluating their impact on the surrounding area to determine whether there are nuisances in populated zones. A particularly interesting aspect of these studies is the possibility of conducting them pre-operationally, during the project phase, making it possible to determine the potential impact on the environment once the facility becomes operational. In this regard, it is worth noting that we have identified numerous Integrated Environmental Authorizations (IEAs) for new anaerobic digestion plants in which the performance of such studies has already been prescribed. In the area of GHG pollution, it is necessary to assess and control methane emissions (offgas and upgrading emissions), as well as those originating from diffuse and uncontrolled sources. The use of technologies such as Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) represents a significant advance in the ease of detecting these uncontrolled emissions. From the perspective of continuous monitoring in these types of facilities, intelligent air quality management platforms represent a major step forward in real-time control of odorous compounds such as H₂S, NH₃, or VOCs. In the area of minimizing odorous emissions, technologies such as advanced biofiltration, biotrickling, or adsorption using activated carbon are indispensable tools for controlling and minimizing odor emission sources. It is during the project phase that it becomes necessary to implement these technologies to avoid causing an environmental impact once the facility is in operation.