A.

Project Summary

B. Introduction

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest developing economic regions on the planet. As

a result of this growth, the amount of organic waste produced is increasing, as is the

desire for a low-cost, long-term energy source. Biogas has a lot of promise in Southeast

Asia.[1]

Overall energy consumption in Southeast Asia has increased by more than 80%

since 2000, with a doubling in fossil fuel use accounting for the majority of this increase.

The main component of the regional energy mix is oil, with coal – mostly for power

generation – being the fastest increasing. This has fueled the region's development and

industrial expansion, but it has also made air pollution a serious public health concern

and increased energy-related CO2 emissions.[2]

Because firewood was plentiful in the early days, the main attraction to biogas

was its ability to reduce pollutants and contribute favorably to public health, rather than

its fuel energy generating potential. Biogas is now widely regarded as the most practical

renewable energy source for rural areas. Domestic, agricultural, and animal wastes, as

well as food processing, distillery, and industrial wastes, can all be used to generate

biogas.[3]

Agricultural crop residues, forest residues, animal waste, agro-industrial waste,

municipal solid waste, and aquatic biomass are among the rich biomass resources

available in the Philippines.[4]

Biogas is typically utilized as a fuel for combustion engines, which convert it to

mechanical energy, which is then used to power an electric generator to generate

electricity. An electric generator is comparable to an electric motor in terms of design. [5]

On a domestic level, there are several technologies for generating electricity from biogas. In a

controlled combustion system, the chemical energy of combustible gases is transformed to

mechanical energy by a heat engine. This mechanical energy then turns into electrical energy by

activating a generator. Gas turbines and combustion engines are the most popular heat engines

utilized in biogas energy conversion. Internal combustion engines and external combustion

engines are two types of combustion engines.[6]

A thermoelectric generator is a solid-state device that uses the Seebeck effect to convert

heat flow directly into electrical energy. Heat engines are similar to thermoelectric generators,

except they are less bulky and have no mechanical parts. In power plants, thermoelectric

generators could be utilized to convert waste heat into additional electrical power. Thermoelectric

generators are all-solid-state machines that do not require any liquids for fuel or cooling, allowing

them to be used in zero-gravity or deep-sea environments. The solid-state architecture enables

operation in harsh conditions. Thermoelectric generators feature no moving parts, making them

more reliable and requiring less maintenance over time. Thermoelectrics are favored by NASA's

deep space explorers and other applications due to their longevity and environmental stability.

Outside of such specialized applications, thermoelectric generators have the potential to be

integrated into existing technologies to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact by

creating useable electricity from waste heat. For unmanned installations, thermoelectric

generators are generally employed as remote and off-grid power sources. They are the most

reliable power generator in such scenarios since they have no moving parts, work at all hours of

the day and night, and can operate without the use of batteries. [7]
[1]
Biogas potential in the Philippines, Southeast asia - REURASIA

[2]
Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2019 – Analysis - IEA

[3]
Biogas Technology: Fuelling the Future of Agricultural Development – Agriculture Monthly

[4]
Biomass Industry in the Philippines - ASEAN Business News (aseanbriefing.com)

[5]
Electricity Generation from Biogas - energypedia

[6]
Biogas Electricity (Small-scale) | SSWM - Find tools for sustainable sanitation and water management!

[7]
Thermoelectric generator - Wikipedia